After repeated trips along well-worn routes, Russian tourists wanted to visit something more exotic and unusual. As a result, after looking at the reviews of tourists and analyzing all the promised advantages of this holiday, we chose Hainan Island, which is located in the South China Sea. Also an important criterion was the acceptable price tag for a holiday on the islands, since usually a holiday on any island is very, very expensive. Our trip lasted 13 days at a hotel called Haosheng sea view resort 3*, which is located in Sanya Bay (the Chinese call it Sanya Van). The bay itself is a 10-15 minute drive from the Hainan Island airport, so we always saw and heard planes taking off and landing. In principle, it was not that stressful.
We arrived on the island in the morning. After checking into our room, we quickly headed to the beach to look at the sea and the white sand that was promised by the tour operator and the manager at the travel agency. Upon arrival at the beach, we were deeply disappointed, since the sand was not white at all, but very ordinary, as if from a sandbox. The sea was also disappointing. It was dirty and not at all transparent. In general, on the very first day we realized that we had not arrived where we expected. Since this island was so highly praised, much more was expected! Many even compare it to Hawaii, but we just asked ourselves the question “Why?”
As for food, all hotels on the island only include breakfast in the price, so people have lunch and dinner at street eateries and cafes. These establishments can hardly be called restaurants. We preferred to buy food in regular grocery stores. This is due to the fact that many of the tourists who ate on the street were diagnosed with food poisoning. This is understandable, since this food is prepared without observing any sanitary standards. They do not have this concept at all. Therefore, many tourists ended up leaving the instant noodle shop.
As with any vacation, it is impossible to do without various excursion programs to the sights of these places. We went on a tour of the orchid garden. The program was free, so it was in great demand among tourists. We were brought to a huge greenhouse, in which many types of orchids of the most bizarre and unusual shapes and colors bloomed. One of the types of orchids had flowers that looked like a doll in a yellow dress. There were even types of orchids whose roots simply grew without soil, in the air. After that, we were taken to a tea ceremony, where we tried several types of Chinese tea, and after that we were offered to purchase such tea. Let me immediately note that buying exactly the same tea in a regular grocery store will cost several times less.
Another equally interesting excursion we visited was the thermal springs and pools. This place is a small park with several dozen swimming pools with different contents. For example, a pool with wine, rose petals, coffee, coconut milk. There are also regular swimming pools here.
We also went independently to the neighboring Dadonghai Bay. It is the busiest and it is here that the famous shopping centers on Hainan Island are located, for example "Winter-Summer" and McDonald's, where almost all vacationers here strive to get to. Even though the local shopping centers are huge in area and large in the quantity of goods sold, there is nothing to buy here. Since all the clothes sold on the island will not suit a Russian person either in style or height, because all the Chinese are short in stature, and the styles are more reminiscent of children's clothing. We also visited several fur stores. Many tourists on vacation on Hainan Island want to buy a fur product at a low price, but the furs here are imported and they do not have low prices. Fur coats are brought from the mainland, and you need to buy them there. What you really should buy and try are exotic fruits. For example, mangoes and pineapples. Of course, we have them in our country, but these fruits differ radically in taste. It should be remembered that when buying fruit on the street, you need to bargain and carefully look at the scales. Because very often Russians are accused of fruit. We even noticed ourselves that when we were buying fruits, there were Chinese in front of us, and the same fruits were sold to them much cheaper. It is best to buy fruit in stores, as there are promotions there and the price may be cheaper than from street vendors.
During the last days of our holiday there was a typhoon on the island. It was pouring rain the whole day and we didn’t leave the room at all. Palm trees were toppled, debris blew up in the street, and the sea spilled over the entire beach strip. So we don’t remember the last few days as very joyful. Tea, fruits, and coconut candies were purchased as souvenirs and gifts for loved ones. We didn’t buy anything in terms of clothing, since the selection here is only suitable for the population itself.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the holiday on Hainan Island did not live up to our hopes, and judging by the way tour operators praised this place, we were completely surprised.
The pedestrian street is a kind of Mecca for local and visiting travelers who love to stroll through shopping centers. In this place there are not only brand boutiques, but also shops with rare gifts, products made of precious metals, and there are also a lot of restaurants. Do not confuse this street with Pedestrian Street number two, which was opened in two thousand and ten. It also acts as a pedestrian alley with a large number of shops and interesting souvenir shops.
Hainan Island in China is famous for its coconut-based products, tropical fruits, and seafood all year round. Here you can buy tea, coffee beans, white and black pepper and all kinds of spices, delicacies, dried tropical fruits and dried seafood. If you are interested in something unusual, then on the island you will find pearls, products made of precious metals and stones, rock crystal, and national Hainanese clothing.
Well, of course, there are shopping centers here that sell goods that are not taxed. Popular international cosmetic brands, well-known brands of clothing and shoes, gold and pearl items and other things constantly attract travelers, and therefore, on any day of the week, all the shops here are crowded. On Hainan Island, bargaining is absolutely necessary; inflated prices are a common occurrence here. Be careful and do not buy various products made from turtle shells or corals, because by law the production of such products is prohibited on the island in order to protect natural resources and animals.
