# Phoenix Island, Sanya > Phoenix Island (凤凰岛) is an artificial island in Sanya Bay, a couple of kilometres from downtown, crowned by five egg-shaped towers. It isn't open to walk-ins: guards on the bridge reportedly admit hotel guests and paying customers only. Watching from the promenade is free and takes 30–45 minutes; the towers light up every evening. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/phoenix-island - City: [Sanya](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya), China - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - Entry: Free from the shore; island by booking - Opening hours: Promenade open 24 hours; towers lit every evening, unofficially 19:30–23:00 - With kids: Fine with kids - Island access: Hotel guests or proof of a purchase on the island, checked at the bridge - View from the shore: Free - Light show: Nightly, about 19:30–23:00 (unofficial) - Bridge entrance: Sanya Bay Road (三亚湾路) at Guangming Road (光明路) - From downtown (Jiefang Road): Taxi 5–10 min, or about 1 km on foot to the bridge - From Phoenix Airport (SYX): ≈ 30 min by taxi - Payment: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your foreign card, or cash in yuan - Visa: Hainan: 30 days visa-free for 61 countries, including the US, UK and Australia - Coordinates: 18.24167, 109.48889 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Artificial** — island reclaimed from Sanya Bay, built from the late 2000s into the 2010s (source: English, Russian and Chinese Wikipedia) - **≈ 395 m** — bridge to the shore; other sources give 394 m long and 17 m wide (source: English and Russian Wikipedia (395 m); Huanqiu, 2016, and intotravelchina.com (394 m)) - **Five towers** — oval hotel and apartment blocks — Sanya's skyline icon (source: intotravelchina.com; Huanqiu, 2016) - **≈ 36.5 ha** — island area (365,000 m²) (source: Russian and Chinese Wikipedia) - **≈ 1.25 km** — long and about 350 m wide; Russian Wikipedia gives 1,100 by 370 m (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **MAD Studio** — the Beijing architecture firm behind the design (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Cruise port** — an international terminal for liners plus a yacht marina (source: Chinese Wikipedia; Huanqiu, 2016; OpenStreetMap) - **凤凰岛** — the Chinese name, said “Fenghuang Dao” (source: Chinese Wikipedia; Wikidata Q7186912) - **≈ 1.8 km** — in a straight line from mid-island to Jiefang Road downtown (source: our measurement from OpenStreetMap and Wikidata coordinates) - **30 days** — visa-free on Hainan for ordinary passports from 61 countries (source: National Immigration Administration of China, 20 August 2026) ## Can you visit Phoenix Island? Not as a casual walk-in. A guard post sits at the start of the bridge, and according to travel guides it lets through people with a room key or booking at one of the island's hotels, or proof of something bought on the island — dinner, a yacht trip, a tour. Cruise passengers come and go through the island's port. We found no official rules, so treat this as how it usually works. If you get through, a free electric shuttle runs to the towers; on foot it's about 15 minutes across the bridge and island. For everyone else the good news is that the island is built to be looked at: the best views are from the shore, and they cost nothing. > **Want to walk the island? Arrange it first** Book a night in one of the towers, a meal or a boat trip that starts on the island, and keep the confirmation on your phone. Turning up at the bridge without one usually means turning back. If in doubt, message the hotel or operator before you go. ## What is Phoenix Island? It's a reclaimed island in Sanya Bay, facing downtown Sanya on the south coast of Hainan, joined to the mainland by a bridge of roughly 395 m. The island is about 1.25 km long and 350 m wide, covering some 36.5 hectares. Its Chinese name, 凤凰岛, means Phoenix Island. Rising straight out of the water are **five oval towers** designed by Beijing's MAD Studio, holding a hotel and serviced apartments. The southern tip has an international cruise terminal and a yacht marina. From the promenade the towers seem to float on the bay, which is why they've become the city's postcard image. ## Phoenix Island light show: times and best viewpoints Every evening the tower façades turn into giant screens — shifting colours, moving patterns, and themed programmes