The tranquil Yalong Bay lies by a mountain to the north whose gentle slopes are covered with lush vegetation. Verdant and yellow leafy plants all grow humbly, keeping their heads down in submission to the frequent and ferocious visits of typhoons. At the foot of the mountain is a wide expanse of fiat land, also green and lush, thanks to the ideal climate. Hidden amidst the greenery are the upswept eaves and painted beams of luxury hotels. Alongside stretches crescent-shaped Yalong Bay.

The south of the bay is dotted with three islets named, from east to west, Yezhu, Dongpai and Xipai. Small as they are, they create a line of protection for the quiet bay against the surging waves. Covering 66 square kilometers, the bay has a nine square-kilometers area of coral. The sea water is so clean that people can see clearly 10 meters down and spot tropical fish of all sizes and colors swimming through the coral reefs.

"Yalong" is not the original name. It was first called "Yalang" by the local Li ethnic people. Long, long ago, there was a small village on the bay, where people lived a peaceful life until that peace was broken with the arrival of sea monsters that plundered the village, killing people and abducting women and cattle. One of the villagers vowed to drive away the monsters, and went to practice inertial arts deep in the mountains for nine years and nine days. Then he returned home with a group of strong beasts he had trained. Hearing the news, the monsters were so scared they dared not come back.

0ne night, when a fierce wind blew and the seas billowed, the villagers fled for refuge to the mountains, leaving the hero and his beasts guarding their home, not returning until all was calm. They found the hero and his beasts all transformed into rocks. His wolf brandishing its claws and baring its teeth, looked very fierce, so the locals named the bay "Yalang" 0r "wolf cub."

Today, the bay is known for its wide expanse, gentle waves, refreshing air, and in particular, for its fine white sand. For hundreds of years, its crescent beach, stretching eight kilometers from east to west, has nurtured the eyes and lungs of people from near and far.

The transparency, pH value and dissolved oxygen in the water are all up to top standards. Nothing could lurk in the pure water. When standing in it, you can see your toenails clearly, like shells on the sand.