Tianya Haijiao Scenic Area in Sanya offers a tangible starting point for exploring the connection between Hainan’s landscapes and culture. The site is officially designated as a national 5A-level tourist attraction and is known for its tropical coastal scenery and its long-standing, distinctive historical and cultural significance.
Coastal roads on different scales
Two routes can be distinguished by their length alone: the Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway extends for 988 kilometres through twelve coastal cities and counties around the island. The 112.2-kilometre Mountain and Sea Sightseeing Route runs from Sanya through Baoting to Lingshui; the Mount Qixianling National Forest Reserve is a recommended stop along the way. The coastal highway can be travelled by sightseeing bus, self-drive car, bicycle or motorcycle. Wenchang chicken is among the local dishes featured along the route.
The Sanya Tourist Highway, meanwhile, is the Sanya section of the Hainan Island Ring Road. This means that regional travel information features several road names with different described scopes: a scenic highway around the island, a route from Sanya through Baoting to Lingshui, and the section of the ring road in Sanya. When comparing routes, their lengths and the places named offer a concrete guide to the scale of each.
Maritime history and cultural discoveries
The China (Hainan) Museum of the South China Sea preserves more than 70,000 collection items. These include exported antiques from past dynasties, biological specimens, cultural relics from the South China Sea and various ship models. The permanent exhibitions cover the history of people in the South China Sea, natural ecology, the preservation of cultural relics and exchanges between China and its neighbouring countries. The museum also explores local natural and cultural heritage and cultural exchanges along the Maritime Silk Road.
A different perspective on culture can be found in the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, which is divided into three large park areas, each with a different theme. The Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Garden presents traditional Chinese Buddhist culture. A broad cultural offering and a clearly defined Buddhist focus sit side by side, while offering distinct thematic perspectives.
The nominated protected area is called Hainan Tropical Rainforest and the Traditional Settlement of Li Ethnic Group. It is the most important settlement area of the Li and the place where they created a unique island culture. The Li’s traditional villages in this area have historical and cultural value. Historical records indicate that the art of coconut carving on Hainan dates back to 847, during the Tang dynasty.
Rainforest, coast and natural areas
The UNESCO Tentative List submission, filed in 2022, describes Bawangling as the only habitat at the time for the Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus, CR), which is critically endangered worldwide. It also highlights the outstanding vegetation communities of Hainan’s mountain rainforests. A different landscape can be found at Jianfengling Mountain National Forest Park in Ledong, where towering trees, exotic flowers and winding vines shape the scenery described.
Coastal and island nature also feature among the region’s discoveries. Nanwan Monkey Islet in Lingshui is an island nature reserve for macaques. Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone has a 3.5-kilometre circular trail with wooden boardwalks, rustic stone steps and a suspension bridge; the trail is intended for all visitors. These different natural settings range from rainforest vegetation and a circular trail to an island nature reserve, offering you a choice of themes for your trip.
Discover more destinations: Haikou, Sanya, Qionghai, Wanning, Ledong, Xinzhuzhen, Baoting, Baisha, Danzhou, Tunchang, Wuzhishan, Wenchang, Ding'an, Dongfang.
For an overview of destinations: China.