All organic food products are also confiscated by customs officers. There is no need to try to take unripe fruits out of the country; they will spoil before you get them home. And the rather exotic fruit durian, for example, is completely prohibited from being transported due to its powerful, unique aroma.
It is more correct to buy pearl beads, crystal products, and gold jewelry in boutiques specially designed for such trade.
It is not recommended to purchase some jewelry in a tourist place; prices here will be much higher than the average in the town, but their quality and design will be similar, as elsewhere. You can often see ladies with baskets on the street offering pearls and other goods. You need to understand that these are fakes.
Shopping prices in Sanya, as in all of China, become significantly higher if you are a resident of another country. The Chinese are oriental people, so they love to bargain and do it with pleasure. They expect the same constructive participation from the client in the holy act of purchase and sale. So don’t be embarrassed and take matters into your own hands!
As a rule, the dealer determines the price out of thin air, inflating it by two or even three times. In large, elegant boutiques with written price tags, bargaining is also allowed, but in a special way - asking for a discount.
If you want to buy something from the national clothing of Sanya, it is better not to do this on tourist routes and in hotels - it is much more expensive there. One set at the bazaars in the town will cost you 20-30 yuan maximum.
Tax Free on Hainan Island
Since January 1, 2011, the Tax Free system has been operating in Hainan. When purchasing goods worth more than 5,000 yuan, when leaving the island through the airports of Haikou and Sanya, foreign travelers receive 11% of the amount spent. The Tax Free system operates for 21 groups of goods, including clothing, shoes, cosmetics, haberdashery, products made of precious stones and gold, watches, household appliances, and electronics.
Foreigners aged 18 years and older who leave Hainan by plane will be able to return Tax using a Tax Free check. The tax refund offer can be used no more than 2 times a year.
To get Tax Free, you need to do the following:
- Select a product in a tax-free store (in Sanya this is the Summer Mall)
- When paying for goods, fill out a Tax Refund application form. To apply for the tax free form, you must have your passport with you.
- On the day of departure, present the exported goods at the customs counter at the airport and receive a stamp on the return application form from the customs officer.
- After passing through customs at the Tax Refund counter, receive a refund in cash, or order the refund amount to be transferred to your bank card
Where to go shopping in Sanya
Depending on what exactly you want to bring from Sanya, you should carefully choose where to shop. If you want to feel the real Chinese flavor and bring Chinese goods as a gift (although nowadays it is very difficult to find goods that are not made in China), then you should go shopping on the pedestrian street Jiefang. They speak mostly Russian on Dzefan Street, so there will be no problems communicating with sellers. It’s common to bargain on a pedestrian street, so if you don’t like doing this, be prepared to overpay. In addition to shops with all kinds of junk, you will also find catering establishments on Dziefan, mainly fast food.
Hainan produces the best pearls in China. It was from Hainan that pearls were supplied to the imperial palace in ancient times. And today, Hainan Island occupies a leading place in China in the extraction and export of high-quality pearls. The lifespan of jewelry made from Hainan pearls is about one hundred to two hundred years. You can purchase goods and jewelry made from locally produced pearls in specialized stores: the Heren Pearl Museum, the Jingrun Pearl Museum, the Jingrun Pearl Culture House, as well as from merchants on the beach.
In addition to pearls, local products include products made from precious and semi-precious stones, tropical fruits (including dried fruits), fish and seafood (including dried), silk and unique embroidery in the national style. All this can be viewed and purchased at the first market, which is located on the same Dzefan Street.
Shopping centers in Sanya
In addition to street trading, Sanya also has shopping centers. In this article we will list Sanya's favorite shopping centers among tourists.
China Duty Free (CDF)
The most popular shopping center in Sanya among tourists is the International Duty Free Complex, where you can buy goods that are tax-free. CDF Sanya covers an area of 120 thousand square meters. km. There is a huge selection of clothes, shoes, haberdashery and cosmetics from world brands. You can get to the shopping center by free buses that run from some hotels in Sanya. You can find out the exact schedule at your hotel reception. Many tourists advise going to the Duty Free Center in Sanya not for shopping, but for the sake of general development and familiarization with the largest duty-free shopping center in Asia. As for prices, you should be prepared for the fact that they bite.
In order to buy tax-free goods, you need to show a return ticket and a foreign passport. You can pick up your purchases after you have checked in for your flight at the airport, where there is a specialized Duty Free shopping center counter for issuing purchased goods.
- Address: Yuya Rd, Jiyang Qu, Sanya Shi, Hainan Sheng, China, 572000
- Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 22:00
Summer Mall
Shopping center Leto or Summer Mall is one of the most popular shopping centers among tourists and local residents. In Summer Mall you will find women's and men's clothing, shoes and accessories from famous European and American brands, cosmetics, perfumes, watches, jewelry, bed linen, household appliances and more. The shopping center also houses grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, and pizzerias. On the ground floor of the Leto shopping center, foreign tourists can fill out a Tax Free return form.
