Danzhou

Danzhou is in the northwest of China's southernmost province, the island of Hainan. Population was just under a million as of 2010.

Understand

Danzhou (儋州) is prefecture-level city with jurisdiction over a large area, which includes 17 towns.

Danzhou's administrative capital and largest urban center is the town of Nada (那大), which has a population of about a quarter of a million people. Nada is also the third largest urban center on Hainan Island after Haikou and Sanya.

The second-most populous urban area in Danzhou is the Yangpu Economic Development Zone (洋浦经济开发区), which sits on the Yangpu Peninsula. The Yangpu EDZ is connected to the nearby town of Baimajing (白马井) by a bridge. Since the completion of the bridge, the Yangpu EDZ and Baimajing have become increasingly interconnected, so for all practical purposes, the two towns may be considered to be part of a single conurbation.

Talk

Danzhou has its own local Danzhou dialect, which is distinct from the Hainanese dialect spoken in other parts of the island. As with elsewhere in China, most younger locals are also able to speak Mandarin.

Get in

By plane

Danzhou Airport was originally expected to open in 2020, but the project has been delayed and construction has not yet started. In the meantime, you can catch a bus from Haikou Meilan International Airport. The ticket price is ¥42.

By bus

Nada has bus connections with every major town and city on the island. Yangpu and Baimajing also have good bus connections with other towns and cities in Hainan.

From Haikou, buses depart from the Haikou West Bus Station. From Sanya, buses depart from the Sanya West Bus Station.

By train

Hainan's high-speed railway has two stations in Danzhou. One is at Yintan, the other is at Baimajing. The Baimajing High Speed Railway Station has bus services to Nada and Yangpu.

Get around

Buses between the two main urban centers of Nada and Yangpu are very frequent, departing approximately every 10 minutes from about 06:00 to 19:00. The journey time is approximately one hour and the fare is ¥15.

Buses are also available from Nada and Yangpu to other towns in Danzhou, but are generally a lot less frequent.

At a local level, Nada and Yangpu have taxis and public bus services. In smaller towns, one must get around by walking or using motorized pedicabs (sanlunche 三轮车).

See

• 1 Yangpu Ancient Salt Field (洋浦千年古盐田), Yantian Village, Yangpu Economic Development Zone (about 3 km from the Yangpu Bus Station). Free. (updated Dec 2017)
• Hainan Tropical Botanical Garden (海南热带植物园，热作两院植物园), Baodao Xincun, Nada (8 km from Nada Bus Station). ¥36. (updated Jan 2018)

Floral Rock Cave

• 2 Floral Rock Cave Geopark (石花水洞地质公园, Shihua Water Cave Geopark), Bayi State-Owned Farm (八一总场) (take a bus to Bayi State-Owned Farm from either Haikou West Bus Station or Nada Bus Station, then transfer to a motorized pedicab to get to the geopark), ☏ +86 898 23760306. 08:00-17:30. One of Hainan's most beautiful caves. The cave is partly filled with water from a nearby lake. You enter via a dry entrance, and then later board a boat, which will take you out onto the lake. Just beyond the lake, there is a mini stone forest, which includes a rock shaped like a phallus. Standard ticket prices are ¥70 between October and April or ¥58 between May and September; students and persons aged 60 to 69 pay half price; children under 1.2 meters and adults aged over 70 get in for free. (updated Jan 2018)
• 3 Nada Christian Church (那大基督教堂), 156 Dongfeng Road, Nada (Take local bus no. 6), ☏ +86 898 23322547. This is one of the oldest churches on Hainan Island, having been established by American missionaries in 1886. The present building was completed in 1914. (updated Jan 2018)
• 4 Dongpo Academy (东坡书院), Zhonghe Town (中和镇) (The quickest way to get here from Haikou would be to take a train to Baimajing and then catch a taxi from there. Dongpo Academy is 24 km from the Baimajing High Speed Railway Station. A cheaper way to get here would be to take a bus from Haikou to Xinzhou 新洲, then use a motorized pedicab to travel the last 7 kilometers. It is also possible to catch a bus to Zhonghe from Nada's privately-run Juntun Bus Station 军屯汽车站.). Probably the most important historical site in Danzhou. The oldest building is the Zaijiutang (载酒堂), which the famous Song Dynasty writer Su Dongpo established as his home in 1098 during his time in exile. Over the centuries, the site underwent several renovations and expansions, eventually becoming the Dongpo Academy in 1548. A number of Su's works are on display at the academy, along with the works of several other famous Chinese writers. ¥25. (updated Jan 2018)

Buy

• Summer Plaza (夏日广场), 111 Lanyang Road North, Nada (那大镇兰洋北路111号), ☏ +86 898 88223333. 10:00-22:00. This is the largest shopping center in Danzhou. (updated Jan 2018)

Sleep

• 1 Forest Inn - Zhongxing Avenue Branch (森林客栈 中兴店), No. X2-1 Zhongxing Avenue South Side, Nada (那大镇 中兴大道南侧X2-1) (if arriving in Nada by bus, walk 660 m east after exiting the station or take a taxi), ☏ +86 898 36932222. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. ¥168 to ¥238. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Four Points by Sheraton Danzhou (儋州福朋喜来登酒店), 1 Guosheng Road, Nada (那大镇国盛路1号), ☏ +86 898 2882 8888. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Prices start from ¥472. (updated Jan 2018)