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Sanya (三亚; Sān​yà​) is on the southernmost point of China, at the tip of Hainan island.

[edit] Understand

Billed as "China's Hawaii", Sanya has long stretches of beach, water sports such as snorkeling and jet-skiing, rainforest hiking, and innumerable hotels ranging from zero to five stars. However, Sanya is becoming more crowded and more polluted (refuse from tourism, unchecked construction) as each year passes. Islands and beaches that could have been compared to Hawaii a few years ago are still beautiful, but no longer pristine or secluded.

Even in January, temperatures hover around 30*C and the ocean is still warm enough to swim in without a wetsuit. Thus, Sanya is a popular escape for Russians fleeing sub-zero winters. Russians primarily stay at Dadong Hai(Great East Sea 大东海). Sanya is also a very popular vacation spot for Northern Chinese to escape cold, arid weather. Especially around Chinese New Year, the city will overflow with tourists. Fireworks will sound constantly, often being carelessly thrown around by children, for the weeks leading up to and the weeks after Chinese New Year.

[edit] Districts

• Sanya Bay Beach - stretches for around 25 kilometers, but is rather polluted and devoid of swimmers. It is lined with seafood restaurants and hotels costing ¥50-5,000+.
• Sanya city - filled with souvenir shops and street grills at night. Cross the Sanya River (三亚河) to reach a less touristy, cheaper, and more fun part of town.
• Dadong Hai - has Sanya's best balance between development and natural beauty. The town behind Dadong Hai is more expensive than Sanya, but has better restaurants and a gorgeous beach. The shopping, however, is not as good as Sanya city's. The dominant languages in this area, both spoken and written, are Chinese and Russian.
• Yalong Bay (亚龙湾) - is farther from Sanya city than Dadong Hai beach and has no restaurants other than those of the 3-4 star resorts along the beach. The beach is longer than Dadong Bay's, but is slightly colder, more crowded with jet skis, and less beautiful at sunset. Chinese guides may hype it up, but it's not worth the drive.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Sanya has an airport with flights to nearby Chinese cities such as Guangzhou, Zhuhai or Hong Kong. Fares vary significantly, depending on season and the particular tour. You may be able to save money by first busing to Haikou and flying out of the provincial capital's larger airport, but the bus ticket and overnight lodging can exceed the difference.

[edit] By bus

The 3.5 hour bus ride from Haikou will cost about ¥80. Buses between Haikou and Sanya depart about every 30 minutes; the last bus from Sanya to Haikou departs around 11PM. Sanya's bus station is along Jie Fang Lu (解放路), a few steps south (away from McDonalds) of the east end of "Shopping Street" (步行街).

[edit] 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.

The new train station in Sanya is far from downtown, approximately as far as the airport. A taxi to Dadong Bay（大东海）, the most popular tourist area) is approximately ¥25-30. A public bus will cost ¥1. Lines 2 and 4 lead through Sanya city proper and continue through (and past) Dadong Bay.

[edit] Get around

Many people stay in beach areas with more-or-less everything within walking distance. 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 ¥1. 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)

Taxis are cheap and plentiful. Check that the driver uses the meter for all journeys or agree a price before commencing the journey for longer distances. Taxi drivers can often be rip-off artists. If you have a white or black face or sound like a rich mainlander they will often ask for at least double the price you would pay using the meter. Check the initial meter reading, it shall be ¥5 only (2009), often the meter is alreday running when you enter the car. A taxi from Sanya to Dadong Bay should cost about ¥8.

There are also numerous motorcycle-sidecar-like informal taxis which are efficient and welcoming on hot days. Negotiation of the price before leaving is the rule and it is not unknown to be diverted to tourist attractions.

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 ¥5-30. 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 choosing to go with a Chinese tour group, beware that there may likely be several hours of scheduled stops at "infomercial" centers, complete with microphone delivered advertisements.

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. It is not recommended that any inexperienced driver use a motorbike on the public roads on Hainan, which can be even less organized that mainland China's motor-ways.

Though they may rent a car / bike to you be aware that you need a valid chinese driving licence and there is no exemption from this rule which can become quite interesting in case of an accident.

