Sanya

Not to be confused with San'ya (山谷), a neighborhood in Taito District, Tokyo.

Sanya (三亚 Sān​yà​ in Mandarin; Ta-ah in Hainanese) is on the southernmost point of China, at the tip of Hainan island. Billed as "China's Hawaii", Sanya has 20-km stretches of beach. As the only tropical city across the coastline, it is definitely booming and packed with a lot of water sports such as snorkeling and jet-skiing, rainforest hiking, and innumerable hotels ranging from zero to five stars.

With sunshine all year around, temperatures hover around 25 °C even in January and 30 °C in the summer time. Its islands and beaches are beautiful and the water in Yalong Bay and Dadonghai are clean enough to have a good swim, but you may also want to head to Wuzhizhou Island or further north to visit unspoiled and natural scenery.

Districts

• Sanya Bay Beach – stretches for around 25 km, but is rather polluted and devoid of swimmers. It is lined with seafood restaurants and hotels costing ¥50-5,000.

Downtown Sanya

• Sanya city – filled with souvenir shops and street grills at night. You will see locals dancing along the beach in the evenings, and a range of people selling souvenirs, street food and fairground games. Try the outdoor public karaoke if you dare! Cross the Sanya River (三亚河 Sānyà hé) to reach a less touristy, cheaper, and more fun part of town.

• Dadong Hai (大东海 Dàdōng hǎi)—has Sanya's best balance between development and natural beauty. It is the tourist and foreigner hangout of the city. The area is more touristy and expensive than Sanya, and has many seafood restaurants and a gorgeous beach (however, as of 2023, access is restricted much of the time, and there is no swimming near and after dark, and often during the day as well). The shopping is not as good as Sanya city's, but has many touristy things such as the ubiquitous 大哥 Chinese-Hawaiian style shirt and shorts combo. The dominant languages in this area, both spoken and written, are Chinese and Russian -- although most of the Russian tourists have not returned since COVID. As of 2023, a private company bought the DaDongHai beachfront and is trying to restrict access to this beach and others nearby. When using the beach, expect to be hassled by local authorities wearing orange shirts telling you to get out of the water or off the beach entirely.
• Xiaodonghai (小东海 Xiaodōng hǎi)— used to be the best area in Sanya City to get away from hordes of tourists, as the area it is a part of (Banshan Bandao 半山半岛) is mostly high-priced apartments and hotels. However, since COVID, this sandy and coral area has been swarmed by tourists looking to get away from mainland cold and have a "tropical vacation". The government and a private compan are, as of 2023, trying to close the area as a nature preserve, claiming it's to protect the environment (which stands to reason), but likely this is simply a clever plan to continue the gentrification of the area. There is a nice beach with views of the sunset on the opposite side of the peninsula, but you have to find a way through the half-abandoned village area of ' LuHuiTou Community ', as this beach is also being blocked by government and business. Swimming is mostly prohibited anywhere in Sanya city, as of now 2023.
• Yalong Bay (亚龙湾 Yàlóng wān) – is farther from Sanya city than Dadong Hai and is 45 minutes away from Phoenix Airport. The destination has been developed into an international holiday center with several 5-star resorts, golf, etc. The long beach is well taken care of by the various hotels. You will find many restaurants in the new shopping area. Definitely worth a visit, but be prepared for higher prices with respect to Sanya.
• Haitang Bay – Not as crowded as Yalong Bay. 35 minutes away from Phoenix International airport by G98 Highway. Future home of the largest Duty Free Shopping Mall in China. Several luxurious resorts of note already operating as well as a multiplex and show center.
• Yacheng Town (崖城镇) – Formerly known as Yazhou (崖州), this is the oldest town in the Sanya region with a history dating back to the Song Dynasty. It's about 46 km west of Sanya City and accessible by bus (Bus Route 58) and high speed rail (alight at Yazhou Station). While in no way comparable to any of the more famous ancient towns on the Mainland, it may be worth a visit if you happen to be in Sanya and have a day to spare. The main points of interest are the restored Wenming Gate (文明门) and the Yacheng Confucian Temple (崖城学宫). There are also a number of interesting villages in the area, most notably Baoping Village (保平村), which contains many examples of Ming and Qing-style residential buildings.

Understand

Dadonghai beach

While tourists come in every season, the peak season starts from 1 October to the end of winter. During the winter, Sanya is a popular escape for Russians who primarily stay at Dadong Hai (大东海 Dàdōng hǎi) and Northern Chinese to escape freezing weather. In the Chinese New Year, the city will be flooded with tourists and expect everything to be extremely expensive.

As the southernmost city in China, Sanya along with Yangshuo often serves as the last stop for backpackers who wish to spend the remaining days of their visa in China.

History

Long before it was opened to the outside world, Sanya served as a place of exile for deposed prime ministers, officials, and scholars. From the Han to the Ming dynasties, as many as 15 prominent figures were exiled to Hainan, with 10 of them residing in Shuinan Village, Yacheng Town, Sanya. To this day, descendants of these exiled officials and scholars still live in the village. Sanya boasts abundant intangible cultural heritage resources that are widely distributed. Among them, the Li ethnic group’s "Chopping Wood Dance" and Yacheng folk songs are notable, with many being included in the records of national-level intangible cultural heritage protection projects.

In 1950, the Battle of Hainan Island took place. The People's Liberation Army of China ultimately defeated the Nationalist forces of the Republic of China and captured Hainan Island. The event is officially described by mainland China as the liberation of Hainan Island.

With the increasing diversity of tourism products, Sanya has been actively fostering new trends and highlights in tourism consumption. Significant efforts have been made to enhance service quality and the level of internationalization, further expanding the international tourism market. Sanya aims to become a global tourism consumption destination with diverse industries, renowned brands, a comfortable environment, and distinctive features, taking the lead in innovating the construction of an international tourism consumption center.

Culture

Sanya has a long and rich cultural history. During the Qin Dynasty, Emperor Qin Shi Huang established Xiang County in Sanya, earning the city the nickname "Deer City." With its stunning scenery, Sanya is also known as the "Hawaii of the East" and boasts a distinctive local culture infused with maritime charm.

According to local legend, Sanya women express their affection for men by playfully twisting their ears—the greater the force, the deeper the affection. If the man reciprocates her feelings, he responds in kind by twisting her ear as well.

Climate

Sanya
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       12     28 21       3     33 18       6.2     34 22       0.1     35 23       104     36 24       182     37 25       154     36 24       219     35 24       121     33 26       135     32 24       44     31 23       5.6     29 22 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm Sanya City Climate Monitoring Bulletin 2020, 2019, 2018
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       0.5     82 69       0.1     91 65       0.2     92 71       0     94 74       4.1     97 76       7.2     98 77       6.1     97 76       8.6     95 74       4.8     91 78       5.3     89 75       1.7     87 73       0.2     84 71 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Sanya is located at a low latitude and has a tropical wet and dry climate. It is warm throughout the year, with strong monsoon influences, and is therefore classified as a tropical monsoon climate under the Zhou Shuzhen climate classification system.

Sanya experiences a relatively long rainy season and a distinct dry season. The rainy season lasts from May to October, while the dry season runs from November to April of the following year. The average annual temperature is 25.7°C (78.3°F). June is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 28.7°C (83.7°F), while January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 21.4°C (70.5°F). Unlike most other regions in China, the hottest month in Sanya is June, with an average temperature of 28.8°C (83.8°F). The city enjoys an average annual sunshine duration of 2,534 hours and an average annual rainfall of 1,347.5 mm. Sanya is often referred to as a "natural greenhouse" due to its favorable climate.

Tropical rainforest

Sanya's tropical rainforest can be classified into two types: tropical evergreen rainforest and tropical semi-deciduous monsoon rainforest, both featuring complex forest structures.

The forest coverage rate is as high as 64%, and Sanya ranks first in air quality among Chinese cities. It is an ideal year-round destination for escaping the cold, staying cool, and enjoying vacations and tourism.

Topography and geology

Sanya is nestled within a picturesque natural environment of mountains, seas, and rivers, creating its unique environmental features. The area boasts ports, large bays, 40 islands (including 10 major ones), and dozens of geothermal hot springs of varying sizes.

Banks

There are many banks in Sanya, including state-owned commercial banks and joint-stock banks. Basically, they can provide RMB and foreign currency exchange services. Commonly used foreign currencies include: US dollars, British pounds, euros, Hong Kong dollars, Singapore dollars, etc.

According to regulations, the daily foreign exchange exchange limit shall not exceed US$10,000 and shall not exceed US$50,000 per year.

Visa and entry

Hainan visa-free entry policy

Hainan local travel agencies must report tourists' personal information to the relevant departments 24 hours before tourists enter the country before they can enter the country without a visa. It is recommended that tourists report their personal information to travel agencies 48 hours in advance. Personal information includes: tourists' passports, round-trip air tickets, hotel reservation orders, and travel itineraries in Hainan.

