Stand at the top of Wennan Old Street in Wencheng Town and the arcades of the qilou buildings run away downhill toward the canal, their upper storeys shading a street that has been rebuilt rather than left to crumble. Wenchang is a county-level city on the northeast coast of Hainan, and much of what a visitor comes for sits either in that town centre or out along the coast and the coconut country to the east.
This guide suits travellers who are already on Hainan and want a day or two beyond the beach resorts: people interested in old streets and ancestral architecture, in coconut groves and quiet shoreline, and in the fact that China's newest spaceport sits at Longlou Town. Note before you plan anything that two of the headline sights are closed to foreign visitors, and that is set out plainly below.
What follows covers the sights worth your time, ordered with the strongest first, then a single-day route built only from those places.
Top things to do in Wenchang
1. Wenchang Satellite Launch Center
This is China's fourth and southernmost space vehicle launch facility, at Longlou Town, chosen for its low latitude of only 19 degrees north, which allows a substantial increase in payload mass. It is being upgraded and is intended to replace the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and it will be capable of launching the heavy-lift CZ-5 booster, which inland space centres cannot receive by rail.
Chinese nationals may tour the site, but due to reasons of national security there is a ban on visits by foreign tourists; residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are also not admitted. If you are eligible to visit, the site is open 08:30-16:30 and admission is ¥130, and you reach it from Wenchang Railway Station on Tourist Bus No. 1, or from Longlou Bus Station on Tourist Bus No. 1 or No. 2.
2. Tonggu Ridge
Tonggu Ridge in Longlou Town gives an easy escape from the busy downtown and a view over Hainan's coastline covered by hundreds of thousands of coconut trees. Special sightseeing cars run to the summit for ¥25, or ¥45 return, and the paved road also makes a 40-minute walk to the top.
As of 2019 the ridge is designated a restricted military area because of a small army base near the summit, so foreign tourists are not allowed to visit. If you can go, opening hours are 08:30-18:00, admission is ¥50, and it is worth agreeing with your driver in advance on when they will take you back to Longlou.
3. Dongjiao Coconut Groves
Across the water in Dongjiao Town, this is a quiet spot where you can spend a few days among roughly 500,000 coconut trees, winding footpaths, small huts and sandy beach. Eat seafood at the restaurants along the shore, try the beach and sea sports, or simply walk the footpaths; on a breezy day the coconut leaves make a pleasing sound.
There are basic guesthouses and restaurants plus a resort on the sea, English is not spoken, and entry is free. The groves are open 08:00-18:00. To get there, take a white mini-bus from the local bus stop across from the bus station in Wenchang to the ferry crossing at Qinglan Harbour, then a 3-km motorised pedicab ride on the other side.
4. Wenchang Confucius Temple
One of the best preserved examples of ancient architecture in Hainan, the temple was built during the 11th century and has been repeatedly renovated and expanded since the Ming Dynasty. It sits at 20 Wendongli in Wencheng Town, a short distance west of Wenchang Park, which makes it easy to combine with a walk through the town centre.
It is open 08:00-18:00 and admission is ¥15.
5. Wennan Old Street
Wenchang's best preserved historical street, lined with old qilou buildings dating from the 1920s. It is free to walk, and it sits in the heart of Wencheng Town, so it pairs naturally with the Confucius Temple and the town's central park and covered market.
The street runs beside the canal that separates it from one of the main streets, an area that has flooded severely a number of times in the past, so check conditions if you are visiting in the wet season.
6. Ancestral Home of Song Qingling
Wenchang is the ancestral home of the Soong sisters and the birthplace of their father Charlie Soong, and this site at Luyuan Village in Changsa Town marks that connection. It is about 40 km northeast of downtown Wenchang, so treat it as a half-day trip rather than a stop-off.
From Wenchang Bus Station take a long-distance bus to Changsa, then hire a motorcycle taxi for the remaining 6 km. It is open 09:00-17:30 and admission is ¥15.
7. Gaolong Bay
A white-sand bathing beach, open all day and free. It is the simplest place in Wenchang to swim, and it is served by public transport, which makes it an easy addition to a town-based day.
From Wenchang Railway Station take bus nos. 9 or 12, or from Wenchang Bus Station take bus no. 5.
8. Bamen Bay Mangrove Forest
Also known as Bamen Bay National Sea Forest Park, this mangrove area on Binwan Road in Wencheng Town is open all day and free. It is a low-key stop for a slow walk rather than a scheduled attraction.
The best option is to take a taxi, as there is no public transport in the area.
9. Gusong Village
An ancient, non-commercial traditional Hainanese village whose houses stand close to isolated beaches. It is reached by taking a bus to Longlou Town and then hiring a motorcycle taxi to the village, so it suits travellers who are comfortable arranging their own transport.
While you are in Gusong Village you can also visit the Abalone Farm at Longlou Town, Gusong Village, where you can try shallow-water diving for wild abalone and buy fresh live abalone at a local farmer price of around ¥100 per 400 g. Live abalone can survive for 30 hours, which is worth knowing if you plan to carry any away with you.
10. Mulantou Lighthouse
Located at the northernmost point of Wenchang, this is the fifth tallest lighthouse in the world. It is a landmark rather than a full day out, so plan it as one stop on a northern loop rather than a destination in itself.
11. Qinglan Harbour
The harbour is both a place to look out over the water and the practical crossing point for Dongjiao Town. If you are heading to the Dongjiao Coconut Groves, you will pass through here by ferry, so allow time on the waterfront before or after the crossing.
12. Wenchang Golf Club
About 50 minutes from Haikou City and 35 minutes from Haikou Airport, the club has 41 standard rooms with lake or golf course views, Chinese cuisine, a coffee lounge, a lobby bar, an outdoor terrace, a business centre, a pro shop and a 16-bay driving range. It suits travellers who want a round built into a stay rather than a day trip from the town centre.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start in Wencheng Town, where the day's sights are closest together. Walk Wennan Old Street while the arcades are still shaded, then continue the short distance west to the Wenchang Confucius Temple, open from 08:00. If time allows, look in on the central park and covered market downtown before leaving the centre.
Afternoon. Head east toward the coast. Take the white mini-bus from the stop across from the bus station to the ferry crossing at Qinglan Harbour, cross, and continue by motorised pedicab to the Dongjiao Coconut Groves, where you can walk the footpaths and eat seafood at the shore. If you would rather stay on the town side, Gaolong Bay is the alternative, reached by bus nos. 9 or 12 from Wenchang Railway Station or bus no. 5 from Wenchang Bus Station.
Evening. Return to Wencheng Town and finish with a walk along Wennan Old Street after dark, then eat Wenchang chicken, the dish that originates from this city. If you are eligible to visit the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, note that it closes at 16:30, so it needs to be placed earlier in the day rather than in the evening.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreign tourists visit the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center?
No. Chinese nationals may tour the site, but due to reasons of national security there is a ban on visits by foreign tourists, and residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are also not admitted.
Is Tonggu Ridge open to everyone?
No. As of 2019 it is designated a restricted military area because of a small army base near the summit, and foreign tourists are not allowed to visit.
How do I reach the Dongjiao Coconut Groves without a car?
Take a white mini-bus from the local bus stop across from the bus station in Wenchang to the ferry crossing at Qinglan Harbour, then take a 3-km motorised pedicab ride on the other side.
What is the local dish to try in Wenchang?
Wenchang chicken, which originates from this city and is the origin of Hainanese chicken rice in Southeast Asia.
Check the two access restrictions above before you build your itinerary, then start planning around the old street, the coconut coast and the spaceport town of Longlou.