Hainan & South China
Hainan’s southern city has the country’s best beaches, the clearest water and a separate visa-free entry policy that makes it one of the easiest places in China for an international visitor to reach.
The case for going
The main bay, with the best hotels and the clearest water on the coast.
The quieter southern bay, with the Mandarins at the head of it.
Reef diving and beginner dive trips in genuinely clear conditions.
Rainforest canopy walk and the Monkey Island, in the island’s interior.
Guanlan hot springs at the foot of the central mountains.
Coconut plantations, fruit stalls and the best seafood on the island.
Practical
Tropical. Warm all year, hottest and wettest from June to September.
Sanya Phoenix (SYX) is 15 to 25 minutes from Yalong Bay and 30 to 40 minutes from Coral Bay and Haitang Bay. Haikou Meilan is two and a half hours further north.
Airport. Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX)
Rail. High-speed rail runs to Haikou; there is no direct rail to Sanya.
In pictures
Questions travellers ask
Four to five for a proper beach stay: two on the Haitang or Yalong bay, one inland for the rainforest and hot springs, and the arrival and departure days at a slower pace.
Haitang Bay for the newest resorts and the quietest water, Yalong Bay for the classic arc, or the Sanya Bay side for sunsets and the town. All three are 30 to 60 minutes from the airport.
Fly into Sanya Phoenix (SYX) direct from most Chinese hubs, or the high-speed rail along Hainan's east coast from Haikou. Hainan's own visa-free policy covers 61 nationalities entering the province directly.
From November to March it is the warmest water in China and the country's main resort season. Pair it with a Guangzhou or Hong Kong stop on the way in.
Routes through here
Hainan & South China
5days
China has a genuine tropical coast, and Sanya is where it gets serious. Five days combines two of the best beach resorts with the inland rainforest and hot springs, which is what makes it more than a beach week.
From US$1,500per person
Where to eat
Where to stay
Mandarin Oriental · Luxury
A private bay on the south-west coast of Hainan with over a kilometre of beach in front of the hotel. The closest thing to a tropical resort inside China.
From US$470 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
St. Regis · Luxury
On Yalong Bay, the best of the Hainan beach resorts. The Butler service is the real differentiator here — someone who knows your name and your preferences for the whole stay.
Rate on request
Valid to 2026-12-28
1 Hotel · Luxury
A sustainably built resort in the forest between Haitang Bay and the sea, with its own private bay. Younger, more design-forward than the older Hainan resorts.
From US$540 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Ritz-Carlton · Luxury
On Yalong Bay with a long, calm stretch of beach and a genuinely good kids programme — our standard recommendation for families splitting between Sanya and Hong Kong.
From US$330 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