- Address: No.1 Haiyun Road, Dadonghai, Sanya
- Opening hours: daily from 9:40 to 22:00
Pineapple Shopping Center
The large shopping center in the shape of a pineapple sparkling in the sun is worth a visit if only for a spectacular photo against its background. Well, if the purpose of your visit is shopping, then Pineapple is an excellent choice. On the 4th floor there are numerous shops and boutiques where you can buy absolutely everything: from clothes to household appliances. On the top floor of the shopping center, as expected, there are catering establishments and various entertainment for children.
- Address: 1 Yuhai Rd, Jiyang Qu, Sanya Shi, Hainan Sheng, China
Mingzhu Plaza
The seven-story shopping center is located in the very center of the city and offers travelers a large selection of clothing, shoes and accessories, genuine leather goods, household goods, food and much more.
- Address: Mingzhu Square, No.668 Jiefang Sanlu, Sanya
- Opening hours: daily from 9:30 to 22:30
Tianhong Emporium
A large shopping center, under the roof of which there are mainly boutiques of famous brands with high-quality expensive goods. Located directly opposite the bus station.
- Address: Jiefang Er Lu, Sanya City
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 9:00 to 22:30; Sat-Sun from 9:00 to 23:00
Tiandu Tourism Shopping Center
The Tiandu shopping center will be an ideal shopping place for those who want to purchase locally produced goods: souvenirs, cosmetics, national clothing, jewelry.
- Address: Tiandu Town, Sanya
Le-Floret Shopping Center
To purchase goods from local craftsmen, it is also worth visiting the Le Floret shopping center. Here you will find unique handicrafts by Hainanese craftsmen, souvenirs, Chinese delicacies and food products.
- Address: Hainan Sheng, Sanya Shi, Jiyang Qu, 216
In this blog I will give practical advice to travelers. Every time I’m going somewhere, I first study the Internet in order to better navigate the area, because there’s always not enough time on vacation and until you figure out where everything is, how to get there, where to buy what, and what excursions are worth visiting and which are not worth it , it's time to go home! :-)
Hainan is an island in the South China Sea. Tourists enter the island on a group visa, that is, on a general list. This island visa allows you to stay only on Hainan Island. You are not allowed to fly to mainland China. If you want to visit Beijing, you will have to get another visa. By the way, traveling by plane to Beijing from Hainan for three days will cost almost the same as a two-week stay in Hainan, so I don’t recommend doing this)
Upon arrival, the hotel guide will intimidate you with stories that you do not have the right to move freely around the island, and that all routes must be agreed upon and written down in your visa, so you should buy excursions exclusively from a tour operator. It's all nonsense! Don't listen! You can move around the island in any direction FREELY!
The city of Sanya, where you will arrive, is divided into three bays. The first from the airport (15 minutes drive) is Sanyavan Bay, then Dadonghai Bay (urban area) and the most remote Yalong Bay
For a better understanding, I will depict the shore in the form of such a simple diagram.
Yalongwan_______________________Dadonghai___________________Sanyawang__Airport.
Yalong Bay has the cleanest sea, the yellowest sand, swimming there is the most pleasant, but it is located far from the city, and if you plan to visit medical centers and shops, it will not be very convenient.
Dadonghai is an urban area, everything is at your fingertips, there are places to walk and have lunch.
Sanyavan Bay, where our hotel was actually located, is less noisy, but also quite lively, the sea here is ugly, gray... not very impressive.
By the way, I was very surprised that the sewage on the island directly flows into the sea. If you decide to walk along the shore, you will see how waste is poured into the sea at certain intervals - a nightmare)) And at the same time, Hainan Island ranks second in cleanest air on the planet! But the purity of the water clearly let us down))
HOTELS
The hotels on the island are quite comfortable, because this resort is very young. The hotel areas are green and beautiful with swimming pools))
NUTRITION
Meals "Breakfast". There are no frills or variety, but the breakfast here is not the same as, for example, in GOA, where they only serve an omelet and toast with butter. In Hainan, breakfast resembles a full lunch. It includes both soup and side dish (rice, Chinese noodles). There are problems with meat)) - these are either pieces of duck, or lard, Chinese dumplings, fried eggs. A little greenery. From fruits: watermelons, apples, tangerines, pineapples. For dessert, biscuits. For me, food doesn’t really matter, so the food suited me quite well. You can have lunch and dinner in nearby restaurants. If they are not nearby, they will take you to them for free and then take you back to the hotel. Literally on the first day of your vacation, on the beach or on the street you will be given a business card of the nearest restaurant with a Russian name and telephone number. This is the first time I have encountered such a service as free delivery in China; this is not available in any other country. They fight for clients here! Also, on the streets near the hotel or on the seashore, seafood and vegetables are fried, you can have lunch here too, if you are not bothered by the modest atmosphere in such “food points”) The prices are quite affordable.
