Travel in China
A 7.5-km crescent of white sand - the benchmark beach.
Yalong Bay is Sanya's signature beach: a 7.5-kilometre crescent of fine white sand swung between forested headlands, with palm lawns and a line of international resorts behind the tideline. Chinese guidebooks crowned it 'the No.1 Bay Under Heaven' long ago, and one look at the turquoise water shows why.
The public beach is free and open around the clock - sun loungers, umbrellas and water sports are paid extras run by the resorts and beach vendors. Calm, warm water makes the bay the island's hub for snorkelling, diving and jet-skiing, and the November-to-April dry season delivers the clearest seas and the most reliable sunshine.
There is more than sand here: the Shell Museum at Central Square, the leafy walk-through Butterfly Valley, and the ridgeline trails of Tropical Paradise Forest Park, which look down on the full sweep of the bay. Sanya has no metro, but public buses, taxis, DiDi rides and hotel shuttles all reach the bay with ease.
Highlights
7.5-km Crescent of Sand
One continuous arc of white beach - long enough that a quiet stretch is always a short walk away.
'No.1 Bay Under Heaven'
The famous nickname for the bay's turquoise water and mountain-framed setting.
Water-Sports Playground
Snorkelling, diving and jet-skiing all launch from the bay - book with licensed operators.
Tropical Paradise Forest Park
Rainforest trails and lookouts high above the bay, with the definitive panorama of its full curve.
Butterfly Valley
A shaded garden sanctuary alive with tropical butterflies near the bay's eastern end.
Central Square & Shell Museum
The bay's landmark plaza and its museum of South China Sea shells.
Photo Gallery
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