Stand on the sand at Riyue Bay at first light and you will see why this stretch of Hainan's southeast coast has become the island's surfing address: boards already in the water, a handful of riders waiting on the swell, and the hills of Dongshan Ridge rising behind the town. Wanning is a county-level city where the coast and the interior sit within easy reach of each other, and where the day's rhythm is set by the sea rather than by a schedule.
It suits surfers and swimmers, walkers who like a temple or two on the way up a hill, and anyone content to spend a morning in a coffee plantation and an afternoon on a beach. This guide covers the sights and activities in central Wanning, along the waterfront and in Xinglong, with practical notes on transport, timing and what to pair with what.
Top things to do in Wanning
1. Riyue Bay (日月湾)
Riyue Bay is the surfing capital of Hainan, if not the whole of China, and it is the reason many visitors come to Wanning at all. The bay sits just off the Hainan Circular Expressway and is reached by Xinglong Bus no. 5, so it works as a base as well as a day out.
If you want to get in the water rather than watch, Jalenboo Surf Club Riyue Bay Branch hires surfboards for between ¥100 and ¥150 per day, and also rents kayaks at ¥150 for two hours or ¥300 for a day. Shaka Surf Club, also at Riyue Bay, hires boards at the same daily rate. Combine the bay with Shimei Bay, which shares the same bus route.
2. Dongshan Ridge (东山岭)
One of the few sacred mountains on Hainan Island, Dongshan Ridge sits on the eastern side of the city in Wancheng Town and is reached by bus no. 2 or tourist bus no. 3. Buddhists have worshipped at the temples here since the Song Dynasty; the largest is Dongling Temple, which was closed for repairs as of August 2020, and the other main temple is Chaoyin Temple.
The park is not large, so most people with a reasonable level of fitness can get around on foot, though a ropeway and sightseeing cars are available. It is open 08:30–17:00, with no tickets sold after 16:30; entry is ¥50 for adults and ¥25 for children under 1.2 metres and adults aged over 70. Go in the morning to leave the afternoon free for the coast.
3. Shenzhou Peninsula (神州半岛)
Shenzhou Peninsula lies along Binhai Avenue in Dong'ao Town and has more frequent bus services than the other coastal resort areas, served by Xinglong Bus no. 6 and tourist bus nos. 2, plus a special circle-route bus that travels around the peninsula. That frequency makes it the easiest of the coastal areas to visit without a car.
It is also where the water sports and golf are concentrated. Kokomo Beach Club, in the Shenzhou Peninsula Tourism Area, provides equipment and training for diving, rowing, sailing, jet skiing, paragliding and more. The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula, a 36-hole course designed by Tom Weiskopf, charges non-members ¥2480 to play, or ¥950 if you are staying at the hotel.
4. Shimei Bay (石梅湾)
Shimei Bay, on Haitian Road, is the third of the waterfront stops and is served by Xinglong Bus nos. 5 and 8. It pairs naturally with Riyue Bay on the same route, so you can give the morning to one and the afternoon to the other.
Treat it as a slower counterpoint to the surf beaches: a place to swim, walk and eat rather than to book a lesson. Because the bus routes overlap, you can move between the bays without returning to town.
5. Xinglong Coffee Valley (兴隆咖啡谷)
A coffee plantation turned into a tourist attraction on Michang Xingxiang Road at Xinglong Farm, reached by Xinglong Bus no. 2. It includes a small museum about the history of the coffee industry in Xinglong, and there are many cafes where you can sample the coffee and other products grown on the estate.
Note the warning in the listings: the museum here should not be confused with the shop that calls itself a museum. Entry is free and it is open 08:00–18:00, which makes it an easy stop to fold into a Xinglong day alongside the botanical garden.
6. Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden (兴隆热带植物园)
Established in the 1950s, this garden on National Highway 223 in Xinglong holds around 3000 species of tropical and subtropical plants. It is reached by Xinglong Bus nos. 3 and 7 and tourist bus no. 3, and entry is ¥40.
It is open 07:30–18:00 with no entry after 17:45, so an early start gives you the coolest hours. Do not confuse it with Xinglong Tropical Garden, which is a different place; this one is generally the most popular of the two.
7. Kangle Garden Golf Club (兴隆康乐园高尔夫俱乐部)
In Xinglong, Kangle Garden Golf Club features three 18-hole golf courses, with prices starting from around ¥800. It is the more accessible of Wanning's two golf options and sits in the same area as the coffee estate and botanical garden.
Because it is in Xinglong rather than on the coast, it fits best into a day built around the plantation and garden rather than a beach day.
8. Xinglong Tropical Garden (兴隆热带花园)
A garden on Xingmei Avenue in Xinglong, reached by Xinglong Bus no. 7, mainly devoted to tropical flowering plants. Entry is ¥60 and it is normally open 07:30–18:00.
As of August 2020 it was temporarily closed to visitors, so check before you build a day around it. If it is open, it makes a natural companion to the botanical garden, though the two are separate sites and should not be confused.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Dongshan Ridge in Wancheng Town, taking bus no. 2 or tourist bus no. 3 to arrive for the 08:30 opening. Walk the temples and the ridge on foot; Dongling Temple was closed for repairs as of August 2020, so Chaoyin Temple is the main one to see. Aim to leave well before the 16:30 ticket cut-off, which will not be difficult if you start early.
Afternoon. Head for the water. Take Xinglong Bus no. 5 to Riyue Bay and either surf or watch, hiring a board from Jalenboo Surf Club Riyue Bay Branch or Shaka Surf Club if you want to get in. If you would rather not surf, continue on the same route to Shimei Bay on Haitian Road for a swim and a slower afternoon.
Evening. Finish at Shenzhou Peninsula in Dong'ao Town, which has the most frequent bus services of the coastal areas, including the circle-route bus around the peninsula. Walk the waterfront as the light goes, and eat there before heading back.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get around Wanning without a car?
Buses cover the main sights. Dongshan Ridge is served by bus no. 2 and tourist bus no. 3; the waterfront by Xinglong Bus nos. 5, 6 and 8 and tourist bus nos. 2 and 3; and Xinglong by Xinglong Bus nos. 2, 3 and 7. Wanning is also served by Wanning Railway Station on the Hainan East Ring Intercity Rail.
When should I visit to avoid the rain?
Wanning has a tropical monsoon climate that is hot and very rainy most of the year, with the monsoon running from late June to early November. Only January and February have rainfall barely below 60 millimetres. It can also turn cold at times, with temperatures between 5 and 8 degrees Celsius.
Which of the two Xinglong gardens should I choose?
They are different places and should not be confused. Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden is generally the most popular one, holds around 3000 species and charges ¥40. Xinglong Tropical Garden is mainly devoted to tropical flowering plants and charges ¥60, but was temporarily closed to visitors as of August 2020.
Where can I surf, and what does it cost?
Riyue Bay is the surfing capital of Hainan, if not the whole of China. Jalenboo Surf Club Riyue Bay Branch and Shaka Surf Club both hire surfboards for between ¥100 and ¥150 per day; Jalenboo also rents kayaks at ¥150 for two hours or ¥300 for a day.
Work out which of the three coastal areas you want as your base, check whether Xinglong Tropical Garden has reopened, and the rest of the trip will arrange itself around the buses.