When choosing a vacation spot, if you want to combine swimming in the sea, strengthening your immunity and getting to know interesting sights, it makes sense to consider the city of Sanya (China). It is a large resort located on the Hainan Island. It is loved not only by foreign tourists, but also by the Chinese themselves. Sanya is one of the centers of attraction for lovers of both beach and outdoor activities, as well as those who want to improve their health. The weather is always beautiful here. The eye is delighted with the bright sun and rich colors of amazing local plants.
The deeds of days gone by
Sometimes inexperienced travelers say "Sanya Hainan Island" - but this is wrong, Sanya is a large urban area on Hainan Island. Actually, the proud status of the city was assigned to the area only in 1987. Previously, it was a province called Yazhou.
The province arose during the Qin dynasty (approximately 200 BC e.). Chinese emperors exiled here nobles they disliked, who dared to express their opinion.
Sanya City grew and developed somewhat in isolation. Due to its remoteness from the center with its eternal intrigues and court wars, the city retained a calm atmosphere.
For reference! It was often called "Tianya Haijiao" (which means "at the edge of the sky and the sea") - indeed, it was not so easy for the ancient Chinese to get to it from the continent.
Location
Sanya City is located in the very south of China. The South China Sea washes it. Sanya City District is a densely populated place: the second most populous after the capital of the island, Haikou.
The Russians should keep in mind: with their homeland (if you focus on Moscow), the time difference here is 5 hours, so after the flight, adaptation is inevitable.
Climatic conditions
The subequatorial climate and almost always reigning warm (more often hot) weather attract lovers here to bask in the sun (there are especially many Russians among them who are tired of the long gloomy autumn and cold winter).
One of the most important questions for travelers: what is the sea in Sanya, what is the weather? Average air temperature - about +27 ° C, the sea warms up to+30 ° C, and in the winter months (however, the word "winter" both for Hainan as a whole and for Sanya, unlike other regions of China, can be used very conditionally) "falls" to+24 ° C.
In general, winter in Sanya is a normal Russian summer!
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When is the best time to go
You can have a great vacation in the Sanya resort at any time of the year. But in summer it can feel too hot. In the summer months, the Chinese themselves come here, who are not afraid of the heat, but do not like to joke with the sun: they always protect their heads with a wide-brimmed hat, wear shirts and trousers (especially the older generation).
Women wear T-shirts with long detachable sleeves, tights and often closed shoes on their feet. And this despite +35 ° C warmth and more!
In late summer and autumn (until October), intermittent rains and sometimes typhoons are possible. However, the latter are now extremely rare. The Chinese joke that they are protected from natural disasters by the goddess Guanin, a 108 meter high statue of which they erected on a man-made island.
For Russians, the period from November to February is perfect for a vacation in Sanya. At this time, the air temperature here is about + 25-27 ° С, the sea is quite warm. True, there are periods of cold snap when you have to wear windbreakers and sneakers, but this is short-lived: such periods last for about a week.
For reference! It is difficult to predict exactly what sea and what kind of weather will be in Sanya, it is better to focus on the weekly weather forecast before departure. The main thing is that unpleasant weather surprises are extremely rare.
Administrative divisions of Sanya
Sanya invites vacationers to stay in one of three areas:
- Sanya Bay;
- Dadonghai;
- Yalongwan (Yalong Bey).
These are three bays, each of them has its own advantages.
Sanya bay
Tourists who want to feel the spirit of China most fully should go here. There are definitely more local people than vacationers. The hotels are mostly urban, located right on the streets, and in the "Chinatowns" all hotel names will be in Chinese only. Hieroglyphs will be everywhere: in shops, cafes, on the embankment.
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Important!Sanya Bay has a great local flavor, but you need to take into account: there will be difficulties not only with Russian and English, but also with any other than Chinese.
You will definitely need a map "maps.mi" and a Russian-Chinese phrasebook. All this must be downloaded to your phone. Sanya Bay has a long beach (22 km), but the sea is unclear. The Chinese do not swim in the sea, you need to be prepared for the fact that they will sit on the shore and look at the floating Russian tourists.
