Hello, I’m Emma Lee—a food-loving traveler who has lived in China for many years. I chase flavors the way some people chase sunsets. Street stalls with sizzling woks thrill me just as much as oceanfront restaurants with refined plating. Sanya, with its warm sea breeze, bright sunlight, and ingredients so fresh they almost feel alive, has become one of the places I return to again and again. So I gathered my experiences and turned them into this Sanya food guide. I hope it helps you taste the city’s sweetest, boldest, and most unforgettable flavors.

Summary

Must-Try Traditional Sanya Dishes

Zaopocu Hot Pot

Zaopocu Hot Pot
  • Introduction: Originating from Puzhen Town in Wenchang, Zaopocu Hot Pot uses fermented rice lees—left over from winemaking—to create a rich, tangy broth. The soup has a bold sour-and-spicy kick with a layer of red chili oil that instantly excites your appetite. When you enjoy this dish, the cooking order matters. Seafood goes in first. Fish, shrimp, and shellfish draw out natural sweetness, and a quick dip of fresh fish in the broth makes it tender and flavorful.
  • Chinese Name: 糟粕醋火锅
  • Pinyin: Zāo Pò Cù Huǒ Guō
  • Main Ingredients: Cartilage, crab roe, kelp, bean sprouts, radish, seafood
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Qiong Xiaoqiong Zaopocu Seafood Hot Pot (Sanya Bay Branch)
    • Address: No. 93 Xincheng Road, Lihe Square S13 Store, Tianya District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00–23:00
    • Average Price: 90 CNY

Coconut Chicken

Coconut Chicken
  • Introduction: Coconut Chicken is a beloved classic of Hainan hot pot. The broth is made purely from fresh coconut water. Once it boils, chicken pieces go in, and the soup turns clear, sweet, and comforting. A warm sip feels tropical and soothing. When the broth reduces, you can add extra ingredients to extend the meal. Its light and refreshing flavor makes it a must-try dish in Sanya.
  • Chinese Name: 椰子鸡
  • Pinyin: yē zǐ jī
  • Main Ingredients: Coconut, chicken, water
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Diadia’s Coconut Chicken
    • Address: 3rd Floor, Building Behind Daboluo, Jiyang District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00–22:00
    • Average Price: 120 CNY

Chicken Wrapped in Pork Tripe

Chicken Wrapped in Pork Tripe
  • Introduction: This nourishing soup combines free-range chicken, pork tripe, and Chinese medicinal herbs. Locals believe the tripe strengthens the stomach, while the chicken warms the body. After simmering for hours, the broth becomes soothing, aromatic, and perfect for anyone looking for a comforting meal.
  • Chinese Name: 猪肚包鸡
  • Pinyin: zhū dù bāo jī
  • Main Ingredients: Pork tripe, chicken
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Dumeizhen Sanhe Chicken Wrapped with Pork Stomach (Lizhigou Branch)
    • Address: No. 208 Lizhigou Road, near Sanya Qianguqing, Jiyang District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:30–14:00, 17:00–22:30
    • Average Price: 60 CNY

Vegetarian Clay Pot

Vegetarian Clay Pot
  • Introduction: This dish can be served as a hot pot or a clay pot entrée. It usually features a dozen or more vegetables, and diners may add beef offal, lamb, or duck intestines for extra flavor. As everything simmers together, the ingredients enhance one another and create a unique aroma that defines this comforting Hainan classic.
  • Chinese Name: 斋菜煲
  • Pinyin: zhāi cài bāo
  • Main Ingredients: Mixed vegetables
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Xinnianji Vegetarian Clay Pot & Zaopocu Hot Pot
    • Address: No. 9, 1st Floor, Building 15, Dong’an Village Apartment, Jiyang District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 16:00–24:00
    • Average Price: 80 CNY

Seafood Rice Porridge

Seafood Rice Porridge
  • Introduction: In the evening, nothing feels more comforting than a steaming bowl of Seafood Rice Porridge. Its secret lies in the silky, slow-cooked porridge base and the freshness of the seafood. The seafood is lightly stir-fried until half done. Then it’s added to the cooked porridge and gently simmered. This helps keep every bite sweet, tender, and soothing.
  • Chinese Name: 海鲜生滚粥
  • Pinyin: hǎi xiān shēng gǔn zhōu
  • Main Ingredients: Rice, shrimp
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Huajie Health Porridge (Jianshe Snack Street Branch)
    • Address: No. 111 Jianshe Street, Tianya District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 05:30–13:30, 18:30–03:30
    • Average Price: 10 CNY

