East Asia · China
Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
Easy, gentle reef diving around the bays and islands of southern Hainan
Sanya, in the south of Hainan, is the most popular diving destination in China. Its diving is spread over a few bays and nearby islands: Wuzhizhou Island is held to be the best diving in the province, Yalong Bay was one of the first dive bases on this coast and keeps a large field of soft coral, and the islands of Xidao and Fenjiezhou add more reef. Gentle currents make it a place to learn and to take first dives.
About diving in Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
Dive centres sit in Yalong Bay, and the island sites are reached by water: Xidao lies 8 nautical miles off the coast, and Wuzhizhou is reached on the island ferry, which starts running at 08:30. Fenjiezhou lies in Lingshui county, a 40-minute drive from Sanya. Diving is popular here, but operators may not be trained or certified, so cylinder pressure is worth checking before each dive.
The diving is reef diving. Yalong Bay is the coral headline: its soft coral is counted among the largest and most complete in the world, colourful hard coral and tropical fish fill the nearby waters, and the bay ranks among the best places in China for underwater sightseeing. Wuzhizhou's water is less clear than it was in earlier years, so dates and times are best chosen with visibility in mind.
Sanya suits new divers and holidaymakers who want an easy introduction: currents are gentle, and Yalong Bay's reef is the most accessible diving near the resort hotels. Medical rules are firm: people who are drunk or have heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure or otitis media are not allowed to dive, and earplugs are forbidden underwater.
Best time to dive Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
The dry season runs from November to April, and those months are the best of the year for diving here, with the water at its coolest in February. From May to October the rainy season sets in. The water stays suitable for diving all year, but rain makes these the weaker months, and the sea is at its warmest in July. October sits between the two: still inside the rains, but already counted in the best diving window.
Best months: January, February, March, April, November, December
Dive types & marine life
No single animal anchors the diving here, and no month is tied to a sighting; coral, above all the soft coral of Yalong Bay, is the draw. Fish around Wuzhizhou Island are less plentiful than they were in earlier years.
- Reef
Best dive sites in Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
- 1
Wuzhizhou Island
Offshore island with the best-regarded diving in Hainan; visibility runs from 6 to 27 m.
- 2
Yalong Bay
One of Sanya's earliest dive bases, with visibility of 7 to 9 m in its blue water.
- 3
Xidao Island
Turtle-shaped island, also called Hawksbill Island, with extensive coral reefs.
- 4
Fenjiezhou Island
Sleeping Beauty Island, named for its outline; dives here reach 30 m (98 ft).
- 5
Dadonghai Bay
City-side bay, cloudier than Yalong Bay and Wuzhizhou but easier to reach.
Site guides
Reef and sand beside the island named for a sleeping figure
Reef slopes where sea turtles turn up among the butterflyfish
A wide field of soft coral a short swim from the resort beach
How to get to Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
Sanya Phoenix International Airport lies about 14 km west-north-west of the city centre and is a hub for several Chinese airlines. Yalong Bay, where the dive centres cluster, is 45 minutes from the airport and farther from the city than Dadonghai Bay.
Photos from Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
ullrich.c · CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions divers ask
Is certification needed to dive in Sanya?+
Not for a first dive. Centres run Discover Scuba Diving try-dives, and anyone in good health and over 7 years old is eligible to dive with an instructor.
Can divers bring their own equipment to Wuzhizhou Island?+
No. The island does not accept divers' own diving or camera equipment, and damage to the issued dive gear is charged at cost.
What time of day is best for diving in Sanya?+
Morning, when the sun is up and visibility underwater is better than later in the day.
Sources
- Top 5 diving spots in Sanya — China Daily / Sanya government
- Sanya – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Scuba diving – Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
- Sanya Hisealand Dive Center — Hisealand
- Wuzhizhou Island tickets — Wuzhizhou Island Tourist Area
- Sanya Diving Resort — PADI
- Hainan: Dijiezhou Island dive site — PADI
- Sanya Diving Guide — Tripbase
- Sanya average sea temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
Photo credits
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