Yalong Bay, Sanya (亚龙湾 Yalong Bay) — The 8 km White-Sand Arc, the Original Luxury-Resort Strip, the Glass Skywalk, and Where to Stay 2026

Get oriented

What Yalong Bay is — and why calm-beach lovers stay here

Picture a crescent of fine white sand close to 8 km long, water so clear and turquoise that children paddle straight in, and a wall of green hills behind it — that is Yalong Bay (亚龙湾 Yalong Bay), the bay the Chinese fondly call the "Oriental Hawaii" (东方夏威夷). It lies about 25 km east of downtown Sanya, and it is the original luxury-resort bay — the one that turned Sanya into China's top-tier tropical escape.

What sets Yalong Bay apart from Sanya's other bays is its wide beach and the calmest water, sheltered by offshore islands and reefs that knock down the waves. That makes it the city's best swimming beach. The shoreline is lined with more than 50 five-star resorts — The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Hilton, Marriott, Sheraton and more — and most of them have gardens that lead straight onto a private stretch of sand, so it is only a short walk from your room to the sea.

Ever wanted to settle into a beachfront resort and not leave all day? Yalong Bay is built for exactly that. Behind the bay you will find the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park, with a glass skywalk along the ridge, and the Yalong Bay Underwater World, where you can actually dive over live coral. To be honest, if you are here for a honeymoon or a quiet beach break, this is the bay. But if you want buzz, street food on foot, or easy duty-free shopping, you should know up front that this bay is far from town and almost everything is inside the resorts.

The long white-sand crescent and clear water of Yalong Bay, Sanya — the city's original luxury-resort beach — Yalong Bay (亚龙湾) — an 8 km white-sand arc with calm, clear water, Sanya's best swimming beach

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Character

Original luxury beach

8 km white-sand arc · calmest swimming water

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Location

~25 km from town

East of downtown · 30–40 min by car

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Resorts

50-plus five-stars

Ritz-Carlton · St. Regis · Hilton · Marriott

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Behind the bay

Glass-skywalk forest park

400 m glass walk · bay views from the ridge

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Underwater

Yalong Bay Underwater World

Dive over live coral · 20-plus watersports

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Getting around

DiDi into town

~¥80–120 · no metro in Sanya

Atmosphere & who it suits

The feel of the bay — quiet sand, luxury resorts, slow days by the sea

This is Sanya at its calmest and most polished — a wide beach, gentle water, hushed resorts, and a pace that drops the moment you step off the car.

The charm of Yalong Bay is its quiet, resort-bubble calm. There are no shophouse rows or busy pedestrian streets like in town — just a long beach, green resort gardens and the soft sound of small waves. Walk the clear shoreline in the morning, swim or try a watersport at midday, read by the pool through the hot afternoon, then have dinner in the resort and watch the sun go down — a day passes without any rush. That is exactly why couples on honeymoon and families who want a real rest keep choosing this bay.

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Couples and honeymooners

Honeymoon · Calm beach · Resort romance

This is the group Yalong Bay suits best — a quiet beach, gentle water, luxury resorts with private villas and infinity pools, beachfront dinners and spas. Everything is set up for a romantic trip where you barely need to leave. Start choosing a resort at Sanya's 6 best luxury resorts.
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Beach and swimming lovers

Best swimming beach · Wide sand · Watersports

If the heart of your trip is getting in the sea, Yalong Bay is Sanya's best swimming beach. The water is clear and the waves are calm, sheltered by islands and reefs, and there is a full range of watersports — jet ski, parasailing, even diving over coral. Compare it with the other beaches at our Sanya beaches guide.
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Families wanting a long resort stay

Families · Kids club · All-in-resort

The shallow, calm water is good for children, and most resorts have kids' pools, kids' clubs and full activity programmes. Parents can actually rest without having to ferry the family far afield. It suits a family trip built around relaxing rather than rushing about. See more things to do around the city at things to do in Sanya.
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Travellers who also want to explore

Forest park · Day trips · Need a plan

If you want both the beach and some sightseeing, budget for transport, because the bay is 25 km from town. From here you can reach the nearby Yalong Bay forest park easily, or take a DiDi into town for duty-free shopping and street food. See the full plan in our 3-day Sanya itinerary.

What to do

The highlights of Yalong Bay — beach, forest park and the coral

🏖️ Yalong Bay Beach — the best swimming beach

The heart of the bay is a fine white-sand crescent around 8 km long, with clear turquoise water and gentler waves than any other Sanya beach, thanks to the offshore islands and reefs that shelter it. Walking the sand and swimming are free (it is a public beach, even though most of it backs onto resorts). Early morning is when the water is clearest and the crowds are thinnest — the best time of the day. Compare it with the rest of the city's beaches at our full Sanya beaches guide.