Please refer to the following links for more details

• Hainan Province 59 countries entry tourism visa-free policy operation guide
• 59 countries entry tourism visa-free policy operation guide
• Hainan Visa Free & Visa on Arrival Policy Guide
• Visa and Entry
• Visa Information

Health care

Sanya has several comprehensive hospitals, and its medical resources cover both Chinese and Western medicine. The future goal is to build a world-class coastal tourist city, rationally allocate and utilize medical and health resources, create a 15-minute basic medical and health service circle, and provide fair and high-quality basic medical and public health services to all residents and tourists.

Talk

Hainanese is the main local language spoken in Sanya. The dialect of Hainanese differs somewhat from the standard Hainanese spoken in Wenchang, making it a little tricky to understand even if you are fluent in standard Hainanese. That said, most locals are able to understand standard Hainanese too.

As with elsewhere in China, Mandarin is the main language taught in school, and spoken by virtually all non-elderly locals. Sanya is also home to many migrants from other parts of China who speak Mandarin but not Hainanese. This is particularly true in the winter, when many wealthy Chinese from the northern provinces move here to escape the bitter cold in their respective hometowns.

As with most other parts of China, English is not widely spoken, though staff at the more expensive hotels and resorts can usually speak some basic English. As Sanya is a popular destination for Russian tourists, staff at some tourist attractions may be able to speak some basic Russian.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Sanya Phoenix International Airport (三亚凤凰国际机场 SYX  ^IATA) (take bus number 8 from the airport to the city (and back), which stops here in both directions). Sanya's airport has flights to most major Chinese cities such as Guangzhou, Shanghai or Hong Kong. Fares vary significantly, depending on season and the particular tour. The airport has its own high-speed railway station, which you can use to travel to other coastal cities in Hainan. (updated Jul 2018)

You may be able to save money by first taking a bullet train to Haikou and flying out of the provincial capital's larger airport. The Meilan high-speed rail station is in the same building complex with Haikou's international airport. For intercity bus, ticket and overnight lodging can exceed the difference and you should account for travelling 3–4 hours each direction. In addition to the bus, you will easily be able to find "heiche" (黑车 hēichē) taxis that will take you between the two cities, for ¥350-500 per car. Although it's illegal, you can find drivers that are courteous, safe and reliable, although this is much more difficult without being able to speak at least basic Chinese.

By bus

• 2 Sanya Bus Station (三亚汽车站), 425 Jiefang Road, Tianya District (天涯区解放路425号) (a few steps south (away from McDonald's) of the east end of "Shopping Street" (步行街 bùxíng jiē). Local buses that serve the station include routes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 18, 22, 26, 40, 42, 50, 51, 52, 54, 58 and lines 1 and 3 of Sanya Airport bus service), ☏ +86 898 88252656. Sanya's main central bus station. The station has bus services to destinations all over the island. (updated Aug 2020)
• 3 Sanya West Bus Station (三亚客运西站), National Highway 225, Tianya District (天涯区225国道旁) (on the east side of the airport runway; local buses that serve the station include routes 14, 16, 32, 34, and 42), ☏ +86 898 88350899. Mainly has bus services to destinations in the western part of Hainan such as Danzhou. (updated Aug 2020)

The 3½-hour bus ride from the East Bus Station in Haikou will cost about ¥50. Buses between Haikou and Sanya generally depart about once every hour, though there is a two-hour gap between the 2nd last bus and the last bus; the last bus from Sanya to Haikou departs around 18:00.

By train

Sanya can be reached directly by train from Beijing (35 hours), Shanghai (36 hours) and Guangzhou (15 hours). The whole train is loaded on to a ferry for the journey from mainland China to the Island, then continues its journey around the west coast as far as Sanya. As trains leaving the island originate in Sanya, tickets from this smaller town are easier to obtain than if leaving from Haikou.

High-speed trains connect all major cities and towns on the eastern and western coasts. It takes 1½-2 hours from Haikou, travels up to 250 km/h.

• 4 Sanya Railway Station (三亚站), 10 Yuxiu Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区育秀路10号). Sanya's main central railway station. The station is approximately 7 km north of downtown. A taxi to Dadong Bay (大东海), the most popular tourist area) is approximately ¥25-30. A public bus will cost ¥2. Lines 2 and 4 lead through Sanya city proper and continue through (and past) Dadong Bay. Since October 2020, it has also been possible to take a tram to the city. Trams run as far as Jiangang Road (see the Get around section for further details). (updated Jul 2020)
• 5 Yalong Bay Railway Station (亚龙湾站), Intersection of Gaoxin Road and Tiandu Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区高新路与田独路交叉口). (updated Jul 2020)
• 6 Yazhou Railway Station (崖州站), G225, Yazhou District (崖州区G225). (updated Jul 2020)

Maps of Sanya also show a station near Nanshan Temple called Nanshan North Railway Station (南山北站). This station, however, is no longer in use.

Get around

By foot

Many people stay in beach areas with more-or-less everything within walking distance.

By bus

Darting in, around, and between Sanya city and Dadong Hai is best done by the city bus lines 2 (fastest) or 4 (adds some stops around Sanya River) for ¥2. The buses run along Sanya city's Jiefang Road (解放路), which is the street McDonald's is on, and hit Dadong Bay at Luling Road (鹿岭路), just one stop past the Deer Turns Head Square (鹿回头广场)

For trips farther out of town, you can buy bus tickets at Sanya city's bus station or just hail buses on the road that runs along Sanya's beach. Tickets to most destinations will be ¥1-30. You could also hire a van with (or without) an English speaking guide from hotels or people with white and blue displays on the streets of Sanya City or Dadong Bay. If you go with a Chinese tour group, there may likely be several hours of scheduled stops at "infomercial" centers, complete with microphone delivered advertisements.

By light rail

A light rail network is under construction. The first line officially began operations in October 2020. It runs from Sanya Railway Station to the city center. Stops include Sanya Railway Station (三亚火车站), Yuxiu Road (育秀路), Fenghuang Road (凤凰路), Shuicheng Road (水城路), Sanya River East Road (三亚河东路), Jiefang Road (解放路), Jinjiling Street (金鸡岭街), Youyi Street (友谊街), Yingbin Road (迎宾路), Jixiang Street (吉祥街), Tuanjie Street (团结街), Xinfeng Street (新风街), Guangming Street (光明街), Yuejin Street (跃进街) and Jiangang Road (建港路). The fare is ¥3 and it takes 35 minutes to reach the end of the line.

By taxi

Taxi fare starts from ¥8 for the first 2 km, and ¥2 for each additional kilometer. Due to the cheap fare, taxi drivers like to hover around anywhere outside the downtown to avoid short-ride passengers. This makes getting a taxi in the downtown a bit difficult. Taxis are quite well regulated and they are mostly okay with using a meter, but drivers are mainly immigrant workers who may not be familiar with every place. Some of them also try to fool tourists that the place they want to go is closed, and try to take you farther. Another problem is that since Sanya is only crowded during winter, there are enough taxis to go around. And the government doesn't hire more taxis because during the summer, there would be too many taxis and the drivers would not make any money. To help with this problem, the government has commissioned another class of yellow taxis that can hailed by phone. Dial 96789 tell them your location and they will pick you up if there is a car nearby you and the rates are the same as regular taxis.

There are also numerous motorcycle and sidecar taxis. You must negotiate the price before leaving. Prices are slightly lower than regulated taxis but it depends on your negotiating skills and knowing what the locals pay for the same trip distance.

By car or motorcycle

You can also rent a motorbike or a car of your own. There are several places to do this, with prices per hour (¥60), 4 hours (¥150), 8 hours (¥350) or by week (¥1,500). Discounts are available outside peak times. However, any driver who is not familiar with the traffic norms in Sanya should think twice about renting a motorbike. Traffic rules are practiced half-heartedly and road condition can be dangerous even if you are a good disciplined driver. When you crash into a pedestrian, you as a driver are likely the one to pay the compensation.

When renting a car or motorcycle, you need a valid Chinese driving license (International Licenses are not valid). There is no exemption to this rule and you can be jailed for up to 15 days by driving without a license. In most cases, you will be fine without it, but in the event of an accident, this will be a major issue.

