Top 10 must-see attractions in Hainan

Millions of visitors are attracted to Hainan every year for its special beauty, including the splendid Botanical Garden, coconut trees and monkey island, as well as enigmatic Buddhism and Taoism culture. China.org.cn picks the top 10 attractions in Hainan, which will definitely give you an amazing visual enjoyment!

1．Yalong Bay National Resort

Yalong Bay is famous for its soft, white sand and crystal blue sea.

Yalong Bay is a 7.5-kilometer stretch of beach located southeast of Sanya. As a hot tourism destination, it is famous for its soft, white sand and crystal blue sea with visibility down to 10 meters. It is a favorite place of divers. It also has advanced golf clubs and sailing clubs.

Admission: 54 yuan

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Get there: Bus 15, 102, or travel bus

2. Daxiao Dongtian Caves

Daxiao Dongtian Scenic Spot has a history of more than 800 years.

Located 40 kilometers west of Sanya, Daxiao Dongtian Caves has a history of more than 800 years. It covers 22.5 square kilometers, featuring gorgeous sunsets, caves, verdant mountains and bizarre stones. The place is perfect to appreciate spectacular sunset on the beach with those rocks that witness the passing of history. It is the most popular mountain for its special views of the sea, typical mountain landscape and beautiful rocks, which have been the subject of many classic Chinese poems. It is also home to the Natural Museum of Sanya, which features dinosaur fossils.

Admission: 135 yuan

Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Get there: Bus from Yalong Bay

3. Nanshan Temple

Nanshan Culture Tourism Zone is famous for Buddhist culture and beauty.

Nanshan Temple is famous for Buddhist culture and beauty. Millions of visitors go every year. The area features three theme parks: Buddhism Culture Park, Blessing and Longevity Park and Hainan Custom Culture Park. It is also home to the statue of the South China Sea Kwan-yin Bodhisattva. The giant sea-side statue of Kwan-yin stands 108 meters and was constructed out of gold, diamonds and jade.

Admission: 150 yuan

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Get there: Bus from downtown Sanya

4. The End of the Earth (Tianya Haijiao)

Located southwest of Sanya, The End of the Earth is the most famous site in Hainan. Its name means "the end of sky and the rim of the sea" in Chinese. It covers 10.4 square kilometers of land and 6 square kilometers of sea, and is marked by several grotesque stones as high as two men, which features spectacular views of white waves, azure sky and the blue sea.

Admission: 65 yuan

Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Get there: Bus 2, 4, transfer to Taihe travel bus

5. Wuzhizhou Island

Located in Haitang Bay north of Sanya, Wuzhizhou Island is the "No. 1 bay under the sun."

Located in Haitang Bay north of Sanya, Wuzhizhou Island is the "No. 1 bay under the sun." It is one of the rare islands that has freshwater in Hainan. It has more than 2,000 types of plants, including the precious dracaena. Wuzhizhou Island boasts pleasant temperature year-round, clean water and various kinds of tropical fish and seafood, such as sea cucumber, lobster, mackerel and sea urchin,. The sea visibility down to 27 meters makes it the best place for diving in China.

Admission: 168 yuan

Get there: Boat from Wuzhizhou Port to Wuzhizhou Island.

6. Bo’ao Tourism Area

Bo’ao has grown from a small fishing port into a first-class meeting center and hot tropical tourist resort.

Bo’ao has grown from a small fishing port into a first-class meeting center and hot tropical tourist resort. Bo’ao is located along the eastern coast line of the South China Sea and features spectacular natural scenery and famous attractions. Bo’ao Port, noted for steep terrain and complicated water conditions, consists of three rivers and two islands: Wanquan River, Longgun River, Jiuquan River, Dongyu Island and Yuanyang (Mandarin Duck) Island.

Bo’ao is also a superb place for golf and sailing.

Get there: Long-distance bus from Haikou to Qionghai, then transfer bus to Bo’ao.

7. Monkey Island

Monkey Island is a state-protected and only nature reserve for macaque monkeys in the world.

Located on the Nanwan peninsula, 14 kilometers south of Lingshui County, Monkey Island is a state-protected and only nature reserve for macaque monkeys in the world. Established in 1965, the island has become a popular tourist destination. More than 400 kinds of plants and fruits, 100 animals and numerous grottos make the island a perfect paradise for monkeys. It is now home to approximately 2,500 monkeys among 21 species. It also has the longest over-water cable car in China, spanning 2,138 meters, providing convenient transportation to the island. Free guides advise visitors how to play with the monkeys and experience the harmony between humans and nature.

Admission: 138 yuan

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

8. Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden

Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden in Xinglong Hot Spring Tourist Zone is a splendid natural region in Hainan, famous for tropical cash crops, wild plants and rare species.

Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden in Xinglong Hot Spring Tourist Zone is a splendid natural region in Hainan, famous for tropical cash crops, wild plants and rare species. Built in 1957, it covers 400,000 square meters and is one of four national eco-environment education centers and gene pools of species in China. Called the "tropical plant encyclopedia," the garden consists of five areas: Plants Area, Experiment and Demonstration Area, Technology Innovation Area, Stereo Effect Planting Area and Ecological Leisure Area. The garden also plays an important role in agricultural cultivation and research.

Admission: 28 yuan

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

9. Coconut trees in Wenchang

The Wenchang coconut trees form the largest group of coconut trees in China and is one of the most popular scenic areas in Hainan.

The Wenchang coconut trees form the largest group of coconut trees in China and is one of the most popular scenic areas in Hainan. There are more than 500,000 trees. Coconut juice is called "holy water" by local residents and is said to help people who drink it regain their youthful vigor.

Local farmers can climb 20 meters coconut trees very fast to give visitors fresh coconut juice.

Get there: Buses from Haikou and Sanya go to Wenchang.

10. Holiday Beach

Located next to Qingling Avenue in west Haikou, Holiday Beach is 6 kilometers long. Thriving Linma Huanglin trees line the beach, while hotels, vacation resorts, restaurants and amusement parks look out onto the beautiful Qiongzhou Strait. Ships shuttle to and from the seas. Golden sunshine, blue seawater, a yellow beach and green coconut trees make a great view on the seashore.

The beach consists of a sunbathing area, sea sports area, sea food and culture area and leisure area. The Roman-style Hot Spring Paradise, which can accommodate over 1800 audiences, often feature various kinds of performances, including water ballet, diving, and singing and dancing. In the leisure area, there is a vocation center, various kinds of camps and hammocks, where visitors can enjoy a quiet and comfortable night at here.

Admission: Free.

Get there: Bus 28, 29, 40; Travel line 1 and 2.

SOURCE: China Travel Tips