Wuzhishan

The mountain does not rise so much as it looms — five jagged peaks that climb out of a sea of green and cut the sky into fingers, and the first time you see it clear of cloud you understand why the island’s people made it the symbol of the place.

五指山 (Wǔzhǐshān, “Five Finger Mountain”) is the roof of Hainan: the island’s highest mountain range, home to its highest summit, and the natural landmark that gives Hainan its identity. It sits in the middle of the island, not on the coast, so it is a completely different Hainan from the beaches — a Hainan of primary tropical rainforest, mist, logging trails and the Li people who have lived under these peaks for centuries. The saying goes that you have not truly been to Hainan until you have stood here.

The Mountain

The range is a broad massif in the centre of the island, running roughly forty kilometres north to south and thirty east to west, with a ridgeline that drops in steps. The second peak, at 1,867 metres, is the highest point on Hainan Island. The five main summits are what give it the name — seen from the right angle they read as a hand with five fingers, and locals will point out each one.

It is part of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, one of China’s best-preserved and most biodiverse tropical rainforests. This is the piece of the island that has never been cleared: ancient trees, giant ferns (树蕨 / 桫椤), lianas and vines that hang like ropes, and an air that on a humid day feels thick enough to drink. The 负氧离子 (negative-ion) count up here is some of the highest in China, which is why the mountain is marketed as a giant oxygen bar. It is also, famously, the habitat of the Hainan gibbon, one of the rarest primates on Earth — you are unlikely to see one, but it is the reason this forest is so fiercely protected.

The 黎族 (Li people), Hainan’s original inhabitants, are woven into the mountain. The town at the foot is 水满乡; in the Li language 水满 means “very ancient” and “supreme.” It is a place of Li legends, of rice terraces, and of culture parks that keep the old songs and weaving alive.

What You Actually Do

You do not climb to the main summit as a casual visitor — that is a serious multi-day technical route — but the 水满 area gives you the mountain’s front-on face and its rainforest in an achievable half-day.

• The viewing terrace (观山台) — the ride up the sightseeing cart lands you at the classic viewpoint, the one place to photograph the five fingers of the peak in full, especially when the cloud lifts. The wooden sign reading 「不到五指山，不算到海南」 (“never been to Wuzhishan, never been to Hainan”) is the obligatory photo.
• The vine tunnel — a natural tunnel of woven vines and creepers that arches over a path beside a stream. It is the most magical corner of the site, a dim green passage that opens onto the water.
• The mountain stream — a tumbling rocky stream of great boulders and small layered waterfalls under a canopy so dense you can wade and barely touch the sun. In July the temperature here can sit around twenty-four degrees, a natural air conditioner.

• The rainforest boardwalk — an easy wooden walk through the primary forest, past huge ancient trees, hanging lianas and the giant tree ferns, with benches where you can just sit and breathe.

For the more energetic there is white-water drift (漂流) in the gorges below, whole-day hikes, and the option to climb the accessible section of the ridge.

Practicalities

Tickets. The 水满 area package — viewing point + rainforest boardwalk + sightseeing cart — is about ¥50 in the peak season (October to April), around ¥42 in the low season (May to September), and about ¥25 half-price for children, students and 65–69 seniors. The sightseeing cart on its own is around ¥20 return and is strongly recommended — the site is spread out and the walk up to the viewing terrace is a real climb. Children under 1.2 m, over-70 seniors, serving and disabled military and 三属 go free (cart extra). Clearance water boating/漂游 costs about ¥186.

Do you need to book? The tickets are sold by real name and you can buy them online through a regulated OTA in advance, which saves the window queue. There is no tight cap like the offshore islands, but in holidays the cart queue builds — buying ahead is the easy move. Phone enquiries: 0898-86550401 (tickets) / 0898-86630131.

Opening hours. The 水满 area runs about 08:30–16:30, with last entry at 16:00. (Some sources quote 07:30 for the adjacent main-peak area and 08:00–17:30 for the national-park area — but the 水满 section with the viewing terrace is 08:30 on. Plan four to five hours.) Set off early; the morning is when the cloud clears off the peaks and the light is best.

Getting there. Address: 海南省五指山市水满乡, 海南热带雨林国家公园五指山景区 (水满片区). It is a mountain drive, so allow time:

• From Sanya: about 1.5 hours via the 山海 expressway — a beautiful but winding mountain road. Drive slowly.
• From Haikou: about 2.5–3 hours via the central expressway to 五指山市, then about an hour up to 水满乡.
• By public transport: from 五指山 bus station take the tourist/township bus to 水满乡 (irregular; single about ¥11, return ¥22), then walk or take a local three-wheeler up to the gate. From the bus stop it is about a 10-minute walk to the entrance.
• Self-drive is the easy option; there is free parking at the gate.

One warning. This is a mountain in the tropics — the weather turns fast, and the peaks are often lost in cloud. Bring a light layer, good tread (the boardwalk and stream are wet), insect repellent, and check the visibility before you set out. The peak is at its photogenic best after a night of rain when the cloud lifts to reveal all five fingers.

flowcloud would say that a mountain that is the shape of a hand is nature’s way of waving you over, and that the real Hainan is not the beach but this green.

Getting there: 五指山 (Wuzhishan), 水满乡, 五指山市, central Hainan — the island’s highest range and symbol, in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. 水满 area ticket + boardwalk + cart about ¥50 (¥42 low season, half for children/students/seniors), cart ¥20 return; buy by real name online. Opening 08:30–16:30, last entry 16:00; allow 4–5 hours. About 1.5 h from Sanya, 2.5–3 h from Haikou, or bus from 五指山 to 水满乡. Best in the morning when the cloud lifts off the five peaks. Tel 0898-86550401.