Wuzhizhou Island Sanya — China's Top Diving Island off Haitang Bay, with Ferry-Inclusive Tickets from ¥140

Q: How do I get to Wuzhizhou Island from Sanya?

Drive or take a taxi or DiDi to Wuzhizhou Wharf (蜈支洲岛码头) in the Haitang Bay area. From resorts around Haitang Bay it is about 30 minutes; from central Sanya it is around an hour. From the wharf, a ferry crosses to the island in about 20 minutes, departing roughly every 20 minutes. There is no convenient direct public bus to the wharf, so a private car or a tour transfer is the easiest option.

Q: What time should I arrive and how long should I spend on Wuzhizhou Island?

Arrive as early as you can — around 8 to 9 am — to beat the crowds and lock in a ferry slot. From late morning into the afternoon, tour groups arrive together, the island gets busy and queues for activities grow. Plan on half a day to a full day on the island. The last boat over leaves in the afternoon (last boarding to the island is around 4 pm), so leave enough time to get back to town.

Q: What activities are there on Wuzhizhou Island?

Scuba diving and snorkelling are the headline draws — the water is clear with visibility up to 27 metres and there are more than 30 dive sites. You will also find jet-skis, parasailing, sea-walking (walking the seabed in an air helmet), banana boats, speedboats, yachts, fishing and glass-bottom boats. All of these are paid separately from the island ticket and cost anywhere from a hundred to several hundred yuan each, so confirm the price before you start.

Why come here

An island with impossibly clear water off Haitang Bay

Picture this: the ferry pulls away from the wharf, the grey-blue sea turns emerald, then a clear pale blue you can see the white sand through. As the boat docks, you step onto fine sand studded with coral rocks, speedboats skimming past and, not far off, people walking the seabed in air helmets. This is Wuzhizhou Island (蜈支洲岛), a small island just off the Haitang Bay coast that Chinese travellers fondly call the "Maldives of China".

The island covers about 1.48 square kilometres and is shaped like a butterfly, sitting roughly 5.5 km from Wuzhizhou Wharf. Its real selling point is the water — underwater visibility reaches up to 27 metres, there are coral reefs and more than 300 species of fish, and over 30 dive sites, which is why it is rated the top diving destination in China. Snorkellers and divers love it. And if you do not want to get in the water, you can still walk the seaside boardwalk, shoot the viewpoints and ride the sightseeing bus around the island.

To be straight with you, Wuzhizhou is a fully developed tourist island — there are resorts, restaurants and activity counters — so it is lively and commercial rather than a quiet, deserted hideaway. On weekends and whenever tour groups land at once it gets very busy, and every watersport is paid separately from the island ticket. The trick is simple: get there as early as you can to grab a ferry slot and beat the queues for activities.

Island highlights

5 things not to miss

From diving deep to an easy photo stroll — there is something for every kind of traveller.

White-sand beach and clear blue-green water at Wuzhizhou Island, Sanya, with speedboats offshore and visitors walking the rocky coral shore

1

Diving & snorkelling (潜水 Qiánshuǐ)

China's top dive spot · visibility up to 27 metres

This is the main reason people come. The water is exceptionally clear and the reef is healthy, with over 300 species of fish and more than 30 dive sites. There is snorkelling for beginners and scuba diving with a guide assigned to every diver. Never dived before? There are intro lessons before you go in. And if you cannot swim at all, "sea-walking" lets you put on an air helmet and walk the sandy bottom watching the fish go by.

Price: paid separately from the island ticket — a hundred to several hundred yuan per activity

Tip: book your slot first thing; queues are long by mid-morning

🛶2

Watersports (jet-ski · parasail · banana boat)

A full menu on the water · jet-skis, parasailing, speedboats

Beyond diving, the island has plenty of activities on the water — jet-skis racing across the clear shallows, parasailing for an aerial view of the island, banana boats for groups, speedboats, yachts and offshore fishing. Each one is paid separately and priced differently, so always confirm the cost clearly before you start, and pick an operator that supplies life jackets and proper safety gear.

