Baisha

Baisha lies in the mountains of central-western Hainan. Compared with the island’s busy coastal resorts, it offers a quieter setting for travel. Tea gardens in a meteorite crater formed 700,000 years ago, pristine tropical rainforest and Li ethnic culture define the area, making it well suited to road trips, hiking or a relaxing break.

• Wulilu Organic Tea Garden: Set in a 700,000-year-old meteorite crater, this garden has rows of tea bushes stretching across the hills, offering plenty of photo opportunities. Visitors can try picking and pan-firing tea, or sample Baisha green tea with its chestnut aroma in the tea room.

• Yinggeling Nature Reserve: Yinggeling is Hainan’s second-highest peak. The reserve preserves pristine tropical rainforest, with relatively high levels of negative air ions. Established hiking boardwalks lead to Jinkuang Waterfall at the end of the trail.

• Jiajialing Sea of Clouds: Head up the mountain at around 6 a.m. to wait for sunrise and the sea of clouds. Mist drifting between the peaks is the main attraction for sightseeing and photography.

• Baisha Uprising First Shot Memorial Park: Dedicated to the revolutionary history of the Li people, this park serves as both a memorial and a site for education about China’s revolutionary history. With few visitors and a quiet setting, it can be a useful stop for families interested in local history.

• Nancha River Embankment Night Market: One of the livelier evening dining areas in Baisha’s county town, this market offers Li snacks and a range of late-night food, making it a good option for dinner.

Suggested Itinerary

Baisha’s attractions are spread out, and many are natural sites, so driving is the most practical way to connect them. For a three-day, two-night visit, consider this relaxed itinerary.

• Day 1: Arrive in the county town and explore Li culture
  • Afternoon: Arrive in Yacha, Baisha’s county town, and check into your hotel. Then visit the Baisha Li Autonomous County Ethnic Museum to learn about local history and Li culture.
  • Evening: Eat at the Nancha River Embankment Night Market or Yese Barbecue. Try Baisha five-footed pork, grilled skewers and qingbuliang, a sweet chilled dessert, while experiencing the town’s evening life.
• Day 2: See the sea of clouds, tea gardens and rainforest
  • Early morning: Head to Jiajialing to watch the sea of clouds and sunrise.
  • Morning: Drive to Wulilu Organic Tea Garden. Walk through the tea garden inside the meteorite crater, take photos, and try picking and pan-firing tea.
  • Afternoon: Visit the Yinggeling Ecological Experience Area. Follow the 3.2-kilometer rainforest boardwalk to observe tropical plants and animals, ending at Jinkuang Waterfall.
  • Evening: Dine at a guesthouse near the tea garden or a restaurant in the county town, trying Li-style bamboo-tube rice and drunken goose.
• Day 3: Drive through Xianpoling and shop for Baisha green tea
  • Morning: Drive along the Xianpoling Scenic Road. It winds through rainforest valleys, with mist-covered stretches offering good photo opportunities.
  • Afternoon: Sample tea at the Hainan State Farms Baisha Green Tea Experience Center. You can buy Baisha green tea as a gift before heading home.

Local Flavors of Baisha

Local food features Li flavors and ingredients from the surrounding hills and countryside. Work a few tastings into your itinerary.

• Baisha Five-Footed Pork: One of Baisha’s signature dishes, it comes from locally raised pigs that forage outdoors. Their long, pointed snouts resemble an extra foot, giving them their name. The meat is lean, with little fat, and is commonly poached or roasted. It has a firm bite and a rich pork flavor.

• Baisha Drunken Goose: A specialty of the Nancha River area in the county town, this dish is made by steaming goose with a Chinese herbal infusion. The meat is tender without tasting greasy. It is commonly served sliced with a special dipping sauce.

• Li-Style Bamboo-Tube Rice: Shanlan rice is packed into bamboo tubes and roasted over charcoal. Opening the tube releases a distinct bamboo fragrance, and the rice is soft and sticky.

• Tianhu Huiwei Fish: Small wild fish from around Songtao Reservoir are marinated with Li seasonings, then deep-fried until crisp. They are also commonly served as a snack with drinks.
• Shanlan Rice Wine: Li households often make this wine by fermenting Shanlan rice. It tastes sweet and fragrant but can have a strong delayed kick, so drink in moderation.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in Baisha falls broadly into two categories: hotels in the county town and guesthouses in the tea gardens. Town hotels are convenient for getting around, while tea-garden stays bring you closer to the landscape. Choose according to your itinerary and preferences.

• Baisha Dayuan Resort Hotel: Near the Hainan Tropical Rainforest Ring Road, this hotel offers views of tea-covered hills and tropical rainforest from its guest rooms. Facilities include a temperature-controlled pool, a tea room and a family recreation area, making it an option for families on extended stays or friends traveling together.

• Wulilu Chayun Tiankeng Guesthouse: Located within Wulilu Organic Tea Garden beside the meteorite crater, this guesthouse offers evening barbecues around a fire at its RV campsite. At night, the tea-garden setting is accompanied by the sound of frogs.

• Xue’er Shanfang · Bangxi Shuiyuan: This Zen-inspired guesthouse sits in a Li village, surrounded by hills and water. It has an overwater reading room and a Shanlan rice wine workshop, making it suitable for travelers seeking a quiet break away from the bustle.

• Jiajie Boutique Hotel (Baisha County Government Branch): On Yacha Middle Road in the county town, this hotel has plenty of supermarkets and restaurants nearby and provides convenient access to the sights. At just over RMB 100 per person, it suits self-driving travelers looking for convenience and value.

Transport and Travel Tips

• Getting there and around: Baisha does not yet have a high-speed rail station. You can rent a car at Haikou Meilan Airport and drive there in about 2.5 hours. Follow the Central Expressway toward Yacha, the county town. Mountain roads have many bends and steep slopes, so less experienced drivers should take particular care. Plan to drive into the mountains during daylight.
• Visiting tips:
  • Do not limit your itinerary to the county town. The mountains and tea gardens are a major part of Baisha’s appeal, so allow time to drive into the hills.
  • Some pristine areas of Yinggeling are closed to visitors. Stay on established trails that are open to the public, and do not enter closed areas.
  • Mountain weather can change quickly, and mosquitoes and other insects are common. Bring insect repellent and sunscreen, and wear athletic shoes.
  • Shanlan rice wine can have a strong delayed kick. Keep drinking and driving strictly separate.
  • Some undeveloped sites, including certain “meteorite crater” viewpoints, may have limited facilities. Check road conditions and whether the site is open before setting out.