Central and Western Hainan travel guide
海南中西部
The Central-Western Route borders Beibu Gulf and faces Vietnam across the sea. Most of the area is tropical rainforest that few people visit. Looking out over the endless sea of forest,…
16 places · In the guidebook: pages 2572–2584
Central and Western Hainan, Hainan Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Central and Western Hainan in 2 days
- Day 1
- Danzhou Millennium Salt Fields→
- Dongpo Academy→
- Zhonghe Ancient Town→
- Shihua Water Cave→
- Botanical Garden
- Day 2
- Qizi Bay→
- Bawangling→
- Wuzhishan (Five Finger Mountain)→
- Limushan National Forest Park
The feel of the place
- Tropical Rainforest
- The Central-Western Route borders Beibu Gulf and faces Vietnam across the sea. Most of the area is tropical rainforest that few people visit. Looking out over the endless sea of forest, it feels both mysterious and eerie compared with the bustle of the east coast. Perhaps because the natural conditions in the west are harsh, Han Chinese have rarely settled here since ancient times. Only the Li and Miao peoples live here, in their own distinctive ways, which gives the region a rich ethnic character.
Preparation and Advice
Climate and Travel Season
The main sights on the Central-Western Route are concentrated in Lingao, Danzhou, Changjiang, Ledong, Wuzhishan, Qiongzhong and Baoting. The climate here differs from the rest of Hainan. It is relatively dry, with a typical tropical monsoon climate marked by distinct wet and dry seasons. Rainfall is concentrated in the typhoon season from June to November. In winter, the influence of cold ocean currents is strong, so temperatures are relatively lower.
Things to see
Changjiang Li Autonomous County Bus Station
Dongpo Academy
Dongpo Academy was the highest seat of learning in Danzhou throughout history. Built to commemorate Su Shi of the Northern Song dynasty, its Zaijiu Hall, Zaijiu Pavilion, Aotang Niche and other structures are antique and charming. Zaijiu Hall was where Su Dongpo and his son lived and studied. The Dongpo bamboo hat sold near the site is a well-known local craft, and you may wish to buy one as a souvenir.
1 hour · Peak season ¥25; off-season ¥21
Zhonghe Ancient Town
In ancient times this was the seat of Danzhou prefecture, and the Song dynasty literary giant Su Dongpo was exiled here for three years. Thanks to his influence on local culture, people here have for centuries loved composing and exchanging poetry and couplets, and Zhonghe Town enjoys fame as the "Hometown of Poetry Couplets". The ancient town still preserves two Song-era city gates, to the west and north. Strolling its main streets brings a sense of its unpretentious old-world charm.
1 hour
Songtao Reservoir
Songtao Reservoir is a high-mountain lake straddling the counties of Danzhou and Baisha. It captures rainwater from the upper reaches of the Nandu River in the Nanyang and Fanjiayang river valleys for irrigation, and is surrounded by vast, verdant primeval forest.
1 hour · ¥120
Shihua Water Cave
Shihua Water Cave is a rare natural karst cave in Danzhou, around 1.4 million years old. Inside, stalactites take on a variety of forms, alongside stalagmites, columns and cascades. A winding underground river runs through the cave and can be explored by boat.
1–2 hours · Peak season ¥70; off-season ¥58
Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Botanical Garden
The Two Tropical Academies Botanical Garden is a microcosm of the world's tropical plants. It houses more than 1,000 rare tropical species from over 40 countries and rivals the tropical plant garden in Xishuangbanna. The garden is home to a towering Antiaris (upas) tree, which takes two or three people holding hands to encircle. It is said to be one of the most poisonous plants in the world.
2–3 hours · ¥26
Bawangling
Surrounded by tropical primeval forest stretching for dozens of kilometres, Bawangling is home to more than 1,400 species of precious trees. Some of the timber used for the Tiananmen Gate Tower in Beijing came from here. The area also abounds in tropical orchids, such as the five-lip orchid, ivory orchid and winter wind orchid.
0.5–3 days · ¥50
Wuzhishan (Five Finger Mountain)
Wuzhishan is the symbol of Hainan Island and its highest mountain. Unlike the solemn character of other mountains, Wuzhishan evokes a stronger sense of mystery. Many literati have left their inscriptions on the mountain, and some of these have become important sources for the study of Hainan's history.
2–3 hours · ¥50
Red Canyon Rafting
The second-largest attraction on Wuzhishan, offered as either a big raft or a small raft. The big raft covers about 6 km of complex river channels, with 8 waterfalls and 3 major rapids, making for a thrilling ride from start to finish. The small raft covers a 4 km stretch with gentler currents, offering a romantic and relaxed experience.
2–4 hours · ¥200
Limushan (Limu Mountain)
Limu Mountain has been revered since ancient times as the sacred mountain of the Li people. It is one of Hainan's three major mountain ranges and is regarded as the ancestral mountain of the Li people. It is especially famous for its many waterfalls. The scenic area is divided into five zones, each largely primeval forest. Every morning, countless streams cascade down from the heights above 1,000 metres. Some fall like strings of jade beads, others plunge like the Milky Way, and the roar sounds like drums. The sight is extraordinary.
4 hours
Longmen Surging Waves
Longmen is located on Longmen Mountain in Danzhou City. On the eastern side of the mountain is a jar-shaped gate. When a north wind blows, it whips up huge waves that crash against the stone gate, with a roar that can be heard more than ten li away.
1 hour
Millennium Ancient Salt Fields
The Danzhou Millennium Ancient Salt Fields have a history of more than 1,200 years. They are China's earliest traditional sea-salt production site, and still preserve the most complete, original and distinctive method of salt production by sun drying. They are also among the best-preserved ancient salt fields and have been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.
1 hour
Lingao Cape
Lingao Cape is a headland jutting out from Hainan Island into the Qiongzhou Strait, 10 km from Lingao County town. It is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and at its tip a natural reef 250 metres long plunges straight into the water, resembling an immortal pointing the way. The shore offers a kilometre of beach, and from here, nearly the entire 270-degree view is sea. This is also the place where troops first landed when Hainan was liberated.
4–5 hours · Free
Qizi Bay
A place where sea and stone meet: among the reefs by the shore lies a pebble beach several hundred square metres in size, dotted with white, emerald-green, earthy red and pale yellow stones. The hike around Qizi Bay takes about 3 hours and passes mostly landforms shaped by sea erosion and weathering, stretching along the coast. There is a saying about Qizi Bay: “See the sunrise from the Big Cape and the sunset from the Small Cape. Whether early or late, you should come to Qizi Bay and witness the joy of the sun's cycle.”
1 day
Baihualing Scenic Area
The main peak of Baihualing rises more than 1,100 metres, and Baihua Waterfall drops 300 metres in three tiers, a truly spectacular sight.
Nature
Muse Tourist Resort Scenic Area
The scenic area is home to herds of wild boar, hares, foxes and other animals, but there is no need to be afraid.
0.5–1 day
Getting there & around
The West Expressway, the only completed expressway on the Central-Western Route, connects the coastal areas with Haikou and Sanya, the two major cities. Danzhou is the transport hub of western Hainan, with daily buses to Guangzhou and various parts of Hainan.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2572–2584. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version