Hainan

China's tropical retreat — white-sand beaches, ancient temples, and duty-free shopping

What we can arrange

Sanya beach resort on Hainan Island from 7 days

Beach Holidays

The white-sand beaches of Yalong Bay and Dadonghai Bay — among the finest spots for a beach holiday on the tropical island of Hainan, available year-round.

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Phoenix Island — Sanya's premier resort complex seen from above VIP

Tailor-made tours

A personalised Hainan itinerary: luxury hotels, private transfers, a dedicated guide, and exclusive island excursions.

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The 108-metre Guanyin Statue at Nanshan Temple complex, Hainan excursions

Excursion programmes

Nanshan Temple with the 108-metre Guanyin Statue, tropical Wuzhizhou Island, Tianya Haijiao park, and Ma'an volcano — explore Hainan.

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The world's largest duty-free complex in Sanya, Hainan duty-free

Duty-Free Shopping

The world's largest duty-free retail complex in Sanya — international brands at discounts of up to 30%. The purchase limit is 100,000 yuan per person.

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Sanya beach resort on Hainan Island from 7 days

Beach Holidays

Hainan's finest tropical beaches, open year-round.

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Phoenix Island — Sanya's premier resort complex seen from above VIP

Tailor-made tours

A personalised itinerary with a private guide and VIP service.

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The 108-metre Guanyin Statue at Nanshan Temple complex, Hainan excursions

Excursion programmes

Nanshan Temple, Wuzhizhou Island, and other wonders of Hainan.

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The world's largest duty-free complex in Sanya, Hainan duty-free

Duty-Free Shopping

The world's largest duty-free offering discounts of up to 30%.

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About Hainan

Hainan is China's largest tropical island, often referred to as the "Hawaii of the East." Situated in the South China Sea, the island draws visitors year-round with its warm climate, white-sand beaches, and turquoise waters. The main resort city of Sanya offers premium-grade leisure: luxury hotels, modern infrastructure, and a wide range of activities for families.

The island is known for distinctive landmarks: the Nanshan Buddhist temple complex with its 108-metre Guanyin Statue, the scenic Wuzhizhou Island with coral reefs, Tianya Haijiao park, and the tropical forests of Yanoda National Park. Shopping holds a special place here — Sanya is home to the largest duty-free retail complex in the world.

For Russian travellers, Hainan is particularly appealing due to its visa-free regime of up to 30 days. The flight from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk takes around 6 hours. AMIST arranges Hainan tours with full support: from hotel selection and transfers to excursion programmes and assistance with duty-free shopping.

Nanshan Buddhist temple complex on Hainan Island, China
30 days visa-free entry
~6 h flight
+25…+32 °C year-round
CNY (¥) yuan
100 000 ¥ duty-free allowance

Best time to visit Hainan

Hainan is a tropical island with a gentle monsoon climate. The best time to visit is from November through April: dry season, comfortable temperatures of +18…+26 °C, minimal rainfall. From May to October is the rainy season, and typhoons are possible from July through September.

Jan +18°
Feb +19°
Mar +22°
Apr +26°
May +28°
Jun +29°
Jul +29°
Aug +28°
Sep +27°
Oct +25°
Nov +22°
Dec +19°

Getting There

The flight from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to Sanya takes approximately 6 hours — via Vladivostok or direct charter services.

  • Airlines: S7, China Southern
  • Routes: connection via Vladivostok or direct charter flights in season
  • AMIST handles all aspects of flight selection and ticketing

Hainan has two international airports:

  • Sanya Phoenix (SYX) — the main resort airport, just 11 km from central Sanya. Taxi to your hotel — approximately 30 minutes
  • Haikou Meilan (HAK) — airport in the north of the island, convenient for travel to the provincial capital

From both airports, taxis, buses, and hotel transfers are available.

Getting around Hainan is convenient and affordable:

  • High-speed rail — the ring-road route connects Sanya and Haikou in 1.5 hours
  • Taxi — affordable and widely available, metered fare
  • City buses — main routes through the resort zones
  • Scooter Rental — a popular option for short trips
  • Hotel Shuttles — complimentary transfers to beaches and attractions

Fascinating facts about Hainan

15 remarkable facts about China's tropical island

01

China's smallest province

Hainan is China's smallest and southernmost province. The island covers approximately 33,920 km², comparable in area to Belgium. It is also the country's second-largest island after Taiwan.

02

“The Hawaii of the East”

Hainan is often called China's Hawaii or the Eastern Hawaii. The island lies on the same latitude as the Hawaiian islands and shares a comparable tropical climate and fine beaches.

