Phoenix Island
Sanya, China
Tianya Haijiao, Sanya
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Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free, with advance booking
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Daily ≈ 8:00–18:00, until 18:30 in summer; last entry ≈ 30 min before
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 2 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- How to book
- WeChat mini-program “三亚天涯海角游览区”, or Alipay / Meituan; passport details needed
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Park shuttle
- ≈ ¥25, optional; under 1.2 m free
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - From downtown Sanya
- 23–24 km: taxi or DiDi 30–45 min, city bus 1–1.5 hours
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- ≈ 2 hours; half a day with beach time
- Payment
- Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your foreign card, or cash in yuan
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Visa
- Hainan: 30 days visa-free for 61 countries, including the US, UK and Australia
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Freeentry since 1 June 2023 — book online and bring ID
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Sanya municipal government, announced in China Daily (30 May 2023)Chinese Wikipedia23–24 kmwest of downtown Sanya
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English and Chinese Wikipedia (24 km)Travel China Guide (23 km)≈ 2 hoursto walk to the main rocks and back
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YesGo estimateEast China Trip — about 30 min on foot between the main rocks1733when the characters 天涯, “edge of the sky”, were carved into the rock
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Chinese Wikipediatonkosti.ru1909the Nantian Yizhu inscription — “Pillar of the Southern Sky”
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Chinese WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia (inscription by Fan Yunti)¥2 notethe Pillar of the Southern Sky appears on the back of the fourth-series 2-yuan note
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English Wikipedia, Fourth series of the renminbiNot the southernmost pointdespite the legend — Jinmu Cape lies further south
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English Wikipedia, Tianya Haijiao≈ 15 kmas the crow flies to Nanshan — an easy pairing
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YesGo calculation from Wikipedia and Wikidata coordinates (Q857031)Sun and Moona pair of boulders seen as husband and wife — a favourite with newlyweds
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English and Chinese Wikipedia30 daysvisa-free on Hainan for ordinary passports from 61 countries
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National Immigration Administration of China, 20 August 2026Do you need tickets for Tianya Haijiao?
No ticket, but you do need a booking. Sanya's government made Tianya Haijiao free from 1 June 2023, and entry now works by reservation: a zero-yuan slot for your date, tied to your passport. Older guides and some ticket sites still quote ¥68–95 — those are pre-2023 prices.
Book through the park's WeChat mini-program, “三亚天涯海角游览区”, or by searching 天涯海角 in Alipay or Meituan. Enter your name and passport number exactly as printed, then show the booking and your passport at the gate. On Chinese public holidays the daily quota can run out, so book a day ahead. If a reseller asks for money, you're buying a bundle — transfer, shuttle or photos — not entry itself.
Opening hours
The park opens every day. We couldn't confirm the hours from an official source: travel guides give roughly 8 am to 6 pm, extended to 6:30 pm from March to September, with last entry about 30 minutes before closing. Other sites quote anything from 7:30 am to 7 pm, so check the time slot when you book.
Come at opening time. Mornings are cooler, the light is softer and the tour coaches arrive later. There's almost no shade on the sand or around the rocks, and the sun bites even in winter.
How to get to Tianya Haijiao
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- From downtown Sanya (Jiefang Road) or Sanya Bay, a taxi or DiDi is quickest: 23–24 km, 30–45 minutes. Show the driver 天涯海角 on your screen; DiDi shows the fare before you book.
- By city bus: several routes run west along the Sanya Bay seafront to the Tianya Haijiao (天涯海角) stop, taking 1–1.5 hours for a few yuan. Guides disagree on the numbers — 16, 25, 30 and 55 come up most often, and route 25 is said to start from Dadonghai. Check the route in Amap or Alipay before you board.
- From the stop it's a few minutes' walk to the gate. Inside, a seafront path — or the optional shuttle — takes you to the Tianya and Haijiao rocks.
- There's no train: Hainan's ring railway has no Tianya Haijiao station. The nearest are Sanya and Phoenix Airport, and you'd still need a taxi.
- The no-fuss option is a guided tour, usually combined with Nanshan and including a hotel pick-up.
What to see at Tianya Haijiao
- Tianya Rock — the boulder carved with 天涯, “edge of the sky”, in 1733. This is the shot everyone comes for.
- Haijiao Rock — next to it, carved with 海角, “corner of the sea”, in the 1930s. Together they give the park its name.
- Pillar of the Southern Sky (Nantian Yizhu, 南天一柱) — a tall rock inscribed in 1909 and pictured on the back of the old 2-yuan note. Bring one and compare.
- Sun and Moon Rocks (日月石) — two boulders said to be husband and wife; newlyweds pose here, and legend promises lasting love to couples who reach them together.
- The beach itself: golden sand, rolling surf and dozens of oddly shaped boulders, many with their own names and stories.
- The seafront walk between the main rocks — about 30 minutes each way.
Is Tianya Haijiao worth it?
If you like places with a story and dramatic rocks by the sea, yes — it's one of Hainan's best-known sights, and it no longer costs anything to get in. In Chinese, 天涯海角 is a set phrase for “the ends of the earth”, so for Chinese visitors coming here is a bit like standing at Land's End.
It's not a quiet beach. Expect crowds, wedding shoots and photographers touting for business, and surf around the rocks — we found no designated swimming area. If swimming is the point, spend the day at Yalong Bay instead. And despite the legend, it isn't China's southernmost point: Jinmu Cape lies further south.
How long do you need?
About two hours covers the walk from the gate to the main rocks, photos and a little time on the sand. Make it half a day if you want to linger by the sea. Including the ride from town, budget three to four hours in total.
