10 Best Things to Do in Sanya: Top Sanya Attractions List 2024

• Type: Beaches, Coastal Landscape, Landmark
• Ticket: CNY 81/pp during October to April of next year, CNY 68/pp during May to September
• Opening Hours: 7:30~18:20 (18:00 in winter)
• Recommend Length of Visiting: 2~3 hours
• Location: Sanya Bay, Sanya, Hainan, China (海南省三亚市三亚湾)

Tianya Haijiao, in Chinese, means the Edge of the Sky and the End of the Sea, which implies the love of you and your beloved will last forever till the end of the earth. Thanks to such sweet legends and best wishes, Tianya Haijiao has attracted thousands of people from all over the world to visit it, especially couples. Landmarks of Tianya Haijiao include Tianya Stone, Haijiao Stone and One Pillar in the South Stone standing on the tiny beach. There is also a wedding hall settled in the middle of the scenic area. If you like, you can even hold your wedding here.

Tianya Haijiao does not only welcome couple, but also all the coast fans. In addition to the love blessing, Tianya Haijiao is also featured in picturesque coastal landscapes. Being one of the firstly operated tourist sites in Sanya, it has somewhat the best-protected beach, sea and coconut forest. It also provides many on-the-sea activities, such as Jet Ski. The entire scenic area is settled on the west end of Sanya Bay. It is only 8.5 kilometers away from Sanya Phoenix International Airport, which only takes 15 minutes or so if you go with a taxi or car.

• Type: Buddhist Cultural Park, Coastal Landscape, Landmark
• Ticket: CNY 108/pp
• Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
• Recommend Length of Visiting: 4~6 hours
• Location: Nanshan Village, Yazhou District, Sanya, Hainan, China (三亚市崖州区南山村)

Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, also being known as Nanshan Temple, facing the South Sea is located about 40 KM southwest of Sanya City, with Tianya Haijiao and Sanya Phoenix International Airport settled in the middle way. Here, you will find the world's tallest Guanyin (Guanshiyin) Statue in the Sea, which stands magnificently in the sea in serenity and with an aura of benevolence.

Guanyin (Guanshiyin), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, is perhaps the most beloved of Buddhist deities in China. If you are also people of Buddhist faith, you should never miss this site. In addition to the statue of Guanyin, the tourism zone also has Buddhist temples, gates and halls for you to get a strong Buddhist atmosphere. There may sometimes held celebrities to welcome the New Year and the god of fortune. Guanyin Festivals are held in the 29th day of 2nd lunar month, the 19th day of the 6th month and the 19th day of the 9th lunar month, which are considered as Guantin's birthdays, the days to get enlightment and the days to be a nun respectively.

The whole scenic area consists of three parks - Nanshan Buddhist Culture Park, Felicity and Longevity Culture Park and Nanshan Custom Park. The highlight, the 108-meter-high Guanyin Buddha Statue, is located in the Nanshan Buddhist Culture Park.

• Type: Beaches, Tropical Coastal Scenic Area, Coastal Landscape
• Ticket: free for the beach; CNY 158/pp for Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park…
• Opening Hours: all day around
• Recommend Length of Visiting: 0.5~1.5 days
• Location: Yalong Bay National Resort, Longtang Road, Jiyang District, Sanya, Hainan, China. (海南省三亚市吉阳区龙塘路)

Yalong Bay is renowned as the "best bay in China" and the "No.1 Bay in the World". It stretches a length of about 7.5 KM, which is 3 times of the length of that in Hawaii. The quality of sands on the beach there is considered to be the best in Sanya and even the entire China. If you are heading to Sanya mainly for the beach fun, Yalong Bay is your best pick. By the side of the beach, there are many upscale resorts. If you choose one of them to stay overnight, everything is steps away from your hotel, including pure and blue sky, bright and warm sunshine, fresh and humid air, wild and quiet mangrove forest, fine and soft beach and colorful seascapes under water. Here, sunbathing and more on-the-sea activities are all available. Yalong Bay Golf Club, the best golf club in Sanya, is also only 1~3 kilometers away from the beach. Not very far away from the east shore of Yalong Bay there has also a tropical forest park, namely Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Tourist Area.

5 Days Sanya Classic Vacation Tour with Luxury Hotel

Itinerary: Sanya
Highlights: Beach Relaxation, Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Park, Betelnut Valley (Binglanggu)

• Type: Islands
• Ticket: CNY 144/pp, including the entrance and also the round trip ship tickets to/off the Island
• Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30
• Recommend Length of Visiting: 1 day
• Location: Houhai Village, Linwang Town, Haitang District, Sanya City, Hainan, China (海南省三亚市海棠区林旺镇后海村)

When it comes to be the best island in Sanya, Wuzhizhou Island at Haitang Bay always tops the list. This island is also praised as the "Lover Island", because it is hot chosen for honeymoon vacation for couples.

With advantaged natural resources, Wuzhizhou Island not only has many famous attraction sites, but also has introduced international advanced maritime entertainment equipment. It is committed to creating a new benchmark of one-stop and all-round island tourism.

• Type: Beaches, Tropical Coastal Scenic Area, Coastal Landscape
• Ticket: free
• Opening Hours: all day around
• Recommend Length of Visiting: half day or so
• Location: between Yulin Port and Luhuitou, Sanya City, Hainan Province (海南省三亚市榆林港和鹿回头之间)

Dadonghai Bay is only 5 KM or so south of Sanya downtown. If you ask a taxi or car to get there, the time usually won't longer than 15 minutes. Such a short distance to Sanya downtown makes it the best choice for those staying overnight at a resort or hotel in city center area and looking for some beach escapes. The beach there is in a lovely semilunar shape. The entire length of the beach is only about 3 kilometers around, which is much shorter than those in Yalong Bay, Sanya Bay and Haitang Bay. However, the quality of sands there are very excellent, so does the sea views. Surfing and more activities are also available there. Therefore, Dadonghai Bay is still a popular choice, especially for those who have chosen an upscale resort or hotel near the bay.

