Sanya is without a doubt a major bucket-list spot in China’s Hainan province! Having spent some time at all four of the major Sanya China beach spots, this post has all of my advice to help you plan the best trip ever!
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First off, I have a post about hotels in Sanya China here, so be sure to check that out so you’ll know which beach you’ll want to stay at!
I put together a table at the end of this post with all of the facts I’ll be discussing, but summarized. So if you want to check that out first, scroll to the bottom of this page!
Sanya China Beach Locations
Sanya’s four major beaches are spread out along the southern coast of the island.
Sanya Bay, the main bay, is closest to the city’s airport, and has the most hotels, restaurants, and tourist spots along it. As it’s the westernmost bay, it gets the best sunsets!
It’s the most popular bay for tourists, so it will be the most crowded. However, it’s also the largest bay, so there’s lots of room for everyone to spread out.
Dadonghai Bay is a pretty small bay, but is the biggest hub for foreign guests, and boasts many high-quality foreign restaurants. It’s about 30 minutes by cab from the airport.
Due to the smaller nature of the bay and the surrounding area, Dadonghai is very family friendly (Yalong Bay is, as well, just less dining options). Personally, Dadonghai felt so cozy to me, so I always ended up staying there.
Yalong Bay is the most “natural” bay in Sanya, with the fewest visitors and the most nature. It’s about an hour by cab from the airport, further east, along with Houhai Bay.
The ONLY photo I have from Yalong bay (above) was taken during sunset of the peak tourist season, so lots of people were at the beach. But I promise, during the day it’s usually anything but crowded!
Houhai Bay, which is quite small but known as the “party bay”, is packed with bars and restaurants. It’s popular for surfing and late-night dancing and parties, and is also about an hour away from the airport by cab.
This is where everyone comes to surf, as the waves are consistently good. So if you’re coming to Sanya for a surf trip, you’ll want to head to Houhai!
Keeping Your Stuff Safe at Sanya China Beaches
In terms of safety, you’ll want to keep an eye on your stuff. I bought a waterproof bag very similar to this one before going to Thailand, and it comes with me on EVERY trip to Sanya
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If needed, I can wear it into the ocean without worrying (thought I don’t trust it enough to submerge it).
I have a bag similar to the one I’m linking, also in black (I find that “boring” bags tend to get left alone) and honestly it’s become a beach essential in my book. My favorite part is that sand can be rinsed right off of it!
For the most part, your towels and bags will be left alone. It’s rare for things to get stolen, but it does happen sometimes. Either swim where you can keep an eye on things, or have rotations with your travel partners.
Bathrooms, Food, and “Pests” at the Sanya China Beaches
A few things to note about all four of the beaches: bathrooms are not always in close proximity, and the ones nearby often don’t have toilet paper. I always keep a packet of tissues in my backpack because of that.
Food and drinks (including alcohol) are allowed on beaches. Be sure to take care of your garbage, as there are only a few trash cans, usually posted at the entryways to the beaches.
Some of the beaches have sand fleas (though they do treat the beaches regularly to control that), but it’s still a good idea to have bug spray on hand, which can be bought at local shops.
In peak seasons, personal space can be a bit of an issue at some of the beaches. Also, at both Sanya Bay and Dadonghai, there are influencers who love interviewing foreign faces for views.
As rude as it feels, the only way to get these people to leave you alone is to ignore them when they talk to you, and not make eye contact. The same goes for the fruit/jewelry vendors, who can also be quite persistent.
I learned the hard way that some of the local influencers can be quite invasive (one sat by us for almost an hour trying to get us to engage with her livestream viewers). We just wanted to be left alone to rest!
Thankfully, these people are really only present at the Lunar New Year holiday in the winter. This means that it’s pretty easy to avoid them–just go during the off-season!
So that’s the situation on “housekeeping” items at the Sanya China beaches!
Quick Comparison Guide of the Four Main Sanya China Beaches
| Beaches | Peak-Season | Off-Season | Cleanliness | Bathrooms | Restaurants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanya Bay | Big crowds | Medium crowds | Moderate litter | None | Yes but offshore |
| Dadonghai Bay | Big crowds | Minimal crowds | Moderate litter | Off-beach | Seaside dining |
| Yalong Bay | Minimal crowds | No crowds | Very clean | None | Very few |
| Houhai Bay | Medium crowds | Minimal crowds | Moderate litter | Off-beach | Seaside dining |
I hope this post was helpful for you! Got questions or advice to share from your own trips to the Sanya China beaches? Drop them below in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
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Hotels in Sanya China: A Local’s Booking Advice
Sanya China Food: 5 Local Dishes You MUST Try!