Swim with humpback whales in Moʻorea, September 2027 · from CHF 4,500See the trip →
Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Asia

Asia

China

Tropical reefs at Sanya on Hainan island and a small, protected group of Chinese white dolphins near Xiamen.

Gentle waves washing over a sandy beach on Hainan island
Sanya coral coast · Photo: realfish on Unsplash
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 30 Sep 2026. Sources: Ocean theme parks: China's growing captive cetacean industry 2019 to 2024, China Cetacean Alliance, 18 Jan 2025; China travel advice, UK FCDO; Wuzhizhou eDNA fish survey, Biodiversity Data Journal, 2024.

SnorkellingDolphinsCoral reefsWildlife watching

Why China

Hainan island has a national coral reef nature reserve at Sanya, and Wuzhizhou island became a national marine ranch area in 2019, where 188 fish species were found by DNA in the water. The Chinese white dolphin is protected by law, but only a few dozen live around Xiamen and they are under pressure from boats and coastal building. China also runs more than 100 ocean theme parks with captive whales and dolphins, which we avoid. We are still learning about local rules, park fees and emergency care, so this is early research.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

IndonesiaCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamNorth KoreaSouth KoreaIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanKyrgyzstanSri LankaChinaTaiwanPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiJapanWuzhizhou Island, Sanya, ChinaSanya coral coast, ChinaXiamen Bay, China

When to go

Dec-Apr. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

China has more than 100 ocean theme parks with captive whales and dolphins, and we never visit them. Wild Chinese white dolphins are protected by law but very few remain, so we would only watch from far away and never swim with them. On the reefs we snorkel gently and do not touch or feed. We could not yet check local rules on the ground, so we are still learning.

Evidence is still thin here. We are checking again with official sources.

Checked 30 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in China

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Wuzhizhou Island, Sanya

Exploring

A small island off Hainan with reef fish and a national marine ranch area.

🤿 In the water: Reef fish (snorkelling only, no touching, no feeding)

When: Dec-Apr. We plan December to April only. Typhoons can come from May to November and the water gets very warm in July to September. We have not confirmed the local rules, fees or a hospital and dive chamber route.

Sanya coral coast

Exploring

Reef shallows near Luhuitou and Yalong Bay inside the Sanya coral reef reserve area.

🤿 In the water: Reef fish (gentle snorkelling, no touching)

When: Dec-Apr. Sanya reefs have seen repeated bleaching and only partial recovery. The east side of Yalong Bay is a naval base, so we stay away from it.

Xiamen Bay

Exploring

Coastal waters where a very small group of Chinese white dolphins still lives.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Chinese white dolphins (only from far away, no organised trips until a rule is confirmed)

Animals

Animals recorded in China

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Adult pink Chinese white dolphin swimming beside a grey calf in Pearl River estuary waterChinese white dolphinSousa chinensisSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredDugong grazing on seagrass over a sandy seabedDugongDugong dugonSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBryde’s whale surfacing and exhaling in deep blue open oceanBryde's whaleBalaenoptera edeniSeen in 36 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEstuary seahorse with textured orange skin on dark sandCommon (estuary) seahorseHippocampus kudaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSicklefin devil ray swimming in open blue waterSicklefin devil ray (Chilean devil ray)Mobula tarapacanaSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasEndangeredBluestreak cleaner wrasse with black stripe and blue tailBluestreak cleaner wrasseLabroides dimidiatusSeen in 51 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon octopus crawling over a rocky seabed in FranceCommon octopusOctopus vulgarisSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSmooth hammerhead swimming in clear blue open water off SpainSmooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaenaSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasVulnerableFinless porpoiseNeophocaena phocaenoidesSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerableShortfin mako shark at Condor Bank in the North Atlantic, AzoresShortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasEndangeredYangtze finless porpoises, the freshwater form of this species, in the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesNarrow-ridged finless porpoiseNeophocaena asiaeorientalisSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSpotted seal with its dark-spotted coat, photographed by NOAA Fisheries staffSpotted sealPhoca larghaSeen in 5 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWedge-tailed shearwaters resting togetherWedge-tailed shearwaterArdenna pacificaSeen in 46 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlack-faced spoonbill in Taiwan, TW, iNaturalist research-grade observationBlack-faced spoonbillPlatalea minorSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLives on landVulnerableDark seahorse holding on among stalks and plants on a sandy seabed in green-tinted waterGreat seahorseHippocampus kelloggiSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasVulnerablePale seahorse with a long snout holding a blade of green weed against a dark backgroundThree-spot seahorseHippocampus trimaculatusSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasEndangeredAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAtlantic bluefin tuna leaping out of choppy water, recorded in Hovedstaden, DenmarkAtlantic bluefin tunaThunnus thynnusSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a red-footed booby head with blue, pink and red bill and throat skin among green leavesRed-footed boobySula sulaSeen in 91 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWhite-tailed eagle in flight low over calm water with a fish in its talons, near Raftsund, Lofoten, NorwayWhite-tailed eagleHaliaeetus albicillaSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLesser frigatebird soaring against a blue sky with its wings spread and tail forkedLesser frigatebirdFregata arielSeen in 39 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo pygmy cormorants perched on a bare branchPygmy cormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeusSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernShort-tailed shearwater resting on the open seaShort-tailed shearwaterArdenna tenuirostrisSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBulwer's petrel flying low over blue water, its long pointed tail visibleBulwer's petrelBulweria bulweriiSeen in 17 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSwinhoe's storm-petrel flying low over a grey sea, seen at a distanceSwinhoe's storm-petrelHydrobates monorhisSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedLittle cormorant perched among mangrove branches with its wings spreadLittle cormorantMicrocarbo nigerSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernPelagic cormorant standing on a rock with wings held open to dryPelagic cormorantUrile pelagicusSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernJapanese cormorant perched on a rock against blue sky with its bill open, white throat and cheeks showingJapanese cormorantPhalacrocorax capillatusSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasLeast Concern
Dreaming of China?

Tell Rocío what you would love to see

There is no trip here yet. If enough people ask, it helps us decide where to go next.

Message on WhatsAppEmail RocíoGet new dates first

Also in Asia
BangladeshBruneiCambodiaHong KongIndonesiaJapanLaosMacauMalaysiaMicronesia (FSM)MyanmarNorth KoreaPalauPhilippinesSingaporeSouth KoreaTaiwanThailandTimor-LesteVietnam

← Back to the Ocean Atlas

For partners

Based in China?

We are always happy to hear from exceptional local operators, accommodation, conservation organisations and destination experts in China. If your work fits responsible, small-group ocean travel, we would love to learn more.

Partner with Ocean Calling
You might like

New: mobula rays in La Ventana, May 2027

CHF 2,720

Book now →