Where: the watersports zone near the island's main beach

Safety: always wear a life jacket · check the price first

💑3

Lover's Bridge & viewpoints (情人桥 Qíngrén Qiáo)

A chain bridge on the cliff edge · the island's photo favourite

The Lover's Bridge began life as a chain bridge used as a clifftop lookout, and it is now the spot where couples queue up for photos, with deep-blue sea hitting the rocks below. The island has several other viewpoints too, including Lover's Bay and a private beach where the water colours are especially pretty. If you are visiting as a couple or love taking photos, do not skip this one.

Where: the eastern side of the island · continue past the seaside boardwalk

Best time: morning, before the sun is harsh and the crowds arrive

🏝️4

Seaside boardwalk (观海栈道)

A timber walkway along the western cliffs · wide-open sea views

The western side of the island has a timber boardwalk — the Watching Sea Plank Road — that runs along the cliffs with nothing but open sea in front of you. It is perfect if you would rather walk and take in the view than get in the water. The path is not steep, there are plenty of rest spots and photo angles along the way, and the soft light in the late afternoon is especially lovely.

Where: the western side of the island

Good for: families, older travellers, non-swimmers

Aerial view of Haitang Bay, Sanya, showing the long beach, resorts and mountains — the area where the wharf to Wuzhizhou Island is located

5

Sightseeing bus around the island (观光车)

Ride the loop · reach the spots that are a hard walk

The island is fairly large and hilly, and the sightseeing bus carries you to the viewpoints and areas that are hard to reach on foot. It costs around ¥138, paid separately from the island ticket. If you are short on time or travelling with kids and older relatives, the bus helps you see the key spots in a limited window. But if you want the exercise and are not in a rush, walking has its own charm.

Price: around ¥138 (~฿690) · paid separately from the island ticket

Good for: tight schedules · travelling with kids/older relatives

Before you go

Tickets, hours and how to get there

Everything you need to know, on one page.

Island ticket (ferry included)

~¥140 (~฿700) adult

Covers island entry + round-trip ferry · ~¥133 via official WeChat · does not include watersports or the sightseeing bus · check the current price first

Opening hours

8:00 am – 6:30 pm

Ferries roughly every 20 minutes · last boarding to the island around 4 pm · the crossing takes ~20 minutes

Getting there

Car/taxi → Wuzhizhou Wharf → ferry

~30 min from Haitang Bay resorts · ~1 hour from central Sanya · no convenient direct bus — a private car or tour transfer is easiest

How long to spend

Half a day – a full day

Swimming, diving and walking the viewpoints fill half a day to a full day · leave time for travel and the ferry queue

Best time to go

Early, 8:00–9:00 am

Take the first ferry to lock in activity and boat slots · from late morning, tour groups land together and it gets very busy

Discounts & free

Under 1.2 m free · 60–69 half price

Hainan offers visa-free entry of around 30 days to travellers from many countries (check the latest rules before you travel)

A tip travellers pass on: book the island + ferry ticket (and any diving package) on Klook in advance to lock in your ferry seat and skip the ticket queue at the wharf, especially on busy holidays — see Wuzhizhou Island tickets on Klook →

Getting there

Reach the wharf, then ferry across

The key to visiting Wuzhizhou Island is getting to Wuzhizhou Wharf (蜈支洲岛码头) in the Haitang Bay area first, then catching the ferry across:

From Haitang Bay resorts

Car/taxi · about 30 minutes

If you are staying around Haitang Bay (for example the Atlantis area and the Haitang Bay resorts) you are closest. A taxi, DiDi or resort car gets you to the wharf in about 30 minutes — the handiest base for doing this island as a there-and-back day.