🌳 Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park (the glass skywalk)

On the mountain behind the bay is the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park (亚龙湾热带天堂森林公园). The highlight is a sea-view glass skywalk roughly 400 metres long, with its highest point around 450 metres above sea level, looking out over the whole curve of Yalong Bay. The park was a filming location for the well-known Chinese film "If You Are the One", and there are bird's-nest villas up on the ridge. A ticket including the shuttle is roughly ¥140–158 (about ฿700–790) depending on the season, and it is about a 10 minute drive from the resort strip. Read the full guide at Yalong Bay Forest Park.

🐠 Yalong Bay Underwater World + watersports

Yalong Bay is one of the few places in China where you can see living coral reefs, and the clear water means you can dive both from the shore and from a boat. At the Yalong Bay Underwater World (亚龙湾海底世界) there are more than 20 water activities — scuba, snorkelling, jet ski, parasailing, even a half-submarine that lets you watch the coral without getting wet. It works for thrill-seekers and families alike — check prices for each activity on site or book through an app before you go.

⛳ Golf and the central resort zone

The middle of the bay has a central resort zone that gathers an 18-to-27-hole golf course, a beachfront park and a handful of restaurants. It is a pleasant place for an evening stroll, and golfers can play a round with the sea as a backdrop. To be honest, beyond this, most restaurants and shops are inside the resorts — there is no walkable shopping street the way there is in town.

Clear water and coral near Yalong Bay, Sanya — good for diving and watersports — The clear water around Yalong Bay — one of the few places in China where you can dive over living coral reefs

Eat & drink

Eating at Yalong Bay — and the honest truth about restaurants

Yalong Bay is beautiful and calm, but you should understand the food situation before you go — most of the options are inside the resorts.

🍽️ Most restaurants are inside the resorts

To be honest, this is the biggest trade-off of Yalong Bay — because it is a resort bay far from town, most restaurants and cafés are inside the resorts. That is lovely and convenient, but noticeably pricier than eating in town. There are a few small restaurants and a supermarket in the central resort zone, but it is not a buzzing street-food scene. If you want affordable local Hainan food, take a DiDi into town — see what to eat in our full Sanya food guide.

🦞 Seafood and local Hainan food (in town)

A trip to Sanya is not complete without fresh seafood and Wenchang chicken, Hainan's signature dishes. The seafood markets and best-known restaurants are mostly downtown and around Dadonghai, a 30 to 40 minute DiDi from Yalong Bay (¥80–120). Many people make it one dinner of the trip and then head back to the resort. Read more at Sanya seafood and Wenchang chicken.

Fresh Sanya seafood — mostly found in town, around 30–40 minutes from Yalong Bay — Fresh seafood and local Hainan food — the best restaurants cluster in town, a 30–40 minute DiDi from Yalong Bay

Where to stay

Staying at Yalong Bay — and the resorts we recommend

This is Sanya's densest cluster of luxury beach resorts — private sand, green gardens, and full sea views straight from the room.

The upside of staying at Yalong Bay is that you get the city's best beachfront luxury resorts in one place. Most of the five-stars have gardens leading onto a private stretch of sand, plus infinity pools, spas and rooms with full sea views. It suits a trip built mainly around resort time. Room rates run higher than the in-town bays, but for a honeymoon or a special-occasion trip, many people find it well worth the setting.

One thing to know before you book: this bay is 25 km from town, and almost everything is inside the resorts. If you plan to head out of the bay often, budget for the DiDi fares. And if you want a true sea-view room, book ahead — the best sea-view rooms sell out fast, especially in the winter peak (Nov–Apr) and over China's long holidays, when rates jump two to three times.

Sanya's 6 best luxury resorts

Sanya's five-star beachfront resorts ranked by real review scores — several are at Yalong Bay

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10 highest-rated Sanya hotels

Every bay and every price level in one list — compare before you decide

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Which bay should you stay in?

Yalong Bay vs Dadonghai vs Haitang Bay vs Sanya Bay, explained for first-timers

Getting to and from Yalong Bay — how

Sanya has no metro, so the easiest option for visitors is a DiDi or taxi, with buses and the high-speed railway as budget alternatives. Yalong Bay is 25 km from town, so allow for time and fares every time you leave the bay.

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DiDi / taxi into town

~¥80–120

Downtown / Dadonghai · 30–40 minutes

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Sanya Phoenix Airport (SYX)

~¥100–140

DiDi/taxi ~40 min · on the Sanya Bay side

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Buses 15 / 24 / 27

Cheap (scan to pay)

Into town ~1 hour · to Yalong Bay station

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Yalong Bay rail station (亚龙湾站)

Hainan ring line

East-coast towns like Lingshui / Wanning

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Resort shuttles

Paid

Many resorts run airport/town shuttles

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Apps you need

DiDi · Amap · Alipay

Google Maps doesn't work in China · pay by QR

Transport tip: because Yalong Bay is far from town, think about transport when you pick your hotel — if you mainly want a resort stay, this bay is perfect, but if you want to be in town often, round-trip DiDi fares of ¥160–240 a day add up fast. Pay fares and buses by scanning Alipay or WeChat — see how at our Alipay/WeChat payment guide — and see how to move around the whole city at our getting around Sanya guide. From the airport, see Sanya airport transfer.

