Hainan – Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island Dive Sites – China

About Hainan – Sanya & Wuzhizhou Island

Sanya and Wuzhizhou Island represent the crown jewel of China's tropical diving, located on the southern tip of Hainan Island where warm South China Sea currents create vibrant coral reef ecosystems year-round. Wuzhizhou Island, often called the Diving Capital of China, features pristine hard and soft coral walls, dramatic swim-throughs, and encounters with reef sharks, sea turtles, and schooling pelagic fish in water with visibility regularly exceeding 20 meters. The island's protected marine reserve status has preserved some of the healthiest coral communities in all of southern China. On the mainland, Yalong Bay offers accessible reef diving with the unique addition of a sunken aircraft wreck, while Dadonghai provides excellent shore diving and macro opportunities just minutes from the city center. Luhuitou Peninsula features shallow coral terraces ideal for training and snorkeling. The artificial reefs around Phoenix Island and the walls of West Island add variety, while Fenjiezhou Island to the north offers seasonal manta ray encounters and dramatic drop-offs. The combination of world-class reef diving, professional dive centers, luxury resort infrastructure, and year-round warm water makes this region China's premier tropical diving destination.

Highlights

• ✓Wuzhizhou Island marine reserve with pristine coral walls and reef sharks
• ✓Yalong Bay sunken aircraft wreck at 18 meters depth
• ✓Dadonghai shore diving with seahorse gardens and macro slopes
• ✓Fenjiezhou Island seasonal manta ray pass with dramatic drop-offs
• ✓West Island walls and schooling jack formations
• ✓Year-round warm water diving with visibility up to 30 meters

Getting There

Fly into Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX) with direct connections from major Chinese cities and some international routes. Wuzhizhou Island is reached by a 20-minute ferry from the Houhai terminal, approximately 30 minutes from Sanya city center.