Lingshui
A marine park, the floating fishing village of Xincun — and a completely ordinary Chinese county town.
| Hotel | 3 nights Holiday Inn Xiangshui Bay |
| Light | The bay opens to the east and west — sunrise approx. 06:39, sunset approx. 18:00 |
| Getting around | Didi: into town approx. 30 min · to Xincun approx. 45–60 min |
| Monday | Tanka Museum closed |
What this section is about
Lingshui is only an hour's drive from Sanya, yet most travellers never come here. Yet this county shows in a small space how varied Hainan can be: a new marine park with a train over the water, a fishing village made of rafts whose inhabitants weren't allowed to live on land for centuries, and a county town where nobody is waiting for tourists.
At the centre are the Tanka of Xincun. You see their village from a boat, from above in the cable car and in the new museum on the shore — three views of a way of life currently finding its place between clean-up, tourism and tradition.
Getting around Lingshui
The hotel is on Xiangshui Bay, north of the county town. The sights lie to the south, around the lagoons of Li'an and Xincun. Without a car Didi is the only practical option: about half an hour into town, more like 45 to 60 minutes to Xincun and the marine park.
In Xincun itself everything is within walking distance. The harbour, the Tanka Museum and the cable-car station are close together, so it's worth spending a whole day there rather than going back and forth.
- Tanka Museum: register in advance with your real name and a time slot via the museum's WeChat channel. It's closed on Mondays — so the plan puts it on a Sunday.
- Monkey Island and Ocean Paradise: compare prices and packages on Trip.com. At Ocean Paradise the afternoon ticket or just the train is often enough.
- Bring your passport for Monkey Island — the ticket is tied to your real name.
- Order Didi early for the return from Xincun; fewer cars are about there in the evening.
Turquoise = blue hour · Gold = golden hour · Light = harsh midday light
Day by day
About an hour and a half by Didi up the east coast.
With the afternoon ticket: the South Sea train on its 3.3-kilometre loop over the water, then around the grounds. The train can also be booked on its own.
By Didi, an estimated 40–50 minutes.
Be there early, when the boats go out and come in. Take a sampan between the rafts for a few yuan — agree the price beforehand.
The museum shaped like four Tanka hats, right on the shore. Register beforehand with your real name.
In one of the floating restaurants. Fish is charged per jin — only order once weight and price are clear.
A good two kilometres over the lagoon with the floating village beneath you. Back by boat; the ticket covers both.
Order Didi early; fewer cars are about in Xincun in the evening.
Chinese-European façade, seat of Hainan's first Soviet government, now the county museum. Check opening hours on site.
The town's signature dish, with dried squid, fish cakes and yellow lantern chilli — very hot.
Back on the hotel beach.