See

Parks and beaches

• 1 DaDongHai (BigEastSea) (大东海; Dadonghai), Jiyang District (吉阳区) (from the airport, take bus nr. 8, Airport Bus 1 or Airport Bus 3; get off at Dadonghai Square (大东海广场); other buses that serve the area include, bus nos. 2, 4, 15, 18, 19, 25, 28, 34, 36, 41, 53, 55, Shuttle Bus 4 and Shuttle Bus 6; Shuttle Bus 4 can be used to get around the area), ☏ +96 898 88212189, +86 898 88212680. Open all day. The main "foreigner area" (especially Russian -- in visitors and signage, there is little English here!) Dadonghai is an easily accessible, beautiful beach -- and tourist/laowai haven. It has a good balance between development and natural beauty. The water is decently clean; the ocean bed is mostly just sand with a rare school of fish or eel. The beach is lined with expensive (and generally not very tasty) restaurants, but the beach is free (although cordoned into "zones" for swimming and boating). The beach is closed at night, but there is a section to the far east (the "military zone") that is just beyond a big fence (with a big hole in it) which is always open. It is not policed or seemingly controlled. The town behind Dadong Bay is more expensive than Sanya, but has foreign restaurants. The shopping, however, may not be as good as Sanya city's. See the beach both in the morning, at sunset (sets gorgeously over the hills), and at night (when people are more scarce). There're beach parties here on weekends, especially, starting early but picking up later (usually after hours) at the "Beach Bar", located in the middle of the beachhead. Just look for music, foreigners, fire torches, and dancing after midnight. Entry to the area is free. (updated Dec 2017)
• 2 Dongtian Park (大小洞天), Yacheng Town, Yazhou District (崖州区崖城镇) (take bus no. 25 or 30 from the city or catch Yazhou 6 from the Yazhou Railway Station), ☏ +86 898 88830188, +86 898 88830029. 08:30-17:30. A coastal park in Sanya's far west. Famous for its rocky beach and historical calligraphy. Swimming is prohibited and climbing on the rocks is also not permitted. The area is popular with couples who come here to take wedding photos. ¥90 (peak season), ¥75 (slack season). (updated Aug 2020)
• 3 Luhuitou Park (鹿回头公园, 鹿回头风景区, pronounced Loo Hway Toe Park, or Deer Looks Back Park), Luling Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区鹿岭路) (on top of the mountain in Sanya where all the green lasers are shooting out from, take the road toward Da Dong Hai, turn make a right on Li Ling Road, then go up the hill until you get to the ticket booth; from there you can either walk up the rest of the way or pay for a shuttle; buses that stop here include routes 26, 54 and 55), ☏ +86 898 88213740, 150248867@qq.com. 09:00-22:30. This is one of the tourist attractions in Sanya. On top of one of the tallest mountains in Sanya stands a statue of a deer looking back, flanked by a Li boy and a Li Girl. The legend goes that the boy was hunting the deer until the deer approaches a cliff, looks back, and magically turns into a beautiful girl and they fall in love. This place symbolizes young couples falling in love. At night you will see green lasers shooting out from near the statue that is visible from all over Sanya. Beneath the statue is an outdoor barbecue seating area that closes at 23:30. You will see wild monkeys that take food from humans as well. On the back of your ticket, you will see a map of the park so you can guide yourself. There is an abandoned roller coast up here as well. You will see the rusting tracks and closed off entrance area. There is also a wall with chains on it where you can buy a padlock with your names written on it and have your padlocked locked to the chain to symbolize that your love is forever. Or until the lock breaks. Entrance fee is ¥42 in peak season and ¥35 in slack season. The park shuttle bus charges ¥15. 
• 4 Paddy Field National Park (水稻国家公园), Wanpo Road, Haitang District (海棠区湾坡路) (bus nos. 23 and 33), ☏ +86 898 38895599. 08:30-18:00, no entry after 17:30. A park comprised of picturesque rice paddies and filled with life-sized dinosaur models. ¥75 (entry ticket only), ¥110 (entry ticket + sightseeing train). (updated Aug 2020)
• 5 Phoenix Hill (凤凰岭 Fenghuangling, 凤凰岭海誓山盟景区 Fenghuangling Haishishanmeng Scenic Area), 300 Longling Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区龙陵路300号) (bus nos. 17, 22, 24 and 55), ☏ +86 898 88665778. 08:00-21:00, no tickets sold after 19:30, no entry after 19:40. The tallest land formation in the central part of Sanya. Take the cable car to the top for a panoramic view of the city, but be careful not to take pictures of the military base. ¥106 (Oct-Apr), ¥88 (May-Sept), including two-way cable car ticket. (updated Aug 2020)
• 6 Tianya Haijiao (天涯海角; Tianya Haijiao - Edges of the heaven, corners of the sea) (30 minutes from Sanya by bus nos 16, 25, 26, 30, 57 (tickets ¥4 per person, one way), and the double-decker sightseeing bus), ☏ +86 898 88910131, tianya@aitianya.cn. 07:30-18:00. One of the most famous beaches in China, and a traditionally popular spot for romantic couples. The beach is often too overrun by tourists for visitors to be able to appreciate its natural beauty, but has been famously alluded to by various ancient Chinese writers and in modern Chinese pop culture. Free.  
• 7 Yalong Bay International Rose Valley (亚龙湾国际玫瑰谷), 9 Bohou North Road, Jiyang Town, Jiyang District (吉阳区吉阳镇博后北路9号) (bus no. 27), ☏ +86 898 88568895, +86 898 88567881. 08:30-18:00, no entry after 17:30. ¥60 (entry ticket only), ¥90 (entry ticket + sightseeing car). (updated Aug 2020)

The glass bridge at Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park.

• 8 Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park (亚龙湾热带天堂森林公园), Yalong Bay Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区亚龙湾路) (take Bus Nos. 15, 24, 25 or 27 and get off at the Yalong Bay Petrol Station), ☏ +86 898 38238888 (park), +86 898 38219999 (resort). 07:30-18:00. No tickets sold after 17:30. Online tickets may not be collected after 17:00. The park was the main setting for If You are the One 2, a 2010 romantic comedy directed by Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang. Visitors can visit specific scenes from the film, including the famous rope chain bridge. Other major attractions include an orchid garden and a glass bridge. When on the glass bridge, be careful not to inadvertently take pictures of the military base below, as this will get you into trouble with the security staff (the base isn't very obvious, but you should be able to avoid it by keeping your view to the right). Accommodation is available at the Yalong Bay Earthly Paradise Bird's Nest Resort (亚龙湾人间天堂鸟巢度假村). The entry fee is ¥108 during peak season (October to April) and ¥90 during slack eason (May to September). The sightseeing car charges ¥50. (updated Dec 2017)

Islands

• 9 West Island (西岛), Tianya District (天涯区) (the ferry to West Island departs from the West Island Wharf (西岛码头), which is about 2 km east of Tianya Haijiao and accessible via bus nos. 16, 25, 26, 30, 32, 55 and 57. The last ferry back to the mainland departs at 18:00), ☏ +86 898 88910888. 08:30-17:30. A small island near Sanya Bay. As is the case at Wuzhizhou Island, opportunities abound for snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing and other water sports. There are also a few attractions on the island itself, including a traditional fishiing village, which has some old houses made from coral and a couple of small museums. Most of the hotels on the island do not accept foreign guests. The only one that reportedly does is the Sanya Xidao Xige Inn (三亚喜岛喜阁客栈), which charges ¥138 a night. Locals are also offering double rooms to foreigners charge ¥200-280 At night the local fishing village has various seafood BBQ stalls. Scooter hire ¥50 a day Entry fee is ¥95 (including a two-way ferry ticket. The return is an open ticket if you stay on the island.). (updated Jul 2020)
• 10 Wuzhizhou Island (蜈支洲岛), Haitang District (海棠区), ☏ +86 898 88751258, +86 898 88751256, pac@wuzhizhou.com. 08:00-19:00, no entry after 16:00. The waters surrounding this island are the most beautiful in Sanya. A popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving, this island has fallen victim to it is popularity. Water is less clear and fish less plentiful than before, so choose dates and times to maximize visibility when visiting. Scuba diving will cost ¥400-500. Also see Sunrise Rock (观日岩). It is located on the cliff in the southeast of the island. Standing on the rock, you can get a bird's view of the whole island and the South China Sea. The Guanri Rock is like a natural stone Buddha facing to the sea. It is also like a huge turtle crawling to the vast ocean. The rock is an ideal place for you to enjoy the sunrise. The hotel rates are outrageous so unless you have lots of money, staying the night is not recommended. You can get onto the island by ferry as early as 08:30. The last ferry back from the island is 17:30. The ferry terminal, formally known as Wuzhizhou Ferry Terminal (蜈支洲岛客运码头) can be reached via bus no. 28 if you're coming from the city. If you're staying in Haitang Bay, you can catch Haitang Bus 3 (海棠3号) or Haiyang Bay Bus 1 (海棠湾1路). Free shuttle buses are also available from select location in the city, but you have to make a booking online using the Chinese-only booking system. Standard entry fee is ¥133, which includes the ferry ticket. Children under 1.2 meters in height enjoy free entry. Adults aged between 60 and 69 and children between 1.2 and 1.5 meters in height pay ¥68. Persons over 70, pregnant women and people with mobility issues are banned from the island for safety reasons.  

