Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island · China · Reef · Coral garden · Sand slope
Yalong Bay
A wide field of soft coral a short swim from the resort beach
Photo: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China · CC0
Yalong Bay is a crescent-shaped bay on Hainan's south coast and one of the earliest dive bases in the area. Its reef sits next to the resort beach, so it is the easiest diving to reach from the hotels, and its calm water makes it a beginner-friendly dive.
Also known as Yalong Bay Reef.
Where it is and how deep
18.2130° N, 109.6602° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts from the shore and crosses sandy bottom onto gentle reef slopes and coral gardens, all within 18 m. The bay is known for a large, intact field of soft coral, and butterflyfish, angelfish and parrotfish move over the reef in blue water with visibility of 7 to 9 m.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island: November to April is the dry season and the best stretch for diving; May to October brings the rains.
Questions divers ask
Can Yalong Bay be dived from the shore?+
Yes. The reef lies beside the resort beach and is entered from the shore in calm water, staying within 18 m, which suits new Open Water divers.
Sources
- Yalong Bay — DivePlanner Pro
- Sanya diving guide — Tripbase
- Top 5 diving spots in Sanya — China Daily
- Sanya — Wikivoyage
Photo credits
- Calm green-blue water stretching to a low wooded island under a clear sky, with the bow of a moored green boat at the right edge. by Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island
Reef and sand beside the island named for a sleeping figure
Reef slopes where sea turtles turn up among the butterflyfish
Similar dives elsewhere
Brain, maze and table coral from 3 m, easy enough to snorkel
Reef
Arima
Kozushima · Japan
Goatfish that let divers settle on the sand beside them
The outer drop-off holds the coral, and it is the advanced end
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A 13-18 m slope of sand and mixed soft and hard coral