Practical Services in Sanya
Payments, SIM cards, medical clinics, and the numbers every Sanya traveler should have saved before the beach.
Payments
Sanya is nearly cashless. Link a foreign Visa/Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly — it covers DiDi, 7-Eleven, and beachfront restaurants. Cash works at markets and small stalls; carry small notes.
Internet & SIM
Hainan has good 4G/5G coverage across all four bays. A foreign eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) works on arrival. For a local SIM, China Mobile/Unicom stores in downtown Sanya need your passport and take 20 minutes.
Medical
Sanya People's Hospital and the 425th Hospital see tourists; for English-speaking care, the international clinics at the Yalong Bay and Haitang Bay resorts can refer you. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Emergency numbers
- Police: 110
- Ambulance: 120
- Tourist hotline: 12301
Consular help
There is no foreign consulate in Sanya — the nearest are in Haikou or Guangzhou. Keep your embassy's 24-hour line saved offline.
Locals' Tip
Save 12301 (tourist hotline) — they can mediate disputes with hotels, shops and tour operators in English.