Sanya, located on the southernmost tip of China's Hainan Island, is a tropical resort city. We went there at the end of January 2026 for 3 full days, joining my siblings and families, as a pre Lunar New Year trip. We primarily visited 3 major attractions there - West Island, Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, and Luhuitou (aka Deer Looking back) Park. I also watched bird when chances arose.
We stayed at the well-known, and maybe also infamous, Big Tree Residence Hotel, which by itself, is a tourist attraction. The hotel complex has 9 buildings, all in the shape of giant trees, standing by the Linchun River. They look unique and beautiful, especially when we looked at them from a short distance way from a bridge over the river. Close up look was not shabby either. That's the end of the good things we can say about it.
The hotel complex is one of the "rotten tail" projects in China, while not officially abandoned in the traditional sense, it faces low occupancy, and is poorly managed. The building A we stayed had a foul smell due to drainage related issue at the basement parking lot, among other issues - balcony was not completed for one sibling's room, crumbled walls/ceilings in some sections - closed to guests.
View of the Big Tree Hotel from Linchun River Bridge
A close up look
A close up of a building
West Island of Sanya
It is small island offshore from the main island, about 15 minute away by ferry. The island's east side beach is highly commercialized with numerous restaurants, shops. There are many man made decorations along the beach, which make stroll along the beach more interesting. We basically walked the full east side beach. We were stopped at Turtle beach due to lack of trail going further, that's also natural beauty start to shine.
colorful hat shaped umbrella
After the turtle beach - where there were no wild turtles, but some in a sanctuary, we had to take a shuttle to get to the southern tip through an overpass by the cliff. There is tiny hilly islet, at the southern end of west island, connected to the West island through a pedestrian bridge. There is a golden ox on hill top, and a paifang (i.e. ceremonial archway). Looking around, rock shoreline, trees and crystal clear water feasted the eyes! Best natural beauty of West Island is here.
We had lunch at a beach side restaurant with organic shaped open windows, and visited the Library at sea.
windows with views
Library at Sea
Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone
This zone has beautiful beach, Nanshan Temple and the 108 meter high 3 face statue of Guanyin in the sea. The beach is rocky near the temple, and sandy near the giant statue. The temple was constructed in 1995, the Statue was a recent construction as well, built in 2005.
Chinese tourists were mostly congregated at the the Giant Statue, there was few people away from it. Fewer people at beach, or in the mountain. So in the crowded tourist attraction, there are small oases here and there to enjoy peace and nature.
hill of longevity
The right hand of Guanyin
Luhuitou (Deer Looking back)
Luhuitou is a hilly peninsula, facing the sea on three sides, the other side facing Sanya downtown business district - where high rises and nature inspired skyscrapers reside. The hill top is 181 meters tall. After two day extensive hiking, the group decided to take it easy, rented a chauffeured VIP motor cart, which drove us to the top of the hill to enjoy the scenery, and picked us up again when we decided not walk downhill anymore. It also had other perks - free photo shot at the Luhuitou Sculpture, tea/coffee and local snack by the sculpture. It was the first time for us to enjoy such luxury sightseeing.
Bird Watching
Despite going with the group, I managed to spot and to take pictures of birds. The birds were mostly tropical birds which I saw before. I did spot new specie bird to me: I heard a unique bird chirp which I never heard before, I looked at the direction the chirp coming from, and saw nothing. I patiently looked from different angles, and finally my eyes adjust to the tree shads and saw this bird with a large crest, and I walked around and get to its backside - there were color strips on it back - it was a common hoopoe!
common hoopoe @ Nanshan
A family of Geese @ Nathan
magpie robin - same as that in Singapore
Egret at Lichun River
olive back sunbird - Luhuitou
Overall Sanya is a great place to visit especially in winter dry season - not hot during the day, cool at night. Beautiful scenery, variety of water activities (snorkling, scub diving, kayaking, swimming ...) ...
Not the true outdoor, but more park like - comparable to Singapore.
Notes -
1. Other notable places at Sanya we visited - Tianya Haijiao - large boulders by the beach, another beaches are Da Dong Hai, Xiao Dong Hai. All have crystal clear water - good for wading in the sea, and watching the sea.
large crowd at the Tian Ya boulder - no difference from other boulder but have the carved words
Haijiao boulder - photo edited to remove people
2. An notable food place is Huo Che Tou Seafood Market- where we bought live seafood to have a restaurant to cook for us
