Shopping in Sanya
Local Specialties and Souvenirs
As a coastal tourism city, Sanya is definitely abundant in marine products that are, of course, of high quality and reasonable price. In addition, tropical fruits, natural seawater pearls, natural crystals and other local specialties are there for your choice.
As a coastal tourism city, Sanya is definitely abundant in marine products that are, of course, of high quality and reasonable price. In addition, tropical fruits, natural seawater pearls, natural crystals and other local specialties are there for your choice.
Hainan Coconut Carving椰雕
Hainan coconut carving, a traditional Chinese art form using coconut shells, wood, and husks, has been cherished for centuries and was officially recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008. Skilled artisans transform these natural materials into exquisite souvenirs and practical items through meticulous processes like carving, polishing, and lacquering. From decorative pieces like Bluetooth speakers, fridge magnets, and wall art to everyday essentials such as bowls, tea canisters, and jewelry boxes, each creation reflects Hainan’s deep connection to its iconic coconut trees, which have flourished here for over 2,000 years.
In recent years, this ancient craft has embraced modern creativity, blending traditional techniques with trendy designs. Young travelers are drawn to stylish accessories like coconut-shell bracelets, handbags, and cultural-themed ornaments, while classic items such as incense burners, tea sets, and decorative screens showcase the art’s timeless elegance. To dive deeper, visit the Coconut Carving Exhibition Hall in Haikou’s Longhua District Cultural Center, home to nearly 100 historic and contemporary masterpieces.
For hands-on experiences, join workshops available year-round at cultural centers like Longhua Cultural Center or explore pop-up sessions in local schools. You can also visit dedicated heritage spaces across Hainan, including Haikou’s historic Qilou Old Street, Huacheng Flower Market, and movie-themed attractions like Mission Hills Film, where you can try crafting your own coconut keepsake.
More than just a craft, coconut carving embodies Hainan’s coastal spirit and cultural ingenuity. Whether you take home a delicate pendant, a functional household item, or a memory of crafting your own piece, these souvenirs carry the island’s natural beauty and the artistry of generations. Perfect for culture lovers and curious travelers alike, Hainan’s coconut carvings offer a meaningful way to connect with the island’s traditions.
Tropical Fruits and Fruit Products热带水果和水果产品
More than just a craft, coconut carving embodies Hainan’s coastal spirit and cultural ingenuity. Whether you take home a delicate pendant, a functional household item, or a memory of crafting your own piece, these souvenirs carry the island’s natural beauty and the artistry of generations. Perfect for culture lovers and curious travelers alike, Hainan’s coconut carvings offer a meaningful way to connect with the island’s traditions.
Tropical Fruits and Fruit Products热带水果和水果产品
The tropical climate of Sanya allows coconuts, mangoes, pineapples, lychees, jackfruits, dragon fruits, and other tropical fruits to grow in large quantities with excellent quality. The people of Hainan have also used their creativity to turn these fruits into various products. For coconuts alone, there are over 10 types of products, including coconut candy, coconut flakes, coconut cakes, and coconut jam.
Coconut candy is mainly made from coconuts using careful processing methods. It keeps the natural flavor and nutrients of coconuts, with a smooth texture, rich coconut taste, and unique sweetness. It’s a natural, healthy treat often given as a gift.
Coconut flakes are made by drying and shredding coconut flesh. They’re commonly used as an ingredient in baked goods. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and proteins from coconuts, they’re a good source of amino acids.
Hainan coconut cakes use high-quality local coconuts as the main ingredient. Over 34% of the recipe comes from coconut milk or flakes. Mixed with wheat flour, rice flour, fresh eggs, and other ingredients, they’re baked using traditional methods instead of frying. This keeps the natural coconut flavor and nutrients intact.
Hainan coconut jam is made from fresh coconuts mixed with egg yolks, sugar, and milk. It has a pure coconut flavor and a creamy, sweet taste. People often use it as a filling for mooncakes, bread, buns, or sweet rice balls. It’s also a delicious spread for pancakes, toast, or crackers.
These coconut products are very suitable as travel souvenirs.
Dried sea products干海产品
Many tourists come to Sanya not just for the seascapes, but also for the sea products, especially the dried sea products, such as the dried squids, shellfish, sea cucumber, shrimp meat, dried sea serpent, fin, abalone and sand worm etc.
The Island Dress 海岛服
The colorful "Island Dress" is more than just clothing—it's a vibrant symbol of Hainan's culture, much like how suits represent formality in Western countries. These breezy, short-sleeved shirts feature tropical floral patterns that reflect the island's natural beauty.
Made from lightweight, breathable fabric, the Island Dress keeps you cool under the sun while absorbing sweat—perfect for Hainan's warm climate. Both men and women can choose from various styles, from casual beachwear to slightly more formal versions suitable for dinners or events. Some designs even incorporate traditional Li ethnic minority patterns, adding cultural significance.
