Your essential guide to Sanya

PLAY

Life at Mandarin Oriental, Sanya revolves around the water. Explore the sweep of Coral Bay on a stand-up paddleboard or commandeer the hotel’s Hobie sailing boat. Snorkelling can also be arranged in the bay’s clear waters for chasing schools of neon tropical fish.

EXPLORE

Get your bearings with a stroll to nearby Dadonghai Beach, a crescent of white sand flanked by coconut palms, with restaurants and bars along its boardwalk. Stop for a fresh coconut juice or go for a swim – only permitted in the lifeguard-supervised areas due to the currents and riptide.

DRINK

As the sun dips towards the ocean, painting the bay pink and lilac, head up to the second-floor Sunset Bar. It’s the perfect time of day for a cool ginger lycheetini or signature gin martini, spiked with cardamom, lime and lemongrass.

DINE

Choose a table on the lantern-decked terrace at Fresh, overlooking the beach. Its menu showcases some exceptional seafood, from plump hand-dived scallops to freshly landed South Sea prawns. Rock lobster laced with passionfruit butter is another speciality, though the kitchen is also known for its precision-grilled steaks.

SEE

The vast Nanshan Temple is quite literally not to be missed, dominated by a soaring statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of compassion. Taller than the Statue of Liberty, she stands out to sea, connected to the shore via a bridge. The gold and jade statue of Avalokiteśvara, which glitters with rubies and diamonds, is another of the temple’s wonders.

TASTE

For polished Cantonese cooking, book a table at Yi Yang. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame serene views of the bay, while the kitchen is known for its seafood, from Hele crab to steamed grouper. Local specialities are executed with real panache, such as the mountain-reared Dongshan lamb slow-cooked in coconut milk.

SURF

It’s around an hour’s drive to the small and laidback Houhai Bay, home to Hainan’s burgeoning surf scene. Hammocks swing lazily in the trees, while the waves are dotted with surfboards. It’s a great place to kick back and relax. Or hire a board and hit the beginner-friendly reef breaks.

SAVOUR

Get better acquainted with China’s finest teas with a Zen Tea Experience: a memorable hour-long ceremony with Shaolin monk Master Hu. In the morning, you'll sip black and oolong tea, to refresh the mind and restore energy levels, while afternoon ceremonies focus on green, white and pu'er tea, to relieve stress.

CRUISE

East along the coast at Haitang Bay, catch a boat to the butterfly-shaped Wuzhizhou Island. It’s a tiny place covered in lush vegetation, including tall tree ferns and gnarled, ancient dragon trees. Pristine beaches and clear waters add to the appeal: just set sail as early as you can to try to beat the crowds.

TEE UP

Sanya is dotted with golf courses, often with epic views. Not far from the hotel, Luhuitou Golf Club’s terrain is more rugged than most, with testing lakes and sand bunkers dotted around the course. Further afield, Mystic Springs Golf Course is worth a detour, with two championship courses, views of Haitang Bay, and some seriously challenging greens.

HIKE

Head inland to explore Yanoda Rainforest, which spans more than a hundred square kilometres. Follow its hiking trails past orchids, tangled vines and ancient banyans, or fly through the canopy on one of Asia’s longest zip-line courses. For an even loftier perspective, a vertiginous glass platform extends over the valley.

CREATE

The best souvenirs are hand-crafted, so back at the hotel sign your offspring up for shell- and t-shirt-painting sessions. More into sport? There’s also the option of a family kung-fu class, where a master will teach you the basic stances, blocks and kicks.

Just over an hour’s drive from the hotel, Binglanggu is a dense, lush corridor of forest, where traditional, boat-shaped houses cling to the valley’s steep sides. At the Binglang Valley Cultural Zone, visitors can learn more about the Li and Miao people and their culture and customs. Don’t miss the extraordinary textiles and exquisite, loom-woven brocades.

- The concierge team at Mandarin Oriental, Sanya.