Kazakh airline SCAT has launched sales on a surprise new route from Prague to Sanya, China, the largest resort city on Hainan Island.

The island is often referred to as "China's Hawaii" due to its beaches and beautiful scenery.

If you arrive on Hainan Island by direct international flight, no Chinese visa is required for a tourist stay of up to 30 days.

Return tickets for all dates are currently available for 582 eur.

The route will operate once a week on Sundays with a Boeing 737 MAX 9 with a stopover for refueling in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

• Prague - Sanya
  • departure at 16:50, arrival in China at 12:30 the following day
• Sanya - Prague
  • Departure at 8:05, arrival in Prague at 15:20

SCAT will use the so-called 7th freedom on this route, i.e. the right to fly between two foreign countries without crossing the territory of one's own country, which is very unusual for long-haul routes.