Ding ‘an county is directly under the jurisdiction of Hainan Province, it is located in the northeast central part of the Island.
The county is conveniently sandwiched between Haikou and Wenchang, which makes it one of the more accessible destinations when travelling outside of Haikou city.
Ding’an made the unlocking central Hainan series as it isn’t accessible by train and although close to the coastline it is still a landlocked county.
According to online sources, it is said that Hainan opera originated in Ding ‘an County and it is the hometown of the original opera folk culture.
Where to visit in Ding’an?
Wenbi Peak Pangu Culture Tourism Area
Address: 定安县龙湖镇定安县中部文笔峰盘古文化旅游区
Ticket price: 40 yuan adults / 20 yuan children
Opening times: Monday to Sunday 09:00-18:00
Wenbi Peak is one of the most famous scenic spots in Hainan and it is located in the centre of Ding’an County.
The peak is mainly composed of basalt rocks, it is surrounded by lush vegetation and ancient temples and quite often the stone top is shrouded in mist.
The climb to the top is mostly by stairs and it gives fantastic views of Ding’an County.
There are three buses that go to Wenbi Peak from Ding’an bus station.
Departure times: 8:00 / 12:00 / 17:20
It is also possible to take the bus directly to the park from Haikou East Station.
Ticket price: 18yuan / person
Departure times: 7:45 / 8:45 / 10:50 / 12:30 / 14:30 / 16:10
Nanli Lake
Address: 南丽湖旅游风景名胜区
Ticket price: free
Opening times: year round 24/7
The lake is manmade and was once a reservoir which was built back in 1958 by the people of Ding’an. The lake has 13 islands with the largest being 39,600 square meters.
It’s a popular spot for fishing, camping and hiking and it’s far enough from the bright city skyline to see the stars at night.
The lake itself is quite remote and there are plenty of places to camp. During off peak seasons you might just have the lake to yourself.
There isn’t much nearby the lake apart from a few shops, if you are going to camp then it is best to take everything with you and make sure you have enough water.
Nanli lake is around 5KM away from the Wenbi temple.
How to get there?
Take the bus from Haikou East Station to Ding’an station, then take the bus to Nanli Lake from the bus station .
Hainan Tropical Bird Park
Address: Taling Development Zone, Ding ‘an County 定安县塔岭开发区海南热带飞禽世界
Ticket price: 40yuan per person
Opening time: Monday to Friday 8:00-17:30
The Hainan Tropical Bird Park is located within the Taling Development Zone, Ding’an County, it is the largest bird culture theme park in China.
The 466 acres of green space is covered in thousands of exotic plants and the park has around 30,000 birds from 300 different species, covering the vast majority of birds in Hainan
Buses run from the Ding’an town to the park.
Ding’an Cold Spring
Address: Jiuwentang Village, Longmen Town, Ding ‘an定安县龙门镇久温塘村委会
Opening times: Year round 24/7
Ticket price: free
Ding’an cold spring is located in Jiuwentang Village, Longmen Town.
This cold spring is the largest tropical selenium-rich cold spring found so far in China.
The swimming area covers the size of a soccer field and is around 1 meter at it’s deepest and 50cm deep around the volcanic stone walkways. The water is crystal clear which is partly thanks to the water purifying Ottelia Alismoides aquatic plants, commonly known as Duck Lettuce.
The temperature of the water is between 23 ~ 25℃ which can be quite refreshing when faced with 38℃+ heats in the summertime.
The nearby settlement “Jiuwentang village” is a volcanic landform that was formed by an eruption more than 10,000 years ago.
How to get to Ding’an from Haikou city?
Bus tickets to Ding’an can be purchased online or at the station. Follow our guide on purchasing a bus ticket for more help.
Haikou Transportation Center – Ding’an Xinxu Station海口总站 – 定安新序站
Distance: 57km
Price: 15 yuan / person
Starts from 6:15 to 18:00 leaves every 5 to 30 minutes, there are about 54 bus routes each day.
Haikou Transportation Center – Ding’an Station海口总站 – 定安站
Distance: 48km
Ticket price: 16 yuan/person
Starts from 7:00 to 20:30 leaves every 20-40 minutes, there are about 32 bus routes each day.
Haikou East Station – Ding’an Station海口总站 – 定安站
Distance: 48km
Ticket price: 16yuan / person
Starts from 06:50 to 20:30 leaves every 20 to 40 minutes, there are about 37 buses each day.
Haikou East Station- Ding’an Longmen town 海口东站- 定安龙门站
Distance: 97km
Ticket price: 26yuan / person
Departure time: 7:45 / 8:45 / 10:50 / 12:30 / 14:30 / 16:10
Related article: Unlocking central Hainan – Wuzhishan by bus