Museums

• 11 Jingrun Pearl Museum (京润珍珠博物馆), Haiyu Highway West, Tianya District (天涯区海榆(西)线) (close to the airport; take bus no. 16, 34 or 42 and get off at the Jingrun Pearl Museum bus stop), ☏ +86 898 88341805, +86 898 88341167. 08:30-17:30. A museum run by a pearl retailer. There's a shop here too, as well as a pearl-themed hotel and restaurant. Free. (updated Aug 2020)
• 12 Sanya Natural History Museum (三亚自然博物馆), Dongtian Park, Yacheng Town, Yazhou District (崖州区崖城镇三亚大小洞天旅游区内) (see directions for Dongtian Park above; the museum is a short distance east of the park entrance), ☏ +86 898 88830188, +86 898 88830029. 08:30-17:00. Maintains a small but fairly respectable collection of fossils, mostly from other parts of China, particularly Liaoning. The museum's most prized item is a complete fossil of a Sanya Pterosaur - so-called not because it lived in the Sanya region, but because the Sanya Natural History Museum was the first to identify it. The entry fee is included with the entry fee for Dongtian Park. (updated Aug 2020)

Religious sites

• 13 Nanshan Temple (南山寺, 南山文化旅游区 Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone), Nanshan Village, Yazhou District (崖州区南山村) (Nanshan is about an hour outside of Sanya city by city bus, which can be grabbed at the bus station or along the city's beach-side roadway (三亚弯路); buses that stop here include bus nos. 16, 25, 30, 55, 57 and Yazhou 1), ☏ +86 898 88837946. 08:00-17:00. Built as a tourist site in 1998 with a gigantic statue of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) on a sea-top platform. The statue is the main highlight of the park and attracts the biggest crowds. The main temple complex - about 2 km west of the statue - is more serene and less commercialized. Other sights include a couple of minor temples, a small museum about Nepalese Buddhism, and a place called Long Life Valley (长寿谷), which features a short hiking trail. A trolley car can shuttle you around the park for an extra ¥30, but it is best enjoyed without the trolley as it really is not that big. Some visitors find the surrounding countryside to be more interesting than the park itself. ¥108 (May-Sep), ¥145 (Oct-Apr).  
• 14 Yacheng Confucius Temple (崖城学宫), National Highway 225, Yacheng Town, Yazhou District (崖州区崖城镇225国道) (directly behind Wenming Gate, 1.7 km southeast of the Yazhou Railway Station; most buses originating from Yazhou Railway Station stop here), ☏ +86 898 65308072. 09:00-17:00, closed on Sundays. One of the very few major historical sites in Sanya. The Yacheng Confucius Temple is the southern most Confucius temple in China. It was originally established in 1054 and has been rebuilt and relocated over a dozen times. The current structures date from 1832, though of course there have been some renovations since then. To get here from the city without taking the train, take bus no. 58. If coming from Nanshan Temple, take Yazhou Bus No. 1. In both cases, you should alight at the Guchengmen (古城门) bus stop in front of Wenming Gate. Free. (updated Aug 2020)

Do

English Corners

An English Corner is an informal regular gathering where locals meet to practice their English. If you show up and are visibly foreign, people will be eager to talk to you. This gives you a chance to meet some locals and socialize even if you don't speak much Chinese.

• English Corner, Jie Fang Lu (near Mingzhu Square, opposite the shopping center, it's on the 3rd floor on a police station, once you are on Jie Fang Lu, you will see an Arch with about 5 or 6 flags on top, go through the arch and you will see a police station on your right. Go to the 3rd floor. After you arrive on the 3rd floor, make a left, you will find the English Corner in a kindergarten room on your left. If you see any white guys in the room, then you are in the right place. There are no signs.), ☏ +86 13637633655 (Jelly). Wednesday 20:00-22:00. Locals meet here to practice English with each other, expats occasionally visit as well. The level of English varies but is generally good enough for conversation. Good to get inside information on Sanya, many of them will be happy to show you around for a chance to speak some English. 
• English Corner, at YoungBar (DaDongHai—beside Dolphin Bar). Every Sunday at 15:00.

Games and sports

Biking

Sanya is a popular destination for pro-amateur bikers who are eager to hover around the whole island. However, almost all bikers take their own bike. Bike rental service is not as omnipresent as other touristy places such as Yangshuo or Lijiang. Most bike shops are located at Sanya Hexi Lu (Sanya River East Road), you need to pay ¥1000 for deposit and prices start from ¥40 for 1 day hiring. Several hostels also have a bike rental service. A route from Dadonghai to Yalong bay, then to Haitong Bay has a well-constructed, -lit and smooth road which stretches over 30 km and make it ideal to ride. However, the urban area of Sanya has some of the worst traffic in China and the local police are notorious for being impotent on cracking down traffic violations.

Golfing

Sanya is home to numerous practice range, suitable for beginner and several demanding golf courses for more challenges. Some international tournament take regularly place in different Sanya golfing venues. Hotels offer weekly package where you can golf every day on a different course.

• 1 Mystic Springs Golf Club (神泉国际高尔夫俱乐部), Nantian Hot Springs Tourist City, Haitang Bay (海棠湾南田温泉旅游城), ☏ +86 898 3188 8008, reservation@mysticsprings.com.cn. 06:00-19:00. 
• 2 Yalong Bay Golf Club (亚龙湾高尔夫球会), 22 Longhai Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区龙海路22号) (bus nos. 24 and 27), ☏ +86 898 88565888, toll-free: +86 400 1661868, welcome@yalongbaygolfclub.com (general enquiries), reservation@yalongbaygolfclub.com (reservations)MULTIPLE-EMAIL. (updated Aug 2020)

Hiking

In Sanya, you may more likely do more walking than hiking. With its pretty flat landscape and well-developed roads, hiking is not particular popular among tourists. Hikers often take a bus in the Sanya Bus Station at Jiefang Road and head to Wuzhishan (五指山) to start their hiking tour. The 90-minute bus is available every hour from 07:00 to 16:00 and fare is around ¥16.

Paintball & gun games

• Crystalball Gun Games (水弹枪), Da Dong Hai (BanShanBanDao), ☏ +86 15024310072. Weekends, 14:00 till sunset. There is a small group of foreigners and a large group of Chinese that play gun games (水弹枪) in Sanya. The guns are "water ball" or "crystal ball" guns (水弹枪). They shoot a small "crystal" or "water" ball, similar to a paintball (but smaller, at lower velocity, and with no mess), and the guns look like their real-steel counterparts (they are modified airsoft guns). Two locations: one is an "official" Chinese field (maze) outside at GuoXing Sports Area (near the train station) (cost ¥70); the other is an abandoned hospital that we have set up with wood and tire cover / bunkers specifically for gun games (cost is by donation). Come shoot! Call or text "Reyn" for more information, pictures, and pricing at +86 150 2431 0072, or on WeChat: adamreyn ¥20 (Abandoned Hospital) or ¥70 (Guoxing Field). (updated Nov 2019)

Surfing

Hainan has pretty consistent surf most of the year. In the summer, the south winds bring waves to Sanya's south-facing beaches. In the fall through winter, the peak surf season, Hainan's east coast is the place to go. Hainan does not offer world-class waves, but it offers fairly consistent tropical surf, which is almost completely empty. If you a breaking in to surfing, there are a number of companies to contact.

• Insight Adventures (鹿回头村第四組２０３號), LuHuiTou Village (best use email or phone), ☏ +86 898 88226130. Insight Adventures are the largest operator in Sanya and offer surfing and many other activities such as kayaking, biking, snorkelling and stand up paddle boards. Insight offers a large staff of foreign and Chinese guides. 

Water sports

Yalong Bay, Dadong Bay, Haitang Bay and Sanya Bay all have a collection of jet skiing, parasailing, paragliding, snorkeling, scuba diving, glass-bottomed boat, and beach ATV enterprises. Prices aren't generally very negotiable (save for scuba and snorkeling), but duration of the ride, however, can. Do not go too cheap on scuba, for obvious safety reasons.

Performing arts

• 3 Beauty Crown Theater (美丽之冠大剧院), Xinfeng Street, Jiyang District (吉阳区新风街) (the nearest bus stop is the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (中医院), which is served by bus nos. 9, 10, 29, 36, 50 and 53). At the site of a self-declared 7-star hotel, the Beauty Crown Hotel (aka Beauty Crown Grand Tree Hotel). 
• 4 Red Detachment of Women Performance Park (红色娘子军演艺公园), Liyun Road, Tianya District (天涯区黎韵路) (bus no. 54 terminates here), ☏ +86 898 88818588. The park is open every day from 09:00 to 22:00. The performance begins at 20:00 and runs for 60 minutes. The Red Detachment of Women ballet was one of the few officially approved ballets during the Cultural Revolution and was famously performed for US President Richard Nixon during his visit to China in 1972. Here it is performed daily and with special effects not seen elsewhere. Travellers interested in the real story of the Red Detachment of Women should consider a visit to Qionghai where the detachment was founded. Ticket prices start from ¥238. (updated Aug 2020)

