Sanya Transportation

AIR: Located on Hainan Island in Fenghuang Village, about 20 k (12 miles) northwest of Sanya City, the Sanya International Airport has made reaching Sanya by air extremely convenient for travelers since it first opened in 1994. In order to accommodate for an annual 20% increase in business and tourism visitors, the airport was renovated and expanded in 2003, adding a variety of services including a business center, lounge areas, and a luggage claim area. A second expansion is currently underway to improve the main terminal and construct a new international terminal capable of handling more than 6 million passengers annually.

The airport provides a Visa On Arrival (VOA) option for passengers traveling to Sanya from countries that have foreign trade agreements or relations with the People's Republic of China. If you are traveling with a group of 5 passengers or more, you may qualify for a No-Visa option that is valid for 15 days when visiting Sanya. Visitors holding passports from USA, Singapore, Russia, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Italy, Thailand, The Philippines, Indonesia, Germany, Britain, France, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Holland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are eligible for the No-Visa option.

To get to Sanya City from the airport, you can take a bus to the main bus station in the city center. The trip takes about 30 minutes and costs CNY10. The last bus into Sanya City departs from the airport 40 minutes after the last plane of the day lands. Taxis are also available and cost approximately CNY35 to the city center. For a scenic ride along Sanya’s picturesque coastline, mention to the driver to take Binjai Lu into the city.

If you are heading directly to Sanya bay you can take a bus from the airport for CNY20. Busses to Dadonghai from the airport are CNY50, and if you are traveling to Asian Dragon Bay tickets are CNY100.

TRAIN:  Following two years of construction, the Western Railway began operations in Hainan in April of 2007. The railway follows the western coast of the province, weaving through a diverse array of cities and scenic areas. From Sanya Railway Station trains now travel to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou with minimal stops and transfers, making the journey to Sanya by train an attractive form of travel. The ride from Beijing is approximately 35 hours, made comfortable by new passenger trains that are fully equipped with air conditioning and world-class facilities.

LONG DISTANCE BUS:  Long distance busses depart from Sanya's main bus station located in Jeifang Erlu, and provide travel to every county and city in Hainan Province. Additional busses provide routes to Guandong, Guangxi, Hunan, and Jangxi daily. Buses depart as early as 7am, and run until 11pm.

An express bus to Haikou departs every 20 minutes and the journey between the two cities takes 3-3.5 hours, ranging in price from 49-79CNY depending on the type of bus you take.

SHIP:  Ships dock at the Sanya International Warf traveling from Guandong or Guangxi province. Another route has recently begun that travels from Hong Kong to Sanya, to Vietnam's Halong Bay, and then back to Hong Kong. The journey takes place at least six times monthly. In the future more frequent departures and routes will take place from Sanya's warf.

CITY BUS: local busses are available and reach every stretch of Sanya, including almost all of its numerous scenic areas. Prices range from 1-12RMB depending on the distance traveled.

TAXI:  Traveling by taxi is the best way to access Sanya's many beaches and sights. The base price for taxis is 5RMB for the first 2k and 2RMB for each kilometer thereafter.

BICYCLE:  Sanya's expansive stretches of coastline make exploring the area by bicycle an ideal choice for transportation. Bikes can be rented from almost any beachfront hotel or store.