Baoting

Baoting (保亭; Bǎo​tíng​) is a county in the hills of Hainan Province in China.

in Baoting County

Understand

Baoting is one of Hainan's least populated counties. The majority of the population are Li (黎) or Miao (苗) people.

The administrative capital and largest town is Baocheng (保城).

Get in

Buses to Baoting are available from most major cities and towns on the island. Buses from the Haikou South Bus Station take 3-4 hours and cost between ¥64 and ¥81. Buses from the Sanya Central Bus Station take about 60-90 minutes and cost between ¥12 and ¥26.

See

• 1 Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone (呀诺达雨林文化旅游区), Sandao Farm, Sandao Town, Baoting County (保亭县三道镇三道农场) (Buses are available from Baocheng and Sanya), ☏ +86 898-83881101. 08:00-17:30. Yanoda, meaning 123 in Hainanese, is a newly developed rainforest park, well organised and nicely landscaped. An inner bus takes groups to the start point which also has a great view of Chitian reservoir. Wooden paths then take you on a 40 minute hike up a forest valley, past 1000 year old trees that have grown around rocks, with optional light abseiling and rope river crossing. At the top, you enter a landscaped lakeside park with lotuses, colourful flowers and a canteen offering a nourishing herbal buffet (mostly for tour groups). The path continues up into the hills, past labelled jungle trees with huge palms overhead. This park is fairly good value, and in keeping with its subject matter, reasonably natural. At least you know the developers couldn't have maneuvered the hefty trees into place, even for the reputed price of ¥3 billion that the park cost to civilize. ¥158 (including entrance fee and tour bus fee).  
• Betel Nut Valley Li & Miao Cultural Heritage Park (槟榔谷黎苗文化旅游区, 槟榔谷 Binglanggu), Ganza Ridge Nature Reserve, Baoting County (保亭黎苗族自治县甘什岭自然保护区) (Catch a bus from Sanya to Baoting or Baoting to Sanya, and tell the bus driver you want to get off at Binglanggu. Alternatively, you may go there by taxi. Rental of a taxi from Sanya and back should cost approximately ¥200 including the wait in between, but you should negotiate this with the driver before departing. There are also one-day tours on offer in all the hotels, which will offer a discount on the overall price of transportation and entrance tickets, but you will be constrained to the timing of the rest of the group and may be taken to shops on the journey there and back.), ☏ +86 898 38660999. 08:00-17:20. Hainan is home to a large population of ethnic minorities, predominantly the Li and Miao Ethnic Groups, and you can find out more about them at this park, about 30km outside of Sanya. The park is very commercial with a large number of shops, snacks for sale and (paid) opportunities for photographs with locals in traditional costumes or with indigenous animals. Despite this, it appears that there has been a genuine attempt to show the traditional life and customs of the two minorities, and the park appears less tacky than some other similar attractions elsewhere in China. It is probably also a relatively good way for money to be returned to the local community. There is a steep entrance fee but the park is huge and there are a wide variety of shows; it will take you 3-4 hours to see in its entirety. Be prepared though to fight your way through Chinese tour groups shouting "Blong" as often as they can, the Miao word for hello, and try to eat before you leave as the restaurants outside the park are overpriced. ¥155. (updated Jan 2018)
• Mount Qixian Hot Springs National Forest Park (七仙岭温泉国家森林公园), Baoting County (There are 5 direct buses from Sanya per day. The bus fare is ¥26 and the journey time is 2 hours.), ☏ +86 898 31833888. 7:30-16:00. ¥60. (updated Jan 2018)

Sleep

• Narada Resort & Spa Mount Qixian (七仙岭君澜度假酒店), Mount Qixian Hot Springs National Forest Park, Baoting County (保亭黎苗族自治县七仙岭温泉国家森林公园), ☏ +86 898 83888888, toll-free: +86 400 007 1616. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Five star hotel located at Mount Qixian. Prices start from ¥788.