China Travel

Located just far enough away from Sanya to weed out some tourists, Yalong Bay is the area's premier beach, offering very few options to good ol' R&R. The resorts here are fairly low-key (except during the annual hosting of the Miss World Pageant), and while water sports are an option, most people come to Yalong to enjoy the sand and sea (and pools and cocktails). The water is very clear and good for a snorkel if you are interested in getting off your lounger, and boats are available to take divers to outlying islands for a peek under the surface. A shell museum and impressive butterfly garden (the butterflies are real, but not all of the flowers are) provide bits of entertainment if you need it. more »

Dadonghai Beach is one of the most popular of Sanya's beaches. It's a nice stretch of white sand meeting blue water, perfect for swimming (there's absolutely no surf here). Don't expect to be alone in Dadonghai, though. It's a busy beach, and the weather's always nice here so expect people to always be here. Swimmers beware of jet-skiers and boaters and sunbathers beware of 4-wheeled sandbuggies (and their inexperienced Chinese drivers). It's beautiful, nonetheless, so enjoy the mango and coconut vendors and the spectacular sunsets...but be prepared, because as soon as that sun dips down, the fireworks come out, proving once again that the Chinese don't adhere to the "peace and quiet" sect of vacationing. more »

The Nanshan area about 45 minutes away from Sanya was created for tourists. The Nanshan Temple, while pre-Tang in style, is in fact the only Buddhist Temple built in China after the formation of the PRC...that is to say, new. The temple may be new, but the 500-meter-high mountain it sits upon has been sacred to Hainan's Buddhists for quite a bit longer. The temple may seem a bit fake, but there will be real pilgrims there (and plenty of gawking Chinese tourists), and the beautiful surroundings—gardens of endemic tropical plants and views of the sea—should be able to relax you. Nearby a huge statue of the Buddha (of Mercy to be specific), larger than the Statue of Liberty, has been recently erected on a man-made island just offshore. The statue is a striking sight from the temple on a clear day.   more »

When the Chinese thought their empire was the world, then this truly must have felt like the end of the Earth, or the "Border of Heaven," with nothing to see ahead but ocean. Primarily a viewpoint, the Border has historical and mythological importance as well, which is perhaps the motivation for the flocks of Chinese tourists. During the Song Dynasty, the cape at the bottom of Hainan Island was a place of exile for Chinese miscreants (poets, etc.). Hard to imagine their despair in such a beautiful place, but at the time, paradise had no escape. There's also a myth about some lovers. The exiles and the lovers are memorialized or immortalized in some large boulder inscriptions—a photo op, for sure (this is the scene on the back of the rarely circulated 2 yuan note), if you're willing to pay to get here and pay the "scenic area" entrance fee. more »

Not too long ago Luhuitou Peninsula was a quiet piece of land jutting into the South China Sea, inhabited by a few villagers. Now that it's been "discovered" it's home to a park that attracts visitors with nice views of the city and of course the sea. The peninsula is a good place to glimpse endemic flora and, if you're lucky, some fauna. The beaches aren't the best around, but it's nice to get some elevation and have a look around. Many short hikes and walks are possible in the area. If you're interested in culture you might enjoy the strange sculpture of a deer with an attached man and woman. This is a depiction of the myth that gives the peninsula its name; Luhuitou translates to something like "deer turning its head," and the story goes that a young hunter trapped a deer at the water's edge, but the deer fortunately morphed into a beautif... more »

The Nantian Hot Spring is in the Nantian farm which is in the northeast of Sanya city. It is 19 km away from Yalong Bay. The farm is right beside the eastline highway. There are 34 hot spring pools in Nantian Hot Spring with warm water of 56 centigrade degree. The water contains many nutritious elements to human body. By now the Nantian Hot Spring has been developed into a comprehensive tourism site with six gardens which are mango garden, human-heart shaped fruit garden, betel nut garden, coconut garden, coffee & coco garden and rubber garden. It will be further developed into a first-class resort in the entire Southeast Asia. more »

The corridor is actually a 10,000 meters long ocean road leading from the city to the sea. It is divided into three parts. The part most close to the city is planned as recreation and entertainment realm; the middle part public swimming pool and realm; the part most close to the sea will be developed to include a group of resorts. The ocean road starts from Sanya Port and ends to the west at Tianya Bay. Coconut trees are spread along the two sides of the road. more »

The Egret Park is close to Sanya River, with several high coconut trees stretch over to the river, which constitutes a natural vigorous and harmonious picture. Besides appreciating the view of Sanya River, you can also find an egret lake in the middle of the park. That's the paradise for egrets. As this park is far away from residential blocks, few people would come, that's why the egrets can enjoy the natural environment here. more »

The center is located beside the Hengxin Avenue in Tiandu Town, Sanya City. It covers an area of 15,333 sqm and the total construction area is more than 2,500 sqm. The center is composed of 8 exhibition halls which exhibit the history, culture, cultivation, processing and usage of pearl. Here you can see the biggest seawater pearl in China, the biggest natural pearl in China, the most ancient pearl in the world, Top 10 famous pearls in the world, etc. The center is also equipped with selling hall, video hall and lounge. In short, you can learn a lot about pearl culture of south China. more »

Yalong Bay Shell Exhibition Museum, located at Central Plaza of Yalong Bay National Resort, is the first of its kind in China. It covers a floor area of 3,000 sqm. It has a vast collection of all kinds of seashells and coral retrieved from the world oceans. The exhibition hall displays more than 300 kinds of shells from five sea territorial waters all over the world. The shells include sea gull clam, Australian cockleshell, nautilus, etc. more »