What to see and what to miss in Sanya, China’s top beach getaway

For many Chinese holidaymakers, a trip to Sanya, billed as the Hawaii of the East, is high on their bucket lists. It's China’s top beach holiday destination, known for its white sand beaches, clear waters and cloudless blue skies.

What the picture-perfect ads and WeChat microsites neglect to show, however, are the crowds of domestic tourists that descend on the beaches and local points of interest, especially during peak holiday periods around Lunar New Year and “Golden Week” in October.

Between November and February, the beach city is a favourite among northern Chinese, who are keen to swap their harsh winter for Sanya’s year-round tropical climate. The Chinese are not the only ones. A steady stream of tourists from Siberia and the Russian far east visit Sanya – so much so that much of the signage and menus in Sanya are written in Chinese and Cyrillic, with English as the third language.

Similar in latitude to Hawaii, it has a daily average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. There are beaches and rainforests to explore.

Accommodation is wide-ranging, with options to suit all budgets – though it is worth mentioning that Sanya has the greatest density per square metre of high-end hotels and resorts in mainland China. A bonus is that it is only a 90-minute flight from Hong Kong.

The perfect Hong Kong weekend break: tranquil Dapeng, Shenzhen – history, hikes, and some of China’s most beautiful beaches

What is referred to as Sanya comprises almost 50km of coastline dedicated to tourism, extending well beyond its eponymous bay and city centre. Sanya’s centre is worth a miss, unless you enjoy boisterous Chinese tour groups having their first visit to the seaside.