In this season, it is the best time to go Hainan for an enjoyment. The beatutiful views and the good accomodation will make you fully refreshed.

 

 

The sky is ugly. The sandstorms are on their way. No matter how you slice it, Beijing's pre-spring season leaves much to be desired. For a beach holida, Sanya is the best choice to fill that craving for warmer surroundings.

 

Located on the southern edge of Hainan Island, the city has four main parts: Yalong Bay, Dadonghai Beach, Downtown Sanya and Sanya Bay. However, prepping for a holiday there requires more than just picking which hotel to stay in.

 

Sanya's beaches are divided up by activities. Besides the basic sea, sun and sandy beach, the city also offers golf, scba diving, hot springs, a hike in the rain forest, sailing and fishing, rafting, spa treatments, shopping, night life and great venues for sampling the local seafood.

 

Beijing Today covers five of the best hotels for these activities. The list includes one of the most luxurious five-star hotels, two cozy three-stars and a couple of no-star hostels for the younger travel crowd.

 

Hilton Sanya Resort and Spa

 

Range: Five-star

 

This hotel, positioned on Yalong Bay, Hainan's southernmost tip, overlooks a 750 meter stretch of powdery white sand.Its six restaurants and bars, all based on traditional Chinese elements, offer indoor dining in air-conditioned comfort and al fresco dining in the island's balmy breeze.Big Kitchen All-Day Dining is an all-day dining restaurant with a trendy open-kitchen setting as its main draw. Diners will find all kinds of world cuisines served here. After the Hilton Resort Breakfast, the restaurant turns into an open lunchtime kitchen serving noodles and pastas, sandwich boards, baked goods and sushi, sashimi and salads ?even barbecues, grills and stews. A whole new atmosphere wafts in at dusk for a fancy dinner tour of the world - Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian, Sri Lankan, Indian, Australian, Pacific Island, Middle Eastern, Continental European and American are mixed up for creative dishes.

 

Address: Yalong Bay National Resort District, Sanya

Get there: 40km from Phoenix Airport in Sanya and 230km from the Meilan Airport in Haikou, 25km to the railway station, and 20km from Sanya's dontown.

Tel: +86-898-8858 8888

 

Sanya Romantic Seaview Hotel

 

Range: Three-star

 

This resort is, without a doubt, the top pick for young lovers and newlyweds. Situated on the picturesque beach Dadonghai, the Sanya Romantic Seaview Hotel is embraced by natural mountains and sprinkled with a pleasant mix of greenery that lends a glow to local flora. The bright, south-China sunshine makes every rare tropical bud even more gorgeous.  

 

The hotel offers an assortment of guest rooms for you to customize your visit: warm, romantic standard garden rooms, standard sea-view rooms, luxury suites and more. Every room is comfortable and has a gracious style and clear color.

 

Address: Dadonghai Travel District, Sanya 572000

Get there: The picturesque beach Dadonghai, a 20-minute drive from the airport and 10-minute from the downtown.

Tel: +86-898-8821 6888

 

Sanya Shengyi Seaview Hotel

 

The Sanya Shengyi Seaview Hotel is the perfect place to impress clients and partners before signing the next big contract. With its close location to the airport, the hotel is an ideal business trip destination, which offers accommodations, business service, food and drink and entertainment.

 

The hotel is equipped with a gracefully furnished sea view lobby bar. There are deluxe conference halls and huge auditoriums, all fully equipped for your presentations, as well as large parking lots, souvenir shops and a business center. After the meetings and negotiations are out of the way, leave your clients a lasting impression by inviting them out to enjoy the fantastic natural scenery.

 

Range: Three-star

 

Address: Binhai Road, Sanya 572000

Get there: About 15-minutes from the Sanya Phoenix International Airport.

Tel: +86-898-8889 8333

  

Sanya Eagle Backpackers Hostel

 

Range: No-star youth hostel

 

The hostel's founder is Jane. Her friends call her Coconut Jne, because she is always sweet and kind. As a certified tour guide, she runs the place and maintains a thoroughly good vibe, as well as clean and comfortable rooms. The triple can also be a dorm, so single travelers can still get a bed for a very cheap price.  

 

Jane offers all sorts of tours from sightseeing trips she leads herself, to diving. She will organize any budget tour that interests you in Sanya to the best of her ability. The hostel opened fairly recently.

 

All the hostel employees speak fluent English. They are friendly and will help you with English translations and guidance. They try their best to make the hostel a cozy corner for backpackers. It's not a big hostel, and is very laid back.

 

Address: No 1206B Haitianhuiyuan Buiding, Yuya Road, Dadonghai, Sanya

Get there: If you take the bus, you will find a stop in front of the Sanya Bus Station. Do not cross the road. Hop on the No 202 bus and get off at the 9th stop to enter the Kaiyue Sea View Hotel. The hostel is on the twelfth floor.

Tel: +86-898-8821 1805

 

Sanya Blue Sky International Youth Hostel

 

Range: No-star youth hostel

 

Alternatively, take the No 202 bus from Sanya center or the bus station and get off at the Summer Mall stop. Head back 40m to Haiyun Road and turn left, then follow the road another 60m.

 

The hostel also offers a taxi pick-up service at Sanya Phoenix Airport. The cost is 50 yuan per taxi. Call in advance or email to make the arrangement - especially if you will arrive after 6pm."When we stayed here, several other guests who had been traveling independently through China rated the Blu Sky as the best hostel in the country. In a place as big as China, that is a big call. But it's hard to disagree.The owner of the hostel sets the tone with regular events, including a great value weekly DIY seafood barbecue, and make-your-own dumplings sessions ...

 

The hostel organizes beautiful tours in or around Sanya - all friendly and cheap. You can relax at an extremely cheap body or foot massage, for only 15 yuan per hour. If you want to learn more about the local minorities, a Li and Miao minority village package should satisfy your curiosity. If you are a restless traveler and would like to exercise, you can go scuba diving and snorkeling, climb Nanshan and Tianyahaijiao, tour the nearby Monkey Island or hike in the rain forest. No matter what you do during the daytime, head to Nan Tian Hot Spring at nightfall to relax your bones and muscles after a day of activity."  

 

Address: 20 Haiyun Road, Dadonghai District, Sanya

Get there: A taxi from the bus station to the hostel sets you back 10 yuan for 3km. The 25km from the Sanya Phoenix Airport to the hostel costs 50 yuan. Call the hostel if the driver can't find it.

Tel: +86- 898-8818 2320

 

Email: sy-youthhostel@163.com  

 

(Beijing Today March 26, 2007)