Top 10 Sanya Attractions, Top 10 Things to Do in Sanya

Sanya has bright sunshine, blue water and wide beaches. It attracts many international travelers as can be seen by the many Russian and English signs throughout the city. In recent years Sanya has become a common tourist destination from Hong Kong and other parts of the world.

The four Chinese characters “tianya” and “haijiao” are carved respectively on the two stones, meaning the edge of the whole world and the sea, hence the name "Tianya Haijiao". Here the seawater and the sky share the same color, with mist-covered sea, sailing boats, coconut trees and grotesque stones together composing a gorgeous picture.

Entrance Fee: CNY 89 Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00 How to get there: take Buses No. 2 or 4 to the terminal, then transfer Taihe Special Tourist Bus to Tianya Haijiao; or take a minibus untitled with “Tianya” or “Nanshan” from the downtown area

In the Butterfly valley, an open air flight cage will ensure that visitors are able to interact closely with butterflies. In the large-scale exhibition hall, there are over 2000 kinds of specimens of butterflies and insects on display, among which the Golden Kaiser is the only classified as state protection butterfly in China.

The valley also displays some of China’s most rare and precious butterflies, including Peking Papilio. Entrance Fee: CNY 33 Opening Hours: 07:30-18:00 How to get there: take Taihe Special Tourist Bus to the Butterfly Valley

The Luhuitou Park features a 12-meter-tall statue commemorating the legend of a brave young hunter and a mountain deer that transformed into a beautiful young girl.

Inside the Luhuitou Park, there are winding paths, Halley's comet observation station built on the mountain, white wave-hearing pavilion, red Guanghai kiosk, the lover's island, and other scenic spots like the Monkey Mountain, Deer House, Hut of Li People, Turtle's Heaven and the Immortal Pond. Entrance Fee: CNY 45 Opening Hours: 07:00-22:00 How to get there: take Bus No. 2 to Luhuitou Station; or take a Special Tourist Bus to get there

Compared with Yalong Bay and Sanya Bay, the beach is only 10 minutes' drive from downtown Sanya, so it is the most popular and lively beach in the area.About three or four hundred meters east of the beach, there is a coastal park, where you can stand on a hill and look out over the gorgeous land and seascape.

Entrance Fee: free Opening Hours: the whole day How to get there: take Buses No. 2, 4, 102, 202 or 204 to Dadonghai

There are over 2,700 plant varieties on the island, including the tall trees and dense bushes.

Entrance Fee: CNY 168 (the entrance fee and boat free are included) Opening Hours: 08:30-16:00 (get in the island); 09:00-18:00 (get out of the island) How to get there: take Bus No. 23 to the corner of Wuzhizhou Island, then take a tricycle to the port of Wuzhizhou Island

Nantian Hot Spring is abundant in Minerals that is healthily beneficial and therefore developed into a tourism spot filled with tropical atmosphere. The Resort is a 5-star complex incorporating services of hotspring holidays, recreations, health presering, beauty build-up and commerical events. It is a notable hot spring attracting lots of tourists.

Entrance Fee: CNY 198 Opening Hours: 08:00-24:00 How to get there: Nantian Hot Spring faces Wuzhizhou Island across the sea. Take Bus No. 23 to the corner of Wuzhizhou Island, take a tricycle to the port of Wuzhizhou Island, then take a boat to Nantian Hot Spring.

With its total floor space of 40,000 sq meters, Nanshan Temple boasts several replicas of Tang Dynasty architecture. The Renwang Gate, the entrance to the temple, has two figures of Buddha standing there as guards.As well, seven Buddhist figures are enshrined in the Doushuai Adytum.

The Maitreya Buddha is in the middle of the Hall with two Bodhisattvas on each side. The temple is part of an area known as the Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Tourism Zone.Entrance Fee: CNY 150 Opening Hours: 08:30-17:00 How to get there: There are Special Tourist Bus from the downtown area to Nanshan Mountain.

Nanshan Culture Tourism Zone covers an area of 50 square kilometers, and its major sites include Nanshan Temple, an important Buddhist temple, the Gold & Jade Kwanyin (Avalokiteshvara, Goddess of Compassion) Statue, which costs 192 million yuan, and is built with gold, pearls, jade and various gemstones including diamonds, and an 108 meter tall Kwanyin Statue on the South Sea. Other sightseeing options are available.

Entrance Fee: CNY 150 Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00 How to get there: There are Special Tourist Bus from the downtown area to Nanshan Mountain.

Be careful, these monkeys will jump on humans (playful) or attack for sweet drinks or food!There are also some circus-style comedy shows featuring monkeys doing stunts.

Entrance ticket is ¥68 and a round-trip ride on the gondola is another ¥60, but well worth the quiet, long, and smooth ride over gorgeous ocean-top fishing villages and jungle.Entrance Fee: CNY 128 Opening Hours: 08:30-16:30 How to get there: take a Special Tourist Bus from Haikou

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Sanya Guided Tours:

Sanya Cruise Port Day Tour from US$105 p/p Sanya 5 Day Leisure Tour from US$365 p/p

Sanya Car Rental with driver from US$49

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