TRANSPORT
You cannot rent a car in Hainan; only licenses obtained in China are recognized here. Traffic on the streets of Sanya can be called an orderly house) Driving in the oncoming direction is in the order of things, crossing a double solid line is also not a violation. No one gives way to pedestrians even at a pedestrian crossing, so it is recommended to cross the road with a crowd of Chinese). Wait until they accumulate and don’t tear yourself away from them))
The only violations of the rules here are drunk driving and running a red light, everything else is allowed!))
There is a busy road running along the entire Sanya beach, that is, as such, there are no first-line hotels in Sanya. To get to the beach, you have to cross the road every time, which is not very convenient, but you quickly get used to it) City buses regularly run along this road. Route No. 25 goes from Sanyavan Bay to Yalong Bay, that is, through the whole of Sanya. The journey costs about 8 yuan from end to end (1 yuan = 5.5 rubles) The journey takes approximately 1 hour 10 minutes.
Routes No. 8 and No. 25 go to the center (Dadonghai Bay) from Sanyavan Bay, the fare is 5 yuan, the ride takes 35 minutes.
The roads are very busy, there is a traffic jam in the center, almost at any time of the day, buses are also usually crowded))
It is very convenient to travel by taxi. There are a lot of taxi drivers in Sanya. Landing costs 8 yuan (44 rubles) further plus one yuan per kilometer. Drivers do not know English or Russian; it is better to show the required location on the map. (You can pick up maps for free at the airport. Don’t forget to look around upon arrival! They are located in front of the exit from the airport.)
With taxi drivers, as absolutely everywhere in China, you have to bargain. As a rule, they quote a price that is twice the actual price. Feel free to bargain. One taxi driver will refuse, another will agree)
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
In Hainan, only dollars are used. The euro is not popular. You can exchange dollars for yuan at the hotel. In our hotel, at the reception there were always Russian-speaking Chinese engaged in exchanges. These are not hotel employees, this is some kind of private business (mafia))), which works closely with the tour operator.
Dollars are exchanged at the rate of 100 dollars - 595 yuan. The bank exchange rate was 604 yuan, but we did not live in the center, there were no banks nearby, so we changed it at the hotel. The guide told me that it is very difficult to make an exchange at a bank, you need to provide a passport, a travel voucher and fill out documents in English, but I think that in reality everything is simple. The guide will also tell you that in China, shops only accept yuan. It is not true! In stores, when buying excursions from local travel agencies, we paid in dollars and even rubles, and everywhere change was given at the rate of 100 dollars = 600 yuan, that is, it is more profitable to pay in dollars.
PURCHASES
There is nothing special to buy in Hainan) All the clothes are of Chinese unattractive quality, in short, terrible))
People usually bring silk blankets and pillows, tea and pearls from Hainan.
Silk blankets are really worth buying. They are light, weightless.... warm under them in winter and cool in summer. Filler - silk threads of silkworm. 
I recommend taking a free sightseeing tour of Sanya (shop tour) from a tour operator. You will be taken to the shops “Silk Factory”, “Tea Museum”, “Snake Farm”, “Shark Factory”, etc. Listen carefully to everything.....At the silk factory they will explain to you how to distinguish a real silk blanket from a fake one. Get the necessary information, but under no circumstances DO NOT BUY anything there!......Prices there are at least five times more expensive than in regular stores! "Silk Factory" is not a factory at all, but an ordinary stylized store . There are no production facilities in Hainan, this is prohibited! At the factory, a blanket weighing 1.5 kg costs about 500 yuan, at a store in Dadonghai 
we bought this for 150 yuan, of course it’s real - we checked it, set it on fire, etc... everything as it should be)))
In the tea museum, tea is incredibly expensive!) They will tell you that only here is real, natural tea, and in the shops on the streets they sell who knows what).... I don’t know how true this is, but tea is as expensive as in this museum , no where else!
Also, don't buy anything from a snake farm. 
snake venom, not fat, not anything else. Write down the name and buy it all at a regular pharmacy. At the pharmacy it all costs three times less. I still bought a medicine based on snake venom for my parents at a snake farm for 300 yuan, and then another bottle of the same at a pharmacy for 100 yuan.
In general, as for prices in Hainan, they vary so much! But for us visitors, it is absolutely not clear to us what it should cost and how much it should cost) The same product can be bought for both 100 and 500 yuan)
"Leto" is a shopping center of European level with corresponding prices.
“Winter” looks like a multi-storey Chinese market, everything inside looks like it’s in a slum)) Nevertheless, it’s worth buying everything only there. On the second floor we bought blankets. The starting price (1.5 kg) was 240 yuan, sold for 150. A pillow for 120 yuan. There you will be given the opportunity to open the blanket and check it, they will set a piece of it on fire) Then they will pack it in vacuum packaging and the blanket will not take up much space in your suitcase.