Theme parks

• 5 Atlantis Sanya (三亚·亚特兰蒂斯), 8 Haitang North Road, Haitang Bay Town, Haitang District (海棠区海棠湾镇海棠北路8号) (bus routes 33, 35, Haitang 3 and Haitang Bay 1; the double-decker sightseeing bus stops here too), ☏ +86 898 88986666, info@atlantissanya.com. The Aquaventure Waterpark is open from 10:00 to 18:00. The Lost Chambers Aquarium is open from 10:00 to 22:00. Dolphin Cay and Sea Lion Point are open from 09:00 to 18:00. The C Show starts at 16:30 and ends at 17:30. A luxury 5-star resort featuring a waterpark, an aquarium, and special pools where visitors can get up close and personal with dolphins, sea lions and other marine creatures. There is also a theatre where a circus-like theatrical performance known as the C Show is held. ¥358 (waterpark), ¥258 (aquarium), ¥428 ('dolphin photo fun'), ¥188 ('sea lion photo fun'), ¥358 (sea lion encounter), ¥298 ('sea lion boating fun'), ¥318 (boat feeding), ¥428 ('ultimate snorkel'), ¥1488 ('ambassador dive'), ¥988 (beluga encounter), ¥148 (ray feeding), ¥428 (shark safari), ¥258 (C Show). Discounts are available for children under a certain age or height. (updated Aug 2020)
• 6 Sanya Beluga Discovery Ocean World (大白鲸·三亚海洋探索世界), Xindao Street, Yazhou District (崖州区新道街) (take bus no. 30 if coming from the city; take Yazhou Bus no. 6 if coming from Yazhou Railway Station or Dongtian Park), ☏ +86 898 88825888. 10:00-17:00 (weekdays), 10:00-18:00 (weekends). Standard adult tickets are ¥124 if bought on site. Cheaper prices are available online. (updated Aug 2020)
• 7 Sanya Haichang Fantasy Town (三亚海昌梦幻海洋不夜城), 168 Hai'an Avenue, Haitang District (海棠区海岸大道168号) (take bus no. 33, 35, or Haitang 3 and get off at Haitang Bay; or use the double-decker sightseeing bus and get off at the Haichang Fantasy Town bus stop), toll-free: +86 400 6016699. 10:00-22:00 (amusement rides begin operating at 16:00). Part of a major Chinese theme park chain. General entry is free. Fees for each attraction are charged separately. For example, a ride on the ferris wheel costs ¥98. Children under 1.2 meters in height, however, are exempt from all charges provided they are accompanied by an adult. (updated Aug 2020)
• 8 Sanya Romance Park (三亚千古情景区), 333 Yingbin Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区迎宾路333号) (take bus nos. 1, 6, 7, 9, 23, 27, 40, 45 or 53 and get off at the Sanya Romance Park bus stop), ☏ +86 898 88658333. 15:00-21:30. Includes Sanya Ice & Snow World, which has ice sculptures and ice-skating facilities. There is also a theater where a reportedly spectacular song and dance show is performed twice a day. The first performance starts at 17:30 and ends at 18:30. The second performance begins at 20:00 and finishes at 21:00. ¥280 (general entry + admission to the theater), ¥340 (general entry + entry to Sanya Ice & Snow World + admission to the theater). Discounts are available for children and family groups. (updated Aug 2020)

Volunteering

• Sea Turtles 911. The only non-profit organization promoting sea turtle conservation in China, Sea Turtles 911's primary facility is a floating sea turtle hospital in Lingshui near Nanwan Monkey Island, as well as programs in Sanya and Haikou. While on Hainan Island visitors are welcome to volunteer with the sea turtles and the organization's educational programs. Recommended donation. 

Learn

Study Mandarin

With such a beautiful environment, relaxing on the beach and studying Mandarin Chinese is a fun and productive activity for those with more time. It's also easier to focus on the studying without the distractions of the big cities.

Buy

The area produces pearls in abundance and they are sold everywhere. Prices are highly negotiable; overcharging tourists is common. Tour guides get a fat (often 50%!) commission for bringing tourists to pearl shops; try to go without one and beat the price down.

Coconut powders and teas are also popular Chinese buys, but for Westerners looking for something less commercially produced... the cone-shaped hats that women wear here with pictures inscribed are only ¥5 at The First Market (第一市场 dìyī shìchǎng) in Sanya city. Lines 2 and 4 have a stop there. Don't head into the department store; instead, stick to the side of it and walk down the road filled with small shops and street vendors.

• 1 Corner's Deli (每一角落), 三亚市愉亚大道夏日百货五楼, 5/F, Summer Mall, Yuya Avenue, Dadong Sea (at Summer Mall, fifth floor of south end, in Dadonghai), ☏ +86 898-88216733, fax: +86 898-88216771, sanyashop@corners-s.com. until 22:00. Offers a wide range of imported food and drinks. For anyone living in China and wanting to take back a few western groceries that can't normally be found, this small deli is worth the trip. 
• 2 China Duty Free Sanya Mall (CDF Sanya Mall, 三亚国际免税城), 118 Haitang Road North, Haitang District (海棠区海棠北路118号) (free shuttle buses are available from several of Sanya's five-star hotels; you can also take public bus routes 33, 34, 35 and Haitang Bay 1), toll-free: +86 400 6996956, sanyakefu@cdfg.com.cn. 09:00-22:00. A government-run duty free shopping center for luxury goods. Here you can buy all the Gucci, LV, etc. to your heart's content. You would need proof of a plane ticket leaving Hainan and you must pick up your goods at the airport when you leave. 

Eat

Restaurants

There are plenty of good Chinese regional-food restaurants, including many Sichuan, Cantonese, and DongBei places. There are also a few foreign / Western food restaurants, especially Dolphin and Young Bar, and of course the ubiquitous McDonald's (DaDongHai [3] and Jiefang Lu), Starbucks (in Summer Mall) and KFC (105 Jiefang Lu; Duojialian; 63 Guoxing Dadao; Renmin Lu). Seafood is of course also a mainstay in the cuisine of Sanya, and DaDongHai is filled with overpriced seafood restaurants. Inspect the tanks for freshness before eating and beware of the different charges that are often handled by different people at the restaurant (fishery, cooking fee, and sitting fee can be separate). Shellfish go for ¥10-25 per jin (half kilo).

• 1 No. 1 Agricultural Products Market (第一市场), Xinjian Street # 155. close midnight. This is not a restaurant, but a live seafood supermarket, and it's worth mentioning because of its popularity. You buy seafood here, take it across the street around the corner and all the restaurants will cook the food for you. They have seafood, poultry, lamb, pork - almost anything you can think of besides beef. As you are shopping for food, you will get approached by touts that give you a business card with their price list for cooking your food for you. If you agree, after you finish buying, they will take you to their restaurant around the corner and prepare the food for you. If you want to eat seafood but don't want to pay the outrageous prices at seafood restaurants, this is a great option. Varies. 
• 2 Bohemian (波西米亚), 三亚市凤凰路三永凤凰城3号 (Phoenix Road (凤凰路 fènghuáng lù)), ☏ +86 898 88882333. Newly-opened restaurant with an international menu. Very well decorated and furnished and the service by waitresses wearing faux-Bavarian uniforms is exceptional. As soon as you walk in, you have to go up a winding staircase. Very high class feel. You can tell they spent a lot of money to renovate the place. They have private rooms where you can eat as well. Prices range from very expensive (for things like Japanese beef or caviare) to very reasonable for more conventional Chinese dishes. 
• 3 Casamia Italian Restaurant (卡萨米亚意大利餐厅), 三亚湾路蓝色海岸门面旁B211号,2nd Floor (by the entrance of Lan Se Hai An Complex), ☏ +86 898 88889828. A really upscale restaurant with two locations in Sanya with excellent service with authentic Italian dishes. Prices are fair, the presentation is good as is the taste, as is the quality of food. Clean and well run. Recommended for western foods that will delight the palate. All wines and beer served. English speaking staff. Italian owner who is the Maitre D aided by his Chinese wife. 
• 4 Coffee World (考菲乌), Herton Hotel at Dadonghai Beach-1st floor (东海旅游区荷泰海景酒店1楼) (opposite Resort and Time Hotel), ☏ +86 898 88677995, office@emperorfoods.cn. 10:30-23:30. Offers pizza, pastas, salads, soups and the tastiest BBQ chicken wings in Hainan. Dining on a lovely balcony which overlooks Dadonghai Beach. Tel: 0898-88677995. The restaurant delivers to customers within a 5 mile radius of Dadonghai Beach. English is spoken. Moderate price. 
• 5 The Dolphin Sports Bar & Grill, 99 Yuya Road, Dadonghai (tell the cab driver to drop you off 100 metres before Summer Mall in dadonghai, and look across the main road, you will see us between a couple of Russian shops), ☏ +86 898 88215700. Western restaurant and sports bar with a wide selection of Western favorites such as hamburgers, soups, salads, pasta, Tex-Mex and sandwiches. There are usually good specials on imported beers and international cocktails. Check with the manager and he can probably make something off the menu for a reasonable price. A local mecca for foreigners (along with YoungBar next door), it's usually a loud environment with countless big screen TV's showing major sporting events. Also has typical bar games: pool, darts, foosball, and eating competitions. Live band every night after 9pm. It can get quite rowdy here late at night. Meals ¥60-150. (updated Dec 2017)
• Young Bar (Yang's Bar), 97 YuYa Lu, DaDongHai (beside Dolphin Bar). Young Bar is a Chinese-owned foreign food pub. Yang, the owner, often creates community English events (including running an English Corner). The food is Western and Russian, and decent (it and Dolphin Bar often battle for #1 spot in Western food). The staff are often Kazakh or from other central Asian cultures. The customers are often Russian. ¥70 - 100 for a meal and drink. (updated Nov 2019)
• 6 Hot Pot Fashion, 时代海岸西区2楼. 
• 7 Jing Fu Gong (景福宫), 三亚市凤凰路三永凤凰城4号 (Phoenix Road, right next door to the Bohemian), ☏ +86 898 38295105. Korean restaurant run by South Koreans. Part of a chain, there is one in Haikou too. Very authentic, to the extent that it is a favourite for Korean tour groups who want a taste of home. Attentive service. They have an upper level where you can take off your shoes and sit on the floor and private rooms. Reasonable prices. 
• 8 Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant (柠檬草泰式餐厅), 三亚湾蓝色海岸餐饮街二楼 (Next to Casamia in Sanya Bay), ☏ +86 898 88290819. 
• 9 Marco Polo (Italian restaurant), 海韵路8号 (look for the big Marco Polo sign), ☏ +86 13518095143. Offers a slightly more upscale take on Italian. There is a large, outdoor seating area and the pizzas are highly recommended. Offers pizzas, pastas, soups and meats. The food and the service are great. As of May 2013, they don't have adequate wait staff, so the only way to get a meal there is to show up around 18:00 and maybe the owner is in and can cook a meal for you. Expect ¥80-100 for a meal. 
• 10 Mr Cat (张猫猫的店), 2-2 Haiyun Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区海韵路2-2号) (in the Dadonghai area, close to Summer Plaza), ☏ +86 898 88281685. 10:00-22:00. A well-established and very popular Hainanese restaurant. Serves a wide variety of Hainanese dishes. Try to get here early, as there's a good chance you'll have to wait in a queue. (updated Aug 2020)
• 11 Russian Restaurant & Bar (俄式西餐酒吧), 大东海愉亚大道66号华豫苑首层俄式西餐酒吧 (in between City Plaza Hotel and Hawaii Hotel), ☏ +86 898 8821-1527. 
• 12 Wanjunlong (旺君隆餐馆), Yuejin Street #86 (corner of Shengli Road and Yuejin Street), ☏ +86 898 88265889. close when sun comes up. Popular place for late night barbecue and beer. Not as big as Shangping Road, but a good alternative if you get sick of shangping road. various. 
• 13 Xinya Seafood Restaurant (新亞海鲜餐厅), 海南省三亚市三亚湾路19号 (Corner of Sanya Bay Road and Xin Feng Jie), ☏ +86 898 88388886, xyhxct@126.com. Very popular Xinjiang restaurant next to Sanya Beach. Has typical Xinjiang dishes such as Dapanji, a wide range of seafood that can be cooked as you wish and Indian Roti. Along the coastal road from the restaurant are a number of very popular seafood restaurants. Two restaurants in one. 

