2024 Best Guide to Sanya: China Top Beach

Hianan Sanya situated along the coast of the South China Sea, is a beautiful tourist hub in China. It is well-known for its picturesque, clean white sand beaches, palm trees, warm temperature, clear blue sea, wide-variety of seafood and a delicious array of tropical fruits. The city of Sanya stands tall as one of the most favoured tourist destinations for visitors from within as well as outside the country.

So if you wish to visit this Hawaii of China, here is an in-depth guide to Sanya.

Best Time to Sanya Hainan

The tourist destination of Sanya China enjoys a tropical climate, and therefore it is warm throughout the year-round. The yearly average temperature is about 28 degrees Celcius with June being the hottest month and February being the coldest. Sometimes Typhoons occur between May to September.

Peak season

The winter months between December to February is cool and pleasant, and therefore it is the best time for cultural adventure in Sanya. However, the sea can be quite cold in the mornings and evenings during the winter and you may not be able to enjoy the beach in this period of time. Hotels can be quite expensive in the peak season.

Off season

The summer months between April to June are quite hot and sultry, with temperature as high as 36 degrees Celcius. However, throughout the year, the mornings and evenings are pleasant due to the cool ocean breeze. Summers are indeed the best time for visitors who enjoy a strong sun and taking a sunbath to get tan along with low flight rates and hotel tariffs.

Beaches in Sanya Hainan

The city of Sanya China lies in the southern part of Hainan Island. It is also aptly referred to by various names like “China’s Florida,” “The Hawaii of China” and “Oriental Hawaii” due to its tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and the sea. Being surrounded by the South China Sea, the coastal city of Sanya boasts of a long coastline with a number of good harbours.

The city of Sanya China is chiefly divided into three parts: Sanya Bay, Dandonghai Bay, and Yalong Bay.

1. Sanya Bay, Hianan 三亚

With the longest stretch of about 14 miles (20 kilometres) of coastline, Sanya Bay boasts of mesmerizing scenic beauty and a beautiful view of the never-ending blue sea. It is located in the western part of the city of Sanya China and is divided into three parts. While the eastern part of the Bay is a long stretch of Coconut Dream Corridor, which is meant for sight-seeing, the western part is entirely meant for leisure with numerous hotels and restaurants. In between these two parts of the Bay, lies the outdoor bathing portion where people can lie down on the beach and take a sunbath or go for a swim in the sea.

However, the biggest attraction in Sanya Bay is the Coconut Dream Corridor, which is a long stretch of road just by the side of the sea with a line of coconut trees on both sides of the road. Wandering around the corridor is the best part of visiting Sanya Bay, and since it is near downtown, visitors can go for a night stroll after dinner.

Visitors to the Bay area can also get to see fisherman at work using trawls, and if visitors want to get the real feel of it, they may join them too.

Another attraction near the Coconut Dream Corridor is the Chunyuan Seafood Square. It is a seafood market where visitors can buy fresh seafood and get it cleaned and cooked right there.

Getting to Sanya Bay is easy, with many buses plying from the Phoenix International Airport, Sanya Railway Station, and downtown. Visitors can also take bikes on rent and go for a ride to Sanya Bay.

2. Dadonghai Bay 大东海

The Dadonghai area at Sanya China is another favourite attraction for visitors to the city. In between Tuwei Hill and Luhuitou Hill, the Dadonghai area is just 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) from the downtown area making it easily accessible for tourists.

The area is exceptionally scenic with hills on three sides and a crescent-shaped bay on one side. At Dadonghai, the beach is a great place to take a sun-bath, sit in the soft white sand and watch the sunset, take a leisurely stroll and feel the sea breeze uplift your spirits.

The area is mostly favoured by visitors who wish to take up scuba diving lessons or go diving. Scuba diving, ship diving, sea-bed strolling, underwater photography along with speed boats, sailboats, luxurious yatchs, motorboats, ocean fishing etc are all easily available in Dadonghai.

The area has numerous malls where visitors can go for a shopping spree. Tourists prefer staying in this area since it is very near to downtown and also has a host of hotels which suit every pocket. There are also numerous restaurants with the seafood market just about 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) away from the area. Commutating to the other places of tourist interest is not a problem since there are frequent sight-seeing and tour bus services available from 7 am to 7 pm. Taxi services from downtown Sanya to Dadonghai is also easily available.

3. Yalong Bay 亚龙湾

Also known as the Yalong Bay National Resort, the tourist destination is around 15.5 miles (25 kilometres) away from the city centre of Sanya China. Just like in Dadonghai, the Yalong Bay is crescent-shaped with amidst hills, greenery, beautiful silvery sand beach, and the crystal clear blue sea.

The sea around the Yalong Bay area is home to many beautiful and colourful corals and marine life of various shapes and sizes, which make it an ideal place for snorkelling, swimming, and other water activities like banana boat and motorboat rides which are very thrilling. The beach is clean and, therefore, great to lie down for a sunbath or to just watch the sunrise or sunset.

