China Guide
Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan Island
Scuba diving
Low visibility and maximum depths between 10m and 30m don't make Hainan the most exciting location for this, but it can be good fun and there's always the novelty of having dived in China. The three areas are at Yalong Bay, east of Sanya (best for its moderate coral growth, and a variety of fish and lobster); Tianya Haijiao, over to the west (good for molluscs, but extremely shallow); and the coral islands, also west (these are the deepest sites). Staff are NAUI/PADI qualified, hire gear is of reasonable quality, and you'll be expected to flash a C-card or make do with an introductory "resort" dive (¥260). Two shore dives cost ¥410, two boat dives ¥610, or a single dive at Yalong Bay will set you back ¥660. Bookings can be made through virtually any hotel, but touts who are more amenable to bargaining often patrol the beachfront at Dadonghai. Prices at Yalong will typically be 50–100 percent more than at Dadonghai for what will very likely be a similar, if not identical, service.