Palm beaches, resorts & duty-free
Sanya
Sānyà · China's tropical Hawaii
China's premier tropical beach resort, on the southern tip of Hainan Island. Sanya delivers palm-fringed bays, five-star resorts, duty-free megamalls and warm seas — the country's winter escape when the north freezes.
Top sightsSights
Yalong Bay
A crescent of white sand and calm turquoise water lined with luxury resorts.
Wuzhizhou Island
A clear-water islet for snorkeling, diving and water sports.
Nanshan Temple & Guanyin
A vast Buddhist park crowned by a 108m statue of Guanyin rising from the sea.
Tianya Haijiao
The romantic "edge of the sky, corner of the sea" boulders on the coast.
Sanya Duty-Free Mall
One of the world's largest duty-free complexes.
What to eatFood
Wenchang chicken
One of Hainan's "four famous dishes" — poached free-range chicken.
Seafood feasts
Pick-your-own live seafood grilled or steamed to order.
Coconut rice & dishes
Sticky rice steamed inside a young coconut.
Good to know
- Peak season is the winter holidays — book far ahead and expect high prices.
- Summer brings typhoon risk but far fewer crowds.
- Bring passport for duty-free purchases (domestic allowance applies).
Getting there
Phoenix International Airport (SYX) with direct flights nationwide; Hainan's island high-speed rail loops to Haikou (1.5h).
Next city
Harbin