[edit][add listing] See

• Perfume Bay (香水湾; Xiangshuiwan), (Two hours from Sanya by bus (see the bus station, tickets less than ¥30) plus a 100m walk from the freeway (ignore all motorbike offers, or pay less than ¥4 per person)). This stretch of beach is rather undeveloped and thus delightfully peaceful (it will probably be only you for a good kilometer on either side). Visiting here is a delightful and mind-cleaning day trip, especially if joined with some hiking around the surrounding farms. Watch out for strong rip tides and pack snacks.  edit

• Dadong Sea (大东海; Dadonghai). Predominantly Russian (in visitors and signage, there is little English here!) Dadong Sea has Sanya's best balance between development and natural beauty. The town behind Dadong Bay is more expensive than Sanya, but has better restaurants and a gorgeous beach. The shopping, however, is not as good as Sanya city's. The ocean has algae blooms that vary the water from thick green to tropically clear. However, even when "tropically clear" the ocean bed is just sand with a rare school of fish or eel. See the beach both in the morning, at sunset (sets gorgeously over the hills), and at night (when people are very scarce). Check out the trails that lead between tide pools along the Westernmost rocks of the beach. The tip of the trail has a dramatic view of the ocean and a deep and deadly ocean cave.  edit

• Nanwan Monkey Island (南湾猴岛), (From Sanya, take the Lingshui 陵水 bound bus from the bus station and then switch to the Xincun (新村) bus and ride it to the end of the line. The park entrance will be 300 meters away). Actually a penninsula, Monkey Island is home to about 1800 endangered Macaque monkeys whose habitat you get to roam freely through. Be careful, these monkeys will jump on humans (playful) or attack for sweet drinks or food (hungry and thirsty)! There are also some circus-style comedy shows featuring monkeys doing stunts. Entrance ticket is ¥68 and a round-trip ride on the gondola is another ¥60, but well worth the quiet, long, and smooth ride over gorgeous ocean-top fishing villages and jungle.  edit

• Sanya Nanshan Temple (三亚南山寺). Purposefully-constructed tourist trap began in 1998 with a gigantic statue of Guanyin (a Goddess of Mercy) on a sea-top platform. The park has few interesting spots (save a monastery bells that you can "gong") but demands a hefty entrance fee over ¥150. A trolley car can shuttle you around the park for extra cash, but it is best enjoyed without the trolley as it really is not that big. 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). The surrounding countryside is much more interesting than the park itself, which is a must-miss.  edit

• Xisha Archipelago (西沙群岛). Gorgeous, remote, and brimming with tropical life, one of this chain of islands was formerly on exotic vacation spot that is now off-limits to travelers, reportedly due to territorial disputes.  edit

• Wuzhizhou Island (蜈支洲岛). 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 around ¥400-500.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Biking. There are exelent areas for biking around Sanya.  edit

• 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.  edit

• Water Sports. Yalong Bay, Dadong 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.  edit

• Hiking. Sanya Bay and Fragrant Water Bay (香水湾) are kilometers long and can be a very entertaining afternoon's walk. Sanya Bay is touristy near the city, but fades into nearly silent sections filled only with resting fishermen and wedding photographers. Fragrant Water Bay is newly developing and is nearly devoid of humans! Beware of strong rip tides while swimming. Outside of beach hikes, Five Finger Mountain (五指山), a couple hours from Sanya, is an excellent place to spend the day. Hire a car to take you around the gigantic park's multiple scenic spots. Motorcycle side-cars can also be hired for the day for ¥100 and sit two. Bring a sweater to fight the windchill as the motorcycle goes through shaded, windy roads.  edit

[edit][add listing] 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 RMB at The First Market (第一市场) 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.

• Corner Deli, (At Raihai Shopping Park in Dadonghai). 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.  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Street food

A bit after sunset and well in to the AM hours, Sanya city's streets are filled with small barbeque stands, noodle stands, and other snack vendors. Not to be missed is Sanya's ¥0.5 crispy tofu skewers flavored with green onion and seasame seeds (even if you do not like tofu normally, try this, it is amazing) and delicious fire-roasted eggplant. If you do not like spicy, be sure to inform the cook! If you do like to eat spicy food, you are in for a treat.

