Ledong Attractions

Ledong Li Autonomous County (乐东黎族自治县) lies in southwestern Hainan, between Sanya, Dongfang, Changjiang, Baisha and Wuzhishan. Compared with Hainan's heavily developed eastern coastline, Ledong has a much more varied and understated tourism landscape, combining tropical rainforest, mountain lakes, three major coastal bays, enormous salt fields, Li ethnic culture, fishing villages and rural communities.

The county's most recognizable tourism resources are Jianfengling, Maogong Mountain, Longmu Bay, Longqi Bay, Longteng Bay and Yinggehai Salt Field. Hainan's official Coastal Scenic Highway nature route also identifies Jianfengling National Forest Park, Yinggehai Town and Longmu Bay as the principal Ledong stops on the journey from Ledong through Dongfang to Changjiang.

For travelers, Ledong is particularly suitable for combining rainforest exploration with west-coast sunsets. A morning can begin among cloud forest at Jianfengling and end beside the sea at Longmu Bay or Yinggehai, creating a very different experience from conventional Hainan beach holidays.

🌟 Top Attractions in Ledong

The following ranking is a travel-oriented recommendation rather than an official government ranking, based on landscape quality, cultural value, uniqueness and overall visitor experience.

Jianfengling National Forest Park: Ledong's No. 1 Natural Attraction

Jianfengling National Forest Park (尖峰岭国家森林公园) is the strongest reason to travel to Ledong. Located within the Jianfengling section of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, it protects one of China's most important tropical rainforest ecosystems. Hainan's provincial introduction to Ledong describes Jianfengling as one of the country's largest and best-preserved tropical rainforest areas.

One important correction is necessary for travel websites: Jianfengling should not currently be described as a national 5A tourist attraction. Current published A-level listings classify Hainan Jianfengling National Forest Park as a national 3A scenic area, while its higher-level ecological designations include National Forest Park and its incorporation into Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.

Tianchi Lake

Tianchi Lake (尖峰岭天池) lies at roughly 800 meters above sea level in a forested mountain basin. Surrounded by rainforest and peaks, the lake is particularly photogenic early in the morning when mist often drifts across the water. China Daily has described the Tianchi area as a high-elevation lake landscape enclosed by tropical rainforest-covered mountains.

A new 1,326-meter ecological experience trail around the Tianchi area entered service in 2026, improving access for ordinary visitors.

Jianfengling Main Peak

Jianfengling Main Peak (尖峰岭主峰) is the most demanding experience in the park and is popular for sunrise and cloud-sea views.

After a period of construction closure, the main peak reopened for sunrise hiking on February 5, 2026. Because visitor numbers are controlled, travelers wanting to enter before dawn must book the designated night/sunrise ticket in advance through the scenic area's booking system.

Trail availability can still change because of maintenance, forest protection and severe weather, so confirm conditions shortly before arrival.

Mingfeng Valley and Rainforest Trails

Mingfeng Valley (鸣凤谷) is one of Jianfengling's classic tropical rainforest walking areas. Buttress roots, vines, giant trees and dense canopy illustrate the ecological structure of Hainan's rainforest.

Some trails have undergone renovation in recent years, and access may vary by section. Visitors should stay on designated boardwalks and official ecological routes rather than entering undeveloped forest.

Yinggehai Salt Field: Hainan's “Mirror of the Sky”

Yinggehai Salt Field (莺歌海盐场) is Ledong's most distinctive cultural landscape. The huge grid of evaporation ponds lies between the mountains and sea, producing geometric patterns that change color according to sunlight, water depth and stages of salt crystallization.

The salt field is widely described as the largest salt field in southern China, occupying more than 30 square kilometers of coastal flatland. The dry, sunny conditions created partly by the sheltering mountains around Jianfengling make the Yinggehai area particularly suitable for salt production.

The landscape is most impressive when bright sunlight reflects from the evaporation ponds and white salt piles, creating the “mirror-like” appearance that has made Yinggehai increasingly popular with photographers.

Visitors should remember that this is also an active industrial production landscape, so access to individual salt ponds may be controlled.

Yingge Talang Coastal Station

Beside the salt-field landscape is Yingge Talang Coastal Station (莺歌踏浪驿站), one of the first major visitor stations developed along the Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway.

The station combines visitor services with salt culture, Li culture, fishing culture, architecture, exhibitions, restaurants and road-trip facilities. It opened with the first group of Coastal Scenic Highway stations and was designed to connect Yinggehai Salt Field with surrounding coastal and mountain attractions.

For self-drive travelers, it now serves as one of the most convenient stops for understanding the Yinggehai landscape without treating the salt field simply as a roadside photo location.

Longmu Bay: Ledong's Signature Sunset Coast

Longmu Bay (龙沐湾) is the best-known of Ledong's three major natural bays.

The bay faces west across the sea, giving it excellent conditions for sunset photography. Hainan tourism promotion has long associated Longmu Bay with its broad views of the evening sun, while current official coastal itineraries continue to list the bay among Ledong's must-visit destinations.

Rather than expecting a dense collection of traditional attractions, visitors come for the beach, open horizon and relaxed resort atmosphere. Late afternoon is the best time to arrive.

