Sanya, China Cruises

Sanya, China Cruise Port

• One of the best beaches can be found at Yalong Bay (also known as Asian Dragon Bay), a haven for swimmers and snorkelers. Check out the nearby Butterfly Valley to see various species of butterflies from China and other countries.
   
• The Nanshan Temple was built to commemorate two thousand years of Buddhism in China. You'll first spot the Guan Yin of the South Sea of Sanya statue rising into the sky at a height of around 443 feet. Inside the temple are Tang Dynasty replicas, more statues, and a viewing terrace where you can gaze at the sea.
   
• About 13 miles west is Tianya Haijiao, a popular tourist and honeymoon spot mentioned in several Chinese poems. There's an ongoing sentiment that couples who come here will never part. Keep an eye out for the Prehistoric Shell Museum and the Rocks of Sun and Moon, which look like a pair, locked in an embrace.
   
• Archaeology buffs will want to see the karst Luobi Cave, where there are inscriptions carved into the walls that possibly date back to the Yuan Dynasty (between 1271 and 1368). Legend has it that if you touch one of the cave's stalactites, you'll become a talented writer.