Yalong Bay was recognized as a state-level tourist resort by the State Council and is a great tourist destination with several luxurious hotels and resorts, golf course, villas with five-star amenities, parks, etc.

Getting to the area is easy through buses and taxis from the various parts of Sanya city, Phoenix International Airport, or Sanya Railway Station.

4. Wuzhizhou Island 蜈支洲

The island of Wuzhizhou (earlier known as Guizhou), is one of the most sought after tourist destination in Sanya China. It is almost 30 kilometres away from the city centre at Sanya and south of Yalong Bay. It is surrounded by tall cliffs on the eastern and southern part and clean white beach on the western and northern part. The picturesque green surrounding is home to 2000 species of plants, and the sea, especially around the southern part, abounds with untouched corals for which it is often referred to as the “Maldives of China.” Due to its location at the Haitang Gulf of Sanya, it is well-shielded from Typhoons and makes it an ideal place for Dragon trees to grow since the time of Dinosaurs.

The island is well known as the “No. 1 diving base of China,” and therefore there are numerous water activities like parasailing, diving, snorkelling, water skiing, yachting, motorboat rides, etc to choose from.

Other than the island being a great place for water sports, Wuzhizhou Island has many places of tourist interest like the Lovers Bridge, the Matsu Temple in which the idol of Matsu-guardian goddess of navigation is placed, Watching Sun Rock from where visitors can get a great view of the sea, the legendary Lover Island which has two huge rocks holding onto each other, Well of Life and Watching Sea Plank Road.

The island is open to tourists from 8 am to 6 pm and a round-trip ferry boat trip along with admission fee ticket to the island costs around CNY 170. There are buses that take visitors to the Wuzhizhou ferry pier from Sanya every half an hour.

5. Haitang Bay

Haitang Bay is a quiet beach that is far away from the city and it is especially suitable for those who want a quiet stay in the resort. There are many high-end resort hotels on the beach, and the hotel facilities are relatively new. Hotel and shopping is the topic for Haitang Bay.

Cultural things to do in Sanya

1. Binlang Ethnic Village & Miao Cultural Heritage Park

In the middle of the Hainan island, just at the boundary of Sanya downtown and Baoting County lies the Binlang Ethnic Village, which is also known as the Betelnut Valley. The region has miles of tall betel nut trees and the Cultural Heritage Village, Ganza Li Village, and the Miao Village, one after the other, finely segregated by the distinct culture of each tribe.

The visitors are first taken to the Cultural Heritage Village through a huge gate with a totem on it. On entering, visitors get to see the March Third Square, which is a place where all the activity takes place on the Li tribe’s traditional festival on the 3rd of March every year. Inside the Cultural Heritage Village are four museums namely, Dragon Quilt Museum, Nonwoven Museum, Linen Museum, and Cotton Woven Museum, which exhibits the Li tribe’s fantastic skills in embroidery, weaving, and dyeing.

At the Ganza Li Village, visitors get to know about the everyday life of the Li people by visiting the Totem Art Museum, Tattoo Museum, and the Heritage Exhibition Hall. The Ganza Li village exhibits boat-shaped houses belonging to the Li community, old barns which have come down through centuries, distillery, musical instruments made of bamboo, Li brocades, and pottery being made by women of the Li tribe.

Although not as large as the Li village, a visit to the Miao village is made interesting by the folk dance and folk songs along with batik and tie and dye work done by the Miao tribe.

Finally, the trip ends with a live performance with traditional dances like the fire-wood chopping dance and the rice pounding dance with a show on the ways to spin, weave and dye and also to make a fire by drilling wood.

Tickets: 120RMB

Open hours: 8:00-17:30

2. Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone

The area of Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya China abounds with tropical rain forests, tropical fruits, calm and undisturbed valleys, water bodies and waterfalls, etc. The abundance of trees makes the area cool and pleasant making it an ideal place to escape the summer heat. It is a place for visitors to experience camping or trekking activities.

The 18 square miles (45 square kilometres) of the Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone is divided into two parts – the Rain Forest Valley and the Dream Valley.

Huge Banyan trees, Lingzhi mushrooms used in traditional Chinese medicines, Sugar Palms, and Upas trees are what visitors get to see after entering the Rain Forest Valley. The plethora of things to see makes visiting the Rain Forest Valley all the more enjoyable. The naturally formed pattern of the Chinese landmass on the Chinese Rock is truly amazing. The fruit of the Ormosia Hosiei, which surrounds the Tong Pavilion signifies missing your lover whereas the Orchid Pavilion houses thirty types of exotic Orchids.

Visitors can camp at the Rain Forest Valley for an evening barbeque and dance programs. There is a zip-line which gives a bird’s eye view of the Rain Forest, and stage shows are performed by the Li community which showcases their various art forms.

