Water Sports in Sanya

Sanya, a tropical coastal tourism city surrounded by year-round warm waters, is a true paradise for water sports lovers. The area is most popular among scuba diving enthusiasts, but lesser-recognized water sports such as yachting and surfing are fast gaining in popularity.

Swimming

Sanya is unsurprisingly extremely popular among swimmers thanks to its beaches and pristine waters, but please do stick to the designated swimming areas, which are marked by floating balls and ropes, for your safety.

Diving

Tourists can discover the amazing world beneath the sea. [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Diving is the earliest developed and most popular watersport in Sanya. Anyone who’s tried it in Sanya agrees that it isn’t to be missed. Clear waters, fantastic visibility and splendid coral reefs make Sanya one of the world’s best diving areas, with year-round warm waters and a comfortable climate. Nowadays, more and more diving centers and professional instructors are creating a fantastic environment for professional divers and beginners alike.

Snorkeling

Snorkeling in Sanya is an easy alternative to scuba diving as it can be done by anyone provided they’re able to swim. In some cases, you do not even need a boat to reach the coral reefs as there are some located very close to the shore.

The best places for snorkeling in Sanya are the bays with the most popular beaches. Yalong Bay provides great snorkeling opportunities, with coral reefs just a few hundred meters offshore.

Other snorkeling destinations that can be reached from Sanya on a day trip include Wuzhizhou Island and West Island.

Fishing

Blessed with extremely rich and diverse marine resources and beautiful surroundings, Sanya is one of the best places in the world for anglers to enjoy the excitement and satisfaction of fishing at sea.

Sanya’s waters and coral reefs are home to countless species of marine life, with 1,064 different fish, 350 species of shrimp, 325 of crabs and 700 of mollusks.

Both offshore and deep-sea fishing have become popular in Sanya.

The most popular places for fishing are the East Islet, West Islet, Liudaowan Bay, Wuzhizhou Island, Dadonghai and Xiaodonghai.

Paragliding

[Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Sanya has some of the most beautiful coastlines in Hainan and paragliding is becoming a wonderful way to explore them. One of the best locations for this sport is Wuzhizhou Islet due to its year-round ideal flying conditions.

Surfing

There is a growing army of dedicated surfers that comes to Sanya every year, as well as local expats that know the local beaches and where the best breaks can be found. Many locals are also starting to get in on the surfing action, and are setting up businesses renting out boards of all shapes and sizes along with instruction for all skill-levels.

SUP

The watersport standup paddling, or SUP as it’s often called, is being taken up by more and more people around the world, including in Sanya.

It’s a good alternative to surfing, and children and beginners can easily learn to paddle in a shallow, sheltered bay. SUP also offers another way to explore Sanya’s coastline and reach places that are inaccessible to boats.

SUP in Sanya can be done year-round but the best time of year is during the drier months of November through April when the seas are calmer.

Sailing

 [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Sailing is another enjoyable way to explore the beautiful waters around Sanya. It’s a hot tourist activity, offering entertainment, enjoyment, exploration and competition all in one. It’s also an attractive and exciting water sport, and a romantic life experience that perfectly combines sports and leisure.

Yachting

 [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Navigating a yacht across the Southern China Sea is like starting a dream voyage. Even if you are not boat owner, you can still enjoy a wonderful experience as there are plenty of yacht rental companies. What you need to do is choose your favorite yacht, start the engine and begin the luxurious adventure. Along with the internationalization of tourism construction, Sanya is focusing on building a yacht industry cluster and the initial achievements have been already made.

Banana Boating

 [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Banana boats are one of the most thrilling and stimulating marine recreational activities. A “banana boat” is a rubber kayak that looks exactly like a banana. Sitting in the banana boat pulled by a yacht and speeding along on the sea at approximately 50 km/h, you will feel like a dolphin or porpoise leaping across the vast azure ocean.

Motor boating 

[Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

The spacious marine areas and beaches of Sanya are a prime location for the popular sport of motor boating. Taking advantage of their beachfront locations, many hotels at Yalong Bay and Dadonghai offer motorboat service, supported with coaches and lifesaving equipment.

Flying Fish Boating

One of the most entertaining water activities in Sanya is setting to sea on a flying fish boat, a rubber craft that looks like a real flying fish.

Kayaking

 [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Whether you are a complete beginner or are experienced at paddling, Sanya is a perfect place to try sea kayaking, which can be as relaxing or demanding as you choose. [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Water Biking

[Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

The beautiful bay draws in water biking enthusiasts every day, making Sanya a maritime destination in its own right. There are many water bikers to be found casually riding the coastline and checking out the coastal attractions.

Jet Boat

 [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]

Visitors can find this boat on Wuzhizhou Island. It’s a comfortable spacious craft suitable for a small group to enjoy all the excitement of ocean life that Sanya has to offer. [Photo/ en.sanyatour.com]