Things to Do in Sanya
Top attractions, best neighborhoods to wander, and the food you shouldn't skip in Sanya, China — 2026 traveler picks.
Top places to see
Yalong Bay (Yalong Wan) beach
Sanya's premier resort beach — 7km crescent, palm-lined. Free beach access. 2-4 hours. Resort district.
Dadonghai Beach + Sanya downtown
Sanya's in-town beach — more urban vibe + affordable. Free. Restaurants + hotels walking distance.
Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Zone
108m tall Sea-Watching Guanyin statue + Buddhist temple complex. CNY 108 entry. 3 hours. Impressive scale.
Tianya Haijiao (Edge of Earth) rocks
Iconic Chinese poem-inscribed rocks marking symbolic "edge of the earth." CNY 65 entry. 90 min. Chinese tourist classic.
Book tours + skip-the-line tickets
Compare tours + attractions in Sanya across GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Trip.com — free cancellation on most, and prices match direct booking.
Things to do in Sanya
Lock in a few experiences before you go — the good ones sell out.
Tours, tickets & day trips
Our pickGetYourGuide has the deepest catalogue for Sanya and free cancellation on most experiences — book now, decide later.
Browse SanyaJust need timed-entry attraction tickets? Try Tiqets.Want a private driver-guide? Trip.com Private Tours in Sanya.Eat here first
Wenchang chicken (Hainan classic). Hainan rice noodles (fen). Coconut rice. Fresh seafood (fish + shrimp + squid at First Market). Tropical fruits (mango, rambutan, lychee). Coconut milk everything.
Local tip
SYX is 15km NW of Sanya downtown. Airport bus Line 8 (CNY 5) is the cheapest, DiDi CNY 45-90 is standard tourist. Sanya = China's Hawaii — tropical beach destination on Hainan Island. Beach season year-round but Nov-April driest. Chinese domestic tourism peak = Chinese New Year + National Day (Oct 1-7) + summer school holidays. Book DiDi in Alipay/WeChat during peak. Note: Sanya is 30-day visa-free — much more open than mainland China.
Where to stay
Hotels across Sanya — filter by neighborhood + budget on the map below.