Specialities

Hainan grows a great variety of tropical fruits. Mango, apple, pineapples, durian, jackfruit, mangosteen, lycee are very popular and their breeds are colorfully diverse. Hainan is famous throughout China for its coconuts and they are worth trying, especially the red coconuts (红椰 hóng yē). Away from the beach, expect to pay about ¥8-10 for a coconut. Prices increase as you get closer and you may end up paying about ¥15 for a coconut on the beach. Note that fruit price is fluctuating and cheating on its weight is common. Visit any big and well-established chained supermarkets in the downtown of Sanya along Jiefang Road to check the current market price.

Street food

A bit after sunset and well in to the midnight, Sanya city's streets are filled with small barbecue stands, noodle stands, and other snack vendors. There is a well-known seafood supermarket called The No. 1 Agricultural Products Market (第一市场) (See address below). You buy live seafood and then take it around the corner to a crowded street where all the restaurants will cook (Jia Gong,加工) the seafood for you for a small fee per dish. It's the most crowded night market in Sanya. You will find a constant assortment of musicians and kids that sell flowers to proposition you while you are eating. It's a great way to save money on eating seafood because there is no markup for the seafood because you purchased the seafood yourself. It's quite a lively environment with guitarists playing, saxophonists playing, customers singing, beer flowing all night long, garbage trucks to come by to pick up the garbage, and the occasional fight. This street starts dying down around the midnight and the crowds head to bar street.

After Bar Street closes, the crowds head to the night food market located at the 1st Lane of Shangping Road (商品街一巷) which is close to Jiefang Road (解放路). Most foods are at the fixed price but try to negotiate a bit for the seafood barbecue. The food and beer flows until the sun comes up.

Another popular after-hours barbecue place is at Wan Jun Long. Not as popular as Shangping Road, but if you are sick of seeing the same people all the time, this is another alternative (address below).

Drink

Coffee

The vast majority of coffee shops here open around 10:00 or 11:00. There is a Starbucks in the Summer Mall (in DaDongHai). The Jiefang Lu (解放路) McDonald's has thus become a morning pilgrimage for some Westerners.

Alcohol

Times Coast (Shi Dai Hai An) Bar Street

This is where all the hottest clubs in Sanya are; it's one big circle with about 10-11 clubs. The big three first tier clubs with all the tourists are Soho, MJ, and 88. The rest of the clubs are second tier clubs that have mostly locals and are less expensive. To get here, hop in a cab and say "Jiu Ba Jie". The most popular local brew is Anchor (actually Singaporean but produced in Hainan). Ask for the 'red label' or 'old' brew, which is the original. It is very hoppy and can be a great escape from Yanjing (燕京) or Qingdao (青岛) beer. Those are available, of course, as well. There are also local pineapple-based beers. Odd, but worth a try.

Most of these bars will ask you to buy many bottles at a time (standard practice in China). They are loud, flashy, often bland EDM-anthem places filled with Russians. Mostly tables with people just sitting and drinking, the dance floors are often small and shaped like a model-runway, and often have shows that take place and so everyone just goes and sits at their tables. Foreigners will not get free drinks at these Chinese clubs; you have to go to smaller cities for that (too many Russian tourists in Sanya for that white privilege).