Dadonghai
There are a huge number of Russian-speaking tourists in this area. It is on them that the local infrastructure is oriented. Various cafes and shops with inscriptions in Russian "At Lesha", "At Marina", "At Sasha's", will not let you get lost.
Near the sea (very clean) - a coastline with cafes and parks. Street eateries sell amazingly delicious “fried ice cream” based on mango, passionfruit and other exotics. Russian speech is heard everywhere, the hotel staff speaks Russian. There are large shopping centers:
- "A pineapple";
- "Winter";
- "Summer".
For reference! Shopping center "Zima", in the opinion of many, is cheaper - in the other two prices are higher.
Yalongwan
According to the reviews of those who took the tour to Yalongwan, here is the cleanest sea. Very beautiful bay, wonderful sunsets.
Many "star" hotels are located right on the shore. But the prices are high here, you should keep this in mind when planning your trip.
It is believed that there are no midges on local beaches (they are small, bite just like mosquitoes, live mainly in Sanya Bay, their bites can cause allergies).
Between Haikou and Sanya: How to Choose
The capital of the island is Haikou. The city is located in the north of the island. The weather there is also almost always excellent, you can come any month.
Haikou can be recommended to lovers of outdoor activities (there are golf clubs with excellent infrastructure), as well as to those who are interested in the history of the country: the city has preserved ancient buildings (Wogong Temple and Hai Rui Tomb). The sea in Haikou is not very clean in appearance. Those who love nature and swimming will rather prefer the city of Sanya, and those who are more interested in outdoor activities - Haikou.
How to get to Sanya
Phoenix International Airport is located a few kilometers from the city of Sanya. Most tourists arrive here by direct flight from Russia. Fly from Moscow 10-10.5 hours.
If the delivery is organized to Haikou Airport, from there you can get to Sanya by bus or train (about 2-2.5 hours).
Attention! When planning a trip from Russia, one must take into account: a visa to Hainan is not needed if it is a group package tour. It's convenient enough!
Sights
You will definitely not be bored in Sanya. True, little of the real ancient history has survived (these are the consequences of the "Cultural Revolution"), but still there is something to see.
Man made
Visitors to the island are invariably attracted by the following attractions:
- Nanshan Buddhist Center;
- the complex of the goddess Guanin;
- Li and Miao ethnic village;
- new socialist village;
- tree houses.
Center of Buddhism - a new complex consisting of a temple, parks and reservoirs. The centerpiece is108 meters statue of the goddess Guanin, who is considered the patroness of the island. The entrance is paid, open to everyone.
A slightly less majestic temple complex (also recently erected) is located "in the outback", you can get there with a guided tour. It is also dedicated to the powerful thousand-armed Guanin. The entire statue can be seen only if you go inside the main temple and climb several flights of stairs.
In front of the entrance to the temple there is a courtyard, where there is a special censer, where visitors put candles, praying for the fulfillment of wishes.
Interesting!Religions in China are prohibited, but an exception is made for Buddhism, since it is considered a spiritual teaching, not a religious movement.
There are many Buddhists among the local residents, the Chinese come to temples, perform all the prescribed rituals. Moreover, the majority of believers are people with higher education. It would seem that incompatible things go well!
In the ethnic village, tourists will be introduced to the life of local peoples, and in the new socialist one, they will be treated to exotic coconut sweets wrapped in banana leaves and delicious tea.
The Tree Houses is a residential complex consisting of 8 private houses and one high-class hotel. If you go up to the hotel observation deck by elevator, you can admire the area with tree houses from dizzying heights.
Natural
Natural attractions are parks. Their description is difficult to give, it would be best to walk there and see for yourself. There are many parks:
- "Yanoda" (with a real jungle and a glass bridge, which is covered with cracks, as soon as a person steps on it - but this is just a special effect);
- "End of the World" (huge boulders of bizarre shapes are scattered along the coastline, here you feel like on an unfamiliar planet);
- "The Deer Turned Its Head" (a high-rise park, from where you can admire the Phoenix Island with evening illumination);
- "Spring Park" (before reaching the destination, the tourist will have to try: climb 1100 steps up, and then climb the steps inside the pagoda).