Plan your time

How to spend your time at Yalong Bay — a full day in the bay

⏱️ A full relaxed day (beach and resort)

08:00 — Walk the Yalong Bay shoreline in the early morning, when the water is clearest and the crowds are thinnest
10:00 — Swim or try a watersport on the beach in front of the resort
12:30 — Lunch in the resort, then rest by the pool through the strongest sun
15:30 — Head up to the Yalong Bay Forest Park and walk the glass skywalk for views over the bay
18:00 — Come back for sunset on the beach, then finish with dinner in the resort or a spa

🌇 Beach plus a town trip (for longer stays)

If you are at Yalong Bay for several nights, split your days between beach time and exploring:
Morning–afternoon — Beach time, swimming, and diving over coral at nearby Wuzhizhou Island
Late afternoon — Take a DiDi into town to shop at Sanya duty-free
Evening — A seafood dinner in town, then back to the resort

For a full trip plan, see our 3-day Sanya itinerary and all the Sanya attractions, or compare the bays before you decide at the complete Sanya guide.

Tropical rainforest near Yalong Bay, Sanya — lush green hills behind the resort strip — The tropical forest behind Yalong Bay — the forest park with its glass skywalk is only 10 minutes from the resorts

Frequently asked

FAQ · Yalong Bay, Sanya

Where is Yalong Bay (亚龙湾 Yalong Bay) in Sanya?

Yalong Bay sits to the east of downtown Sanya, about 25 km away — roughly a 30 to 40 minute drive. It is a white-sand crescent around 8 km long that the Chinese nickname the "Oriental Hawaii". Its draw is clear water and the calmest waves of any Sanya bay, which makes it the best swimming beach in the city. The shoreline is lined with more than 50 five-star resorts, and behind the bay are the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park with its glass skywalk and the Yalong Bay Underwater World, where you can dive over live coral. The easiest way into town is by DiDi or taxi (about ¥100 to 140), as Sanya has no metro.

Is Yalong Bay a good place to stay, and who does it suit?

Yalong Bay is the strongest choice for honeymooners, couples and anyone who wants to settle into a luxury beach resort and barely leave. The beach is wide, the water is calm and easy to swim in, and most resorts have gardens that lead straight onto a private stretch of sand. Luxury options here include The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay (rated 9.5), along with St. Regis, Hilton and Marriott. The trade-off is that it is 25 km from town, and most dining and activities are inside the resorts. If you want to wander outside the hotel, eat street food or shop duty-free easily, an in-town bay is more convenient. Compare them at which bay to stay in.

What is at the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park (the glass skywalk), and how much are tickets?

The Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park (亚龙湾热带天堂森林公园) is on the mountain behind the bay, about a 10 minute drive from the resort strip. The highlight is a sea-view glass skywalk roughly 400 metres long, with its highest point around 450 metres above sea level, looking out over the whole curve of Yalong Bay. The park was a filming location for the well-known Chinese film "If You Are the One", and there are bird's-nest villas up on the ridge. A ticket including the in-park shuttle is roughly ¥140 to 158 (about ฿700 to 790) depending on the season. A DiDi from the resorts is the easy way up — check current prices and opening hours before you go. Read more at the Yalong Bay Forest Park guide.

Yalong Bay vs Dadonghai vs Haitang Bay — which bay should you stay in?

Choose by trip style. Yalong Bay (亚龙湾) has the best swimming beach and quiet luxury resorts and is ideal for honeymoons, but it is 25 km from town. Dadonghai (大东海) is in town, within walking distance of the beach, restaurants and duty-free shopping — the best value and the easiest for first-timers. Haitang Bay (海棠湾) is the newest ultra-luxury bay, furthest out at 30 km to the north, home to Atlantis and the world's largest duty-free mall. All three bays are far apart, so it is best to pick one bay per trip and plan your sightseeing around that base — compare the details at our where-to-stay guide.

How do you get from Yalong Bay into town and around?

Sanya has no metro, so the easiest option for visitors is a DiDi or taxi — from Yalong Bay into downtown or Dadonghai is about ¥80 to 120 (30 to 40 minutes), and Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX) is about ¥100 to 140 (around 40 minutes). City buses 15, 24 and 27 also run into town (about an hour, very cheap), and there is a Yalong Bay high-speed railway station (亚龙湾站) on the Hainan ring line for east-coast trips. Many resorts run paid shuttles. Pay fares by scanning Alipay or WeChat, and use Amap or Apple Maps rather than Google Maps, which does not work in China. See more at getting around Sanya.

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