Hainan’s Dongfang City will serve as the main venue for this year's Sanyuesan Festival, celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month. This vital celebration for the local Li and Miao people will be held from April 19 to 21, 2026. Breaking from tradition, the opening and closing ceremonies will be held offshore for the very first time. A grand stage built directly on the sea will kick off this cultural extravaganza, blending heritage, sports, food, and tourism.

A massive offshore structure—spanning over 2,000 square meters and towering 20 meters high, with a 1,000-square-meter main performance area—is rapidly taking shape along Dongfang's Rixia Coast. On opening night of April 19, the stage will host a spectacular show featuring an 800-drone fleet and jaw-dropping water stunts, including thrilling flyboard performances.

Rendering of the offshore stage at Rixia Coast (Image courtesy of Qihang Hotel, Dongfang)

Kicking things off on the evening of April 18, Donghe Middle School in Donghe Town will host an authentic folk carnival night. The event features a poetic Li song and dance showcase bringing to life the origin stories of the Sanyuesan Festival and traditional courtship customs. A vibrant bonfire party will follow, offering attendees a fully immersive cultural experience.

Li dancers performing the traditional Bamboo Dance at a previous Sanyuesan Festival. (Photo: Dongfang Integrated Media Center)

This year’s festival also places a heavy emphasis on intangible cultural heritage. From April 19 to 20, the Sanyuesan Cultural Square will host weaving and embroidery competitions highlighting Li brocade and Miao embroidery alongside exhibitions and sales of creative heritage products. An interactive zone will feature traditional heritage representatives giving an introduction to the uses of common Li medicinal herbs and demonstrating simple treatments like herbal poultice wrapping.

Competitors in action at the 2025 Sanyuesan weaving and embroidery competition. (Photo: Hinews)

Sports have always been a major highlight of the festival. This year, the Dongfang venue will once again host traditional local sporting events, drawing competitors from across Hainan to face off in classic competitions like coconut tree climbing, ‘elephant’ tug of war, board shoe racing, and top spinning. These contests will run from April 19 to 20 at Dongfang Middle School. To get everyone involved, organizers are also setting up fun, interactive sports meets across several locations in the city. Another highly anticipated event is the Dragon Boat Open, with professional dragon boat teams racing on the Beili River estuary on April 20.

A previous coconut tree climbing race. (Photo: Hinews)

Adding to the excitement, the finals of the folk song competition will light up the Rixia Coast on the evening of April 20. Throughout the festival (April 19–21), Dongfang Cultural Square and the surrounding area will transform into a massive food carnival. The market will feature local Dongfang specialties, delicacies from across Hainan, and even popular treats from outside the island. Visitors can also get hands-on by crafting their own Li brocade pendants or shaping traditional Li pottery.

When it comes to Dongfang's culinary scene, the undisputed heavyweight is the roast suckling pig. Dating back over 300 years, this golden, crispy, savory dish holds the top spot in the hearts of locals. Other must-try specialties include salt-baked Nangang lamb, garlic lamb chops, and shark stew with sour melon. For the ultimate feast, the traditional Li Long-Table Banquet offers a chance to sample a wide array of Li and Miao dishes all at once, from 'fish tea’ to Shanlan rice wine and vibrant three-color rice.

Dongfang’s culinary pride: roast suckling pig. (Photo: Dongfang Integrated Media Center)

A traditional Li Long-Table Banquet (Photo: Dongfang Integrated Media Center)

Beyond the main festival venues, Dongfang itself is dotted with cultural landmarks worth exploring, such as the Beili Historical Quarter, the Hainan Railway Museum, and Baicha Village. Notably, Baicha Village is known as China’s only well-preserved ancient settlement featuring the iconic traditional boat-shaped houses of the Li people.

An art gallery nestled in the Beili Historical Quarter, Dongfang. (Photo: Dongfang Integrated Media Center)

A local museum in the Beili Historical Quarter, Dongfang. (Photo: Dongfang Integrated Media Center)

The Hainan Railway Museum (Photo: Dongfang Integrated Media Center)

A scenic view of Baicha Village in Dongfang (Photo: New Hainan App)

The iconic traditional boat-shaped houses of Baicha Village, the traditional homes of Hainan's Li people. (Photo by Huang Fu)

The natural scenery in Dongfang is equally unmissable. Yulinzhou, celebrated as one of the "Eight Great Sights of Hainan", offers ethereal sunset scenery. Meanwhile, Exian Ridge boasts a unique karst landscape, with the picturesque scenic area at its base serving as the perfect getaway for a relaxing camping trip.

Yulinzhou, celebrated as one of the "Eight Great Sights of Hainan" (Photo by Chen Yunwu)

A picturesque camping site at Exian Ridge (Image via Xiaohongshu/@Lizi)

See you in Dongfang, Hainan at the Sanyuesan Festival from Apr. 19-21!