Sanya Festivals and Events

Half of Sanya's local population is made up of ethnic minorities, including more than 20 ethnic groups such as Li, Miao and Hui. These ethnic cultures also constitute the most distinctive urban symbol of Sanya. For thousands of years, while promoting each other's prosperity and development, all ethnic groups in Sanya have always adhered to their own most simple life mode and ethnic characteristics, which have been maintained to this day. The ancient Miao village and Betelnut valley Miao culture tourism area are the best symbols. Sanya has rich and colorful festivals and activities, including San Yue San of Li and Miao, Hainan international coconut festival, Nanshan longevity culture festival, Tianya Haijiao international wedding festival, merry making festival of Hainan, Nanshan spring festival temple fair, etc.

Main Festivals and Activities in Sanya

San Yue San of Li and Miao Minorities(黎苗三月三)

Date: The third day of the third lunar month

The 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month is a traditional "Double Third Day" of the Li and Miao minorities in Hainan."San Yue San" is a very important traditional festival for Li and Miao people in Hainan. Sanya first held San Yue San large-scaled festival activities in 2006, including the holy flame transmission, campfire party, Li and Miao art exhibition, ethnic sports competition, bamboo pole dance, theme parties, song contest and other rich and colorful ethnic activities. With the change of times, San Yue San of Li and Miao minorities have been endowed with modern atmosphere and new fashion elements in addition to the most basic traditional contents. Today, on the eve of San Yue San, the Li people from all directions will gather at Shuiman township of Wuzhishan City to hold a grand ceremony for offering sacrifices to their ancestors and praying for national peace and security.

Hainan Island Coconut Festival(海南国际椰子节)

Date: In the late March or early April

Hainan international coconut festival is rich in activities, such as coconut city lantern show, coconut street, Li and Miao people's get-together, international dragon boat race, ethnic martial arts challenge competition, cultural and sports performances, Li and Miao weddings, ancestor worship and so on.

Tianya Haijiao International Wedding Festival(天涯海角国际婚庆节)

Date: Around December of the Gregorian calendar

Tianya Haijiao international wedding festival was founded in 1996, which combines large-scale wedding activities and honeymoon tourism. The wedding festival is open to international and domestic newlyweds as well as gold wedding, silver wedding and other wedding couples. Through various activities, each couple enjoy a memory that will last a lifetime.

Nanshan Longevity Culture Festival(南山长寿文化节)

Date: The 9th day of the 9th lunar month

Sanya is the famous longevity city in China. Since the international seniors' day on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month in 1999, the Nanshan longevity culture festival with the theme of "respecting the elderly, caring for the elderly and health wellness" has been holding every year. And a series of activities such as the longevous exhibition, longevity regimen forum, and get-together for the elderly are held.

Nanshan Spring Festival Temple Fair(南山新春庙会)

Date: Spring festival's eve to the 15th day of the 1st lunar month

Hainan Nanshan temple fair is a large-scale folk traditional cultural activity integrating tourism, Buddhism and folk customs. It mainly includes welcoming the New Year and striking a bell on the New Year's eve, eating the noodles to start a new year, the lantern ceremony, New Year blessing, transcribing scriptures and other special activities as well as various cultural and recreational activities.

Tour of Hainan(环海南岛国际公路自行车赛)

Date: In November of Gregorian Calendar

The Tour of Hainan is an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race held in Hainan Province, China. The annual international road cycling race around Hainan island is held at the end of each year. The design of the race covers all types of racing cycle, including level road, hill, mountain and timing, with a total mileage of more than 1,000 kilometers. The qualification of participating teams has been upgraded to four levels: UCI professional team, UCI intercontinental professional team, UCI intercontinental team and national team. High-level teams from five continents are invited to participate in the competition. The event has set off a cycling craze in Hainan.