Tianya Haijiao and Nanshan in one day
Both sit west of Sanya on the same road: Nanshan is about 40 km from the city, Tianya Haijiao 23–24 km, and they're roughly 15 km apart as the crow flies. That's why almost every day tour pairs them — the Buddhist park and its 108-metre Guanyin statue in the morning, the rocks after lunch, back in town for dinner.
Nanshan charges admission (see its page for current prices); Tianya Haijiao is free with a booking. A taxi or DiDi between them takes around half an hour. By bus the day gets long and involves changes, so without a car a tour is the easier choice.
Tianya Haijiao vs Nanshan and Luhuitou
| Tianya Haijiaoyou are here | 23–24 km west of downtown | Free, booking required | Inscribed rocks by the sea | Nanshan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanshan | ≈ 40 km west | Paid | Buddhist temple and a 108 m Guanyin | Tianya Haijiao |
| Luhuitou | In town, above Dadonghai | Free with passport | Views over the bays and city | An evening in Dadonghai |
Unofficial, from English Wikipedia, Travel China Guide and Ruqin Travel. Prices and hours for Nanshan and Luhuitou are on their own pages.
Best time to visit
The most comfortable months are September to April, drier and less humid. July to October is Sanya's wettest stretch, and summer and autumn bring typhoons: when a storm warning is issued, the city closes beaches and boat trips, and the surf around the rocks turns dangerous. Keep a spare day in your plans and watch the forecast.
Chinese public holidays and the winter high season fill the park by midday. If your dates overlap, book early and arrive at opening time.
Before you go: checklist
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Sanya's best views compared
Every place in Sanya with a view, rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Phoenix Island | 43 | 45 min | Free | 16.0 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luhuitou Park | 36 | 1 h 30 min | Free | 17.5 km |
| Tianya Haijiaoyou are here | 21 | 2 h | Free | — |
| Nanwan Monkey Island | 20 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ ¥154 incl. return cable car | 68.0 km |
| Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park | 20 | 2 h 30 min | ¥158 incl. shuttle; bridges extra | 29.3 km |
| Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone | 19 | 3 h | ≈ ¥130–160 with park train | 14.9 km |
| Yanoda Rainforest Park | 17 | 3 h 30 min | ≈ ¥168 incl. park shuttle | 36.5 km |
| Wuzhizhou Island | 16 | 4 h | 144 yuan incl. return ferry | 43.9 km |
West Sanya in a day
Nanshan in the morning, the Tianya Haijiao rocks after lunch, Phoenix Island in Sanya Bay on the way back and the evening view from Luhuitou. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone3 h · ≈ ¥130–160 with park train
- 259 min walk from the previous stopTianya Haijiaoyou are here2 h · Free, advance booking required
- 277 min walk from the previous stopPhoenix Island45 min · Free from the shore; island by booking
- 33 min walk from the previous stopLuhuitou Park1 h 30 min · Free entry; cart 28 yuan return
4 places · about 16 h 44 min with walks · 569 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Book your free slot the evening before — on holidays the day's quota runs out.
- Arrive at opening: it's cooler and the Tianya Rock isn't yet surrounded by tour groups.
- Skip the shuttle on the way out — the seafront walk is the best part; ride back if you're tired.
- Bring a 2-yuan note for a photo of the Pillar of the Southern Sky next to its picture.
- Agree a price with photographers before they start shooting, not after.
- Pair it with Nanshan — they're on the same road west.
Questions
Is Tianya Haijiao free?
Yes, entry has been free since 1 June 2023. You need a zero-yuan booking on WeChat, Alipay or Meituan with your passport details. Only the shuttle, lockers and photos cost money.
How do I get to Tianya Haijiao from Sanya?
Taxi or DiDi is quickest — 30–45 minutes from downtown. City buses run along Sanya Bay to the Tianya Haijiao stop in 1–1.5 hours; guides list routes 16, 25, 30 and 55, so check in Amap.
What are the opening hours?
Daily, roughly 8 am to 6 pm, until 6:30 pm in summer — unofficial. Your booking shows the exact time slots.
How long should I spend at Tianya Haijiao?
About two hours for the walk to the main rocks and photos, or half a day with beach time. Allow three to four hours including the ride from town.
Can I visit Nanshan and Tianya Haijiao in one day?
Yes. They're on the same road west of Sanya, about 15 km apart as the crow flies. Do Nanshan in the morning and Tianya Haijiao after lunch, by taxi or on a tour.
Is Tianya Haijiao worth visiting?
For its famous inscribed rocks and its story, yes — especially now that it's free. For a swim or a quiet beach, choose Yalong Bay instead.
Can you swim at Tianya Haijiao?
It's a walking shore with rocks and surf, and we found no designated swimming area. Swim at Yalong Bay or Dadonghai.
What does Tianya Haijiao mean?
“The edge of the sky, the corner of the sea” — a Chinese set phrase for the ends of the earth. The two halves, 天涯 and 海角, are carved on the park's two main rocks.
Is Tianya Haijiao the southernmost point of China?
No, though it's often described that way. Jinmu Cape on Hainan lies further south.
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.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Tianya Haijiao, Fourth series of the renminbi, Nanshan Temple (Sanya), Hainan western ring high-speed railway; Chinese Wikipedia: 天涯海角; Wikidata Q857031
- China Daily: Sanya's Tianya Haijiao to be free for visitors, 30 May 2023 — announcement by the Sanya municipal government
- National Immigration Administration of China: Regional Visa-Free Entry Policies for Foreign Nationals, 20 August 2026
- East China Trip: Tianya Haijiao Sanya Travel Guide, 6 August 2026; China Survival Kit: Sanya Tianya Haijiao Guide, updated 8 October 2026
- Ruqin Travel: How to book tickets for the top attractions in Sanya, 2 April 2026; Travel China Guide: Beaches in Sanya, 8 August 2025
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