Longqi Bay

Longqi Bay (龙栖湾) lies around Jiushuo and retains a quieter atmosphere than many beaches around Sanya. Its broad sandy coastline, relatively open views and fishing boats are particularly attractive around sunset.

The bay forms part of Ledong's traditional tourism identity of “one mountain, two ridges and three bays,” alongside Longmu Bay and Longteng Bay.

Sections such as the Boboli Coast (波波利海岸) have become popular for sunset photography, but the overall experience remains primarily natural and residential rather than that of a large ticketed scenic area.

Longteng Bay

Longteng Bay (龙腾湾) completes Ledong's “Three Bays.” It is less famous among mainstream visitors than Longmu Bay and less developed as an online tourism destination than Longqi Bay.

Its value lies primarily in open coastline, sunsets and the broader west-coast road-trip landscape. It works best as part of a self-drive journey along Ledong's Coastal Scenic Highway rather than as a standalone full-day attraction.

Maogong Mountain Eco-Tourism Area

Maogong Mountain (毛公山) in the Zhizhong area is one of Ledong's most unusual natural landmarks. From a particular viewing direction, the contours of the mountain resemble the profile of a reclining human figure, leading to the modern name “Maogong Mountain.”

The attraction combines the natural mountain viewpoint with cultural and educational displays. It is currently generally listed as a national AA-rated tourist attraction, making it one of Ledong's formally rated scenic areas.

The landscape itself is the main feature, so visibility is important; clear weather provides the best view of the mountain silhouette.

Wanglougang Fishing Village

Wanglougang Village (望楼港村) in Liguo Town is one of the best places in Ledong to experience authentic fishing-community culture.

Located near the mouth of the Wanglou River, the village developed around fishing and seafood processing. Today visitors can see fishing boats, dried seafood, the estuary, village streets and the nearby market while sampling locally caught seafood.

Wanglougang is officially recognized as a Three-Coconut-level rural tourism site in Hainan's rural tourism grading system.

It is much more valuable as a living fishing village than as a conventional sightseeing attraction, so visitors should respect working docks and residents' private spaces.

Baisha River Valley Native Culture Park

Baisha River Valley Native Culture Park (白沙河谷本土文化园) near Foluo is a privately developed cultural collection focusing on the history and folk traditions of southern Hainan.

Its collections include Li cultural objects, traditional agricultural tools, historical photographs, folk artifacts, local architectural elements, medicinal plants and Hainan huanghuali trees. The cultural park grew from decades of private collecting and research into local history.

For travelers interested in Li culture, it provides a useful complement to the natural scenery of Jianfengling and Ledong's beaches.

Jiaxi Nature Reserve

Jiaxi Nature Reserve (佳西自然保护区) protects a large area of tropical mountain rainforest in northern Ledong. Steep valleys, high rainfall and limited historical disturbance have allowed substantial areas of relatively intact forest to survive.

However, it is important to distinguish a nature reserve from a conventional tourist park. Access to ecologically sensitive or core protected sections may be restricted, and visitors should not assume that independent wilderness hiking is permitted.

For ordinary travelers interested in tropical rainforest, Jianfengling provides much better established visitor infrastructure.

Li Ethnic Villages and Rural Tourism

Ledong is a Li autonomous county, and village tourism provides another important part of its attraction network.

Xili Village (西黎村) in Da'an Town has developed Li cultural displays, rural accommodation and agricultural experiences and is officially rated a Four-Coconut rural tourism site. Kafa Village (卡法村) in Wanchong is a Three-Coconut rural tourism site, while several other villages have lower-level rural tourism recognition.

These communities are particularly suitable for travelers interested in Li textile culture, rural landscapes, farming and village life, rather than large commercial attractions.

⚠️ Hainan Huanghuali Valley Is Not a Ledong Attraction

One correction should be made to the original list.

Hainan Huanghuali Valley Cultural Tourism Zone (海南花梨谷文化旅游区) is indeed a national AAAA-rated attraction, but it is administratively located in Dongfang City, not Ledong County. Official and tourism records identify it as Dongfang's first 4A scenic area, located around Banqiao Town / the Jianfeng border area.

Because it lies close to the Ledong–Dongfang boundary, it can easily be combined with a Jianfengling road trip, but it should not be counted in a table of Ledong attractions.

📋 Major Tourist Attractions in Ledong: English–Chinese List

Which Ledong Attractions Should You Prioritize?

For a first visit, the strongest combination is Jianfengling National Forest Park + Yinggehai Salt Field + Longmu Bay. These three places summarize Ledong particularly well: tropical rainforest in the morning, salt-field landscapes in the afternoon and a South China Sea sunset before evening.

Travelers with more time can add Longqi Bay, Maogong Mountain and Wanglougang Village. Culture-focused visitors should include Baisha River Valley Native Culture Park, Xili Village and Huangliu Town, while self-drive travelers can follow the Ledong section of the Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway, linking salt fields, fishing communities and the Three Bays.

Ledong is most rewarding when treated as a mountain-and-sea destination rather than another Hainan beach resort. Its main advantage is precisely the contrast between the deep rainforest of Jianfengling and the open, sunset-facing coastline of western Hainan.