The other part of the Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone is the Dream Valley. The place resembles a “paradise on earth” with numerous waterfalls, a treasure trove of medicinal plants and materials, unique rock structures.

Visitors who enjoy adventure and sports can participate in a group activity like stream trekking. It is a thrilling activity and takes the participants through a plethora of challenges like walking over the water on a net, climbing the waterfall despite water flowing down, walking on top of a balancing beam etc.

In order to get to the Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone, visitors need to make at least a one-day advance booking. It is to be noted that the place is open for tourists from 7 am to 6 pm.

Ticket: Hainan Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone Ticket

Open hour: 8:00-18:00

How to Get Around in Sanya?

With abundant transport facilities, commutation is not a problem in Sanya China. Visitors can take a bus ride, take a car or bike on rent, travel by trains, or commute to different parts of the city and the surrounding areas in taxis. Here are a few of the means of transport that can get visitors around in Sanya.

1.Local Buses

Local buses are in plenty in Sanya with fares differing according to the distance. The exact fares should be put into the box beside the driver. To make it systemic for the passengers, boarding the bus has to be done through the front door and alighting from the bus through the back door. Since most drivers stop the bus only if there are passengers to get off the bus, the passenger needs to ask the driver to stop by saying “xiache.” The bus numbers are in Chinese, and therefore, it is advisable for tourists who are not well versed with Chinese numbers to note down the bus number for the place one would like to visit.

2.Take a Ship

There are several cruise ship brands which come to Sanya like the Royal Caribbean International, Costa Asia, Star Cruises, and Dream Cruises. The Phoenix Island International Cruise Terminal is located (as the name suggests) in the Phoenix Island. The island is connected to the mainland Sanya city through a bridge, and passengers to the cruise terminal can get there in electric cars, which are a widely used means of public transport in Sanya.

3.Car Renting

There may be many tourists who would prefer to take a car on rent. However, it is to be noted that to take a car on rent, it is mandatory to have a Chinese driving license, a credit card, and a passport. The car rental fee does not include toll tax and fuel charge. If you spend most of your time in the hotels, it’s not necessary to rent a car for your vacation. Contact your hotel for the shuttle service.

Shopping & Souvenirs in Sanya Hainan

The most prominent things on sale in Sanya are the products that are made from corals and shells, which can act as souvenirs and also gift items for friends and family. However, a word of caution, do not buy any products made of corals since they can be made out of endangered corals which is illegal in China. Do not forget to shop for crystal pearl and the precious seawater pearl while in Sanya.

1. Jiefang Road

The Jiefang Road has a long stretch of shops selling clothes, products which have been made locally and numerous restaurants, cafes, hotels, and places of entertainment. The area also has a number of departmental stores and big-branded Supermarkets like the Wanfulong Supermarket, Tianhong Departmental Store, etc.

2. Hongqi Street

This area in Sanya is more viable for tourists who wish to shop economically. The street is divided into two parts, with the southern part having shops selling clothes and the northern part shops selling groceries, various food items, and commodities. There are several shopping centres in the area like the First Market which houses the largest free market for agricultural products like local vegetables, tropical fruits and variety of seafood in Sanya China. On the other hand, locally made clothes which are sold quite cheap can be bought at the Sanhe Business City at the end of the southern part of the street. Apart from these, Business Street near Hongqi Street is a great place to buy shells, pearls, and souvenirs at a cheap price.

3. Sanya International Duty Free City

Compared with the duty-free shops in Hong Kong, Beijing and other places, the price is not great. The Duty Free City is the world’s largest single duty-free shop so you can imagine the richness of its products. The location of Sanya Duty Free is relatively remote to Sanya downtown, but there are free shuttle buses to hotels in the Haitang Bay area.

Should I go to Sanya for holiday?

In general, Sanya is not a perfect option for sun and beach vacation. The price is high in peak season and the language is a barrier compared to other South East Asia islands. The beach in Yalong Bay is the best in Sanya but the diving and other sea sports are not as good. However, if you are already in China, or anywhere near Hainan Province, you could still get a pretty nice experience in Sanya by living in the high end hotels like Banyan Tree Sanya. These hotels owns private beach and drinks and bars all at your service. You could enjoy a staycation with very reasonable price in like April or September. There are other rural cities that also worth visiting in Hainan.

Other city that worth visiting in Hainan

Sanya is the most popular China beach, however, there are more cities that worth visiting apart from Sanya in Hainan Province. Wenchang, Wuzhi Mountain, Wanning, Danzhou are all cities in Hainan that worth trying. Wenchang has similar beach to Sanya with much lower prices and Danzhou has many cultural attractions. Wanning has similar islands with Wuzhizhou Islands. You could change a city if you plan for more time in Hainan.

So does this guide to Sanya China give you an urge to visit the lovely city of Sanya? In that case, what are you waiting for; plan your next vacation to this beautiful and picturesque city and experience nature at its best.