In our 10-day Hainan trip, Wuzhizhou Island ranked high as a must-visit attraction. We visited the island on Day 7 of our Hainan trip, and am dedicating a post to share our experience on the popular island.
4th stop on Wuzhizhou Island (Lover’s Island)
For a better story flow, you can check out these day-by-day account first. And when you are done, scroll right through to continue our day tour to Wuzhizhou island (蜈支洲) .
At about 11.30am, we arrived at Wuzhizhou Pier, located about an hour’s “DiDi” ride from our hotel in Sanya. We had earlier booked our bundle tickets online (see price) and could go straight to the ferry, skipping the ticketing office.
Lull travelling period means no queue (in May – summer)
TRAVEL TIP: It’s usually cheaper to buy Wuzhizhou admission tickets online. You’ll also get to skip the queue which would likely be very bad during peak season.
There are several ticketing options. For basic one, you can choose “Ferry + Admission + Shuttle”. Be sure to choose one that allows you to alight at each stop.
Other options come bundled with water sports, buffet lunch etc depending on your needs.
Thankfully, the lull period meant the queue to embark the ferry wasn’t as bad as we saw on Douyin. After a 15 minutes ferry ride, we reached Wuzhizhou Island at 12.10pm.
Unexpected Long Queue for Island Shuttle Service
We headed to the shuttle bus boarding station, expecting a quick ride since earlier queues had been short. To our surprise, the line here was super long.
Under the hot element, we waited nearly half an hour before boarding. If this was the off-peak crowd, I can only imagine how crazy it gets during peak season. Definitely something to factor into your plans!
Shuttle queue at 1st stop on Wuzhizhou Island (Lull months)
Consolation – a host was there to entertain us via a “Quiz” segment – you can win a prize if you get the answers correct.
But since most questions were related to Chinese history and geography, we didn’t really get a chance to participate. Still, it’s pretty entertaining, and did work in killing time!
WUZHIZHOU TIP: You only get to ride the shuttle service one round. So do alight in sequence at stations that you are interested in. You can’t do a second loop of the service.
Finally got onto the shuttle after a long wait
1st Stop: Oceans Star was gorgeous!
The first stop and the journey to reach Oceans Star (海洋之星) was jaw-dropping beautiful. There, we both agreed we’d made the right decision to visit the touristy island. There’s a reason why it’s touristy – clear blue ocean with contrasting yellow rocks!
Our view from the shuttle1st stop at Ocean Star on Wuzhizhou Island, Hainan
No wonder it’s said to be the Maldives of China. There were many photo spots at Station No. 1, but you may have to queue. Luckily, we were here during lull period – drawback is the hot weather.
TIP: Bring umbrella, insect repellent and apply sunblock generously!
Having an outdoor piano performance on Wuzhizhou Island :)
2nd Stop: Sun Viewing Rock
At Sun Viewing Rock (观日岩), we descended over 200 steps to get closer to the bottom of the cliff.
Descending to sea level
There, huge boulders were stacked over one another. You can try making out the shape of a giant turtle (金龟探海). The water current was so strong it was “bubbling” at some spots.
One key highlight of our Wuzhizhou excursion was time spent at a cafe by the cliff. I ordered a deep blue iced coffee and enjoyed a great ocean view! You don’t get such experience in Singapore!
Lazing and enjoying Deep-blue Iced Coffee at a cafe by the cliff
So glad we’d decided to spend over an hour at the cafe because the experience was unforgettable (and we later learnt that subsequent stops were less deserving of our time).
3rd Stop: Rainforest Pet Paradise
You’ll enjoy this stop if you have kids. It’s a little park with some small animals to check out and interact with, such as pigs and ostriches.
Hainan five-legged pig, also known as mouse pig (because it’s small in size)
4th Stop: Lover’s Island (情人岛)
Next, we arrived at Lover’s island (情人岛) known for a rock formation resembling “two lovers lying side by side (a girl and a general)”. But, the real sight on the sandy beach was sweet young girls in flowy prom-night dresses posing for the perfect “calendar photoshoot”.
DRESSING INSIGHTS: In all the islands and beaches we’ve visited in Hainan, you’ll stand out like a foreign tourist if you are not in long flowy (sometimes, prom-like) dresses, straw hats and straw bags. Many would “dress to kill” to get that nice beach vibe and perfect shot!
As for men, it’s not surprising to see them in full-suite “Island wear”. Personally, I am not able to appreciate this, but as long as they get the holiday vibe out of it, I think that’s what matter most.
It’s common for men to come in island suite.
This 4th stop also offered lots of photo opportunity, mostly of teddy bears by the sandy beach.
5th Stop: Island Teahouse at Wuzhizhou Island
Next stop was a dining area (海岛茶馆) – you could get complimentary hot tea if you don’t mind the mosquitoes.
There were also stalls selling food and desserts, but the prices were super inflated – more than what I thought was reasonable. Food-wise, boundary Island scored better and wasn’t as commercialised as it had a number of chained outlets (e.g. Luckin) offering F&B at decent prices.
We could enjoy a free 1-hour lounging by the beach (海滨浴场), but decided to skip it as the view wasn’t that outstanding as compared to what we saw at the first two stations.
Walking towards ferry station
Instead of taking shuttle back to the ferry station, we chose to talk a walk and passed by a Lover’s Bridge and some photo spots.
Lover’s Bridge at Wuzhizhou IslandPhoto spot on Wuzhizhou Island
Conclusion: Is Wuzhizhou Island worth visiting?
Our experience wasn’t marred by long queue since we were there during the hot, off season. So our experience was a pretty pleasant one. The sights offered at the first two stations made this a worthwhile experience – and I highly recommend a visit!
Enjoying coffee and the deep blue sea at Cliff Cafe (2nd Stop)
Many would also enjoy water activities on the island. But we thought the price was higher than what we thought was reasonable.
Since Singapore is itself an island and we are located near many island destinations such as Phuket, Boracay and Bali, we didn’t find it a must to squeeze in water activities here.
One of the water activities you can try on Wuzhizhou Island
