Off the coast of Lingshui, Hainan, at 18°N, two huge rocks shaped like sails rise from the sea. The eastern one is 33 meters high and the western one is 17 meters high. This is the "Twin Sail Rocks," well known to divers. As one of the few legally open offshore diving areas in China, it has a maximum depth of up to 60 meters, with visibility stable at 20 to 40 meters year-round. April to September is the best time to dive, when the wind and waves are calm and the water temperature stays at 24 to 28°C, making it very comfortable.
It takes about 30 minutes by boat from Xiangshui Bay to reach the dive site. Just after entering the water, sunlight passes through the surface and forms moving patches of light. This shallow area is friendly for snorkeling and beginner scuba diving. Coral coverage on the seabed is as high as 65%. Staghorn coral, brain coral, sea fans, and black coral grow thickly here. Colorful tropical fish such as clownfish, angelfish, and butterflyfish move among them, while sea urchins and conchs rest quietly in the crevices of the rocks.
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As the descent depth increases, the light gradually dims and the terrain becomes more complex. The western rock is relatively flat, with a depth of about 8 to 26 meters. Cuttlefish, lionfish, humphead parrotfish, batfish, and sea wolves are active here. This is also a training range favored by freedivers. The most impressive sight at Twin Sail Rocks is the sardine storm, where thousands of silver sardines gather into a huge vortex, with a chance of occurrence as high as 90%. In addition, whale sharks, which can reach nearly 10 meters in length, also visit these waters regularly. As ecological protection shows results, the frequency of whale shark sightings is increasing year by year. With luck, you may also encounter a green sea turtle gliding slowly by.
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