• Soho Bar (苏荷酒吧), 三亚市河东路36号 (first bar you will see on Bar Street, across the bridge from Pizza Hut), ☏ +86 898 88706677. close 03:00. The most popular bar for mainland tourists. More attractive people here than other bars. ¥180 for 6 beers. 
• MJ Bar (三亚名舰国际娱乐会所), 三亚市榆亚大道时代海岸酒吧街 (exit Soho, make a right, walk half a block), ☏ +86 15108982345. close 03:00. This is the club with the most foreigners. The bar counter is a Russian hangout. Every Wednesday night is ladies night where all girls drink for free. Managed by an Anerican-born Chinese from New York City named Eddie. ¥180 6 beers. 
• Gold Baidu (金百度), 时代海岸酒吧街愉亚大道2号附近 (next to Golden Club), ☏ +86 898 88609898. close 02:00. Second tier club on the ground level around the corner from Allen Story 
• 8090 Bar (8090后酒吧三亚店), 榆亚大道2号鸿洲时代海岸内 (next to Gold Baidu), ☏ +86 898 88889998. close 02:00. Second tier club, they have KTV rooms on the second floor, and a lounge section on the 3rd floor 
• 123 Bar (123酒吧), 三亚旅游区榆亚路时代海岸酒吧街(近名舰酒吧) (before you reach MJ walking from Soho, there is an alleyway, first bar in the alleyway), ☏ +86 898 88912398. close 02:00. Second tier club, but full of people always. mostly locals. 
• Wang Jiao (旺角酒吧), 三亚市时代海岸酒吧一条街 (exit Soho and make a left, walk past rainbow and Eadry Hotel), ☏ +86 898 88989898. close 02:00. Second tier club, mostly locals, have KTV rooms on the second floor ¥100 dozen beers. 
• No. 88 Bar (88酒吧), 海南省三亚市愉亚大道时代海岸1号楼101号商铺 (exit Soho, make a left and keep on walking until you see it), ☏ +86 898 88601266. close 03:00. Franchise club, always packed and they have balcony levels for more private partying. Less foreigners here, but more foreigners than Soho. Russians who live in Sanya can apply for a free drink card. ¥180 6 beers. 
• Rainbow Bar & Grill (三亚云波西餐酒吧), 三亚市榆亚路时代海岸鸿洲埃德瑞首层（游艇码头旁） (exit Soho, make a left, first bar you see), ☏ +86 898 88606063, herufeng851005@163.com. close 02:00. They have both and indoors and outdoors section. The outdoors section is more popular. They have a pool table and a live band. Indoors, they have a foosball table. The burgers here are pretty good. 
• Take (台客), 愉亚大道时代海岸酒吧街9号 (exit MJ, make a left, go into alley and it's the first bar on the right), ☏ +86 898 88609996. close 02:00. New bar with a live band. long bar counter stocked with alcohol and girls. 
• The Dolphin Sports Bar & Grill (海豚吧), No 99 Yu Ya Rd, ☏ +86 898 8821-5700. close 02:00. This is the foreigner hangout in Sanya. Live band and western food. You will find mostly Russians sitting outside and a mix of people sitting inside. More description of this bar in the restaurant section. 
• Sanya Surf Circus, Dadonghai Beach (in the middle of Da Dong Beach), ☏ +86 13976190715. close 02:00. During the day, they sell and rent surf boards, have surf lessons. Almost every Saturday or Friday, they have a beach party. During these parties, you will see all the foreigners in Sanya. About 25 percent of the crowd will be Russian, another 25 percent black, and the rest a mix of Americans, Europeans, and Chinese. Run by some Italian guys. They send a mass text message out the day before there's a party. To get on the list, send an SMS to Darci, phone number listed here above. The owners' names are Lillo, Darci, Paolo, and Luca ¥10 a beer. 
• Heroes Valley Bar (英雄谷酒吧), 三亚市港务局码头开发区 (go to Gang Wu Ju and look for Heroes Valley Bar), ☏ +86 898 38899898. close 02:00. They have a big lounge area, but this bar is a "high" bar, most people come here to go to the private KTV rooms on the second floor to do their preferred drug of choice. 
• Rings Lounge (年轮音乐酒吧), 文明路100号 (near the 123 Food Garden), ☏ +86 898 31805577. close 02:00. They have two floors. On the second floor you can sing karaoke where all the customers can hear and see you - not a common thing in China. They also sell Pizza. This is a relatively new bar and they don't have a lot of customers yet. They do have one problem though - because residents live upstairs, they have to turn down the music after 23:00. ¥100 6 beers. 
• 阳光地带 (Yang Guang Di Dai), 520 解放路, 4th Floor (across the street from McDonald's, in the building that says New York Studio or something like that, take the elevator to the 4th floor), ☏ +86 18656710101. close 02:00. This is where all the gay and lesbian people in Sanya hang out. You will find the men in one corner and all the women in another corner. Most of the women have short hair. They sell Anchor beer. There is a wireless microphone and you can sing karaoke. You can pick the songs yourself from the computer. If you are a good-looking male, you will get hit on. ¥120 12 beers. 
• Street Dancers, 河西路双龙大夏 basement (it's in the building called Shuang Long Da Xia, across the street from the 123 Garden Bar). all night. By day this is a Hip Hop Dance Studio, by night it's an underground private Hip Hop Club. Many professional dancers from the clubs come here after the bars close. It's got mirrors on the walls so you can watch yourself dance. They have a DJ Booth. Once a month they have a huge party here. To get in, you would need to know someone who can bring you or just wander in and knock on the door to see if they are friendly. 
• Beer Factory, Intercontinental Hotel. They have their own brewery with German beer. Chinese owners brought German brewmasters over from Europe, had them set up the brewery, and then kicked them out (thinking they could run the place without them). As a result, the beer is not very good. You can see all the big canisters and pipes where the beer is brewed and served to you. There's outdoor and indoor seating. Indoor seating has a live band from the Philippines, sometimes. If you come here on Wednesdays, all the beer is half price. ¥36, ¥50, ¥80 for small, medium, big draft beer. (updated Nov 2019)
• Mos Blues. at the Mandarin Oriental Resort. A beautiful sunset bar with usually very tasty cocktails, however it's very expensive. Go at happy hour to make it reasonable. (updated Nov 2019)
• Ajiya (Haitang Bay Gloria Sanya), No. 9 Haitang Bay, 301 Road, Haitang Bay (Highway G98), ☏ +86 898 3888 8855. French Teppanyakki. 
• Left Bank Coffee Bar, Guang Ming Lu #8 (near the roundabout to the entrance to Phoenix Island). 
• 123 Garden (呀喏达), 三亚市河西路金河公寓一楼 (金宝菜后面), ☏ +86 898 88886123. This pub had live entertainment. Wooden tables are scattered through the place. They serve food and drinks. The DJ girl wears a hot bikini! They will open the second floor for KTV rooms. 
• Hao Shi Ya Yu (豪士雅娱乐城), 三亚市河西区文明路金河公寓一楼 (near 123 Garden), ☏ +86 898 88368889. A run down local club. The second floor is the main lounge. They have a dance floor with live entertainment. They also have KTV rooms. The crowd is a more local young crowd. Not as sophisticated as the crowd on bar street. 
• 1 Top 10 Pub, 三亚迎宾路山水天城平安保险旁 (approximately on 73 Yingbin Road), ☏ +86 898 38218711. This bar has a stage ready for a live band performance. They have miniature motorcycles and ATVs locate throughout for their motif. In addition to the general lounge area, they also have more private bungalows. On the second floor, you will find a pool table. 
• Xun Mi (寻宓海景音乐吧), 三亚湾路8-1（凤凰岛公交站） (across from Phoenix Island, 2nd Floor), ☏ +86 898 8819898. close 02:00. They have live music on the second floor, and a quieter section on the rooftop level. 
• Monte Carlo Lounge European Dining Local Bar (蒙兰圣罗酒廊), 三亚市河西路长顺三香1号门牌 (it's in an alleyway.), ☏ +86 18876688518, keshao520_dalang@yahoo.com.cn. This place is surprisingly well renovated inside. The surrounding alleyway is not much of a feast for the eyes, but inside has a European motif going on. They serve food and drinks and have three floors. It's a nice place to take a date if you've already seen all the places in town. 
• Bud Cafe (早苗咖啡厅), 海南省三亚市吉祥路盛世新第大夏10层 (next to Night Coffee), ☏ +86 898 38269388. close 01:30. Relaxed Coffeeshop (Taiwanese owned) with a variety of coffee drinks and some food (didn't try the food), Reggae music etc. Nice balcony with great view. Good internet connection, good to hang out and surf. Very unique feel to the place. Looks like you can write notes on the coasts and leave them underneath the glass at your table as a memento of your presence here. If nothing on the menu suits your fancy, you can get take out from the BBQ on the street level. 
• JRH (佳仁仁), 三亚时代海岸东区金壁辉煌左侧 (next to the Golden Club), ☏ +86 898 38272222, wangmz1123@126.com. They sell red wine here. Looks like a wine cellar inside. 
• Night Coffee (三亚夜色咖啡屋), 三亚吉祥街盛世第大夏12楼阳台 (rooftop of the building, next to Bud Cafe), ☏ +86 898 88262273. close 01:30. They occupy the 11th and 12th floor. The 11th floor has a home theater set up, and 12th floor rooftop is an open air setting over looking the ocean. 

KTV

• In Time. Hostess Club ¥1000+ for room and alcohol. ¥500 for DJ, ¥300 for Prince and Princess, ¥500 for girl. 
• Ke Bao KTV (科宝KTV), 解放路316号, ☏ +86 898 38251515. close 02:00. Local KTV place. Tips for girls ¥100-300. 
• Jia Li Lai KTV, 解放一路148号路宏湾宾馆2楼（嘉利莱KTV) (148 Jie Fang Road, 2nd Floor of the hotel), ☏ +86 898 88269998. close 02:00. ¥100-300 tip for the girls. From ¥250 for small room including drinks. 
• Royal New International Chamber (新皇家国际会所), 中国三亚市海南三亚大东海旅游区海韵路18号新皇家国际会所 (not too far from the beach), ☏ +86 13876869199, fax: +86 898 88675855. Another glamorous hostess club. The tip for the girls are ¥500 and up. ¥680 for small room. 
• Golden Club (金壁辉煌俱乐部), 三亚市愉亚大道时代海岸（市委对面） (around the corner from Allen Club), ☏ +86 898 38215555. close 02:00. This is a KTV Hostess club. You have to get a room that has a minimum charge of more than ¥1000. Then you pay for girls to drink with you. The girls charge ¥500 tip. From ¥1000 for a room. 

Sleep

As a general rule, accommodation prices in Sanya are very expensive, particularly during the winter months due to the huge influx of wealthy tourists from northern China.

Budget

In Sanya city and Dadonghai there are many small, clean moderately priced inns and hotels (¥50-100, even in high season, for 1-3 beds). Some may be located in alley ways just off Sanya's beach street, sometimes several floors up without an elevator (but the view is worth it!).

• 1 Blue Sky International Youth Hostel (三亚蓝天国际青年旅舍), 1 Lanhai Alley, Haiyun Rd, Dadonghai, Jiyang District (吉阳区大东海海韵路蓝海巷1号) (take bus 4 to Xia Ri Bai Huo (夏日百货), walk down Haiyun Road and into the alley), ☏ +86 898 88211770, sy.youthhostel@gmail.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. One of the oldest hostels in Dadonghai area. The staff is friendly and some can speak English. The hostel can organize trips to all over Hainan. It has internet access, towels, laundry service, mats and hats for the beach. Scooters and motorcycles can be hired. Dorm ¥50, double from ¥160. 
• 2 Sanya Backpackers Hostel (三亚背包客国际青年旅舍), 8 Haihua Road, Dadonghai (大东海海花路8号) (take bus 8 from Phoenix Airport 凤凰国际机场 to Dadonghai Bay 大东海 alight at Luling Lukou 鹿岭路口 bus stop junction Yuya Road 榆亚路 and Haihua Road 海花路), ☏ +86 898 88955890, sanyabackpackers.info@gmail.com. A resort hostel run by a Singaporean couple. 3 minutes away from the beach in a private palm-tree-covered alleyway. The hostel is very clean (no shoes inside). It has a nice garden around a skate-ramp and pool table and bar. Free internet. The owner can speak some English. Great live music from resident musician and very nice vibe. Also offer PADI scuba diving courses and outdoor adventures. Has an outdoor pool table, bar, and small skateboard ramp. Used to be excellent, now it's only good for the atmosphere of the bar -- which, sadly, closes very early. Dorm ¥75, double from ¥200. 
• 3 Sanya Lama Temple International Hostel (三亚雍和国际青年旅舍), 7 Dazhenling alley (大真岭巷) (take a bus to Luhuitou square (鹿回头广场), head up the road onto the hill next to the duty free store.), ☏ +86 898 88224486. Small and quiet hostel about 10 minutes walk from Dadonghai beach. Clean, friendly and dorms far cheaper than anywhere in Dadonghai proper. There is no temple here, the name comes from its affiliation with Beijing's Lama Temple hostel. Dorms ¥25-30, rooms from ¥130. 

