According to Best-medical-schools, Sanya Phoenix International Airport is located 11 km northwest of the city center. You can get to Sanya from Moscow by regular flights of Aeroflot, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines. True, with one or two transplants. The fastest way to fly is China Southern Airlines with a transfer in Wuhan (from 1240 USD, 13-15 hours). Prices on the page are for November 2022.
During the high season, UTair operates direct charter flights from Moscow to Sanya. Departure on Tuesdays and Fridays, round trip ticket – from 2200 USD, travel time – 10 hours.
China Eastern Airlines flights from St. Petersburg to Sanya (from 2300 USD, round-trip travel time 19-28 hours).
From airport to city
The express bus runs between the airport and downtown Sanya from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm (travel – 24 CNY). Regular bus No. 8 runs from the airport through the resort area of Sanyavan and the city center to the resort area of Dadonghai (departure every 15 minutes, travel time to the center is about 20 minutes, fare is 15 CNY).
A taxi from the airport to the city center will cost 60-80 CNY.
Districts of Sanya
The crowded central part of the resort – Sanya City – is filled with chic shops, fashion boutiques, restaurants, clothing and food markets, and numerous fast food establishments. On both sides of it in the vast bays are the resort areas of Sanya: Dadonghai, Yalunvan and Sanyavan.
The longest of them – Sanyavan, is the closest to the airport and the center of the resort. It attracts with inexpensive hotels, democratic restaurants, bars and cafes. Dadonghai is especially popular among outdoor enthusiasts and tourists from Russia. There are many diving centers and water equipment rentals, full of bars, nightclubs, discos and catering establishments with Russian names and Russian cuisine. The Yalunvan resort area to the east of the center, with expensive hotels, private apartments, villas and fashion boutiques, is the most respectable in Sanya. To match all this, local prices are the highest in the resort.
Sanya Hotels
Sanya is a young resort. The same can be said about his hotels. The most prestigious 5 * hotels with expensive restaurants, excellent service and developed infrastructure are on the first line of the Yalunvan resort area. They have everything to get a good rest without leaving the hotel. 4* hotels in Dadonghai are a reasonable compromise between price and quality. Their location, service and infrastructure are almost as good as five-star hotels, but they are much cheaper.
How much: 5* hotels – 306-3500 CNY, 4* – 220-1225 CNY, 3* – 166-950 CNY, 2* hostels and hotels – 88-100 CNY, apartments – from 230 CNY.
Choosing a 3 * hotel is like a lottery – it can turn out to be an institution of a completely European level, or it can turn into its Chinese fake – with faulty air conditioning, a dirty pool, tasteless breakfasts and terrible cleaning. Hostels and 2 * hotels, which are most in the city center and Sanyavan district, are quite suitable for backpackers and budget tourists. And apartments are a good choice for large companies and families with children.
Transport
Public transport in Sanya is represented by city buses, taxis, tourist minibuses and rickshaws.
Buses
Bus routes No. 1, 2, 4 and 11 pass through the central part of Sanya, the cost of the trip is 1-6 CNY. Bus No. 25 connects Sanyavan with Dadonghai (travel time 15 minutes, ticket 15 CNY) and Yalongwan (50 minutes, 25 CNY).
Tourist minibuses are convenient for families and small companies planning to visit several attractions in one day. The driver will move from place to place and wait for passengers as long as necessary. The price is negotiable and depends on the distance and the number of objects (half day / day – about 500 CNY).
Taxi
Taxi is the fastest and most convenient way to get around. The car can be called by phone, found near the hotel or stopped with a wave of the hand on the street. Landing costs 112-15 CNY and includes the first 2 km of the journey, then – 2 CNY for each km. Payment strictly according to the counter. The approximate price of a trip from the center to Sanyavan is 40-60 CNY, to Dadonghai – 60-80 CNY, to Yalongvan – 100-120 CNY.
Taxi drivers in Hainan do not speak foreign languages. Ask the hotel reception to write down the name of the place you are going to in Chinese on paper to show it to the driver.
Moto and cycle rickshaws
The most exotic mode of transport is motor rickshaws and cycle rickshaws. The cost of the trip in both cases is negotiable, but in the latter it also depends on the weight of the passenger. 10-15 CNY is quite a reasonable price for a short trip.
Bicycles for rent
Many hotels in Sanya provide bicycles for rent: regular, tandem and even electric – for free for one or two hours or from 30-40 CNY per day. On the embankments of Sanyavan and Dodonghai, there are many small offices where you can rent a bicycle, electric bike and motorbike. To rent the last two, you need rights.
- How to get around Hainan and is it possible to rent a bike on the island
- Center of Sanya
Rent a Car
Car rental is justified for those who are going to actively explore the area. There are two car rental companies in Sanya – Chinese Tongye and international Avis. Their offices are at the airport, at the railway station and in some hotels in the city. The minimum cost of renting a car is from 300 CNY per day.
Before driving, foreigners must obtain a temporary Chinese-style driver’s license from the police. To do this, you need to fill out an application and present a national driver’s license with a translation into Chinese, an international driver’s license, a hotel reservation and 3 color photographs. The term for issuing a certificate is a week.
The cost of gasoline is 13.23 CNY per liter. The fine for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km / h is 2000 CNY, for drunk driving – 3000-6000 CNY.
The chaotic traffic in the resort can discourage even an experienced driver. A huge number of cars, scooters, bicycles and rickshaws seem to be moving, ignoring all traffic rules. Signs in English are a rarity. Finding a free parking space is a problem, especially near shopping and entertainment centers. The cost of paid parking – from 7 CNY / hour.
A reasonable compromise is renting a car with a driver. In this case, the costs will increase by 100-200 CNY per day.