Time: ~30 min · Best for: guests in the Haitang Bay zone

From central Sanya / Dadonghai

Car/taxi · about 1 hour

From the Dadonghai area or Sanya Bay it is about an hour to the wharf. Hiring a round-trip car or using DiDi is best, as public buses to Wuzhizhou Wharf are inconvenient and the wait is long. Agree the transfer price clearly if you hire a car.

Time: ~1 hour · Recommended: hired car / DiDi round trip

The ferry across

Departs every ~20 min · ~20-min crossing

Once at the wharf, use your ferry-inclusive ticket to board the boat across to the island. Ferries run frequently, roughly every 20 minutes, and the crossing takes about 20 minutes. The first morning ferries are quieter; on the way back, the last boat leaves in the afternoon — do not miss it.

Frequency: every ~20 min · Crossing: ~20 min

A full day: island + diving

Morning ferry → activities → afternoon return

Leave your hotel early, take the first ferry, and book your diving or watersports slot the moment you arrive. Break for lunch on the island, then spend the afternoon walking the seaside boardwalk and photographing the Lover's Bridge, before catching a ferry back ahead of the last departure.

Total: a full day · Activity budget: on top of the ticket, depending on what you do

Where to stay nearby

Where to stay near the wharf

If you plan to catch the first ferry to Wuzhizhou Island, staying in the Haitang Bay zone puts you closest to the wharf — though you can still do it from the city centre. Browse the hotels we have shortlisted and compared:

The 10 best hotels in Sanya

Every zone and budget — Haitang Bay, Yalong Bay, Dadonghai — with real prices

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6 luxury hotels in Sanya

Five-star beachfront resorts near Haitang Bay and the island wharf

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Hotels, sights, food and getting around — everything you need to know

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Frequently asked

FAQ · before visiting Wuzhizhou Island

How much is a Wuzhizhou Island ticket and does it include the ferry?

The all-in ticket that bundles island entry with the round-trip ferry is around ¥140 (about US$20 or ฿700) for adults, or roughly ¥133 through the official WeChat channel. That covers entry and the return ferry, but not the watersports or the on-island sightseeing bus (~¥138), which are paid separately. Children under 1.2 m enter free and travellers aged 60–69 pay half price. Check the current price before you go, as it can change seasonally.

How do I get to Wuzhizhou Island from Sanya?

Drive or take a taxi or DiDi to Wuzhizhou Wharf (蜈支洲岛码头) in the Haitang Bay area. From resorts around Haitang Bay it is about 30 minutes; from central Sanya it is around an hour. From the wharf, a ferry crosses to the island in about 20 minutes, departing roughly every 20 minutes. There is no convenient direct public bus to the wharf, so a private car or a tour transfer is the easiest option.

What time should I arrive and how long should I spend on Wuzhizhou Island?

Arrive as early as you can — around 8 to 9 am — to beat the crowds and lock in a ferry slot. From late morning into the afternoon, tour groups arrive together, the island gets busy and queues for activities grow. Plan on half a day to a full day. The last boarding to the island is around 4 pm, so leave enough time to get back to town.

What activities are there on Wuzhizhou Island?

Scuba diving and snorkelling are the headline draws — the water is clear with visibility up to 27 metres and there are more than 30 dive sites. You will also find jet-skis, parasailing, sea-walking (walking the seabed in an air helmet), banana boats, speedboats, yachts, fishing and glass-bottom boats. All of these are paid separately from the island ticket and cost anywhere from a hundred to several hundred yuan each, so confirm the price before you start.

Is Wuzhizhou Island good for kids and non-swimmers?

Yes — there is plenty to enjoy even if you stay dry. You can walk the seaside boardwalk (the Watching Sea Plank Road), photograph the Lover's Bridge and the viewpoints, take the sightseeing bus around the island, or simply relax on the sand. If you want to get in the water but cannot swim, sea-walking in an air helmet and guided snorkelling are both options. Keep a close eye on small children, as some beaches are rocky and the surf can pick up.

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