Sanya China – Best Places to Eat and Dishes to Try

With Sanya being the island paradise that it is, it comes as no surprise that the majority of the best food in the area is fresh, tasty seafood. You can eat rare seafoods expertly prepared like sea cucumbers, abalone and sea urchins. Whilst the majority of outlets are focussed on preparing seafood, you can also pick up some great street food, like tofu and coconuts prepared a thousand ways- just look out for the street vendor carts.

Local food

Local is best, and Sanya offers the best, freshest seafood in China. We’ve identified our top local dishes, and where to eat them.

Hainan Hot Pot

Hot pot is commonly eaten throughout China, but what makes the Sanya version different is all the seafood! Hot pot isn’t only called hot because the pot is boiling- the use of the numbingly spicy Sichuan pepper turns up the heat! A typical hot pot in Sanya will include squid, crabs, clams and prawns. You’ll also get some veggies to go with it. If you’re scared of spicy food, fear not- the pot is usually divided between spicy and not spicy.
Chunyuan Seafood Square is the number one spot to grab a hot pot.

The biggest place to find seafood in Sanya, this massive square is a seafood lover’s paradise! There’s a large wholesale market where you can buy your own seafood and veggies if you want. You can choose from one of the hundreds of hotpot stalls to sit down, eat, drink and enjoy the awesome smoky ambience. The prices for hot pots are standard throughout the square: 10 RMB to use a pot, 10 RMB for cooking and 4 RMB/ kg of seafood. Hot pots are designed to eaten and shared together.
Intersection of Hexi Road and Jixiang Road

Wenchang Chicken

This dish is special because the chickens are carefully fed with coconut and grains to maximize their flavour. Using special cooking techniques and local ingredients, the resulting flavour is not one you’ll easily forget. Oily, with a delightful aroma, the meat is left so tender that it falls off the bone. It’s an incredibly popular local dish, so you can pick it up anywhere. There’s no better place than Hai Ya restaurant.

This restaurant specialized in cooking the best local dishes. They also do Dongshan mutton and the famous Hele crab. Come here for a truly authentic Chinese experience, you’ll be in a classic Chinese eatery. We loved the open kitchen (see what you’re eating, and watch the expert chefs cooking up a storm!).

Because Sanya receives few foreign guests, their levels of English are very poor. This restaurant however has a few English-speaking staff and a menu that’s been translated, so it’s well recommended if you don’t speak Chinese.
38 New Wind Road

Hele Crab

This species of crab lives it’s life in a mix of fresh and salt water, making it’s flavour unique. It’s usually steamed alongside vinegar and ginger, and the colour is a wonderful golden yellow. The taste is light and delicate, with scents that will have you desperate for a bite. Chinese are particular about their seasonal foods, and they say this one is best eaten in autumn. The best place to grab a crab is Junyou Seafood restaurant.

Situated in the popular Youyi Seafood Square, this ambient restaurant is the number one choice for locals! It’s always best to eat where the locals eat, and this is the perfect example. A meal will cost about 50 RMB.
Row 6, Number 4, Seafood Square, Youyi Community

Street Food in Sanya

Of course, the street food is dominated by the fresh, local seafood prevalent in the area. There are plenty seafood markets to choose from (just follow the delicious smell of barbequed seafood!). Usually, you’ll get things like barbequed squid, crab, prawns, and don’t forget some local tofu! We’ve sourced the hottest spots in the city to grab food on the go.

Mangrove Tree Seafood street

It covers a monstrous area of over 10,000 square meters! Most of the street food streets are only open at night, but this operates all day long. The well-organized vendors prepare street food delicacies from around the country, and even the world. If you’re a foreigner who is used to high levels of hygiene and organized shopping, this is the place for you. The vendors offer tasty steamed buns from China, classic Muslim noodles, local and Korean BBQ, and Taiwan snacks, amongst others. You can also enjoy some cultural performances while you eat!
155, Fenghuang Road

Xinmin Street

This is where to go if you’re looking for a real Chinese experience-drink and eat with the locals! This is a large wet market where you can choose your desired seafood, and hand it over to the professional chefs to prepare while you watch and enjoy a beer.
Xinmin street

Western Food

There are very few foreigners in the city so western style eateries are few and far between. There is one MacDonalds and four different KFC outlets for fast food. Restaurants that offer western style food are usually found in the luxury hotels, and they’re usually very expensive. But if you’re desperate for some western food, try out the Pullman Holiday Hotel. The has a good breakfast buffet offering swiss cereal and French toast. In the evening you can get a variety of Asian cuisine as well some Mediterranean dishes, and foreign waiters to break the language barrier.

The Lotus Café at the Sheraton Hotel sells classic western dishes that will take you home, like baked salmon. You’ll pay over 150 RMB/ person.

Remember that Sanya is not exactly a bastion of western food, so don’t expect too much.

Cafés

Again, coffee isn’t as popular in China as it is in the west. Your best option would be the Starbucks. We loved the décor, and the whole shop is surrounded by tall coconut trees. Local and foreign visitors loved the green tea frappe (it’s China- expect a lot of tea-based drinks in the cafes, if you can find one). The Starbucks also serves some light western meals, like salmon penne pasta.

For an elegant experience, go to the Marriott Café. The thing we loved most was the amazing sea view! It’s truly an international experience that you’ll love. They also serve a variety of great international foods originating from South-east Asia, Italy and Greece.
Bars

There are tons of bars scattered throughout the city, and they’re a great place to mix with the locals! Most Chinese bars will sell cheap Chinese beer for about 10 RMB a bottle. If you’d like western drinks, look out for a western-style bars and here you can find any number of international beer to suit your taste. It’s common for bars in China to have live music, so don’t expect a quiet drink.

We loved Fat Daddy’s. It’s a western-style bar that also prepares wholesome western food and also regularly have live music performances. It’s a t shirt and flip-flop type joint.

If you love jazz music, we recommend Mo Blues. It’s in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, so dress fancy! They have a huge wine selection of over 200 varieties!