The Sanya International Duty Free Mall in Haitang Bay is the largest single duty-free shopping complex in the world — over 120,000 square metres of cosmetics, watches, handbags, electronics, and liquor sold without import duty to anyone who has flown into Hainan from elsewhere in China or abroad. Domestic tourists have an annual duty-free allowance (currently capped at RMB 100,000 per person per year) and the mall is one of the main reasons Chinese tourists fly to Sanya.
The complex is operated by China Duty Free Group and rivals the Lotte and Shilla mega-stores of South Korea in scale. Even if you have no plans to buy anything it is an unmistakable display of contemporary Chinese consumer culture: shuttle buses constantly disgorging coachloads of shoppers, queues at the high-end watch counters, and same-day pickup at the airport. Bring your passport, your boarding pass, and your patience.