Locals often wear these shirts to festivals and gatherings, while visitors love them as comfortable vacation wear and meaningful souvenirs. Whether you're exploring coconut groves, strolling through night markets, or simply relaxing by the sea, slipping into an Island Dress instantly connects you with Hainan's laid-back, tropical spirit. It's not just an outfit—it's an invitation to embrace island life.
Crystal 水晶
Hainan crystal is a shining treasure bestowed upon Sanya by nature, and its heart lies in Yangjiaoling, Tunchang County. This 200-meter-high mountain peak was once the largest natural crystal production area in China, renowned worldwide for its ultra-pure and transparent stones.
Today, tourists can explore the mining history of Yangjiaoling near the sky-blue reservoir, and then purchase exquisite crystal products at the market in Tunchang or the jewelry malls and stores in Sanya. From necklaces and bracelets to glasses and decorative artworks, local artisans use imported techniques to transform raw crystals into practical beauty. Think of palm tree-shaped sculptures, floral brooches, or smooth household items - all of which are full of tropical charm.
For worry-free shopping, you can choose to purchase certified jewelry at jewelry stores (usually cheaper than at tourist attractions) .
Seawater Pearl海水珍珠
Sanya's seawater pearls are known for their excellent quality. The waters around Hainan Island provide ideal conditions for pearl oysters—warm temperatures, clean pollution-free water, and abundant marine life. Areas like Sanya and Lingshui are especially rich in pearl oysters, including the white-lipped pearl oyster, which is unique to the South China Sea.
Hainan's pearls are large and high-quality, with the largest "Pearl King" measuring 15.5 mm in diameter. Pearl jewelry such as necklaces, earrings, brooches, and rings are finely crafted, elegant, and available in various grades. There is also affordable pearl powder, which is used in health and beauty products.
Seawater pearls are rare because each oyster typically produces only 1-2 pearls, and the oysters have a relatively high mortality rate. In contrast, freshwater mussels can produce 30-40 pearls each, but the quality is usually lower—only about 1 or 2 out of 100 freshwater pearls are flawless. This scarcity makes seawater pearls much more valuable.
Daily Articles Shopping
Red Flag Street红旗街
Red Flag Street is located on the west bank of the Sanya River and is one of the more densely populated areas in Sanya. This place used to be the commercial center of Sanya, gathering all kinds of shops and vendors. The bustling crowds came and went on the streets, forming a vivid picture of the market.
Today, Red Flag Street, although no longer the only commercial center in Sanya, still retains its unique charm. The time-honored shops have remained here for over a decade, welcoming guests from all directions. Every nightfall, the Red Flag Street Night Market comes alive. All kinds of snack stalls gather together, and the mouth-watering delicacies with their mouthwatering aroma make people's mouths water. Here, you can taste authentic Hainan snacks and also feel the strong atmosphere of the common people.
In addition to its delicious food, Red Flag Street also boasts a rich cultural heritage. Old-fashioned barber shops, residential houses coexist harmoniously with emerging grocery stores, coffee shops, clothing stores, etc., where history and modernity blend and collide. Walking on Red Flag Street, you can see the perfect combination of traditional Sanya culture and modern urban life. This unique cultural atmosphere has also attracted many young artists and tourists to come and take photos.
The changes in Red Flag Street are not only external but also internal. With the development of The Times, the lifestyle of the people in Red Flag Street is also constantly changing. On every street and in every alley, one can see people busy with their lives. They are either choosing their favorite items in small stores or chatting about daily life in the streets and alleys. This simple and unadorned way of life makes people feel the enthusiasm and sincerity of the people on Red Flag Street.
In the First Market of Red Flag Street Community, you can buy fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables. The seafood here is diverse and reasonably priced, attracting many diners to come and choose. The bustling atmosphere of the market also makes people feel a strong sense of life. Every evening, the stalls in the market start to close one after another, and the vendors begin to enjoy their first formal meal of the day. This simple and genuine way of life makes people feel the simplicity and contentment of the people on Red Flag Street.
As night falls, the nightlife on Red Flag Street is also getting better and better. The dazzling commercial signs light up the night scene of the street market, and the snack vendors and handicraft stalls on the night market are so numerous that one can hardly take them all in. People here taste delicious food, purchase their favorite goods and enjoy the comfort and relaxation of the night. This lively and vibrant atmosphere makes people feel the young and energetic side of Red Flag Street.
Red Flag Street is not merely a commercial street; it is also a street that carries history and culture, life and emotions. Here, you can feel the inclusiveness and diversity of the city of Sanya, and also find your own sense of belonging and happiness. You must visit Red Flag Street at least once to feel the unique charm of "old Sanya", to experience the hustle and bustle and new look that belong to Red Flag Street.