Tropical fruits are cheap and common. Pineapples are attractively peeled, but beware that they may be dipped in likely unclean water throughout the day and just before the final sale for the fresh look.

Hainan is famous throughout China for its coconuts and they are worth trying, especially the red coconuts (红椰; Hóngyē). Away from the beach, expect to pay about ¥3 for a coconut. Prices increase as you get closer and you may end up paying about ¥15 for a coconut on the beach.

[edit] Restaurants

There are plenty of good restaurants, including many Sichuan places and some Cantonese. There is one McDonald's and two branches of KFC. Seafood is a beach city's speciality. 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).

• Baguobuyi, 117 Yingbin Road, ☎ +86 898 88685688. Sichuan restaurant, part of a chain. Good value. Menu in Chinese only but the glossy menus have pictures which give you a good idea of what you are ordering. The giant meatballs are delicious, as is the braised pork. As with all Sichuan restaurants, if you do not like it too spicy ask them to cut back on the chilli.  edit

• Bohemian (Boximiya), 3 Phoenix City (Sanyongfenghuangcheng) (Phoenix Road (Fenghuanglu)), ☎ +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. Prices range from very expensive (for things like Japanese beef or caviare) to very reasonable for more conventional Chinese dishes.  edit

• Casual Caffe Snack Bar, Dadonghai (Near Rainbow Bar & Grill). This cafe offers a set breakfast special. For Lunch, the menu includes pastas, pizzas and a "create your own sandwich" menu. The restaurant has a relaxed and intimate feel and a friendly owner known to occasionally give out free samples of wines and desserts. Set breakfast special costs ¥30.  edit

• Fat Daddy’s. 400 square meter interior and 250 square meter ocean view terrace restaurant serves a variety of international cuisine from the Americas, SE Asia and China. Specialties include home made Indonesian satay, sugarcane crab and fishballs with sweet heat dipping sauce, fish and chips, hand tossed pizza, and wood fired beef burger with crisp onion and tomato chutney. Pool and sports TV available. ¥30-100.  edit

• Jing Fu Gong, 4 Phoenix City (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. Reasonable prices.  edit

• Marco Polo, 8 Haiyun Road, Dadonghai District (Right beside the Casual Caffe), ☎ +86 898 88210308. Offers a slightly more upscale take on Italian. There is a large, outdoor seating area and the pizzas are highly recommended. The food and the service are great. Expect ¥50-100 for a meal.  edit

• Mediterranea. Shisha lounge and relaxed atmosphere. Owned and run by a Mandarin speaking Sicilian chef.  edit

• Sanya Rainbow Bar&Grill, 99 Yuya Road, Dadonghai, ☎ (86) 898 88215700. Western restaurant and sports bar with a wide selection of western favorites such as soups, salads, pasta, tex-mex, sandwiches, burgers and much more. There are usually good specials on draft beers and mixed drinks. Very friendly environment with countless big screen tv's showing all major sporting events around the globe. Also has typical bar games: pool, darts, foozball, etc. A second bar and grill, Rainbow 2, has opened in Yuya Road, closer to the city centre, in the Time Coast area adjoining the Eadry resort. Meals ¥20-50.  edit

• Pizza Corner, Herton Hotel at Dadonghai Beach-1st floor (Opposite Resort and Time Hotel), ☎ +86 898 88677995, [1]. 10:30AM-11:00 PM. Combo store with Coffee World. 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.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

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. Red coconuts (红椰) are especially sweet, even if you just pop a straw straight into the coconut!

Coffee Addict Warning The vast majority of coffee shops here open around 10 or 11AM. The Jiefang Lu (解放路) McDonald's has thus become a morning pilgrimage for many Westerners.

• Coffee World, [2]. 10AM-12:30PM. The finest international coffee brand in Sanya/Dadonhai Beach with two locations. Moderate prices.  edit

*Dadonghai Beach (In the Herton Seaview Hotel opposite Resort In Time at Dadonghai Beach), ☎ +86 898 88677995. Combo store with Pizza Corner.

* (LeFloret Shopping Plaza at Yalong Bay's Crowne Plaza Hotel).

