Wanning travel guide

Wanning is a county-level city in southeastern Hainan Province, facing the South China Sea to the east. The Hainan East Ring High-Speed Railway has a Wanning station, but travel mainly relies on roads: the Hainan East Line Expressway and the Hai-Yu East Line Highway run through the city from northeast to southwest.

The Hainan East Ring High-Speed Railway has Wanning Station. The trip from Haikou to Wanning takes only about 1 hour.

Wanning Bus Station is on Wanzhou Avenue, with buses to Haikou, Sanya, Wuzhishan, Wenchang and other destinations, in standard and express types.

There are eight ports, large and small. The larger ones are Wanzhou Port and Wuchang Port, which are connected by shipping routes to ports along China's southeast coast.

Local transport in Wanning mainly includes “Sanjiaomao” (三脚猫), “Fengcai” (风采车), motorbike taxis (摩的) and minibuses. Sanjiaomao mainly run between villages and towns, with fares based on distance, at

¥0.5–3. Fengcai, also known as “bengbengche” (蹦蹦车), generally operate within Wanning's urban districts, with fares of ¥1–3 and around ¥10-plus for longer trips. Motorbike taxis usually charge ¥2–4, and fares can be negotiated with the driver on long journeys. Wanning also has many privately run minibuses, which are convenient and can be flagged down anywhere, with fares varying by distance.

When it comes to food, Wanning is truly Hainan's culinary capital, with distinctive snacks unmatched across the island. That Wanning claims two of the “Four Great Dishes of Hainan” tells you all you need to know.

Every mutton shop in Wanning hangs up a “Dongshan Goat” sign, but none of them sells genuine Dongshan goat. By comparison, the best place to eat goat in Wanning is Fulu Dongshan Goat at the foot of Dongshan Ridge. It isn't authentic Dongshan goat either, but its whole-goat dishes are good, including pan-fried goat liver, stir-fried goat tripe, goat skewers and braised goat belly.

Travellers seeking comfort can choose star-rated hotels or hot spring resorts. Most are built around attractions, with beautiful surroundings. One example is the HNA Resort Hotel at Kangleyuan in Xinglong, located midway along the Haikou–Sanya highway, where you can enjoy hot spring baths during your stay.

Budget-conscious backpackers are best off staying in central Xinglong, which has many good-value guesthouses with fewer guests. Accommodation here is also a short distance from the bus stations in the main towns, and it is easy to reach nearby attractions by bus.

Dazhou Island bird's nest, Xinglong coffee, Houan mullet, Gangbei prawns, Dongshan goat, Hele crab and more. Wanning's Dongshan goat meat is tender with no gamey odour, and together with Hele crab from Hele Town, both are listed among the Four Great Dishes of Hainan. Dazhou Island's bird's nests and Xinglong's coffee are also treasures renowned at home and abroad.

Wanning's nightlife is not much different from other cities in Hainan. If you're in the mood, you can catch a show in Xinglong. If you prefer to avoid crowds and noise, take a stroll in People's Square, where the night views are quite pleasant. Watching coconut palms sway against the night sky under dazzling neon is a delight in itself.