Dreamweavers by the Sea: Crafting Tianya Town into a Distant Haven
What shapes who we become? In Sanya, a small seaside village called Tianya offers its answer through transformation.
Once, there were only waves and sunrise here—an unremarkable corner on the travel map. Today, it has become a quiet symbol of Sanya’s slow-living lifestyle, a place many travelers hold in their hearts.
Its transformation was not driven by grand planning or deliberate design, but by a group of people who chose to stay—people with dreams, willing to add warmth to everyday life with their own hands. They opened guesthouses, cafés, and bars by the sea, giving the town a nightlife filled with stories, and allowing every traveler who pauses here to experience the softest side of living.
Emma: Crafting a Coffee Poem for the World
COFFEEGRAM
At COFFEEGRAM, every cup of coffee is a message written by its founder, Emma, to the world. Her dream is simple yet unwavering: to share the best-tasting coffee she can find with every coffee lover.
This dedication grew from her years studying abroad, where her fascination with coffee gradually turned into devotion. To pursue this passion, Emma trained herself with academic rigor—traveling across North America to study flavor profiles and business models, and earning professional certifications including Q-Grader, SCA Roasting Certification, and CCL Judge Qualification. Titles matter little to her; what matters is quietly maintaining uncompromising quality.
Signature drinks such as Route No. 1 and Sunset Beach each tell a story. In the evening, as sea breezes pass through the café and the sunset unfolds before you, what you taste is not only coffee, but the terroir Emma carried back from coffee estates around the world—and the pure joy a single cup can offer.
Boge: From Bright Lights to “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night”
Food Archive & Malt Cafe · Cave-Style Seaview Bistro
Once part of the entertainment industry, Boge found his own vision of “a life facing the sea, with spring always present” in Tianya Town. His first project combined a guesthouse upstairs with a café downstairs, named Moonlight Dolphin. His later creation, Malt Cafe, centers on one idea: rebirth.
Few would imagine that this atmospheric cave-like space was once a noisy chicken farm. For the sake of tranquility, Boge leased the site and transformed it into a striking “cave” overlooking the sea. This unique blend of stone and ocean perfectly reflects his philosophy of coffee by day, wine by night.
By day, it is a minimalist café with industrial tones and uninterrupted views of blue skies and sea. By night, it becomes a bar—an enclosed sanctuary that separates guests from the outside world. From the glare of stage lights to the sound of waves and cicadas, Boge distilled his understanding of life into one of Tianya Town’s most distinctive spaces.
Fei: Staying in Tianya for Love and Ideals
SANTA LUCIA · Seaview Italian Restaurant
The soul of SANTA LUCIA is built on love and perseverance. Its founder, Fei, is an international tennis coach whose journey has always carried a strong sense of idealism. He once co-founded a 24-hour public-interest bookstore here, Tianya Courtyard, and later ran an international youth hostel in pursuit of poetry and distant horizons.
Although his path shifted over time, Fei’s attachment to the sea and his passion for connecting with people from around the world never changed. Eventually, he met his partner in Tianya Town. Together, they decided to stay, transforming the hostel into the Italian restaurant that now stands here—fulfilling his long-held dream of opening a Western restaurant by the sea.
Today, that persistence is reflected in the restaurant’s warmth. Signature pizzas, created by a former chef from a five-star hotel in Shanghai, feature thin crusts and generous toppings. On the terrace, couples and families enjoy food in the sun, with sea breezes drifting by—this everyday scene is SANTA LUCIA’s most touching view. As Fei often says, “Every guest here is a friend.”
Their Persistence Shapes Your “Far Away”
Because of dreams, they put down roots by the sea. Because of love, they made the town gentle and sincere. In Tianya Town, every cup of coffee and every dish carries a personal story.
When you pause by the shore to wait for the sunset, that sense of comfort and ease is the quiet happiness created by these dreamers through passion and persistence. The flavors and romance of Tianya Town are already prepared—now all that remains is for you to arrive and experience them for yourself.