Buy tea at Zima too. Many people buy counterfeit Chinese branded bags here that actually look like the real thing. Cut the price in half. If they ask for 1200 yuan, you can buy it for 700, the main thing is your hardness))
Almost all the sellers in “Zima” are Russian-speaking, and in general this is a “Russian” district) Buying and bargaining here will not be difficult.
Everyone knows the shopping centers "Winter" and "Summer". Ask your guide how to get there. We asked the currency traders at the hotel to write us the name of the shopping center on a piece of paper in Chinese. On the bus we showed the piece of paper to the conductor and he told us when to get off. It's even easier by taxi. In general, bus conductors will always show you your stop if you find a way to convey to them exactly where you need to go))
Also in Sanya there is a “Pedestrian Street”, a kind of shopping center. It is located near McDonald's. In Chinese, McDonald's is "Maidanlaw". Tell the taxi driver or conductor “Maidanlau” and he will understand you! From Sanyavan Bay to Pedestrian Street and to the shopping centers "Winter" and "Summer" you can take bus No. 8 and No. 25.
We didn’t like Pedestrian Street, but you can go for a walk in the evening)
Many people buy equipment in China, I didn’t buy it)....Good quality real equipment costs about the same as ours. There are a great many fakes here, and the Chinese do not hide it. You will be offered the same product in several versions: original, good fake and bad fake) The choice is yours!:)
You can also buy a fur coat in Hainan. They cost more here than in Beijing, but much cheaper than in Russia. and in principle, the difference in cost will cover all your holiday expenses. Fur coats are sold only in one house, they are not available anywhere else! In this house on the ground floor there are three stores: “Snow Queen”, “Trend Store” and “Fur and Leather” store. They are located next to the Zima and Leto shopping centers, but only on the other side of the road - you can easily find them.
Of course, bargain here too! Mink coats cost around $2,000, sheared beaver coats cost about $800-900, leather down jackets with silver fox - $600.
It will be convenient to print out and take with you the business card of the Snow Queen store. On it is written in Chinese the address of the center - the location of all the stores I described above.
Hainan has a lot of pearls of varying quality. Beautiful sea pearls are expensive, but much cheaper than ours. Cheap freshwater pearls are sold here at every turn; they are worth buying as a souvenir for friends and acquaintances. I bought a lot of pearl bracelets. And don’t forget to bargain here too! :)
CONNECTION
There are many active military bases on the island, so many do not have roaming connections. It is profitable to buy a Chinese SIM card, but not from a guide! The guide will offer you a SIM card for 80 yuan. Walk to the beach, locals there serve it for 20 yuan. Moreover, they gave us a SIM card without money, since there was no change and we paid for it only a day later) The Chinese who sell SIM cards speak Russian. They will also put money on your phone if necessary. A minute of conversation with Russia costs 1 yuan (5.5 rubles). Moreover, the SIM card already has 20 minutes. I don’t understand what the benefit is for the Chinese to sell these SIM cards)
In addition, in China, all hotels have cable Internet in the room. You can talk to Motherland on Skype without any problems. Only access to social networks is limited. You cannot access My World and Facebook from China.
TREATMENT
As it turned out, many of our compatriots go to Hainan from year to year precisely because of treatment. There are many Chinese Traditional Medicine Centers located here. You will be offered acupuncture, massage and many other medical and cosmetic procedures. In my opinion, it’s worth a try, it really helps a lot of people, and it’s not for nothing that Chinese traditional medicine is so famous all over the world. At the hotel, the guide will offer you a free examination at one of the clinics, and they will take you and bring you back free of charge. At the clinic, the doctor will make a diagnosis based on your pulse, examination, and ask you some questions, and it’s up to you to decide whether to be treated or not.
On the streets near the hotel, small medical centers will offer their services. I wouldn’t risk doing acupuncture somewhere unknown - it’s better if it’s more expensive, but more reliable)
EXCURSIONS
There are no historical monuments on Hainan Island, only various parks, zoos, entertainment complexes, etc.
Most of them can be visited on your own; it is not at all necessary to purchase an expensive ticket from a tour operator, or buy excursions from local tour agencies; their representatives can be found on the beach. You need to gather a group of six people (usually this is not difficult) and choose a time convenient for you.
A) "Monkey Island"
The price of an excursion from a GUIDE is 340 yuan, the price from local agencies is 200 yuan.The difference is obvious.
The three of us went to the island on our own by taxi. From Sanyavan Bay, the journey to the island took an hour and a half. For the trip there and back (the taxi driver waited while we walked around at the entrance) We paid 400 yuan, although the meter showed 550. The ticket cost 167 yuan. That is, the excursion cost us 300 yuan per person. It turns out that even taking a taxi to the park is more profitable than buying an excursion from a GUIDE.