Qing Bu Liang

Qing Bu Liang
  • Introduction: Qing Bu Liang doesn’t follow a single recipe. Some versions focus on nourishing the spleen, while others aim to moisten the lungs. Traditionally served as a sweet soup or slow-cooked tonic, it varies widely across regions. Modern versions go even further. Besides the classic syrup base, you’ll now find versions made with coconut water, coconut milk, shaved ice, or even ice cream.
  • Chinese Name: 清补凉
  • Pinyin: qīng bǔ liáng
  • Main Ingredients: Fresh coconut juice, coconut meat, seasonal tropical fruits, red beans, barley, grass jelly, peanuts, watermelon cubes, pineapple cubes, mango cubes, jelly
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Qiongshu Qing Bu Liang
    • Address: 80 meters west of the intersection of Hailong Road and Haipo 1st Cross Alley, Tianya District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 12:00–23:30
    • Average Price: 34 CNY

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice
  • Introduction: Known locally as “Coconut Boat,” Coconut Rice is a traditional rural snack in Hainan. It features coconut and glutinous rice cooked until naturally fragrant and lightly sweet. The old method used slow heat from a lime kiln. Today, glutinous rice is packed into a hollowed coconut, mixed with coconut juice and sugar, and steamed for several hours. Once cooled, it’s sliced into shiny white pieces where coconut meat and rice blend tightly. In Wenchang, this dish symbolizes good fortune and is often served to honored guests.
  • Chinese Name: 椰子饭
  • Pinyin: yē zi fàn
  • Main Ingredients: Coconut, glutinous rice, cooking oil
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Diadia’s Coconut Chicken
    • Address: 3rd Floor, Building Behind Daboluo, Jiyang District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00–22:00
    • Average Price: 120 CNY

Hainan Rice Noodles

Hainan Rice Noodles
  • Introduction: Hainan Rice Noodles are one of the island’s most distinctive street foods. Made from rice that is soaked, ground, and pressed into thin noodles, they are mixed with soy sauce, garlic paste, sesame oil, shredded beef, fried squid strips, peanuts, and pickled vegetables. The result is a flavorful bowl that blends savory, spicy, and slightly sweet notes.
  • Chinese Name: 海南粉
  • Pinyin: hǎi nán fěn
  • Main Ingredients: Rice noodles, braised sauce
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Huangshi Lianglao Hainan Fen (Sanya Branch)
    • Address: 1st Floor, Shenghuang Commercial Building, Jiefang Road, Tianya District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 07:00–14:00
    • Average Price: 22 CNY

Hele Crab

Hele Crab
  • Introduction: Hele Crab—also known as Green Crab—is one of Hainan’s four signature dishes. Although similar crabs exist in Guangdong and Fujian, the ones from Hele Town’s eastern coastline are unmatched. Crabs from the Gangbei and Lequn villages are the most prized, famous for their rich golden roe and tender meat. The thick, salty-sweet crab roe resembles salted egg yolk and is considered a rare delicacy even across China.
  • Chinese Name: 和乐蟹
  • Pinyin: hé lè xiè
  • Main Ingredients: Hele crab
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Chixie Restaurant (Dadonghai Branch)
    • Address: No. 43-1, Floors 1–2, Yuya Road, Jiyang District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00–21:31
    • Average Price: 166 CNY

Baoluo Rice Noodles

Baoluo Rice Noodles
  • Introduction: Baoluo Noodles originated from Baoluo Town in Wenchang during the Ming Dynasty. This noodle soup is known for its gentle yet layered flavors—sweet, sour, and spicy. The broth is traditionally made by simmering beef or pork bones for hours and later refined with Cantonese-style stock techniques. The result is a clean, mildly sweet soup that feels both comforting and refreshing.
  • Chinese Name: 抱罗粉
  • Pinyin: bào luó fěn
  • Main Ingredients: Rice noodles
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Year-round
  • Traditional Baoluo Rice Noodle Restaurant
    • Address: No. 33–34 Xihe West Road, Tianya District, Sanya (Apple Maps / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 07:30–23:30
    • Average Price: 18 CNY

Essential Sanya Travel Resources