Located just far enough away from Sanya to weed out some tourists, Yalong Bay (Yàlóng Wān, 亞龍灣) is the area's premier beach offering 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. The strip of luxury resorts on Yalong Bay is basically complete, so there will be no further construction in this area for a while to come—Yalong is ready to just be relaxing. Hainan guide | Sanya guide | Sanya attractions | Sanya flights Sanya hotels | Sanya (Yalong Bay) hotels Sanya on the China Travel Blo... more >>

Dadonghai Beach (Dàdōnghǎi, 大东海) 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. There are also large numbers of Russian families on vacation and Dadonghai is their favorite spot. That means that bars have opened up back f... 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" the penminsual has become the famous (in China) Serenity Beach or  半山半岛 (ban shan ban dao) super luxury resort area. The Intercontinental Sanya built a very modern, very beautiful resort here and the boutiqe chain Banyan Tree also has a resort hjere. The whole peninsula has become the "beverly Hills" of China, as they liek to cal lit, with highrises sandwiched inbetween resort villas and perfectrly manicured walkways. The high rises house the rich and wealthy and command an average of 49,000RMB per/m2 The mountains that separate the peninsula from the rest of Sanya are a good place to glimpse endemic flora and, if you're lucky, some fauna. The beaches aren't the best around, ... more >>

Nanshan Temple stands as a fascinating monument to the crosscurrents flowing through contemporary Chinese society—currents that to many an outsider may appear contradictory while feeling perfectly natural to many a Chinese citizen.  A massive Buddhist temple complex completed in 1998—just a generation or so from the Cultural Revolution and its tragic vogue for smashing up ancient religious sites—Nanshan Temple was built explicitly as a tourist draw. This fact, however, hasn’t stopped it from becoming the site of authentic Buddhist pilgrimage and worship (to be fair, the site, at the foot of Nanshan—South Mountain—has been a holy site for many centuries). The result is the kind of fake authenticity—or authentic fakeness, if you prefer—that in so many ways defines the "real China," a hybrid society grappling with divers... more >>

When the Chinese believed their empire encompassed all creation beneath a circular heaven and bounded by a square earth, the southern tip of Sanya must have truly felt like the far end of the world. Aside from the stunning natural beauty of this sandy cape dotted with gargantuan boulders, Tianya Haijiao (Tiānyá Hǎijiǎo, 天涯海角) holds great cultural significance. During the Song Dynasty, the south of Hainan Island was a place of exile for officials and poets who had offended the Emperor, hence the name, which means "the ends of the heavens and corner of the sea." Their isolation and despair is recorded in the annals of Chinese history and on a number of the elephantine stones at Tianya Haijiao, where poems and proverbs are carved alongside a myth about a pair of lovers who were transformed into stone when their families forbade them to marry. Elsewhere, you'll find... more >>

Monkey Island delivers: For the RMB 123 price of admission, you get monkeys. On an island. Great for kids, the island features a park full of wild macaque monkeys cavorting in trees and amidst the underbrush, with a trained cohort performing tricks on stage. Much of the island is an off-limits reserve dedicated to monkey studies. Much of the fun comes in getting to the island: China's longest cable car runs from Hainan Island proper over to tiny Nanwan Houdao, sailing over a bay full of Hakka houseboats. Again, a big hit with the kids. Many adults may wish to take a pass, but then again... it's a bit of a gas just saying "Monkey Island," so even if primates (other than the human kind) aren't your priority, consider a run out. more >>

Hainan's got a lot going for it—beautiful beaches, great seafood, China's best diving and surfing—but it's missing much of what would truly help it live up to its aspiration to be the "Hawaii of China." Perhaps foremost among the ranks of the missing would be a healthy portion of indigenous rainforest—starting in the 1950s, China did its level best to denude the island of its original lush wildlife-rich cover in the name of sped-up development, which, in Hainan's case, meant endless hectares of plantations where once stood native forest. You can, however, still get a decent taste of the island's past wild glory (so wild, of course, that it got the island branded the "gate of Hell" by unhappy exiles) in a place like Yanoda Rainforest Tourism Zone (Yanuòdá Yǔlín Wénhuà Lǚyóu Qū, 呀诺达雨林文化旅游区). You'll ... more >>

Just off the Hainan coast, within view of Nanshan Temple's towering Guanyin statue, Xidao is a popular spot for diving, snorkeling, para-sailing, jet skiing and ATV beach running. The small, easily accessible island's clear waters, coral reefs and sandy beaches are a pleasant alternative to nearby Sanya and its extensive upscale devlopments; on Xidao, the emphasis is on relaxation and recreation without pretension. Overnight options include camping and a handful of small resort hotels, including one built on the site of old army barracks. Scuba excursions are available from shore or by boat, as are ocean and reef fishing trips. The whole island has been re-organized into a tourism zone offering all the above listed activities, but the only difference seems to be the entrance fee paid before you leave for the island. Sanya guide | Sanya flights | Sanya Hotels | Sanya on the Blog more >>

This is the first national park in Sanya and its location behind the Yalong Bay resorts makes it probable that the park will not undergo heavy commercialization and development. Its a long, hot climb to the top so you might want to leave early in the morning or in the late afternmoon to catch the sunset. Jungle life threatens to take out the path on either side the entire way up and at some point the monkey gangs will show up and demand tribute. As with all monkeys, the golden rule applies: if you act aggressive toward them, you will get mugged; if you act happy and kind, you will get politeily robbed. So enjoy the swearm and snap a few photos of the big head monkey if he does saunter into view at some point. The top of the main hill in the park does afford a great view of Yalong Bay and the sunset (or sunrise if you're a very early riser) -- so if you do make the trip keep th... more >>

Wuzhi Shan (五指山, Wǔzhǐshān or Five Fingers Mountain), just north of Sanya, is a mountainous region of  jungle that makes up the center of Hainan's Li and Miao minority society and culture. There is a town called Wuzhi Shan and the mountain itself. Paths wind up the mountain past waterfalls and through small villages. It's a wet and sweaty climb, but well worth it if you start early and have time to rest along the way. The scenery is tropical and you will most likely come across monkeys who—like all monkeys all over the world—will try and rob you so keep close hold of sunglasses, cameras and be careful with food. The local culture remains intact on the mountain, and is also preserved by the local Hainan Ethnic Minority Museum, a large and well-stocked collection of stone and wood artifacts, bamboo carvings and weavings, clot... more >>