If you love animals, then you will love Monkey Island! Monkeys walk everywhere here. You can get to the island using a funicular, which is also interesting! Monkeys are not at all afraid of people, you can easily take pictures of them. Several times a day there are two shows with trained animals, small circus performances, generally interesting)
I don’t recommend feeding monkeys, it’s really dangerous! As soon as you turn towards the bag and try to unfasten the lock, the monkeys will immediately attack, trying to take away everything you have! It’s better not to even try, or to immediately throw everything out of the bag and not hold anything in your hands. I have never seen such impudent monkeys anywhere else!)
b) Center of Buddhism "Nanshan"
You can also get here by bus No. 25 on your own (if you face the sea, you need to go right towards the airport)
Show the conductor the right place on the map and he will show you where to get off. A ticket to the center costs 150 yuan. The park area is 50 sq. km. It's worth a visit; the 105-meter statue of the goddess Guanyin is impressive! The area is green and beautiful with many Buddhist temples.The Buddhist Center is the only excursion that I recommend buying from the GUIDE, the price is 480 yuan. The territory of the complex is huge and you simply won’t know which direction to move. You won’t know the name of this or that temple. With a guide, the excursion is more organized and along the way; by listening carefully, you can get a lot of interesting information.
c) "Thermal springs"
GUIDE price 360 yuan. You shouldn't go with a GUIDE! They will simply take you to the place, and there you will independently “jump” from pool to pool.We bought this excursion from the locals. Price 200 yuan. If you eat yourself, it will be even more expensive. Apparently the Chinese buy tickets in bulk with some kind of discount, it’s not at all clear how they make money)
You can have a great rest on the territory of the complex! Many small pools with water from radon sources, with various additives, of different colors. Everyone especially likes the pool with small fish, which are used for body exfoliation. They bite you so funny! It is recommended to enter the pool with fish last, after you have steamed and taken all the existing thermal baths) But I advise you to jump into the pool immediately in the morning, while there is no one in the pool and the fish are hungry)) Then they are on they will attack you like piranhas)) And later, when the pool is full of people, there are not enough fish for everyone)
Don’t stay in pools with hot radon water for a long time, you will feel really exhausted afterwards.
It’s best to go to the “Thermal Springs” in the morning; during the day a huge number of Chinese will come there and it will be really crowded). This applies to any excursion.
d) Village "Li and Meow"
GUIDE price 335 yuan. The price of an excursion from locals is 200 yuan (a group consists of six people). You can get to the park on your own, but it’s unlikely to be cheaper, and the park area is very large, it’s easy to get lost. It’s much more convenient with a guide)
This is an ethnographic complex telling about the culture and history of the two tribes Li and Meau. The village is located in the middle of the jungle. It's something like an open-air museum. In the park you can watch two colorful costume shows. One of them tells about the wedding ceremony of the Li people. During another show, representatives of the Meow people walk on broken glass and hot iron. There is a cable car in the park, I advise you to take a ride! :-)
Overall the park is nice, you can visit it)
D) Park "The deer turned its head"
It is easy to get to the park on your own by taxi. From Sanyawan Bay the fare costs about 40 yuan. A ticket to the park costs 50 yuan and a ticket for a train costs 10 (Climbing up the mountain by yourself is quite tiring, better by train)
The park is located in the center of Dadonghai Bay. There is nothing special about the park itself. Although this place is considered sacred by the local Li people. An interesting legend is associated with him about a young man and a deer, which he was hunting, and which at the very last moment turned into a girl. And in connection with this legend, the park has many places associated with loyalty, love and family values. The view of the city from above is especially attractive. You can take great photos! The park is located on the highest mountain of Sanya. It is best to visit the park in the evening, when the city is especially beautiful in the light of the night lights.
E) Park "Edge of the World"
GUIDE price 415 yuan. We visited the park on our own. You can get there by bus number 25. (Ticket price 5 yuan) If you face the sea, then you need to go to the right. Show the conductor the park on the map and he will tell you when to get out, although you can guess it yourself based on the huge gates and crowds of people. A ticket to the park costs 100 yuan and 15 for a train ticket (the park area is not small). That is, if you go on your own, the excursion will cost you 120 yuan.
It is best to go to the park early in the morning. It was raining in the morning and we set off at about 12 noon. At this time there are a lot of Chinese there, well, a lot of them! There’s just nowhere to stand, let alone take a photo)) There’s a huge queue of local people forming at every important place, which is a bit of a nuisance)
According to legend, the name of the park was given by the mythical monkey king Sun Wukong, who visited here during his travels and was struck by a bizarre accumulation of huge giant stones and gave it a name meaning the Edge of the Sky or the Edge of the World. There really are a lot of huge boulders located along the seashore, which is what attracts the park itself. Many of the boulders have their own legend, marked with a hieroglyph somewhere on the side)
The park is worth a visit, the boulders are pretty and the photos look beautiful!
These are the excursions for which we had enough time. I really wanted to go to the Butterfly Park, which is located in Yalong Bay near the Cactus Hotel! We got to it, but it turned out that it was closed - all the butterflies died ((...What a shame!)
Sanya also has interesting zoos, evening shows “Crown of Beauty”, “Romantic Sanya”, “The Lost World”. It’s impossible to cover everything in two weeks!