• Type: Beaches, Tropical Coastal Scenic Area, Coastal Landscape
• Ticket: all day around
• Opening Hours: all day around
• Recommend Length of Visiting: half day or all day around
• Location: Haitang North Road, Haitang District, Sanya City, Hainan Province (海南省三亚市海棠区海棠北路)

Haitang Bay is the easternmost bay in Sanya. It is the farthest bay area of this region, and thus enjoys a secluded location that away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Amongst all the popular bays in Sanya, Haitang Bay is the newest opened, so does the hotels around it. Therefore, this region has many newly built upscale resorts for you to choose, most of which have their own private beach for you to have fun.

Besides the beach and resort, other two reasons make Haitang Bay standout are Wuzhizhou Island and Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Mall. Wuzhizhou Island in this bay is the most popular holiday island in Sanya. And Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Mall is the world's largest duty free mall.

• Type: Park, Forest Park, Landmark
• Ticket: CNY 35/pp during May to September, CNY 42/pp during October to April of next year
• Opening Hours: 08:00-22:30
• Recommend Length of Visiting: 1~3 hours
• Location: Luhuitou Park, Jiyang District, Sanya, Hainan, China (三亚市吉阳区鹿回头公园)

Luhuitou Scenic Area, or called Luhuitou Park, is located on the Luhuitou Peninsula southwest of Sanya downtown. It is composed of fiver peaks, with the tallest altitude of 181 meters above the sea level. The park is surrounded by the sea on its three sides, and the rest side facing Sanya Downtown. It is long been praised as the best place in Sanya to get a panorama view of both the city and sea. Sunset and sunrise view over the sea there is also stunning. The sculpture stop the park with a deer looking back to a Li ethnic girl is one of the most vital symbols of why Sanya is so-called Deer City and is also a landmark of Sanya.

Luhuitou Scenic Area is close to Sanya Downtown, Phoenix Island, Dadonghai Bay and Sanya Bay. If you stay at a resort or hotel in the city center or the above bays, you can get to Luhuitou Scenic Area by a short driving. The scenic area also opens at night before 22:30. If you want to admire the broad night view of Sanya, it is really a good choice.

• Type: Island, Fishing Village
• Ticket: CNY 98/pp
• Opening Hours: 8:30-18:00
• Recommend Length of Visiting: 1 day
• Location: Sanya Bay, Sanya, Hainan, China (海南省三亚市三亚湾)

Different from other islands and villages in Hainan that have more Dongbei people or Sichuan people than local Hainan people. West Island is mainly inhabited by indigenous Hainaner. Therefore, it gives you a stronger taste of the real Hainan. There are also some primitive fishing houses with coral stone walls waiting for your exploration.

In addition to the fishing houses and Hainan flavor, West Island is also a paradise for underwater activities. Compared with Wuzhizhou, West Island is little known by visitors, and thus gives you a quitter environment to have water spree.

• Type: Rainforest, forest, jungle adventure
• Ticket: CNY 98 ~ 738/pp (the price varies according to different projects you take part in)
• Opening Hours: 08:30-17:00
• Recommend Length of Visiting: one day around
• Location: Sandao Town, Baoling Li and Miao Autonomous County (海南省保亭黎族苗族自治县三道镇)

There is more to tropical Sanya than sun, sea and beach. Sanya also has some good rainforests! The most popular one must be Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Tourist Area. Besides that, Yanoda Rainforest Area is also good. The scenic area is 44 Km and 1.5 hours away from Sanya downtown by car.

Yanoda means one, two and three in Hainanese dialect. Once you visit the scenic area, the stuff there will insist on bellowing "YANODA" every time they see you. Don't be panic, they are welcoming you. In the scenic area, you can make adventurous trekking in the jungle following the wooden trails, stones and rope bridges. You will meet with tropical trees, waterfalls, streams and valleys. Everything is fresh and charming. If you like, you can also try cliff bungee jumping and slip rope there.

6 Days In-depth Luxury Sanya Tour with Two Free Days

Itinerary: Sanya
Highlights: Beach Relaxation, Houhai Fishing Village, Yanuoda Rainforest Park, Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Park, Betelnut Valley (Binglanggu)

• Type: Rainforest, Themed Park, Ethnic Cultural Park
• Ticket: CNY 120/pp
• Opening Hours: 08:00-17:20
• Recommend Length of Visiting: one day around
• Location: Ganshiling Nature Reserve, Baoling Li and Miao Autonomous County (海南省保亭黎族苗族自治县甘什岭自然保护区)

Binglanggu, or called Betelnut Valley, is the best place to be visited in Sanya for those culture lovers. A trip to Binlanggu will certainly give a different flavor from laying on the beach. Here, you can hear about the local minorities such as Li and Miao by visiting their museums, playing games with them, admiring their performances and trying their food. It is extremely a unique chance to have up-close admirations of their custom, instruments, dance, songs and ethnic fishes.

Binglanggu is located on the way to Yanoda Rainforest. Similar to Yanoda, it is actually located in Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County instead of Sanya. However, many visitors explore it from Sanya side. We would suggest you to visit it from Sanya too, because the driving to Binglanggu from Sanya takes less than one hour.