Wenchang
Home to China's only coastal spaceport, where you can watch rockets launch from the beach, plus the Dongjiao coconut groves, Tongguling and Wenchang chicken.
Wenchang lies in northeastern Hainan Island, about 60 km from Haikou. It is a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese, the coconut capital of China, the home of Wenchang chicken, and the site of China's only coastal space launch center. The Hainan Eastern Ring high-speed railway stops at Wenchang station, about 30 minutes from Haikou East; since the Haiwen Bridge opened, the drive from Jiangdong in Haikou to Puqian takes only about 40 minutes. Sights fall into several areas: in Wencheng, the city center, are the Wenchang Confucius Temple and the arcaded Wennan Old Street; around Qinglan Port to the southeast are the Bamen Bay mangroves, Gaolong Bay, the Dongjiao Coconut Grove and the Coconut Grand View Garden; in Longlou to the east are the Space Theme Park, the Space Science Center and Qishui Bay, and nearby Tongguling can be climbed for views over Moon Bay and Stone Park; the north has the Soong Family Ancestral Home, the arcaded old street of Puqian and Mulantou Lighthouse, and the south has the old village of Shibahang. The best season is Oct–Apr; Jul–Oct is typhoon season. On launch days, traffic is restricted around Longlou and accommodation should be booked several days ahead; check official announcements for launch times. Sights are spread out, so renting a car or hiring one with a driver is recommended; allow 2–3 days. Don't miss Wenchang chicken, Dongjiao coconut chicken, Baoluo rice noodles, qingbuliang and seafood; when swimming, choose beaches with lifeguards.
Top sights
- Wenchang Launch Viewing Area & Spaceflight Science Center – A viewing area beside China's only seaside spaceflight launch site, where you can visit the Spaceflight Science Center and watch rockets li…
- Tonggu Ridge – A mountain ridge on the coast at Hainan's northeast corner and a national nature reserve, with a summit viewing platform overlooking Moon B…
- Stone Park – A coastline of giant boulders on the southern slope of Tongguling, where granite has been carved by waves into strange shapes. It is a popu…
- Qishui Bay – A long, curved white-sand beach in Longlou Town with clear water and a view of the launch towers in the distance. It is one of the best sea…
- Dongjiao Coconut Grove – The heartland of the saying “Wenchang coconuts are famous across the land.” Coconut palms line the coast, and you can drink freshly opened…
- Coconut Grand View Garden – A science park run by the Coconut Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, with many kinds of coconut a…
- Bamen Bay Mangroves – Large mangrove wetlands in the inner bay of Qinglan Port, with many mangrove species. You can observe the mangroves and waterbirds from a b…
- Gaolong Bay – An urban bay on the south side of Qinglan Port with gentle sand beaches and good facilities. It is the closest holiday beach to Wencheng To…
- Soong Family Ancestral Home – The birthplace of Charlie Soong and the ancestral home of the three Soong sisters. A rural courtyard house and the Soong Ching-ling Exhibit…
- Wenchang Confucius Temple – The largest Confucius temple in Hainan, first built in the Northern Song dynasty. Known as the “First Temple of Hainan,” it is a National K…
- Wennan Old Street – A colonnade-style old street in Wencheng Town with Southeast Asian influences. It is home to overseas Chinese heritage architecture and lon…
- Puqian Arcade Street – An arcade street in the old fishing-port town at the northern tip of Wenchang, preserving many buildings in Southeast Asian style. It conne…
- Mulantou Lighthouse – A navigation lighthouse at the northeastern tip of Hainan Island, about 72 meters tall and known as the tallest lighthouse in Asia. The sur…
- Shibahang Village – A Ming and Qing dynasty village south of Wenchang, where eighteen rows of houses are arranged in neat order. It is a representative example…
Where to eat
- Jiying Salt-Baked Chicken – A long-established local salt-baked chicken shop beside Wenchang High School, often ranked among the best in Wenchang b…
- Qiongcai Renjia (Dadao Branch) – A Hainan restaurant chain founded in 2000. Its flagship branch is run by a Wenchang chicken intangible heritage inherit…
Itineraries
- Hainan East Coast Road Trip – Drive south from Haikou to Sanya, connecting Wenchang Space Launch Site, Bo'ao, Tanmen, Wanning bays, and Lingshui isla…
- Hainan Grand Island Loop In-Depth Road Trip – Connect the East Coast, Central Rainforest, and West Coast to explore all major regions of Hainan over two weeks.
- Wenchang & Qionghai Space & Ocean Rail Tour – A car-free trip using the East Ring High-Speed Railway to visit the Space Launch Town, South China Sea Museum, Tanmen…
- Leizhou Peninsula to Wenchang Cross-Strait Drive – Drive south from Zhanjiang to Xuwen, cross the Qionzhou Strait to Haikou and Wenchang, connecting Guangdong and Hainan.