The 6th Asian Beach Games opened on Wednesday evening at the resort city of Sanya in South China's Hainan province, with a canopy of stars and the ocean providing the perfect setting for the glittering inaugural ceremony that took place at the seaside Yasha Park.

The 75-minute immersive ceremony celebrated the city's natural beauty, the island province's traditional culture and Asian unity, leaving athletes, officials and spectators enthralled at the 7,000-seat open-air theater.

After the parade of athletes and a series of ceremonial rituals, State Councilor Shen Yiqin declared the tropical sporting gala open. It is the first major international sporting event held in the province after the launch of island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port in December.

Titled "A Sky-Ocean Meeting", the ceremony kicked off with dancers in bright, casual beachwear performing alongside displays of sporting events such as beach volleyball, surfing and beach soccer.

Local culture then took center stage with the intricate patterns of Li brocade and Miao embroidery — Hainan's iconic ethnic minority crafts — showcased by folk artists who blended seamlessly with the dancers.

The visual highlight of the night appeared midway through the show when a magical underwater scene unfolded above the stage, and two giant, illuminated jellyfish floated in, interacting with acrobats dressed as divers, who descended from the sky.

This display represented Sanya's commitment to marine ecological protection and the host's efforts to promote green, low-carbon development, according to the ceremony's creative team.

"This was an opening ceremony with strong Sanya characteristics that embodied the warm hospitality of the host city, the openness of Hainan as a free trade port and the tropical attractions of the island," said Zhang Dongxin, chief director of the ceremony.

The parade of athletes also reflected the beach sporting gala's tropical vibe, with delegations from 45 countries and regions marching along a sandy patch onto the stage as if emerging from the sea, with the games' mascot "Yaya", a lively Eld's deer dressed up in beachwear, leading the way.

The 255-member host delegation, including a record 171 athletes, will compete in 60 medal events across 13 sports — with beach kabaddi the only sport without Chinese athletes — representing the country's broadest participation since the games' inaugural edition in 2008.

The sporting gala, which was held in China for the first time in 2012 in Haiyang, Shandong province, gives exposure to some niche and regional disciplines, such as beach kabaddi, teqball and dragon boat, while building a platform for youth exchanges and cultural experience in a more relaxed setting, compared with other competitive multisport meetings.

Liu Xiaoming, president of the 6th Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026 Organizing Committee and governor of Hainan province, hailed the sporting showpiece as a boost for Asian solidarity and the development of Hainan as a free trade port with international influence.

"Gathering in this tropical paradise, we hope all participants can experience the beauty of beach sports, feel the warmth of Hainan and take away unforgettable memories of Sanya.

"May the games showcase Asian charm, Chinese characteristics and Hainan's unique allure, and make new contributions to the development of sports in Asia and the international Olympic Movement," Liu said.

Blessed with year-round summer, a golden coast and crystal-clear waters, Sanya blends natural perfection with vibrant seaside sporting energy, setting an unparalleled stage that has already impressed participants, even before the games began.

"It's my first time here. My teammates and I are very excited. I enjoyed playing in the sea. It was a new experience," Thanita Kongchouy, captain of Thailand's women's water polo team, said on Wednesday.

"Sanya has beautiful scenery and is similar to Pattaya, Thailand, but the weather is more pleasant here," she added.

Round-robin competitions for water polo and beach handball kicked off before the opening ceremony.

Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, president of the Asian Athletics Association, gave a thumbs-up to Sanya's Beach Games preparation, citing the host country's consistently high standards.

"There is no doubt that China delivers excellence in everything it does. This is something we are grateful for," the Qatari sports administrator said after inspecting the venue for beach athletics. "You will find them always committed to supporting and promoting the development of various sports."

Endowed with 264 kilometers of pristine coastline and a soft, flat beach that stretches wide, Sanya is a natural and ideal host for beach volleyball, beach soccer, surfing and sailing, while international exposure drawn by the games is expected to further elevate its presence on the global sporting map.

Thanks to Hainan's free trade port status, travelers from 86 countries are eligible to enter Hainan via a special visa-free policy, which has earned high praise from overseas delegations coming to the games.

Wu Qiang, associate dean of Hainan University's School of Sports, said that the low-barrier nature of beach sports "helps integrate sports into daily life", while positive takeaways from the games' participants "promote Hainan's international reputation better than any other publicity campaigns".