Things to do 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 …
reviewed
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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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Cultured pearls
Southern Hǎinán is famous for its cultured pearls and infamous for the persistent saleswomen who flog them on Dàdōnghāi beach, though in fairness they're not that bad. Most of the pearls are genuine, if not good enough to make the export market, and sell for just a few dollars. But there are some cases of people being duped into paying for fine-looking plastic. If in doubt, scratch away at the pearl - if it's plastic, it should flake or chip; a real pearl won't.
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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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Dōngbeĭwáng Jiŭdiàn
King of the Northeast Restaurant, Dōngbeǐwáng Jiǔdiàn, is by far one of the best restaurants in Dàdōnghǎi (check out the parade of celebrity photos on the wall as you go up the stairs). It features delicious, not at all pricey dishes from northern China such as dumplings and Wénchāng chicken, and has great service.
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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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Be There or Be Square
Easy to find between the two bridges leading into Sānyà, this place has a good vibe and a decent range of music but no real dance floor, meaning the mostly Chinese patrons tend to dance at their tables. Men can expect to be the subject of more attention than they might be used to - some of it from women looking for a paying gig.
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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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Number 1 Market
This night market is a great place to immerse yourself in the full Chinese experience. Soak up the palpably animated atmosphere while you shop for cheap lingerie, floral shirt sets and a myriad of other items you never knew you wanted. The outdoor restaurants either side of the market serve excellent, quality seafood.
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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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Aìwantíng Jiŭdiàn
Sānyà swarms with restaurants, most of them outdoors and boisterously casual. This famous restaurant serves up spicy Húnán specialties like orange beef and crispy duck. Most dishes are served with rice and seasoned to ancient tradition - garlic, shallots and chilli in every dish.
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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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Dōngběiwáng Jiǔdiàn
One of Dàdōnghāi's best restaurants (just see the parade of celebs on the wall as you go up the stairs), the food includes delicious northern Chinese dishes plus dumplings and Wénchāng chicken. It's on the 1st floor of the Zhōng Yáng Hotel.
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Fēnggé Kāfēidiàn
Tasty, reasonable Western and Chinese meals are served in this pleasant cafe/restaurant. Coffee, tǔdòutiáo (chips) and niúròumiàn (beef with noodles) are the favourites here and are definitely worth a try.
reviewed
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Rainbow American Café
The most popular place among the backpacker crew, Rainbow has live music most nights, a pool table, dance floor, friendly staff and also serves food. Remember, bar and nightclub tastes change quickly, so ask around for what's hot when you're here.
reviewed
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Be There or Be Square
Easy to find between the two bridges leading into Sānyà, this place has a good vibe and a decent range of music but no real dance floor, meaning the mostly Chinese patrons tend to dance at their tables. Admission is free.
reviewed
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Western Restaurant
Behind the Hǎikǒu Bīnguǎn, unsurprisingly this place serves decent Western food, like New Zealand mutton stew and the dangerous-sounding 'asbestos curry'! It also does healthy breakfasts.
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Gansu restaurant
One of our favourites on Daying Lu is a nameless restaurant serving tasty Western Chinese dishes, including tǔdòu shāo niúròu (beef and potatoes), as well as its own noodles.
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Rainbow American Café
The most popular place among the backpacker crew when we passed, Rainbow has live music most nights, a pool table, dance floor and friendly staff. It also serves food.
reviewed
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Net Cat Nightclub
A younger crowd than Be Square, with mainly techno music and a dance floor. Admission is free but there is a minimum first purchase. It's busiest from 21:00 to 23:00.
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Kuàihuólín
Pick and choose your meal from dishes like potstickers and green beans from the servers wheeling around trolleys. They also make decent Western breakfasts (from Y14).
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