Today, Red Flag Street, although no longer the only commercial center in Sanya, still retains its unique charm. The time-honored shops have remained here for over a decade, welcoming guests from all directions. Every nightfall, the Red Flag Street Night Market comes alive. All kinds of snack stalls gather together, and the mouth-watering delicacies with their mouthwatering aroma make people's mouths water. Here, you can taste authentic Hainan snacks and also feel the strong atmosphere of the common people.
In addition to its delicious food, Red Flag Street also boasts a rich cultural heritage. Old-fashioned barber shops, residential houses coexist harmoniously with emerging grocery stores, coffee shops, clothing stores, etc., where history and modernity blend and collide. Walking on Red Flag Street, you can see the perfect combination of traditional Sanya culture and modern urban life. This unique cultural atmosphere has also attracted many young artists and tourists to come and take photos.
The changes in Red Flag Street are not only external but also internal. With the development of The Times, the lifestyle of the people in Red Flag Street is also constantly changing. On every street and in every alley, one can see people busy with their lives. They are either choosing their favorite items in small stores or chatting about daily life in the streets and alleys. This simple and unadorned way of life makes people feel the enthusiasm and sincerity of the people on Red Flag Street.
In the First Market of Red Flag Street Community, you can buy fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables. The seafood here is diverse and reasonably priced, attracting many diners to come and choose. The bustling atmosphere of the market also makes people feel a strong sense of life. Every evening, the stalls in the market start to close one after another, and the vendors begin to enjoy their first formal meal of the day. This simple and genuine way of life makes people feel the simplicity and contentment of the people on Red Flag Street.
As night falls, the nightlife on Red Flag Street is also getting better and better. The dazzling commercial signs light up the night scene of the street market, and the snack vendors and handicraft stalls on the night market are so numerous that one can hardly take them all in. People here taste delicious food, purchase their favorite goods and enjoy the comfort and relaxation of the night. This lively and vibrant atmosphere makes people feel the young and energetic side of Red Flag Street.
Red Flag Street is not merely a commercial street; it is also a street that carries history and culture, life and emotions. Here, you can feel the inclusiveness and diversity of the city of Sanya, and also find your own sense of belonging and happiness. You must visit Red Flag Street at least once to feel the unique charm of "old Sanya", to experience the hustle and bustle and new look that belong to Red Flag Street.
The First Market第一市场
The First Market is the busiest shopping center and also the place where you can buy the same The First Market is a well-known seafood trading market in Sanya. However, nowadays it no longer merely refers to this market but is more broadly used to denote the market and its surrounding commercial streets, including Xinmin Street, Coconut Wind Lane, and the area around Hexi Road, which are a gathering place for seafood processing stores. This is a popular choice for many tourists to enjoy seafood. The seafood here is fresh and cheap. After buying seafood in the farmers' market, you can find a processing shop nearby to have it processed, which is much cheaper than eating in a big restaurant. Moreover, you can also buy a wide variety of fruits and Hainan's characteristic snacks both inside and outside the market. In addition to seafood, you can also taste many local specialties of Hainan here, such as Hainanese noodles, coconut milk cold jelly, glutinous rice cake, coconut rice and other local snacks, as well as various freshly squeezed juices. Among them, freshly squeezed papaya juice and coconut juice are particularly tempting.things in lower price in Sanya. Here assembles all the necessities of life. What you need to prepare before coming here is th skill of bargain. No.2 and 4 bus can bring you here.
New Honggang Fruit Wholesale Market新鸿港水果批发市场
The Honggang Fruit Wholesale Market, a must-visit place in Sanya, mainly supplies fruits to fruit stores and vendors of all sizes in Sanya. However, its high-quality fruits also attract many tourists to come and take photos. The key point is that parking here is very convenient. Both the parking lot and the roadside are very convenient for tourists to drive or for locals to purchase goods in large quantities.
The market is divided into three major areas and has two floors. There are as many as over a hundred stalls inside. Mango, wax apple, lychee, pineapple... There are an extremely rich variety of more than ten kinds of seasonal fruits.
Mingzhu Plaza 明珠广场
Mingzhu Plaza is the most comprehensive shopping center in Sanya, with nine floors and a 1,500-square-meter hall. It deals in diverse local products, dining, entertainment, jewelry and cosmetics. Mingzhu Plaza locates on the opposite of the Second Market at the 3rd Liberation Road.
Mingzhu Plaza is the most comprehensive shopping center in Sanya, with nine floors and a 1,500-square-meter hall. It deals in diverse local products, dining, entertainment, jewelry and cosmetics. Mingzhu Plaza locates on the opposite of the Second Market at the 3rd Liberation Road.
