Discovering Sanya, The Hawaii of Mainland China

By: Mollie Snyder

The beautiful island of Sanya from above

Earlier this year, we discovered Sanya, a tropical getaway off the coast of Mainland China in the province of Hainan. When searching for a winter getaway we continually gravitated towards the South China Sea. After careful research we found Sanya, a luxurious Asian Tropics destination, which boasts regional temperatures of 70-86 degrees Fahrenheit all year round (23-30 degrees Celsius.) Over the past few years, Sanya has become an extremely popular destination for Asian tourists, and Western developers are starting to take notice. When driving through the island we saw an array of luxury resorts to choose from and many more under construction.

Rendering of the Sanya EDITION Hotel, due to open in 2016

Luxury brand, EDITION Hotels, is one of the many top-tier hotel chains scouring to claim their spot on the Sanya coast. Sanya EDITION will be the 5th hotel in the brand’s portfolio, and the first Asian location for the brand partnership between hotelier Ian Schrager and Marriott. Ian Schrager is an American entrepreneur, hotelier and real estate developer, often associated with co-creating the Boutique Hotel category of accommodation. Although details are vague on the hotel’s new development, the EDITION will surely make waves for both Eastern and Western travelers visiting the Hainan Island. Renderings show the resort will boast sleek beach bars, a grand wood lobby entrance and stunning glass exterior. Other 5-star brands such as the Ritz-Carlton and Kempinski have already claimed high-profile locations near the island’s soft beaches.

Hating Bay International Shopping Center

What makes Sanya one of the hottest destinations for tropical getaways is the array of attractions it offers. From duty-free shopping at the Haitang Bay International Shopping Center, the world’s largest duty-free destination, to hanging with monkeys at Monkey Island, The home to 1,800 endangered Macaque monkeys, there is a plethora of modern and natural activities to partake in. There is also the Nantian Hot Spring, a spring filled with healthy minerals, Butterfly Valley, over 1,000 square meters filled with vibrant butterflies, and Asian Dragon Bay, acclaimed as the best beach in Sanya for it’s proximity to Butterfly Valley and silky soft sand. With all that Sanya has to offer, we will definitely be returning to the palm tree filled paradise in the coming months.