• Fat Daddy's on the Beach, Lanhaihuayuan 2 Qi, #1 Villa (Corner of Jinjiling Road), ☎ +86 898 88391046, [3]. 9AM-2AM. 'Fancy Pants' classic and signature cocktails as well as imported American micro beers and Scottish single malts are available from the 1st and 2nd floor bars. ¥30-100.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] 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!).

• Blue Sky Hostel, 1 Lanhai Alley, Haiyun Road, ☎ +86 13976829281 (sy.youthhostel@gmail.com). vInternational hostel in Dadonghai. Very clean and but more expensive than other hostels in China. The staff is friendly, especially the owner, Peter, who speaks English, Russian and other languages. The hostel has organized trips to offer all over Sanya and Hainan. It provides internet access, laundry service, food, drinks, towels, mats and hats for the beach. Scooters and motorcycles can be hired. It is a short walk away from the beach. It has recently been refurbished: repainted, retiled and with new furniture from Ikea, including soft mattresses.  edit

• Eagle Backpackers Hostel. Another hostel in Dadonghai. Run by the charming and helpful Jane. They will help to arrange daytrips, activities, tasty breakfasts and plane tickets. Internet, laundry, etc are all available. Decent sized twin rooms with facilities are available for ¥120.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Guoxi Hotel, ☎ +86 899 88254888, [4]. 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.  edit

• Tianze Beach Resort Sanya, Binhai Road, Sanya Bay, ☎ +86 898 88893888 (tprsvns@hubs1.net, fax: +86 898 88893066), [5]. The hotel is right along Sanya Bay, surrounded by a magnificent shoreline and a stretch of coconut palm trees.  edit

• Sanya Royal Garden Resort, Luling Road, Dadonghai Beach, [6]. Four-star resort along Dadonghai Beach. Offers 239 with lovely views of the mountains and Dadong Sea. The resort also has a restaurants, cafe, outdoor pool, conference rooms, and business center.Rooms start at ¥388.  edit

• CPAPF Sanya Resort, 6 Sanya Bay Tourism Zone, ☎ +86 898 88365598 (fax: +86 898 88333688), [7]. Rooms with sea view. Business center available. Rooms start around ¥500. Broadband is extra.  edit

• Yinyun Seascape Resort Sanya, Haipo Development Zone, Sanya Bay, [8]. The resort is a charming 80-room hotel that evokes Hawaii more than China. Online booking available on the official website. Rooms start at ¥268.  edit

[edit] Splurge

Out around Yalong Bay and the more Northern end of Sanya Bay are many Western luxury hotels.

• Kempinski (凯宾斯基饭店), (30 minutes North of Sanya), [9]. A true five-star hotel on the most secluded and beautiful beach in Sanya. Employees are warm and welcoming, speak English fluently, and groups sift the wide beach's sands to make it even softer. Their pool, which includes an in-water bar, is not heated in the winter and is colder than the ocean. Even if you do not stay, it is an amazing retreat to sip a beer and hear only the sound of waves, unmarred by beach vendors or hundreds of children running to and fro. Rooms start around ¥900; luxury suites range to over ¥6000.  edit

• Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay (三亚亚龙湾铂尔曼度假酒店), [10]. With its own private beach. Rooms start around ¥1000.  edit

[edit] Stay safe

• There are many water sports activities such as parasailing, diving, and boating, but not all operators are trained and certified. Check air tank pressures before diving.

• There are a lot of people who prey on Chinese and foreign tourists alike -- beggars, prostitutes, legal and illegal taxi drivers, and vendors with overpriced or phony pearl items. Watch out especially for pickpockets. They are good at grabbing wallets, phones, bags etc as you get onto buses, and work in pairs. Another trick is to zoom past you on a motorbike and grab your bag.

• Hainan is considered an active malaria region. It is recommended to take the usual precautions against malaria.

• Be careful in the traffic. Road discipline is non-existent. Cars and motorcycles drive on both sides of the road, skip signal lights, and careen down sidewalks as if they had right of way. Honking is also ever-present, which can be irritating, but just try to imagine you are using sonar to navigate.

• There have been reports of unprovoked violence against foreigners, mostly occuring at night outside of the clubs in the Dadonghai and Sanya City areas. Russian tourists have reported being insulted and sworn at by vendors. English-speaking tourists have reported epithets being yelled at them as well.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!