Lingshui

Lingshui gets strong sunshine, so take care to protect yourself from the sun during seaside activities.

Compared with Sanya, Lingshui in Hainan has fewer tourists and generally more affordable prices. Known for its clear seawater and soft, fine sand, it suits family trips, beach holidays and quiet breaks. Below is practical information on itineraries, attractions, accommodation, food and transport.

4-Day, 3-Night Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive in Lingshui and explore Qingshui Bay: After arriving, check into a hotel near Qingshui Bay. Spend the afternoon walking along the beach and listening to the sound the sand makes underfoot. In the early evening, head to Freedom Lighthouse to find the camera angles featured in *Lost in the Stars*. Have coconut chicken for dinner on Qingshui Bay Food Street.

• Day 2: Nanwan Monkey Island and Daidai Island: In the morning, take the cable car across the sea for an aerial view of the Danjia floating fishing settlements, then watch and feed the monkeys on Nanwan Monkey Island. Spend the afternoon taking photos against the island scenery on Daidai Island. In the early evening, explore the tidal flats and catch crabs, then try snacks at Xincun Night Market.

• Day 3: Explore Fenjiezhou Island: Take an early boat to the island, enjoy the clear sea views and visit Moonlight Castle. Activities include feeding stingrays, taking a glass-bottom boat to see underwater scenery, and watching the waves from the cliffside boardwalk. Leave by boat in the early evening and try zaopo vinegar hot pot for dinner.

• Day 4: Bay activities and departure: Visit Awen Surfing at Xiangshui Bay to see the sunset swing, or head to Coconut Island to try paddleboarding. In the afternoon, make your way to the high-speed railway station or airport according to your departure schedule.

Main Attractions

• Qingshui Bay: Admission is free. The soft, fine sand makes a sound like “singing” when you walk on it. The surrounding area has well-developed facilities, making it suitable for sand play and paddling. For coastal photos, navigate to “Raffles Lawn” or “Hanhai Silver Beach.”

• Fenjiezhou Island: Admission and round-trip boat tickets cost about RMB 119 in total. The island is known for its exceptionally clear seawater. Along with feeding stingrays, riding a glass-bottom boat and watching the marine theater show, you can visit Moonlight Castle and the cliffside boardwalk.

• Nanwan Monkey Island: Admission including the cable car costs about RMB 147. The cable car crosses the sea, offering views over extensive Danjia floating fishing settlements. Many wild macaques live on the island. If you plan to feed them, you can buy bananas in advance, but be sure to follow the rules on site.

• Daidai Island: Tickets cost RMB 80 in the low season and RMB 96 in the peak season. The main sights include a white-sand beach, a pink bus and a white church. Quiet and relatively uncrowded, it is a good place to relax and take island photos. Access to the island closes at 4 p.m., so plan your arrival accordingly.

• Xiangshui Bay: Free to visit, this relatively natural bay has white sand, clear water and few visitors. Awen Surf Club has seaside swings and hammocks where you can relax and watch the sunset.

• R&F Ocean Paradise: Adult admission is RMB 288. This marine-themed park has a sea train and an aquarium, along with mermaid performances and fireworks shows, making it an option for a family outing.

Where to Stay

• Qingshui Bay: A good area to consider first. It has a wide choice of hotels and guesthouses, established local amenities, and convenient access to the beach and food street, with options for different budgets. Guesthouses costing RMB 200–400 per night offer good value; high-end hotels such as the Westin and Raffles cost more than RMB 1,000 per night.

• Xincun Town / near the pier: An option for travelers planning to catch an early boat to Fenjiezhou Island, browse the night market or enjoy seafood. Local guesthouses cost around RMB 150–300 per night, and both the pier and night market are within walking distance.

• Xiangshui Bay / Tufu Bay: These quieter areas have fewer visitors and are better suited to holidaymakers seeking privacy and peaceful sea views. Dining options nearby are limited, so having a car is advisable.

What to Eat in Lingshui

• Lingshui sour rice noodles: One of Hainan’s four famous rice noodle dishes, this combines thin noodles with dried beef, dried sandworms and fish cakes, topped with a sweet-and-sour sauce. If you like heat, add yellow lantern chili. Places to try include Yuan Zhupeng Suanfen Wang and Hu Shiguang Lingshui Suanfen.

• Coconut chicken: Chicken is cooked in the water of freshly opened young coconuts, producing a lightly sweet broth and tender meat. The overall flavor is mild and not spicy. Try Diadia’s Coconut Chicken or Ye Xiao Ji.

• Zaopo vinegar hot pot: This hot pot has a distinctly sour and spicy broth, well suited to cooking seafood and freshly sliced beef. Restaurants serving it include Taiqiong Zaopo Vinegar and Qiongzhou Zaopo Vinegar.

• Herb duck: Duck is slowly simmered in a herb sauce until tender and richly flavored. The sauce is also good mixed with rice. Try it at Hupo Herb Duck or Laopo Herb Duck.

• Danjia seafood: Buy fresh seafood at Xincun Pier or Yingzhou Market and have a restaurant cook it for you for a relatively affordable meal. Seafood restaurants to consider include No. 87 Fishing Boat Seafood and Hongsha Dapaidang.

• Night market snacks: At Xincun Night Market and Yingzhou Night Market, try grilled oysters, qingbuliang dessert, stir-fried ice and mango sticky rice. Around RMB 30 per person should be enough for a filling meal.

Getting There and Around

• Getting to Lingshui: Lingshui has no airport. You can fly into Haikou Meilan Airport, walk 200 meters to the high-speed railway station, then take a train to Lingshui in about 1.5 hours. Alternatively, fly into Sanya Phoenix Airport and take a high-speed train to Lingshui in about 20–30 minutes.
• Local transport: Attractions are spread out, so renting a car gives you more flexibility. Hainan’s expressways are toll-free. When taking a taxi, book through a reputable service; vehicles may be scarce at some remote attractions.

Travel Tips

• Sun and mosquito protection: Hainan has strong UV rays, so pack SPF 50 sunscreen, sun-protective clothing and sunglasses. Mosquitoes are also common by the sea, so bring insect repellent.
• Timing tidal-flat outings: If you plan to explore the shore and catch crabs at Huling, Gangmenling or Chiling, check the tide tables first. Aim to arrive one hour before low tide to look for marine life on the beach.
• Monkey Island safety: On Nanwan Monkey Island, avoid carrying plastic bags, teasing the monkeys or trying to force-feed them, to reduce the risk of items being snatched or getting scratched.
• Planning a visit to Fenjiezhou Island: Consider taking the first boat at 8:30 a.m. to avoid the busiest tour-group arrival times. Food and drinks on the island are relatively expensive, so you may want to bring drinking water and snacks.
• Daidai Island entry time: No visitors are admitted after 4 p.m. Allow plenty of time rather than arriving just before the cutoff.
• Booking accommodation: When choosing a guesthouse in Qingshui Bay, consider a higher floor to reduce the dampness and mold that can affect lower-floor rooms near the sea. Book an established hotel or check recent photos of the actual rooms.