Sanya Attractions
Sanya Nanshan Guanyin Cultural Park
Qixianling Mountain
Sanya Tropical Ocean World
Betel Nut Park and Ethnic Villages
Sanya Greatest World of Love
Sanya Nanshan Guanyin Cultural Park
In Nanshan Guanyin Cultural Park, you can enjoy some of Sanya’s beautiful natural scenery and flora and China’s rich culture all at once. This park, located just 40 kilometers west of Sanya, is actually a large botanical garden, 400 acres in area, nestled in the lush Sanya hills and bordered by the sea on the south. Some of the scenery includes lakes, alive with koi, stone bridges and walkways, buildings, figures, and many interesting species of plants. Starting at the park entrance, a 7 kilometer road leads you around the park, which you can take either on foot or by minibus. Staying on the main path will lead you to the main attractions. These include the Nanshan Temple and the 108 meter high NanHai Guanyin Statue. Strolling off the main path onto the many side stone paths, your curiosity will be rewarded by some special sites, such as the deer garden, the peacock garden, and the eighteen arhats.
Nan Shan Temple, suitably situated at the foot of Nan Shan, or South Mountain, faces south towards the South China Sea. The South Mountain – Nan Shan - is believed to be the mountain of longevity in Chinese mythology. An entrance to the path leading up the mountain is located along the main route in Nanshan Park. Completed in 1998, Nanshan Temple and the surrounding complex is modern and touristy, but visitors can still pay their respects to the myriad deities residing there. Most noteworthy among them is the Gold and Jade Kwan-jin Statue, standing 3.8 meters (13 feet) high and covered with gold, silver, and gems.
Guanyin is the Bodhisattva of compassion, a being who has attained enlightenment but has vowed to forgo Nirvana for the sake of helping others attain enlightenment. She is the Goddess of Mercy, a protector of those in need of help, and a rescuer of fishermen. During the Ming Dynasty, Guanyin was prominently portrayed as Nanhai Guanyin, South Sea Guanyin, her role being to rescue those in danger at sea. As the last stop on your route, you will encounter this same being in its as the 108 meter (354-feet) high statue of Nanhai Guanyin, which boasts to be the highest Buddha statue in the world.
The whole park is part of the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, an eco-cultural tourism zone, so that inherently makes it touristy; but it is still an interesting and inspiring place, and a modern tribute to Buddhism in China.
Location: 40 miles west of Sanya City
Price: 150 Yuan entrance fee
Hours: 8am – 6pm
Other Charges:
Minibus to take you around the park: 20 Yuan
(hop on - hop off bus with stops at the park's main sites)
Entrance fee to see Gold and Jade Kwan-jin Statue: 20 Yuan
Getting there from Sanya:
By Taxi: 100 Yuan round trip plus 10 Yuan for each hour the taxi waits for you (this price is for reference only; the fare must be negotiated with your cab driver)
By Bus: 8 Yuan each way from Sanya Bus Station (last return bus leaves for Sanya at 6:30pm)
Qixianling Mountain
Qixianling Mountain, or Seven Fairies Mountain, is made up of seven distinct rocky peaks, the highest having an altitude of 1,126 meters. These resemble figures lined up in a row and are surrounded by an otherwise rainforest-covered mountain. Access to these peaks is easily granted thanks to a path of stairs, chains, and railings that leads you up through the forest and eventually winds up between two of the mountain’s peaks. The final stretch takes you up a rocky peak and allows for stunning views of Hainan's scenic lanscape.
To access this path, you must pay 30 Yuan. Be prepared to sweat a little if you’re out of shape, but the experience is well worth the hike. It starts off easily and gets steeper and steeper as you go. Along the way, the jungle and mountain scenery should keep your mind off the pain, like the bubbling streams, amazing trees with their roots hugging everything around them, beautiful plants, and of course the mountain peaks themselves. There are some spots to sit and rest as well as some beverage vendors, but bring your own water to avoid the mountain premium. The last stretch is relatively steep and you must literally climb a cliff while holding on to chains.
The area surrounding the mountain contains several natural hot springs which can be enjoyed in one of the spa resorts built around them. (See Narada Tropical Resort and Litchi Garden Hot Spring Resort.)
Location: 50 minute drive (about 76 kilometers) from Sanya City, 9 kilometers from the town of Baoting
Price: 30 Yuan entrance fee (25 Yuan per person for groups of at least 10)
Sanya Greatest World of Love
Located on the coast just a 30 minute drive from Sanya, this place is something between a zoo and a circus - not sure exactly how the love fits in. It features tigers, elephants, crocodiles, and pigs. A shuttle bus will take you to four stadiums where shows are performed, each showcasing one of these animals.
At the tiger stadium, you can see these majestic creatures up close and personal. Before the show, go around the main platform to where the tigers wait. With the only barrier being one set of bars between them and you, you could literally stick your hand in their cage and pet them – not recommended though if you like your hand. The show itself features some cool moments, like the tigers jumping through hoops of fire. The elephant show has the giants performing stunts like playing basketball – dunking and making 3 point shots – and standing on one leg. In the crocodile show, two trainers display their courage by taunting the animals. They poke it with a stick, pull on its tail, kiss it, and even stick their hands and head in its mouth. One croc, the one where they put their hands and head in its mouth, seems to be trained not to snap, but I still give the trainers props. I mean, can you really train a crocodile? In the pig show, the piggies run up and down the stadium and jump off a platform into water. It’s a bit silly, but still cute.
