Undersea forests in Sanya's West Island

A diver takes underwater photos in Sanya West Island. [Photo/WeChat account: sanyatour2013]

In the surrounding waters of Sanya's West Island, a variety of beautiful corals are well protected.

Coral reefs are formed by the skeletons of thousands of coral polyps over hundreds to thousands of years. They exist in both deep and shallow seas, acting as habitats for many marine animals and plants.

Although coral reefs account for less than 0.25 percent of the ocean area, they are home to about 25 percent of the world's marine life.

Coral reefs are habitats for marine life. [Photo/WeChat account: sanyatour2013]

West Island is rich in coral resources and local fishermen use them to build old coral houses.

The houses built with coral stones have a distinctive island charm in appearance. Due to the coral stones' light weight and their many gaps, the houses built with coral stones are warm in the winter and cool in the summer, with good ventilation that make them very comfortable.

An old coral house with hundreds of years of history. [Photo/WeChat account: sanyatour2013]