Sanya Attractions

One of the best beaches in Hainan is 28km southeast of Sanya at Yalong Bay. This 7km long crescent shaped beach is one long strip of clean white sand bordered rolling blue waters and luxury hotels. The pristine waters off this beach are amazingly clear with underwater visibility up to 10m. This lends itself to great scuba diving and snorkeling, two of the most popular activities. For those who aren't inclined to get wet, boats with glass bottoms sail the waters off the beach allowing an equally impressive view of life under the sea. Speed demons can go for rides on motorboats or rent jet skis and zip over the waves. For something not involving water, take to the air for a seagull-eye-view of the beach by going parasailing.

The Central Square at the resort has all the amenities for an unhurried stay – open air cafés, souvenir stores selling handicrafts made from seashells and an overlooking the whole expanse is a 29m-high totem pole carved with images of animals and Chinese deities.

Dadonghai is a 2km long beach that's one of the most popular and is only 3km southeast of Sanya. Its main draw is the abundance of activities available for both the adventurous and timid. All the excitement found at Yalong Bay is readily available here at better prices. Although not exactly 20,000 leagues underneath the sea, a submarine tour offers great views of the vibrant corals and reefs.

Between Dadonghai and Sanya is the Luhuitou Park, where a large cliff shaped a deer extends into the sea. According to legend, an ancient hunter stalked his prey for two days. When he was finally overcome by exhaustion, the deer turned its head and looked back at the hunter and suddenly turned into a beautiful maiden. One thing led to another and their descendents are now the Li ethnic minority that inhabits this part of the island. Today a large 12m-high stone statue of a deer commemorates this event. Climbing the cliff also gives a spectacular view of the surrounding area, especially as the sun sets over the ocean and the city lights up.

About 26km west of Sanya at Maling Shan is Tianya-Haijiao. The beach here is peppered with rounded water worn boulders. Two large boulders, about 20m-high and over 60m-long, have the characters ,meaning "edge of the sky, rim of the sea," carved into them. This site is of special significance to Chinese tourists because this was once considered the end of the known world. Many melancholic poems have been written by disgraced officials, with one official decrying that it would take a bird six months to fly here.

More than beaches and sun, Hainan's mountainous terrain is home to clusters of sleepy villages. About 89km from Sanya is Tongshi City, which is close to traditional Miao and Li villages. The Li are the original inhabitants of Hainan and are known for the bright clothes and long straight dresses that are decorated with seashells, coral, small bells and pearls. The Miao were originally from Guangxi and many moved to Hainan during the Ming dynasty as part of the Ming army. Many settled on the island and moved into the rugged mountains where most of their villages are now. Two traditional courtship festivals are held usually in early-April and display the vibrant culture of Hainan's inhabitants.

Not far from these villages is the Wuzhi Shan. At 1,867m abovesea level, it's Hainan's highest point and thesymbol of the province. The five peaks of themountain are covered with lush tropicaljungles and misty clouds. Climbing up thepeak, with the mist rolling in, gives visitorsa sense of what it's like to walk on clouds.There are rapids on the mountain and whitewater rafting is a popular sport.

It's best to make arrangements with your hotel to go white water rafting. You can headout yourself by taking a 2-hour bus ride to Wuzhi Shan City from Sanya. Buses begin at7am and depart every 30 minutes, tickets are RMB 13. From Wuzhi Shan City you'll need totake another bus to Wuzhi Shan Town, then a motorcycle to the rapids. The rapids are at their best from July to October and safety gear is a must.