I wanted to visit the Heiko volcano and go down into its crater. The price of an excursion for a GUIDE is 1200 yuan, for locals (group of 8 people) 600 yuan.
In Hainan there is a “fierce” struggle between the Russian tour operator, and more precisely between the Chinese who cooperate with the Russian tour operator and local excursion organizers. This is not the case in any other country, mafia in one word)) Locals hide their activities, put tourists on buses away from hotels. The Chinese who collaborate with the guide catch them, fine them, and even get into a fight!)
If you have already chosen Hainan Island as your next vacation destination, I hope my tips will be useful to you!
The pedestrian street is a kind of mecca for local and visiting shopaholics. There are not only brand stores here, but also shops with unique souvenirs, jewelry, and many restaurants. Do not confuse it with Pedestrian Street No. 2, opened in 2010. It is also a pedestrian alley with many boutiques and souvenir shops. The Sanya International Shopping Center, a duty-free shop, is also located here.
This region is known for its large volumes of pearl production, so you can buy it here on almost every corner. You can and even need to bargain with sellers, since many of them strive to profit from gullible tourists.
Take into account certain nuances of purchasing pearls and other local souvenirs if you do not want to overpay:
- It is simply necessary to bargain with sellers, otherwise a gullible tourist will overpay significantly.
- Tourist guides receive about 50% commission on your purchase, so you pay for it. Therefore, it is best to go to the store yourself.
Shopping paradise on Hainan Island
In addition to pearl jewelry, people often buy in Sanya:
- famous Chinese tea;
- Chinese powder;
- branded items from famous manufacturers;
- robes, negligees, silk bed linen;
- women's cone-shaped hats with photographs for 5 yuan (you can buy them in Sanya City at The First Market).
The First Market is served by bus routes 2 and 4. You can find out more about ways to get around the city in the overview.
For shopping to be fruitful, you need to know the best places, which we will now get to know.
China Duty Free (CDF)
This is a duty free shopping center opened in Sanya in 2009. It is located almost in the city center, not far from Dadonghai Bay.
The largest duty free store in the city center
CDF is the largest shopping center for tourists, where brand boutiques of Chinese and foreign manufacturers are presented on two floors. Here you can buy leather goods, clothes, shoes, cosmetics and perfumes, jewelry, food and much more.
To purchase duty free goods, you must present a return ticket and a foreign passport. You can receive your purchases in your hands after checking in for your flight at the airport, where there is a special Duty Free store counter for issuing purchases.
Corner Deli Store
Supermarket of foreign goods. Located on the fifth floor of the large Summer Mall shopping center.
Here you can buy not only goods from Korea, Japan, the USA and Europe, but also Russian alcohol, as well as food. Prices in the supermarket are about the same as elsewhere in Sanya, but the selection is more varied.
Good selection of products from Germany, France, Italy, USA, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore and other countries
Mingzhu Plaza shopping center
- Opening hours: from 9-30 to 22-30.
- Address: Mingzhu Square, No.668 Jiefang Sanlu.
A six-story hypermarket located in the very center of the city. Offers tourists a huge selection of clothing, shoes for the whole family, leather goods, household goods, food, etc.
In addition to all kinds of shops, Mingju has cafes and restaurants on the sixth floor, as well as two cinemas, one of which offers foreign films in the original language with Chinese subtitles.
Shopping center "Summer Mall"
- Address: Da Dong Hai, Haiyun road 1
One of the most popular shopping centers among tourists and locals, which is located in Dadonghai.
What you can buy at Summer Mall:
- 1st floor – cosmetics and perfumes, watches, jewelry;
- II floor – all kinds of products for women;
- III floor - the same, but for men;
- IV floor – sportswear, shoes, equipment;
- V floor – imported goods and products, as well as bedding, household appliances, etc.
Supermarket "Gou Jun"
- Opening hours: every day until 22.00.
- Address: Da Dong Hai, Yuya Lu 115.
The Guo Run supermarket is located in the center of Dadonghai. On its three floors you can buy food, equipment, stationery, clothes and shoes, household chemicals and other goods.
I was on vacation in Hainan in June 2017. Tour operator - Tez tour. First, I would like to note one feature of holidays on this island. The main contingent of vacationers are Chinese and ours from the CIS countries. That is why, if you see a non-Chinese face, you know for sure that the person will understand you and tell you what, where and why. Thus, people easily exchange information about the island, where it is best to eat, stay, and who to take excursions from. There are even VKontakte groups in which people constantly discuss vacations. By the way, it’s also worth downloading the maps me application and finding markers for maps in VK groups, it’s much easier to navigate.
By the way, Google, Facebook, Instagram and now WhatsApp do not work there. They require a VPN.
So, let's begin.
The island met completely scary weather still on the plane. There was a terrible downpour and it was very uncomfortable to sit down.
When we got off the plane, we thought it would be cold. But the tropical climate gave us stuffiness combined with rain.
