Beaches

The long sandy strip off the city centre at Sānyà Bay (三亚湾; Sānyà Wān) is the most relaxed of the three main beaches, and the one place you will really see people kicking back, laughing, playing and having a beachy old time. There's a long pathway for strolling in the cool evenings, and if the tide is out a little you can walk on the sand for many kilometres.

Dàdōnghǎi Bay (大东海湾; Dàdōnghǎi Wān) sports a wider beach than Sānyà and has a shaded boardwalk running along most of its length. The setting, in a deep blue bay with rocky headlands, is simply gorgeous but it does get busy here and people really seem to be trying too hard to enjoy themselves.

Some consider Yàlóng Bay to have the best beach.

Both Dàdōnghǎi and Yàlóng Bays offer a wide range of activities, including jetskiing, snorkelling and parasailing, but instruction is usually substandard and lifeguards on duty are not properly trained and of little use in an emergency. See Sānyà Backpackers for scuba lessons and rentals.