Sights in Hǎinán
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Dàdōnghāi
Unsurprisingly for a beach resort, the vast majority of things to see and do revolve around sand, sea and after-hours entertainment. Dàdōnghāi is convenient to the widest range of accommodation and eateries. It does get busy, however, and it's worth arriving reasonably early to secure one of those fixed umbrellas or risk being burned to a crisp - between March and November the sun can be blisteringly hot. It offers jet-skiing, banana boats, snorkelling, diving and parasailing.
One of the most entertaining activities is just to sit with a drink and people-watch. You will inevitably see that classic Sānyà sight - the couple or family of holidaying mainlanders dressed in …
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Nánwān Hóudăo (Monkey Island)
About a thousand macaque monkeys live on this narrow, hilly peninsula near Xīncūn. A government research park and wildlife centre has been established to investigate all the monkey business. It sounds tacky, but it's peaceful if you avoid the tourist groups. However, during mating season (Feb-May) the monkeys are, shall we say, over-hospitable.
For maximum monkey contact, visit in the morning or evening, otherwise you might have trouble spotting them in the foliage. It's all right to feed them but don't try to touch them. And keep a tight grip on your camera; these monkeys are wily!
Frequent minibuses run to Xīncūn directly from Sānyà. Ferries from Xīncūn's pier putt-pu…
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Tomb of Hairui
More attractive than the Five Officials Memorial Temple, the Tomb of Hairui was ravaged during the Cultural Revolution but has been restored in vibrant colour. Hairui was an incorruptible and popular Ming dynasty official who was eventually banished to the island after criticising the emperor. The tomb is in western Hǎikǒu, off Haixiu Dadao; take bus 2 and tell the driver 'Hairui Mu!', or watch for a turn-off marked by a blue sign in English and Chinese. From there it's a 1km-walk south.
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Yalong Bay
Yalong Bay is undoubtedly more attractive and less crowded, though with fewer shops and vendors budgeters might want to bring their own food and water. It offers a wide range of activities, including jet-skiing, banana boats, snorkelling and diving. China's beaches are theoretically open to everyone but at Yalong Bay there is a quasi-official fee if you're not staying at one of the beachfront resorts. To avoid this, walk through one of the hotels rather than entering the beach from the main square.
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Wŭzhĭ Shān (Five Fingers Mountain)
Wǔzhǐ Shān (Five Fingers Mountain) near Tōngzhá is Hǎinán's highest mountain and a great area for hiking. A good time to visit is on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, when lots of Miao people gather for an annual festival. It's possible to stay at the bottom at Wǔzhǐshān Bīnguǎn. The cost of rooms here depends on demand (seriously).
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Xiuying Battery
If you're out west of Xiuying Harbour, don't miss the Xiuying Battery , built by the German Krupp company in the late 19th century as part of a series of coastal forts designed to make European invaders think twice. There are some cool underground passageways, several cannons pointing out to sea and a museum of weaponry. Take bus 1 or 32 to Shimao Wan Lu and go up the hill.
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Five Officials Memorial Temple
Five Officials Memorial Temple is an attractive Ming temple (restored during the Qing dynasty) dedicated to five officials who were banished to Hǎinán in earlier times. The famous Song dynasty poet, Su Dongpo, was also banished to Hǎinán and is commemorated here. Take bus 11 or 12 and get off one stop after the east bus station.
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Hǎikǒu Park
The joggers, badminton players, tai chi artists, kung fu kickers, chess players and people-watchers are a wonder to behold. Even if you can't speak a word of Mandarin, just bowl up and you'll soon be communicating with the locals. And don't miss the dancers; the 80-something geezer we saw could have cut a rug with Fred Astaire.
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Tiānyá Haijiao
Sānyà is the place for beach action. The beach at Tiānyá Hǎijiǎo, 24km (15mi) northwest of the town centre, swells with tourists having their photo taken around the stone immortalised on the back of the Y2.00 note. You can also catch a boat from the dock and do some snorkelling.
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Old Quarter
Even when it's hotter than hell, strolling around Hǎikǒu is the top 'thing to do'. The picturesque and partly restored old quarter along Xinhua Lu is nice enough, but our favourite activity here is an early morning or, even better, late afternoon wander through Hǎikǒu Park.
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Tomb of Hairui
The attractive Tomb of Hairui was ravaged during the Cultural Revolution but restored in vibrant colour. Hairui was a compassionate and popular official who lived in the 16th century. Make sure you wear comfy shoes as it's a kilometre's walk from the drop-off point along the road heading south.
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Beach
Kilometres of smooth sand beach stretch west of Xiuying Harbour. From Haixiu Dadao, bus 40 terminates smack in the middle.
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Hǎinán Museum
This large complex of exhibition rooms should be your first stop when you arrive in Hǎinán. The displays on ethnic minorities, as well as Hǎinán's 20th-century history, which included fierce resistance against the Japanese and later Nationalists, are particularly informative. Most of the displays have English write-ups. Bus 43 and 48 from downtown stop outside the museum. It's on the far east side of town, close to the airport. A taxi will cost around Y30.
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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.…
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Xīmaò Zhoū
Xīmaò Zhoū, visible off Sānyà's coastline, is a fairly small island, but it's good for a bit of hiking or snorkelling. The Peace Supermarket in Dàdōnghǎi hires out a boat for the trip, which takes about 2hrs. Speedboats from the beach take 30min, but are expensive. A small homestay on the island offers basic accommodation for a good price.
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