The long sandy strip off the city centre at Sānyà Bay is the most relaxed of the three main beaches, where you’ll find crowds of mostly mainland Chinese tourists kicking back, laughing, playing and having a beachy old time. In little covered areas locals play music, sing, engage in conspiracy, write characters in the sand, and so on. There’s a long pathway for strolling in the cool evenings, and if the tide is out a little you can walk on the sand for many kilometres. In the evenings it’s fun to watch the lights on Phoenix Island (the awesome cruise ship terminal) turn on.
