Sanya 三亚
Tropical beaches on Hainan Island
Good forBeaches, Nature
Suggested stay3–5 days
Best timeNovember–April
A beach city at the southern tip of Hainan, China's tropical island province. Most visitors come for resorts, swimming and warm winter weather. It is a domestic holiday destination more than a cultural one.
Highlights
- Yalong Bay — long beach lined with resorts
- Haitang Bay and its duty-free shopping complex
- Dadonghai — beach closest to the city
- Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone and the 108 m Guanyin statue
- Wuzhizhou Island — snorkelling and diving
- Tianya Haijiao coastal rocks
Food to try
- Hainan chicken (Wenchang chicken)
- Fresh seafood at the Number One market
- Hainan coconut chicken hotpot
- Qingbuliang (coconut milk dessert)
Getting there
Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX), with direct domestic flights from most major cities. The Hainan round-island high-speed railway links Sanya and Haikou in about 1.5–2 hours.
Train times are typical; check current timetables on 12306 or Trip.com.
When to go
Best: November–April. Avoid or plan for: Chinese New Year (peak demand and crowds); typhoon season roughly July–October; hot, rainy summers.
Good to know
- During typhoons, flights, ferries and beaches can close at short notice; check China Meteorological Administration warnings.
- Sun is strong all year; resorts are spread along different bays, so choose a bay before booking.
Visa notes
- Visa-free entry: citizens of 79 countries can visit China for up to 30 days or more without a visa. Check your passport →
- 240-hour transit: Sanya is inside the area you may visit on China's 240-hour visa-free transit (for 57 nationalities, flying on to a third country).
- Hainan 30-day visa-free: citizens of 61 countries can visit Hainan Province for up to 30 days without a visa, travelling independently.