In addition to the shows, the zoo/circus provides some opportunities to interact with these and other animals. This will cost you though. (See the price chart below.) Before and after the elephant show, you can get your picture taken on an elephant, either sitting on top of the elephant or on its trunk. There’s a big crocodile pool where you get a piece of meat hung on a pole and get to feed the crocodiles. You can also get your picture taken with peacocks, holding a big python or a baby croc, or you can take a ride on an ostrich. Finally, you can feed baby tigers with a bottle. When we were there, the tigers were a little bigger already and had to be fed through bars. But when they have tigers that are small enough, you can even hold them.
We recommend this place for kids and animal lovers, the best part being that you have the chance to interact with some amazing animals that you might usually only see at a distance or through barriers. Consider combining your visit here with Tropical Ocean World which is very close by and carries a similar theme.
Location: 30 minute drive from Sanya City.
Price: 108 Yuan entrance fee
Other Charges:
Picture on an Elephant: 30 Yuan per pose
Ride an Ostrich: ? Yuan
Picture with Peacocks, Snake, or Croc: 10 Yuan per animal
Bottle Feeding Young Tigers: 10 Yuan
Holding a Tiger Cub: 40 Yuan (includes a picture)
How to get there from Sanya:
By Taxi: 50 Yuan each way. If it waits for you, the charge is 12 Yuan per hour.
Sanya Tropical Ocean World
Tropical Ocean World is like a mini sea world, where you can see live animal shows, including parrots, crocodiles, and seals, and also pet sea turtles. The highlight of this park is the seal show, where these animals show off their acrobatic and sports skills, being especially adept with a volleyball. They balance it on their nose, catch it, throw it, and even play catch with each other over a net.
In the bird show, you can see parrots riding bicycles, doing flips, and the like. At the end of the show, they have a very sneaky way of getting money from visitors: you can hold out 10 Yuan bills and a parrot will land on you hand, snatch the bill, and then return it to the trainer.
The crocodile show has the trainers aggravating the croc and tempting it to snap. Here you can also get your picture taken holding a small crocodile for 10 Yuan.
Finally, there’s a pool with 2 different species of sea turtle. The turtles, some being over a meter in length, swim up to the side where you can reach your hand in and touch them. Depending on where you come from, this might be a rare experience for close contact with these very beautiful but endangered species, the loggerhead and hawksbill sea turtles.
As the park is rather small, consider combining your visit here with nearby zoo and circus Sanya Greatest World of Love.
Location: 30 minute drive west from Sanya City
Price: 68 Yuan entrance fee
Other Charges:
Picture with a Croc: 10 Yuan
Parrot landing on your arm and taking your money: 10 Yuan
How to get there from Sanya:
By Taxi: 50 Yuan each way. If it waits for you, the charge is 12 Yuan per hour.
Betel Nut Park and Ethnic Villages
The park, made up of the Li Village, the Miao Village, and the rainforest, is a fun and interactive way to get a good taste of the native cultures of Hainan Island. The price for entrance is 165 Yuan, and you can get an English-speaking tour guide for an extra 40.
The tour begins with the Li Village. The Li people are the first known inhabitants of Hainan and an ethnic minority of China, having their own language, classified into five dialects, and a unique culture and lifestyle adapted specially to the Hainan environment. At the entrance, you will be greeted by Li girls dressed in traditional garb who will grab your earlobes in welcome. A small museum displays common articles and cultural information, about tattooing for example. Along the way you can explore some traditional Li houses, made of mud and straw or wood. The Li people are know for their weaving skills, and you will encounter several old ladies weaving away, and you can even try your hand at the loom. You can also purchase some beautifully crafted tapestries or purses. But as goes for all the shop areas in the park, don’t be duped by the setting and forget to haggle. Also, there will be shops and extra charges for all kinds of stuff throughout the park, so take note that you might end up spending way more than the ticket price.
The first extra charge of 10 Yuan: a dried betel nut hung around your neck which makes you a Li village VIP. The associated privileges we would say are well worth it: you get to wear a Li costume including a very cool hat, try some Li hunting methods, and taste some traditional food including bamboo rice and betel nuts. The betel or areca nut can be chewed much like chewing tobacco and acts as a stimulant. It makes your mouth and spit red. Be careful not to swallow; ingesting even a tiny amount can make you sick. You will also have the chance to hold a baby pig, a big python, and a baby monkey; if you take a picture you will be charged 10 Yuan per animal. Other Li village attractions include bamboo tree climbing, playing traditional instruments, and a bamboo dancing show.
Next is the rainforest. A stone path leads you up the mountain and through the rainforest a ways where you can see Li jungle huts and Hainan squirrels, pray to the mother, baby, and father trees, and finally try some jungle teas. To go back down the mountain, you can get in a harness and zoom down a wire, with your feet hanging in the air.
Finally the Miao village. The Miao migrated to Hainan Island during the 16th century of the Ming Dynasty, and are still dispersed throughout other parts of China. Instead of a betel nut, 10 Yuan will get you an ox-tooth necklace here. This doesn’t seem to give you any special privileges in the Miao village, but it’s a pretty neat souvenir. You will be greeted by Miao girls that bump you with their hips as you pass between them. The Miao put on an excellent show with their bold stomping on broken glass and fire, dancing, fire swallowing, and other feats. You can also see some different species of snakes, including a king cobra. They don’t let you hold that one. The Miao use snakes and other ingredients to create various medicines, some of which you can purchase here.
Despite all the extra charges, we heartily recommend a visit to the park. It offers enough to see, touch, taste, and do to last three fun hours and should leave a happy impression. It is also a good place to buy some nice crafted knick knacks.
Location: 30 minute drive from Sanya City.
Price: 165 Yuan entrance fee
Other Charges:
Tour Guide: 40 Yuan
Li Village VIP Status: 10 Yuan
Miao Village Ox Tooth: 10 Yuan
Taking a Picture with an Animal: 10 Yuan per animal
