Sanya Bay / Dadonghai Beach

Sanya (Hainan Island), China

Home to more budget-friendly hotels, with clean water good for swimming at Dadonghai/Xiaodonghai.

Places in Sanya Bay / Dadonghai Beach

Beachfront seafood restaurants Seafood restaurants lining the beach, with food vendors grilling freshly caught seafood in barbecue smoke.
Dadonghai Beach bars Beach bars along the clean, swimmable waters of Dadonghai/Xiaodonghai.

Best time to visit: November to April, when the weather is warm and dry, ideal for beach activities and exploring the outdoors.
Getting around: Sanya's three main areas, Sanya Bay, Dandonghai Bay, and Yalong Bay, plus the newer Haitang Bay, each offer distinct beach and accommodation experiences, with Yanoda Rainforest and Monkey Island reachable as day-trip excursions.
Currency: Chinese Yuan (¥)
Language: Mandarin Chinese, with strong regional dialects. English is limited.
Timezone: CST (UTC+8)
Current trends: Sanya's reputation as 'China's Hawaii' continues to center on the three-bay structure of Sanya Bay, Dandonghai Bay, and Yalong Bay, with Haitang Bay's luxury resort boom, anchored by Atlantis Sanya China, drawing the most upscale travelers, while natural attractions like the Yanoda Rainforest's ziplines and Monkey Island's 2,500 macaques diversify the destination beyond pure beach tourism.

Yalong Bay — Boasts 7.5 kilometers of soft, white sand and azure waters, surrounded by lush hills.
Haitang Bay — Provides the most luxurious resorts and up-to-date facilities in Sanya, the best accommodation on all of Hainan Island.