03

The 108-metre Guanyin Statue

At the Nanshan temple complex stands the 108-metre Guanyin Statue — one of the tallest in the world. The three-faced statue is set on an artificial island and can be seen from dozens of kilometres away.

04

Duty-free shopping haven

Hainan is China's largest duty-free zone. Each visitor may purchase duty-free goods up to a value of 100,000 yuan per year. The CDF shopping complex in Haikou is the largest duty-free retail store in the world.

05

“The Maldives of China” — Wuzhizhou Island

The small Wuzhizhou Island off the coast of Sanya is known as China's Maldives for its crystal-clear turquoise water and coral reefs. Underwater visibility reaches 27 metres.

06

Endless summer all year round

Hainan has a tropical climate where air temperatures never drop below +15 °C even in winter. The annual average temperature is +23–25 °C, and sea water warms to +26–29 °C.

07

China's coconut capital

Hainan produces more than 60% of all coconuts in China. The island has over 500,000 coconut palms, and coconut milk, oil, and sweets are a defining feature of local cuisine.

08

Hainanese chicken — a world-class dish

Hainanese chicken rice (海南鸡饭) is a celebrated dish that emigrants from the island brought to Southeast Asia. Today it is recognised as Singapore's national dish.

09

Li and Miao peoples

Hainan is home to distinctive ethnic minorities — the Li and Miao peoples, with histories spanning millennia. The Li have inhabited the island for over 3,000 years and have preserved traditional textile-weaving techniques recognised by UNESCO.

10

Yanoda Rainforest

Yanoda Park is one of China's best-preserved tropical forests, covering 45 km². Some of its trees are over 1,000 years old. The name means "1, 2, 3" in the language of the Li people.

11

Free-trade port

In 2020, Hainan was designated a free trade port — China's largest free trade zone. By 2025 the island had become a fully operational free economic zone.

12

Wenchang Space Launch Site

Hainan is home to the Wenchang Space Launch Site — China's newest and southernmost launch facility, opened in 2016. It is from here that the heavy-lift Long March 5 rockets are launched.

13

China's surfing capital

Riyue Bay in Wanning County is China's recognised surfing capital. International competitions are held here regularly. Waves reach up to 3 metres, and the water stays warm year-round.

14

Phoenix Island — a futuristic oasis

Phoenix Island is an artificial archipelago in Sanya Bay covering 400,000 m². Five distinctively shaped towers house luxury hotels and a yacht club. At night the buildings are illuminated, creating a scene that looks like something from a science fiction film.

15

1,500 km of pristine beaches

Hainan's coastline extends for more than 1,500 km, and a considerable portion of its beaches remains undeveloped. The most renowned are Yalong Bay, Haitang Bay, and Dadonghai Bay in the Sanya area.

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Tours

Tours to Hainan

Discover the tropical island of perpetual summer — from beach relaxation to active adventures

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All China Tours
Excursions

Excursions in Hainan

Day programmes with a Russian-speaking guide — temples, islands, and tropical forests

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All China destinations
Traveller reviews

What our travellers say

★★★★★

My husband and I flew to Hainan in February — our first trip to China, and we came back thoroughly impressed. The Nanshan temple complex is striking in scale, and the 108-metre Guanyin Statue is something you have to see in person. AMIST arranged everything perfectly: transfers, a sea-view hotel, and excursions at a comfortable pace.

Marina and Alexei K. "Hainan: Beaches and Shrines," February 2026
★★★★★

We travelled as a family with two children aged 7 and 11. The kids loved the Sanya water parks, and snorkelling at Wuzhizhou Island was a highlight in itself — our youngest still talks about the fish. The food was excellent: seafood as fresh as it gets, and the children asked for dim sum every single day.

The Tarasov Family “Family Hainan,” January 2026
★★★★★

I travel solo and was a little uncertain about China, but AMIST resolved every concern. Shopping at Haitang Bay duty-free was a genuine pleasure — I saved more on cosmetics and a bag than the tour itself cost. Spa treatments at a hot-springs hotel, and the sunset at Phoenix Island was something else entirely.

Anastasia V. "Hainan: Shopping and Relaxation," November 2025
★★★★★

We brought a team of 12 for a corporate retreat. Surfing in Wanning was the standout — even those who feared the waves got on a board. An evening in Sanya with a waterfront walk and rooftop dinner brought the team together more effectively than any training session.

Dmitry R., department head “Corporate Hainan,” March 2026
★★★★★

This is my second trip to Hainan with AMIST — last year it was beaches and Nanshan, this time I asked to include Yanoda tropical forest. It exceeded every expectation: suspension bridges above the jungle canopy, waterfalls, air that's genuinely remarkable. A third trip is already certain.

Olga S. "Hainan: Yanoda Rainforest," December 2025
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