Mid-range

• 4 Guoxi Hotel (果喜大酒店), 13 Jiefang Si Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区解放四路13号), ☏ +86 899 88254888. Four-star hotel with rooms with views of the mountain and sea along Sanya's coastline, cable TV, and free internet and breakfast. Shopping mall, night club, outdoor pool, sauna, and Chinese and Western food. Rooms start at ¥418. 
• 5 Tianze Beach Resort Sanya (三亚天泽海韵度假酒店), 28 Sanya Bay Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区三亚湾路28号) (along the ocean, next to the coffee shop), ☏ +86 898 88893018, fax: +86 898 88893066, tprsvns@hubs1.net. The hotel is right along Sanya Bay, surrounded by a magnificent shoreline and a stretch of coconut palm trees. Has a pool facing the ocean. ¥299. 
• 6 Sanya Royal Garden Resort (三亚半山锦江海景度假酒店), 21 Luling Road, Dadonghai (大东海鹿岭路21号), ☏ +86 898 88228888. Offers 239 air-conditioned rooms, all of which have mini-bar, TV, DVD/CD player, and high-speed Internet access. Some of its amenities include outdoor swimming pool, sauna, and health/fitness center and massage service. Best rates on official website start at ¥388. 
• 7 Sanya Emerging Seaview Hotel (三亚新兴海景大酒店), 2 Jiefang Yi Road, Jiyang District (吉阳区解放一路2号), ☏ +86 898 88895888. This hotel offers various pretty rooms. Dining options include an authentic Chinese restaurant in addition to a lobby bar. In terms of recreation, the hotel offers 18 KTV rooms, massage services, a beauty salon. 
• 8 Yin Yun Seaview Resort (三亚银韵海景度假酒店), 215 Sanyawan Road (三亚湾路215号) (west of the Airport), ☏ +86 898 8833 6088, yinyun898@163.com. The resort is a charming 80-room hotel that evokes Hawaii more than China. Online booking available on the official website. This place is far from the city center. Even farther than the airport. ¥168. 
• 9 Barry Boutique Hotel (柏瑞精品海景酒店), 三亚市大东海旅游度假区 (walking distance from the beach), ☏ +86 898 88888808, fax: +86 898-88705588, sanyabarry@163.com. Near the beach. ¥2000. 

Splurge

• 10 Banyan Tree Resort. This is a five-star resort with its own private beach. You can have a romantic dinner right on the beach. 
• 11 Mandarin Oriental. 5 star resort 
• 12 Haitang Bay Gloria Sanya (三亚海棠湾9号温泉度假酒店), No. 9 Haitang Bay, Road 301, Haitang Bay, Haitang District (海棠区海棠湾301路海棠湾9号), ☏ +86 898 38888855, info.hbgsha@gloriahotels.com. 5-star luxury resort. 

Stay safe

Sanya exists solely for tourism which is accompanied by annoyances including pickpocketeting and overcharging.

Before arrival, travelers should be wary of getting the right address and most up to date telephone number for their hostels/hotels. Some hostels are located in a new district whose roads have just been laid out. Not many people, including the police, know where specific locations are in new districts. When you get lost, always ask drivers to call the staff.

Para-sailing, diving, snorkeling and boating are popular but operators may not be trained or certified. If you go for diving, always check air tank pressures before. Some Wikitravelers have reported that they received half-empty scuba tanks and found it difficult to inhale smoothly.

Sanya has a lot of local tour packages. Some tours to outlying islands may look cheap, but once you arrive on the spot, operators may charge you extra money for using their equipment. Masks, snorkels and fishing rods can be shabby and expensive to rent. Other tours are shopping traps, complete with ridiculous commissions for the tour guide. Before you join any tour, ask specifically what is included in the fee (beach chair, drinks, boat, fishing rod, snorkel, mask, transportation, admission fees, return transportation, etc.), and what is not (shopping).

Thanks to a heavy crackdown on gangsters, Sanya has become much safer than in the early 2000s. While violent crimes against tourists are rare in Sanya, be wary of pickpocketing, bicycle theft and bag snatching. There are occasional reports of professional drivers zooming alongside a tourist and grabbing their bag. Pickpocketing is common on buses. You should avoid bringing any valuables to the beach as theft is occasionally reported. Lockers on the beach, along their showers and beach chairs, are not free. They will charge ¥20-50, or more, per use.

Sanya is also notorious for overcharging. Scams in seafood restaurants were heavily reported in the Chinese media in 2011. To avoid very unpleasant sticker shock, make sure you know the price of what you are ordering.

As a tourist area, everything sold close to the beach will be 30-100% more expensive than in downtown Sanya due to high rents and the law of supply and demand (lots of tourists, limited prime real estate for restaurants). Furthermore, market prices anywhere in Sanya are slightly higher than Haikou due to the cost of transportation. For seafood lovers who just traveled from inexpensive Haikou, do not expect to pay ¥10 for 4 scallops or 6 oysters.

Traffic rules apparently do not exist. Cars and motorcycles drive on both sides of the road and careen down sidewalks as if they had right of way. Irritating honking is ever-present, even when driving on sidewalks. Tourists should not trust the green traffic light and zebra crossings, because changing lights sometimes encourage drivers to speed up. As elsewhere, do not trust drivers to avoid you; you should always avoid them.

Cars will only stop at red lights. Bikes will only stop at red traffic lights if they are managed by police, otherwise you will watch them zip and weave though all directions of oncoming traffic.

The road dividers on main arterial roads are not there to stop people from running across; they are in place to stop cars from going down the wrong side of the road. Watch a road without these installed and you will see this in practice.

The tap water, even in nice hotels, should not be considered safe to drink as the tap water in Sanya is generally not potable. Bring or buy bottled water if you plan to be outside of your accommodation for long periods of time. If you have access to a kettle in your hotel room or rented apartment, boiled water is fine to drink.

Hainan is considered an active malaria and dengue fever region. Note that while there are pills to prevent malaria, there is no way to grow antibodies against dengue fever. If you plan to visit tropical forest zones, bring your own strong mosquito repellent and coil incense.

Go next

While most tourists visit Hainan for the increasingly vibrant city of Sanya, the island is large and has many other more remote locations to see.

Baoting (保亭), a county just north of Sanya, is a popular destination for its scenic and cultural attractions, including the Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone (呀诺达雨林文化旅游区), the Betel Nut Valley Li & Miao Cultural Heritage Park (槟榔谷黎苗文化旅游区), and the Mount Qixian Hot Springs National Forest Park (七仙岭温泉国家森林公园).

A little further on from Baoting, about 70 km northeast of Sanya, is the county of Lingshui. About 15 km south of Lingshui's main town is Nanwan Monkey Island (南湾猴岛), actually a peninsula, which is home to about 2500 endangered Macaque monkeys whose habitat you get to roam freely through. Lingshui is also the location of Perfume Bay (Xiangshui Bay, 香水湾), a relatively quiet and peaceful coastal area, and the scenic island of Boundary Island (Fenjiezhou Island, 分界洲岛).

The eastern city of Wanning (万宁), between Sanya and Haikou is home to Shimei Bay (石梅湾 shí méi wān) and Riyue Bay (日月湾 rìyuè wān), the former which hosts the large and very secluded-feeling Le Meridien, and the latter which has become a popular spot for surfers on a budget. The cheaper hotel is ¥480 a night, so not super budget. Take the slow (non-express) bus to Haikou from the bus station and ask to be dropped off at the respective highway turnoff (¥30, 90 min, pay on the bus). Make sure you show them your ticket first or they will take you to another town where a taxi ride back 5 km they charge ¥100. To get back, walk up to the highway and flag down a bus. Express buses won't stop to pick you up. A taxi to either location will cost around ¥300.

The Paracel Islands, known in China as the Xisha Archipelago (西沙群岛) are gorgeous, remote, and brimming with tropical life. One of this chain of islands reportedly used to be an exotic vacation spot but is now off-limits to foreign travelers due to territorial disputes. If you happen to be a Chinese national, however, you can take a cruise boat there from the Phoenix Island International Cruise Terminal (凤凰岛国际邮轮港). A round-trip takes around 64 hours and costs about ¥4000.