At the exit from the airport we were met by the “favorite” Tez Tour with buses. We just get to the bus fled, the water was ankle-deep, and at the same time, no one helped the two women load their suitcases onto the bus. Previously, we dealt with the tour operator Mouzenidis, who showed himself to be much better, including in this matter.
We boarded the bus completely wet.
Our hotel was located in Dadonghai Bay, so along the way we could see quite a large part of the city of Sanya. We chose the Resort Intime Sanya as our place of stay.
Upon arrival, leaving our things at the reception, we went to have breakfast. Coming out to the beach, we immediately came across a restaurant called “USSR.” I would like to say right away that it is very expensive compared to many other places in Dadonghai. For eggplant, broccoli, two fresh juices and shrimp, we paid around 200 yuan. BUT! It was the most delicious thing we ate on the island. The sauces were perfect, the vegetables were not in a ton of fat, as they like to cook everywhere. Delicious.
I would like to show you a small map of the island, which was given to us either by a tour operator or somewhere in stores. Anyone who vacations in Dadonghai should immediately learn where the shopping centers are located - Winter and Summer.
Zima is an old building, it is full of cheap Chinese consumer goods, etc. It's worth going there for beach accessories, tea and perhaps silk.
Summer is more expensive. It houses several cafes and a large number of shops, where everything is VERY expensive. Mostly there are clothes and pearls. I would like to mention two stores there. The first is a store for comic book lovers. There was quite a large number of various paraphernalia, clothes, and figurines on sale there. For example, a Suicide Squad baseball cap cost 180 yuan. After that I didn’t even want to look at the other prices. The second is a store of imported goods. You can find Russian vodka there. But the most interesting thing there was the various Japanese and Korean delicacies. But the prices, again, were high. Chips, packets of cookies, etc. cost around 40 yuan. Hainan, after all, is not for shopping.
Between these shopping centers is the food area. In the evenings, around 6-7 o'clock, stalls with food and drinks open there, and the entire area is filled with people. You can find a large variety of seafood there, and the prices are quite reasonable.
Rice with shrimp cost about 20 yuan
Squid kebab - 10 yuan. But it turned out to be very salty and with a huge amount of spices (and, strangely, not spicy)
Near the food square there is an unfinished building with shops on the 1st and 2nd floors. There you can buy souvenirs (but there are few of them), “smuggling”, tea and, most importantly, excursions. To do this, just go to any teahouse.
We bought all the excursions from the Chinese guys, Petya and Vanya. We kept in touch with them via WhatsApp (however, now WhatsApp doesn’t work there anymore, it seems). All excursions went well. Of course, tour operators have more guarantees, etc., but personally, the locals have never let us down. See for yourself.
Also in teahouses, of course, you can buy and taste tea, as well as coke and rice vodka, rose candies (very tasty!), and coconut oil.
It also has a large number of clothing stores, which are not cheap.
There is also a good supermarket with various goodies and kinder disappointments.
There is also everyone's favorite Miniso. But, since it is in my city, I did not fall into a shopping frenzy, and only bought necessary things there, like tweezers or headphones.
We had lunch at Pineapple once and it was quite a strange experience. I wanted to try local sushi or rolls.
The rolls were quite tasty, and I also liked this format.
There was no Russian menu, so my mother ordered at random. They brought her this dish with pickled onions and scallops. It was disgusting.
Among the excursions, we decided to take the Romantic Park, Monkey Island, Yanoda, and also independently traveled to the Nanshan Buddhist center. To do this we just took the bus. By the way, such leaflets are given in the Silk Road store, near the Intime Hotel.
Also, on the first day we were stupid to go on a free excursion from Teztur.
I won’t go into details now, but this is a waste of time - they will simply take you to points of sale of all sorts of crap, like nanocalcium, shark oil, etc. It was just a waste of time.
Several times we went to the center of Sanya - to the pedestrian street and the night market.
We categorically did not like the pedestrian street - there is practically nothing interesting there. However, the night market is worth your attention.
It opens in the evening and occupies a fairly large area. You can find a lot of things there - souvenirs (by the way, Hainan has a problem with magnets. Surprising, right?), clothes, fruits. It was there that we tried durian and bought pieces of jackfruit. I also bought a cute wallet there for 15 yuan and a dress for 65 yuan. Not so much when compared to prices in shopping centers there.
Where else to eat?
Since we only took breakfast at the hotel, every day we looked for where to have lunch.
Near the Barry Hotel there is a cafe "12 chairs". The food was not bad (apart from the fatty eggplants), but I didn’t take a photo of it. I took pictures of the menu
But, of course, you can find less exotic food there.
We also dined at the Moskva tavern several times and really liked it there.
Of all the things I've eaten, pineapple rice is just love.
We also came across this kind of ice cream. It is made from any fruit right before your eyes. It is, of course, delicious. But there is a LOT of it. It melts faster than two people can eat it.
On our last evening we decided to have dinner at Lena Cafe, and it was also pretty good.