around festivals. Travel guides say the lighting was upgraded in 2024 and runs roughly **from 19:30 to 23:00**. We couldn't find an official schedule, so get there just after sunset. The best free viewpoints are the Sanya Bay promenade north of the bridge, the seafront squares along Sanya Bay Road, and Luhuitou hill, where the island sits in front of the whole city. Bring a mini tripod or rest your phone on a railing — handheld night shots blur. For a view from the water, take an evening cruise around the bay. ## How to get to Phoenix Island 1. From downtown Sanya (Jiefang Road), a taxi or DiDi takes 5–10 minutes. Show the driver 凤凰岛大桥 (Phoenix Island bridge); the bridge starts where 三亚湾路 (Sanya Bay Road) meets 光明路 (Guangming Road). 2. On foot from the southern end of Jiefang Road it's about 1 km in a straight line to the bridge — 15–20 minutes through the blocks to the sea. 3. By bus: there's a stop called 凤凰岛 by the bridge. Guides list different routes (8, 9, 15, 16, 19, 25, 26), so check the current number in a map app before boarding. 4. Without a booking, turn onto the promenade at the bridge: the Coconut Dream Corridor (椰梦长廊) runs north along Sanya Bay Road and frames all five towers with the bridge. 5. For the view from above, head up to [Luhuitou Park](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/luhuitou-park), about 2 km from the island across the river mouth — a 10–15 minute taxi ride. ## Is Phoenix Island worth it? As a view, yes — it's the defining image of Sanya, and half an hour on the promenade at dusk is time well spent. As a destination in itself, not really: there's no museum, park or ticketed attraction, and without a booking you won't get past the bridge. Fit it into an evening rather than making a special trip. Combine a beach afternoon at [Dadonghai](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/dadonghai) or [Yalong Bay](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/yalong-bay), sunset on Luhuitou hill, then dinner on the Sanya Bay waterfront with the towers glowing across the water. ## What to see on and around Phoenix Island - The five-tower skyline by day, best from the promenade north of the bridge. - The evening façade lighting — the main reason to come. - The bridge itself, with views of the cruise terminal and the yachts. - Sunset over Sanya Bay, with the towers turning into a silhouette. - The classic panorama from Luhuitou Park: island, fishing boats, city and mountains in one frame. - For guests: the waterfront around the towers, the marina and the hotel's viewing decks. ## Staying on Phoenix Island A room in the towers buys you the island itself, quiet evenings away from the crowds, and views of the city and hills. The trade-off is the beach: Sanya Bay's sand is coarser and better for strolling than swimming, so you'll travel for a proper swim. Some listings in the towers are private apartments rather than the hotel — check that the address really is on the island, not just 'island view'. > **Paying in Sanya** Most of China pays by phone. Link your foreign Visa or Mastercard to **Alipay** or WeChat Pay before the trip — you'll need it for DiDi, too. Keep some small yuan notes for vendors who don't take QR codes. ## Before your evening at Phoenix Island - [ ] Today's sunset time — arrive 20 minutes before - [ ] DiDi installed and 凤凰岛大桥 saved on screen - [ ] Hotel or activity booking, if you want to cross the bridge - [ ] Mini tripod or something to steady your phone - [ ] Mosquito repellent for the promenade - [ ] Alipay or cash for the taxi and dinner ## Sanya after dark: where to go Every Sanya place worth an evening visit, rated by YesGo. - [Phoenix Island](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/phoenix-island) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free from the shore; island by booking - [Dadonghai Bay](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/dadonghai) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [Luhuitou Park](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/luhuitou-park) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free entry; cart 28 yuan return ## An evening of beach, hilltop sunset and island lights Afternoon on Dadonghai beach, sunset from Luhuitou hill, then the promenade facing Phoenix Island once the towers light up. