# Yalong Bay Tourist Resort (亚龙湾旅游度假区)

Sanya, Hainan Province · South China, China · Guidebook rating: 5/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yalong-bay-tourist-resort
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Time needed:** 3–4 days
- **Getting there:** Buses and tourist shuttles serve the urban area and Dadonghai. From the city's West Station or East Station, take a Taihe bus (泰和公交车) to Yalong Bay for ¥5. A taxi costs ¥25–30.
- **Good for:** Photography, Mountains & Adventure, Nature

## About Yalong Bay Tourist Resort

Yalong Bay Tourist Resort lies 20 km east of downtown Sanya. This half-moon bay, the southernmost on Hainan, is ringed on three sides by green mountains shaped like a whale rising from the sea, a truly spectacular sight. The beach is gently sloping, with white, fine sand made of true shell fragments, and visibility in the water reaches 7–9 metres, making it one of Sanya's finest beaches. Yalong Bay is home to most of Sanya's large international-class resort hotels, whose water facilities and landscaped gardens rival the world's top standards. It is the ideal choice for a luxurious holiday.

## Tips from the guidebook

- 1. Prices are high. Yalong Bay is built around hotels, with almost no affordable restaurants, supermarkets (a ¥2 can of beer sells for ¥8 in the Yalong Bay supermarkets) or public transport. A taxi from your hotel to downtown costs about ¥70, and to the airport about ¥120. Hailing a taxi out on the road can save about one-third.
- 2. Stay at least one night. The best way to experience the real Yalong Bay is to pass as a guest at any international hotel west of Tianyu (天域) and walk along its beach. If you can afford to stay at least a day at over ¥1,000 per night, even better.
- 3. Activities children love: bring a torch and catch crabs on the Yalong Bay beach at night, which is great fun. Butterfly Valley (蝴蝶谷), opposite the Cactus Hotel, is quiet and rarely crowded, and flocks of butterflies fill the air at dawn, so it is well worth a visit.
- 4. Types of diving
- a. Snorkelling: wear only a diving mask, snorkel, fins and life jacket, and explore the shallow water 1–3 metres deep with a guide.
- b. Scuba diving: wear professional diving gear and first receive half an hour of training from an instructor, then dive with a tank to 4–15 metres under the sea, accompanied by your instructor. The fee is ¥300 per person, but during the low season bargaining down to ¥200 is no problem.
- c. Seabed walking: wearing a helmet supplied with air, descend a ladder from the tour boat and walk across coral reefs 4–5 metres deep, weaving among brightly coloured corals and tropical fish. The trip takes about half an hour.
- 5. Adventure spot: Jinmu Cape (锦母角) and Yalong Cape (亚龙角) in Yalong Bay are great for rock climbing, so adventurous travellers can give it a try.
- 6. Diving prices: if you want to go diving, the usual price is ¥380–480, not including instructor fees.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 2545. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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