A 7.5-kilometer bay

Yalong Bay lies southeast of Sanya and is a national-level tourist resort. The bay forms a curve, and its beach runs for about 7.5 kilometers; the sand is fine and white. The official page gives water temperatures of about 22–25 °C and visibility of about 9 meters. Rows of windbreak trees line the back of the beach, their shadows spreading from the shore onto the sand; coconut palms and resort hotels stand behind them, and the sea here is more open than on the city side.

Light is softest in the early morning and late afternoon; at midday the sand is hot underfoot and there is little shade. Swim only in areas with lifeguards and buoys, and leave the water when flags or announcements say so. Before using a beach lounger, check whether there is a charge.

The shallow water at Yalong Bay catching the sun, with the bay and a mountain ridge in the distance
Near the shore the water shifts from pale green to deep blue, with a mountain ridge enclosing the bay beyond. Tanya Dedyukhina · Photo credits ↗
A high viewpoint over Yalong Bay, with the curved coastline, blue water and wooded slopes in the foreground
The bay seen from above, where the curve of the coast and the wooded hillside can be read together; it is a different perspective from the beach-level view. Anna Frodesiak · Photo credits ↗

The bay from the hilltop

Yalong Bay is not only a shoreline view. Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park behind it sells tickets separately, and its full-sea-view glass walkway on the hilltop, 400 meters long and reaching 450 meters above sea level at its highest point, was built around a natural Maitreya stone Buddha. From the walkway, the curve of the bay, hotel roofs and distant ridges come into view together.

The park also has the Guojianlong suspension bridge, which spans two hills, runs 168 meters and hangs about 40 meters above the ground. Qianli San is another vantage point, and on clear days you can see Yalong Bay, Haitang Bay, Sanya Bay and Dadonghai. The 20-meter Canghai Tower looks over the same bay from a different direction. If you are afraid of heights, there is no need to force yourself onto the glass bridge; viewpoints along the way also look over the bay. The park also has an orchid valley, with a loop walkway about 1,000 meters long where vines and streams screen out the noise from the path.

The full-sea-view glass walkway in Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park, raised above green rainforest with the bay in the distance
The glass walkway seen from the hilltop, raised above the rainforest, with a corner of Yalong Bay showing on the left. STW932 · Photo credits ↗

Two paces: beach and rainforest

The beach suits swimming, playing in the sand and water sports; the official page mentions more than 20 options including semi-submersible boats, diving, parasailing, jet skis and sailing. The rainforest side suits walking the trails, looking at orchids and finding shade. With children, you can give the morning to the beach and go into the forest park when the afternoon heat builds; the reverse works too, but do not squeeze both into the sunniest part of the day. The park's hills are high and its paths steep, and the official guidance notes that wildlife is common. Staying on paved paths and open routes is advisable.

With only half a day, choose one for a more relaxed visit: the beach for the sea and water, the forest park for views down over the bay. Doing both usually takes a full day. The park's hiking trails close at 16:00 and a round trip takes at least four hours; if you arrive in the afternoon, buy a sightseeing bus ticket or come back another day.

Lawn and coconut palms behind Yalong Bay beach, with hammocks hung between the trees and the sea beyond
Coconut palms and hammocks behind the beach at Yalong Bay; the shade is cooler than the open sand. Tanya Dedyukhina · Photo credits ↗

Tickets, transport and trail hours

Checked on November 12, 2026: an adult ticket to the forest park costs 158 yuan in peak season, including a 108-yuan admission ticket and a 50-yuan round-trip sightseeing bus ticket; in low season it is 140 yuan, including 90 yuan admission and 50 yuan for the bus. Low-season prices apply from May 1 to September 30 and peak-season prices from October 1 to April 30. Children 1.2 meters or shorter, children aged 6 or under, visitors aged 70 or over and others enter free with valid ID; students and visitors aged 60 to 69 pay half. Trails close all day in thunderstorms, so check the weather before setting out.

The park is 28 kilometers from Phoenix International Airport, about 40 minutes by car; 7 kilometers from Yalong Bay Station, about 12 minutes; and about 30 minutes from the city center. Take bus 15, 24, 25 or 27, or a tourist bus, to Yalong Bay Forest Tourist Area Station, then walk back about 300 meters along Liupan Road. A taxi from Yalong Bay takes about 10 minutes. The beach and the park do not share an entrance, so check first whether you are heading to the beach or the park gate.

Useful official references

Check the relevant official service before making arrangements. These links are references, not a guarantee of current services.