5、Sanya

On the southern tip of Hainan Island – China's Hawaii - Sanya's (三亞) main attractions are its weather and its beaches.

Most people head to Dadonghai beach which is a short taxi ride from the city center. There is plenty of accommodation in the area from quite up-market hotels to cheap guesthouses. The beach has a couple of reasonable bars where you can shelter from the sun and marvel at the sight of entire coach parties of Chinese tourists dressed in identical Hawaiian shirts with matching shorts.

Some way to the east of the city is Yalong Bay which has a longer beach than Dadonghai, but unless you are staying in one of the expensive hotels there, you will probably find Dadonghai has more to offer.

For evening eating, the best options are in town. Stick to the seafood and you won't go far wrong.

In recent years Sanya has become a popular destination for Russian tourists and Cyrillic lettering on restaurant and bar signs is a common sight.

You may be accosted by local women trying to sell you strings of pink and black pearls. The pearls are genuine and its possible to find quite good bargains. But remember that they are being sold on the street because they are not perfectly spherical so it's unlikely you will be able to pass them off as an expensive present.

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