On January 30 (the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year), thousands of tourists were stranded at the pier of Xidao in Sanya City, Hainan Province, shouting loudly for a refund, as the staff at the scenic area explained that it was not due to a lack of boats but rather an overflow of visitors, sparking dissatisfaction. The scenic area issued an apology on January 31, stating that there were no more stranded tourists.
According to reports from Mainland China’s media and social media, there was a large number of tourists stranded at the Xidao scenic area in Sanya, Hainan. Videos circulating online showed a large crowd of tourists stranded at the pier, loudly demanding refunds. Some visitors questioned the management why, with so many people stranded, the lights were turned off.
One interviewed tourist said that the staff informed them that there were a total of 15 boats, but even from the highest point, he could not see any boats approaching, with only one or two boats visible. The scenic area staff responded by stating that the issue was not a lack of boats but rather an excess of tourists.
The scenic area reported on January 31 that during the peak Lunar New Year season, the demand for island visits was strong, surpassing expectations, and boat departures to the island were concentrated between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., leading to extended waiting times. By 9:22 p.m. that night, all tourists had left the island.
Some tourists criticized the inadequate capacity and lack of control in the scenic area, stating that they had to queue for up to 2 hours to board a boat on the first day of the year, which dampened their holiday mood. Others shared photos on social media showing crowded conditions and expressed their decision not to return in the future.
Xidao is a small island located 15 kilometers from Sanya, covering an area of 2.8 square kilometers.
Following the end of the 2024 Chinese New Year holiday, Sanya, Hainan Province had previously experienced a situation where numerous tourists were stranded and compelled to engage in high consumption. Many could not afford the exorbitant flight prices that soared to over ten thousand yuan, while self-driving tourists faced obstacles such as being unable to transport their vehicles to the island, preventing them from leaving Hainan Island. The incident of “over 80,000 stranded tourists forced into high consumption daily” became a hotly debated topic among Chinese netizens on Weibo, accusing Hainan of deliberately slowing down the efficiency of inter-island transportation to trap tourists on the island, forcing them to spend money.