Houhai Village
后海村（藤海）
A surf village beside the Wuzhizhou Island pier and the birthplace of Hainan's surf culture, with surf clubs, guesthouses and sunset bars clustered together.
Houhai Village (officially Tenghai Community) sits at the southern tip of Haitang Bay, right beside the Wuzhizhou Island pier. It was once a Danjia fishing village, but thanks to the bay's orientation and reliable monsoon swells, it became mainland China's most famous surfing destination from the 2010s and earned the nickname 'China's Bali.' The village has dozens of surf clubs and surf guesthouses offering coached lessons (around RMB 200–400 for two hours, with board and life vest included; most beginners can stand up on the first day), as well as longboard and shortboard rentals. When the waves are poor, you can try stand-up paddleboarding or speedboating.
Highlights and activities: surf Houhai Bay at dawn or dusk, visit Wuzhizhou Island on the way during the day, and spend the evening at beachside seafood stalls, sunset bars or small music cafés. Murals and coffee shops line the village lanes, and the laid-back atmosphere makes it ideal for a stay of two to three days. Free to visit.
Getting there: from downtown Sanya, take a tourist shuttle or taxi for about an hour to the Wuzhizhou Island pier, then walk into the village. Hotels around Haitang Bay are 15–20 minutes away by taxi.
Tips: choose a licensed surf club and always wear a leash; do not enter the water near the reef or the boat channels in Houhai Bay; guesthouses fill up on peak-season weekends, so book ahead; most village businesses prefer cash or WeChat Pay, and some shops do not issue receipts.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Sanya Haichang Fantasy Town
- Wuzhizhou Island
- Sanya Rice National Park
- Atlantis Sanya
- Haitang Bay & CDF Sanya International Duty Free Mall
- Nantian Hot Spring
- Yalong Bay
- Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park