Luxury hotels in Sanya

Sanya guide

Sanya: Yalong Bay and China's tropical coast

Palm-lined beaches, coral islands, the giant Guanyin of Nanshan and duty-free shopping.

Sanya, at the southern tip of Hainan Island, is China's tropical resort city, and Yalong Bay, a long crescent of white sand with clear water, is its most cited beach. Haitang Bay and Sanya Bay offer more choice, and the sea is warm all year.

Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone has a statue of Guanyin over 100 metres tall rising from the sea, and Wuzhizhou Island is known for diving and snorkelling. The island's duty-free malls draw shoppers, and November to April brings the most comfortable weather.

Wuzhizhou Island: diving in the South China Sea

Wuzhizhou Island, in Haitang Bay, is known for having the clearest water around Hainan and is the most cited place in China for diving and snorkelling. Boats leave from the pier on the mainland, and the island has beaches, coral gardens and water sports.

Introductory dives with instructors are popular, and glass-bottom boats suit those who prefer to stay dry. Visits are busiest during Chinese holidays, so weekdays are best. The sea is calmest from October to April.

Nanshan and the Guanyin of the South Sea

The Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, west of Sanya, is home to the Guanyin of the South Sea, a white statue 108 metres tall standing on an artificial island and facing three directions. It is the most cited cultural sight on Hainan, reached by a long causeway.

The park includes Buddhist temples, gardens and a vegetarian restaurant run in the monastic tradition. Nearby, the rock formations of Tianya Haijiao, the Ends of the Earth, are a romantic stop on the coast. Go early to avoid the midday heat.