Wuzhizhou Tourism Zone
Wuzhizhou Tourism Zone is comprised of Wuzhizhou Island and the waters that immediately surround it, including the coral reefs so popular with divers.
Wuzhizhou Island is a tiny pearl of an island located in Haiting Bay, just off the coast from the small town of Lingwang on the southeastern coast of Hainan Island, about 30 kilometers by road in a northeasterly direction from the city of Sanya, the main tourist hub in the region.
Haiting Bay is one of the most naturally-protected bays in the world, with a series of staggered and overlapping peninsulas that reach out like arms from Hainan Island in an alternating left-right fashion, embracing, as it were. Haiting Bay also has a series of natural wave breakers that insulate it from the customary ravages of the sea's sometimes hostile waves. This feature is perhaps what protects Haiting Bay's coral reefs so well and makes the bay so popular among scuba divers and snorkelers, and with boaters in general.
Wuzhizhou Island, known as Gu Qi Zhou in ancient times, comprises an area of only 1.5 square kilometers, yet it has much to offer. Local residents like to say that the island is roughly the shape of a butterfly. It measures 1,400 meters from east to west and 1,100 meters from north to south. Wuzhizhou Island is one of the few islands of its size in the area with a freshwater supply sufficient to sustain widely varied flora.
The island boasts, as well, over 2,000 varieties of plants, including some very special trees such as the umbrella-like Dragon Tree with its characteristic short, squat base and its maze of tentacle-like branches. There are also some remarkable botanical landscapes here, such as those that involve symbiosis, trophobiosis, and the like.
At its highest point which is on the southeast side of the island, Wuzhizhou Island rises 80 meters above sea level, ending in a sheer cliff. The sea below is excellent for surfing and has an extensive reef. The areas to the north and to the west of the island are relatively flat, with sandy white beaches being the norm. The water along these shores is gin clear, with a visibility down to 27 meters, a real boon for scuba diving.
These waters are rich in sea snails, sea cucumbers, lobsters, sierra fish, sea urchins, pomfrets, and other colorful tropical fish. The bountiful coral reefs located in the gentle waters of the island's northern and western sides are of an entirely different character than the reef on the island's southern side, which is subject to much more vigorous wave activity and which has therefore developed accordingly. Two historical places of special interest on the southern end of the island – and a must-see for foreign visitors – are Matsu Temple and Guanri Cliff.
Transportation to Wuzhizhou Island is very convenient, thanks to the fleet of modern hovercraft (China's largest hovercrafts) that service the route between Sanya, the point of departure, and Wuzhizhou Island. These large, stable hovercrafts can transport up to 70 passengers at a time and run frequently, in keeping with the demands of the tourist season. Wuzhizhou Island boasts a typical tropical maritime climate, meaning the island is endowed with a pleasant temperature year-round.
This also means that the tourist season is also a year-round phenomenon, albeit with certain peak periods, since this is a vacation venue that is also extremely popular with Chinese tourists. If Yalong Bay can be compared to Hawaii, then Wuzhizhou Island can justifiably be compared to the Maldives.
Special Sports Activities
- Shore Dive and Boat Dive: 260 Yuan and 580 Yuan, respectively, per person per dive
- Motorboat Excursion: 150 Yuan per person per 10-minute trip
- Parasailing Excursion: 280 Yuan per person per trip (towed by a high-speed motorboat, a parasail will fly at an exhilaratingly fast clip)
- Shore Fishing: 2.00 Yuan per person for 2 hours
- Deep-Sea Fishing: 4.00 Yuan per person per 2-hour boat trip
What to Pack
Usually, summer clothing is adequate, but one is advised to dress "layered", that is, with a long-sleeved shirt and a sweater, and perhaps with a windbreaker in reserve and even warmer clothing from January to March.
Sunglasses and a hat are a must for beach outings, as well as sunblock, and should be used anytime one is exposed to the sun for extended periods of time.
Mosquito repellent is handy to include in one's kit, as are tablets for car and seasickness.
How to Get There?
To get to Wuzhizhou Island, one must take a ferry from Sanya. The ferry/hovercraft departs from Wuzhizhou Quay at the harbor in Sanya, beginning at 7:40 a.m., local time, and at 20-minute intervals thereafter. The last ferry of the day to Wuzhizhou Island departs Sanya at 4:00 p.m., while the last ferry back to Sanya departs Wuzhizhou Island at 6:00 p.m. (these departure times are subject to the weather, of course, though inclement weather is rare here). The ferry ride takes about 15-20 minutes, and the price of the fare includes the admission fee to Wuzhizhou Island Tourism Zone.
Opening Hours: From 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, daily.