AFP - Getty Images

Chinese beachgoers wear body suits and protective head masks, dubbed "facekinis," on a crowded public beach in Qingdao, on Aug. 16.

BEIJING – In the West, getting a tan is one of the main reasons for going to the beach.

But in China, some are going to extraordinary lengths to avoid getting a bit of sun with a new item of beachwear – dubbed the Facekini – causing something of a stir in the coastal tourist city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.

The masks completely cover the swimmers' heads, revealing only their eyes, noses, and mouths.

The styles and colors of the masks suggest a huge happy beach party attended by some lesser superheroes, Mexican wrestlers and perhaps a few bank robbers is underway. In fact, government officials have become concerned that the masks could be used to rob banks, according to a report in The New York Times.

"These have been extremely popular," Zaizaibao (仔仔寶), an online seller from Henan on shopping Internet site taobao.com, said.

Another online store sold 542 masks, which come in different colors and patterns, in just 30 days. "We are already out of the pink ones.... All of them sell well. Orange is the most effective in protecting people from sea creatures."

AFP - Getty Images

Users say the face masks are useful in protecting against insects and jellyfish.

The masks are an outward expression of a Chinese understanding of beauty in terms of skin color.

"I myself don't mind getting tanned, but I can see why pale skin is attractive," Alina Zhao, a college student in the U.S. who grew up in Zhejiang, China, said.

"It definitely has to do with the history of China, which is largely an agricultural society,” she added. “Getting tanned means you work outside in the fields a lot, so skin color is like an indicator of your social status. The fairer you are, the wealthier or more respected you seem."

Umbrellas on a sunny day
In fact, Facekini is only one out of many attempts by Chinese people to stay fair. The number of umbrellas to be seen in Chinese cities on a hot, sunny day might appear bizarre to many non-Chinese people.

"I first became aware of the phenomenon when I lived in Taiwan for the summer," Simone Cote, from Vermont and currently working in Beijing, said. "I constantly saw that women covered themselves when they went out. They wore pants often, and yes, umbrellas everywhere."

Cote was asked "Why is your skin so dark?" by her host mother in Taiwan.

Within this underlying concept of what is beautiful, the Facekini was perhaps a logical development.

A user of the mask commented in Chinese on taobao.com that "this item is very effective in keeping the UV [ultra-violet light] out, and it's very comfortable. With this, you can do whatever you want on a beach, with no worries of getting burned or tanned. It's really recommended."

Another user, Tongchao, seems to have debated between the benefit of not getting tanned and the possibility of getting laughed at in this mask. "Okay. I've become the focused again, but this item is really useful. It's actually not stuffy at all. I really like it!" Looks like he or she has made a choice – but not an easy one.

When asked if she would ever wear one, Alina gave her answer without a second thought.

"Of course no! I was never into sunscreen – I'll never get this fair anyway, so why bother? I would rather enjoy the sun."

More world stories from NBC News:

• Wife of disgraced Chinese leader gets death sentence with reprieve
• Russian top clerics forgive Pussy Riot, ask for mercy
• With wife's conviction, what is next for China's Bo Xilai?
• Assange in balcony appeal: Release Bradley Manning
• Czech police accuse man of plotting Norway-like copycat terrorist attack
• Government minister among 32 killed as Sudanese helicopter crashes into mountain
• Video: Chaos follows Syrian airstrikes
• Tropical Storm Helene slams Mexico; Hurricane Gordon heads for Azores

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Paul Goldman / NBC News Producer

A runner enjoys Tel Aviv beach's six-mile long promenade that runs from Old Jaffe to Sde Dov airport.

TEL AVIV – Israel doesn’t usually conjure up images of fun in the sun, but Tel Aviv’s beach front sure does.
 
The white sand beach, which runs about six miles long, from Old Jaffa to the Sde Dov airport in the northern part of the city, must be one of the most beautiful, interesting and bizarre beachfronts in the world.

For starters, it’s a runner's and biker’s paradise with a dedicated path running the length of the beach. It’s a kid-friendly, safe place that allows visitors to enjoy every sea sport imaginable including, kite surfing, wind surfing, surf boarding, kayaking and sailing.

But all the above can be found in most beach front cities around the world. What makes this beachfront so amazing is its unique and bizarre attractions.

One of Tel Aviv's landmark sites is the Gordon swimming pool built in 1956. It just went through a major renovation and is situated right next to the boat marina overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The Olympic-size open air pool has a unique feature – the water is drained daily and then refilled with fresh sea water pumped from one mile deep in the Mediterranean.

Paul Goldman / NBC News

The Gordon Swimming Pool at Tel Aviv's beach was recently renovated for a more modern look. The pool's water is drained and refilled daily from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

But the real action happens on the promenade.

How about dozens of men and women dancing the hora, a traditional folk dance where people hold hands and spin in a circle while loud music blasts over loud speakers, every Saturday right.

Not far away from the dancers you can hear a strange popping  sound which gets louder and louder as you get closer. Here men and women are playing Israel's unofficial national sport called “matkot.” The game is similar to beach paddle ball. It involves players hitting a small black ball back and forth with wooden paddles without letting the ball touch the ground. The simple, but adrenaline-pumping sport is as great to watch as to play.  

Paul Goldman / NBC News

A sign outside Tel Aviv's religious beach says, "Welcome to a public authorized separate swimming zone." It lists which days of the week men and women are allowed to swim at this section of beach and asks bathers to "Please keep modesty at the beach."

Continue north and you’ll see something else you are unlikely to find elsewhere. The Hilton beach has a closed off section dedicated for religious men and women who want to swim at the beach separately.

If you ask me, that is sort of contrary to why I go to the beach, but Israel has religious Jews who believe in modesty – so they have separate days for men and women to swim. Women have the beach to themselves on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday; men can swim there on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 

While the beach is beautiful and the long promenade is accessible, clean and safe, my favorite part may be the people watching.

And Near Jaffa, right next to the crushing waves, I spotted two refugees from Sudan. One was sitting on a rock and the other was standing above him holding a razor giving his friend a haircut.

Paul Goldman / NBC News

Two Sudanese refugees take advantage of the scenery of the beach front near Jaffe to get a haircut.

I also saw a father and son holding a long rod with a circle at the end of it.  Turns out they were holding a metal detector in search of valuables left behind by sun seekers.

Never mind the section of Hilton beach marked off just for dogs – and it's hysterical to watch the dogs cooling themselves in the Mediterranean.

And Tel Aviv just launched its own large-scale public bicycle-sharing system, like the one in Paris and other international cities, called Tel-O-Fun. There are 10 bike stations along the beachfront making it very easy and cheap to tour the coastline.   

This past Saturday I ran the Tel Aviv half-marathon which started and finished on the promenade near Jaffa.  The race had an incredible turnout – 25,000 runners came out to enjoy perfect weather in the race which included a full marathon, half marathon and 10K runs. That’s a huge number given the fact that Israel's population is about 8 million, with 400,000 residents in Tel Aviv. 

Paul Goldman / NBC News

Sunset on Tel Aviv's scenic beach.

And I forget to mention another great feature Tel Aviv has to offer: its food. There are dozens of small quaint and independent restaurants and coffee along the shore line. Making the options endless for where to stop to eat or sip your favorite cappuccino.

Here’s to you, Tel Aviv.