You can walk in the parks on your own or with a guided tour. The cost is different - so, "Yanoda" will cost no less than 300 yuan, "The deer turned his head" - 50 (taking into account the ascent on the train), and going through 1100 steps and seeing enough from the top of the pagoda is absolutely free.
Trip to thermal springs
There are 2 large thermal complexes in Sanya - Nantian and Banlin. The first one is old, but many visitors find it more comfortable. There are more than 30 mini-pools where you can sit in the hot healing water. Before entering, guests are given ginger tea to prepare the body for the procedure.
Banlin - new sources, located closer to the center of Sanya. There are more of them, in addition, there are children's pools and an "ice pool", where the water does not warm up above + 10 ° C, so that you can cool off after hot baths. The sources are different, some have added rose petals, jasmine, others have fish swimming to make natural peels.
A visit to the healing baths is paid, about 200 yuan (the price is valid for January 2021).
How to relax actively
From sports entertainment in Sanya, you should pay attention to golf. There are 5 golf clubs, each with its own developed infrastructure.
In addition, you can go surfing, diving, rent a bike. But you won't be able to take an electric scooter: despite the fact that the local population mainly uses this type of transport, it is not given to visitors for rent.
Night rest
There are nightclubs in Sanya Bay, but the Chinese themselves spend their time there. A tourist will feel uncomfortable if he doesn't know Chinese. But in Dadonghai Bay you can have fun at your own pleasure.
To help the tourist
It is important for those who are traveling to Sanya for the first time and have not yet found their way around the area!
Where to stay
If you want a local flavor - you have to choose Sanya Bay, and a hotel with even two "stars" can get very good, there is a TV in the room, all bath and laundry accessories. You can have tea in the lobby.
Hotels of a slightly higher class offer breakfasts (by the way, the food here is quite specific, there are a lot of seasonings, not always pleasant smells, rice is served, like bread in Russia, with almost all dishes).
The medicine
Official traditional medicine in China is very expensive, so few people use it. Many herbal and homeopathic centers are diagnosed by pulse or iris.
In addition, there is a shark farm where shark oil is used to treat osteoporosis in particular. Some healers use snake venom. You should not be afraid of unusual methods of treatment - for the most part they are very effective and do not cause allergies.
How to keep yourself safe
There is practically no crime in Sanya. You can safely leave your bags on the beach - no one will take them. In China, severe punishments are provided for theft, and the mentality of the local population does not allow such acts, which are commonplace for Russia.
There are drunk people, but they usually behave quite calmly. But since few tourists speak Chinese, difficulties will arise in the event of contacting the police. Therefore, it is best not to provoke potentially dangerous situations.
Attention!It happens that Europeans-tourists are trying to offer drugs - right on the go, from a moped. Of course, one must refuse if there is no desire to have problems with the law. The only legal soft drug is Benlin, which is chewed by many Chinese people, young and old.
Shopping
Tea is usually brought from Sanya, it grows here in large quantities, different varieties. Special tea sets, silk robes, spices, original sweets (often sweet on the outside with a salty filling) - all this is also in use.
There is practically no coffee, if it is found, it is either very expensive, or a “Three in one” powder.
Transport in Sanya
Local buses are the most convenient means of transportation for tourists. The average fare is 2-3 yuan, maximum 7 yuan (if you go far). You need to pay by entering through the front door, the payment is controlled by the conductor. There will be no change - if a passenger throws 10 yuan into the money receiving machine, it means that the journey will cost him this amount. The buses are air conditioned.
You can use a taxi service. Landing - 10 yuan, then for each kilometer you will need to pay extra1.5-2 yuan.
In China, in Hainan, Sanya is one of the most popular holiday destinations among tourists. Several factors are successfully combined here: always good weather, the presence of healing natural springs and many attractions for every taste. The Chinese themselves also love Sanya. It is quite possible that soon it will be compared in popularity with some of the world-famous resorts. But then Sanya will lose a part of the local flavor. Therefore, it is necessary to go there now, while this area is truly unique and is not saturated with the standard spirit of some typical resort.