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Dadonghai Bay](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/dadonghai) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free 2. [Luhuitou Park](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/luhuitou-park) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free entry; cart 28 yuan return 3. [Phoenix Island](https://yesgo.io/china/sanya/phoenix-island) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free from the shore; island by booking ## Good to know Sanya's Phoenix Island has nothing to do with the Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, and the city's airport shares the name but lies some 15 km away. Atlantis Sanya, often listed alongside it, is in Haitang Bay, not on Phoenix Island. Hainan's 30-day visa-free rule applies only on the island; leaving for mainland China needs another basis for entry. ## Tips - Arrive on the promenade just before sunset and stay half an hour after — you'll see the towers in daylight and lit up. - For the postcard shot, go up to Luhuitou Park while it's still light. - Don't plan a walk on the island without a booking — the bridge guards may turn you back. - The beach facing the island is for strolling; swim at Dadonghai or Yalong Bay instead. - Coming from the airport, tell the driver 'island', not 'Phoenix Airport' — the names are easy to mix up. ## Questions ### Can you go to Phoenix Island in Sanya without staying there? Usually not. Guards at the bridge reportedly admit hotel guests and people with a purchase on the island, such as a meal or yacht trip. Cruise passengers pass through the port. Everyone else can watch from the free promenade. ### Is there an entrance fee for Phoenix Island? No ticket covers the island itself — access depends on a booking. Viewing it from the Sanya Bay promenade or Luhuitou hill costs nothing. ### What time is the Phoenix Island light show? Every evening after sunset; travel guides say roughly 19:30–23:00. We couldn't find an official timetable. ### Where is the best place to see Phoenix Island? The Sanya Bay promenade (Coconut Dream Corridor) north of the bridge for the full skyline, and Luhuitou hill for the panorama with the city behind. ### How do I get to Phoenix Island? Take a taxi or DiDi to 凤凰岛大桥, the bridge at Sanya Bay Road and Guangming Road — 5–10 minutes from downtown, about 30 from the airport. City buses stop at 凤凰岛; check the route number in a map app. ### Is Phoenix Island worth visiting? As a view at dusk, yes. As a place to explore, not without a hotel booking — there is no public attraction on the island itself. ### What are the buildings on Phoenix Island? Five oval towers by Beijing's MAD Studio holding a hotel and apartments, plus a cruise terminal and yacht marina at the southern end. ### Is Phoenix Island man-made? Yes. It was reclaimed from Sanya Bay and covers about 36.5 hectares, linked to the city by a bridge of roughly 395 m. ### Do I need a visa for Hainan? Ordinary passport holders from 61 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can stay on Hainan for up to 30 days without a visa, counted from the day after entry. ## How we checked The English core comes from English-language search results and related questions. Access rules come only from unofficial sources — intotravelchina.com and a 2016 Huanqiu article — so they're marked 'checking'. The 19:30–23:00 lighting hours and the 2024 upgrade come from intotravelchina.com alone. Bridge length: 395 m on Wikipedia, 394 m in Huanqiu and intotravelchina. Area: 365,000 m² in the Russian and Chinese Wikipedia; English Wikipedia's 3.94 km² looks like floor area, so we don't use it. Bus numbers vary between sources. Straight-line distances are our own measurements from OpenStreetMap coordinates. Some guides place Atlantis on the island; English Wikipedia puts it in Haitang Bay. Ctrip blocks automated requests and we didn't try to get round it. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Phoenix Island, Atlantis Sanya; Russian Wikipedia: Феникс (остров); Chinese Wikipedia: 凤凰岛; Wikidata Q7186912 - Huanqiu (huanqiu.com): article on Phoenix Island, 6 December 2016 - intotravelchina.com: Sanya Phoenix Island, undated - OpenStreetMap: coordinates of the island, cruise port, Jiefang Road and Guangming Road - National Immigration Administration of China: Regional Visa-Free Entry Policies for Foreign Nationals, 20 August 2026 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.