Sanya Bays and Lingshui and Wanning Islands
Use Yalong Bay as your main base, adding the Monkey Island and fish farm rafts in Lingshui, snorkelling at Fenjiezhou Island and surfing at Riyue Bay, then return to Sanya Bay for a west-side tour.
In addition to Sanya's classic sights, this route includes two day trips east to Lingshui and Wanning. Visit Nanwan Monkey Island and the Danjia fish farm rafts in Xincun, snorkel at Fenjiezhou Island, and spend a night in the Riyue Bay surf town. After returning to the city, switch to Sanya Bay, which is convenient for visiting Nanshan and Tianya Haijiao and for reaching the airport. The best way to tour this route is by car or chartered vehicle, keeping each day's driving under 2 hours. It suits couples and friends with a week-long holiday.
Riyue Bay has large waves in winter, making it good for advanced surfers. Beginners should stick to the shallow teaching areas. Islands often close during typhoon season.
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrive at Yalong Bay beach
Pick up a rental car or take a taxi from the airport, about 50 minutes to Yalong Bay. Relax on the beach in the afternoon.
Stay: Yalong Bay
Day 2 · Wuzhizhou Island and Houhai Village
Sanya（Wuzhizhou Island、Houhai Village）
Drive about 30 minutes from Yalong Bay to the Wuzhizhou Island pier, then about 20 minutes by boat. In the evening, have dinner in Houhai Village, then drive about 25 minutes back to Yalong Bay.
Book boat tickets in advance during peak season, and bring your ID.
Stay: Yalong Bay
Day 3 · Monkey Island and fish farm rafts in Lingshui
Wanning & Lingshui（Nanwan Monkey Island、Xincun Harbour Tanka Fishing Rafts、Clearwater Bay）
Drive about 1 hour along the coast from Yalong Bay to Xincun Harbour. Take the cable car to Nanwan Monkey Island, then take a boat to the Danjia fish farm rafts in the afternoon. On the way back, pass through Qingshui Bay and return to Yalong Bay in about 1 hour.
Don't bring food or plastic bags onto Monkey Island. Ask the price before ordering seafood at the fish farm rafts.
Stay: Yalong Bay
Day 4 · Fenjiezhou Island snorkelling and Riyue Bay
Wanning & Lingshui（Fenjiezhou Island、Riyue Bay）
Drive about 1.5 hours from Yalong Bay to the Fenjiezhou Island pier, then about 10 minutes by boat. In the afternoon, drive about 40 minutes to Riyue Bay for one night.
Buy Fenjiezhou Island tickets online in advance. Snorkelling depends on sea conditions.
Stay: Riyue Bay
Day 5 · Surfing, then back to the Sanya rainforest
Wanning & Lingshui → Sanya（Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park）
In the morning, take a surfing lesson in Riyue Bay. In the afternoon, drive about 1.5 hours back to Sanya, visit Yalong Bay Forest Park, then move to Sanya Bay in the evening, about 40 minutes.
Switching to Sanya Bay makes it easier to visit the west side on the final days and reach the airport.
Stay: Sanya Bay
Day 6 · Nanshan and Tianya Haijiao
Sanya（Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone、Tianya Haijiao）
Travel west from Sanya Bay about 40 minutes to Nanshan, then head east about 30 minutes to Tianya Haijiao. Return to Sanya Bay in the evening.
Tianya Haijiao requires timed-entry reservations.
Stay: Sanya Bay
Day 7 · Coconut Dream Promenade walk and departure
Sanya（Sanya Bay & Coconut Dream Corridor、Haiyue Square）
In the morning, walk along Coconut Dream Promenade to Haiyue Square. In the afternoon, take a taxi about 20 minutes to the airport.