10 Best Restaurants
Sanya spreads along Hainan’s southern coast, where each bay offers a different base. Yalong Bay gathers established beach resorts, Haitang Bay has larger contemporary hotels, and Coral Bay feels more sheltered. Inland, forested ridges overlook the sea, while Nanshan’s Guanyin statue marks a striking stretch of the western coast. Make time for island excursions, Cantonese seafood and Hainan specialities, with a sunset walk along Sanya Bay to finish a day beyond the hotel.
Tea House
Sunny Bay, China
Tea House combines a tall, garden-inspired dining room with Cantonese cooking and carefully made dim sum. Hainan ingredients give the menu a local thread within a familiar Chinese culinary framework. It is a particularly appealing choice for a considered lunch or dinner at Park Hyatt Sunny Bay, where the setting encourages a slower meal. Reserve directly and ask about the current menu rather than relying on older set menus or published tasting prices.
Cantonese cooking with Hainan ingredients
Fresh
Coral Bay, China
Fresh makes the most of Mandarin Oriental’s beachfront position, with an open-air setting that feels especially suited to an evening meal. Seafood anchors the offering, alongside meat dishes, and the surrounding Coral Bay landscape is integral to the experience. Choose it for a relaxed occasion where the view matters as much as formal dining-room ceremony. Reserve ahead, explain any dietary requirements and confirm the seating arrangements, particularly when weather could affect outdoor tables.
A seafood dinner beside the water
Lan Ting
Tufu Bay, Lingshui, China
Lan Ting is Capella Tufu Bay’s more formal Chinese dining room, pairing traditional Cantonese techniques with contemporary combinations of ingredients. It suits travellers who want a composed restaurant occasion within the resort rather than an informal poolside meal. The surrounding hotel’s architectural character adds to the sense of arrival, but the restaurant remains a distinct dining destination. Its Tufu Bay location is in Lingshui, so arrange transport when visiting from hotels elsewhere along the Sanya coast.
A formal Cantonese meal
Sofia
Yalong Bay, China
Sofia offers an Italian alternative to the Chinese and seafood restaurants that dominate many Sanya itineraries. The Ritz-Carlton restaurant focuses on seasonal ingredients, with homemade pasta and Neapolitan-style pizza among the advertised choices. Its combination of a relaxed restaurant atmosphere and a substantial wine selection makes it adaptable to different occasions. Reserve a table rather than assuming a resort restaurant will always have space, and ask which dining area best suits your group.
Italian cooking and a broad wine choice
Chop House
Haitang Bay, China
Chop House brings an Italian grill to Rosewood Sanya’s poolside setting. The appeal is a relaxed meal with enough sense of occasion for a couple’s evening, without making families feel out of place. Grilled dishes and alfresco tables give the restaurant a straightforward appeal, with a casual dress code that suits a coastal holiday. Choose it when you want a change from Cantonese seafood, and check the current menu before building the evening around a particular dish.
An Italian grill by the pool
Xianhai by the Sea
Haitang Bay, China
Xianhai by the Sea stands over The Sanya EDITION’s lagoon in a series of canopied dining spaces. Teak interiors and upholstered seating give the architecture warmth, while Cantonese seafood supplies the culinary focus. Indoor, outdoor and private dining options make the table choice part of planning the visit. It is well suited to an occasion dinner, especially for travellers staying elsewhere who want to experience the hotel’s distinctive relationship with water without booking a room.
Cantonese seafood in a striking setting
Yi Yang
Coral Bay, China
Yi Yang gives Cantonese cooking a regional accent through Hainan dishes such as Wenchang chicken and Dongshan lamb. Steamed fish, braised abalone and dim sum sit within a menu designed for sharing, beneath a carved wooden ceiling at Mandarin Oriental. The dining room feels more enclosed and traditional than the hotel’s beachfront Fresh restaurant. It is a strong choice for a family meal or small celebration, with private rooms available to discuss when reserving.
Cantonese seafood and Hainan specialities
Pearl
Yalong Bay, China
Pearl is The Ritz-Carlton’s Chinese restaurant, with Cantonese cooking at its centre and Hainan and Sichuan dishes broadening the menu. It is a useful choice for a group that wants to order across several styles rather than commit to a fixed tasting format. The dishes arrive in a considered presentation, with sharing portions that encourage a varied meal across the table. Ask the team to balance seafood, vegetables and richer dishes for the table, and reserve ahead if a private setting matters.
A shared Chinese meal
Ossiano
Haitang Bay, China
Ossiano places diners alongside Atlantis Sanya’s Ambassador Lagoon, with aquarium windows creating the restaurant’s defining backdrop. The current offering is Western fine dining with an ocean-inspired menu and Hainan ingredients. It suits a special evening for travellers who enjoy theatrical settings, including families with older children who will appreciate the spectacle. Confirm the current menu, seating and any age conditions directly; the aquarium view is the draw, but table position can change the experience considerably.
Dinner beside a vast aquarium
Driftwood
Yalong Bay, China
Driftwood occupies a beachside setting at The St. Regis, with indoor and outdoor spaces and views towards Yalong Bay. Seafood leads the menu, with meat dishes providing alternatives for mixed groups. Its light, relatively informal atmosphere makes it an easy choice after a day around the resort, while still offering enough polish for a planned dinner. Reserve directly and request the preferred dining area, especially if an outdoor table is central to your evening.
A relaxed beachside seafood meal