Monkey Island, located on a southern peninsula of Hainan Island, boasts captivating scenery, but it’s the island’s comical inhabitants who will really steal your attention. The area is home to more than 2,500 macaques, and acts as a nature reserve for this protected animal.
The lush landscape makes an ideal home for the monkeys. Sheltered grottoes, a rich food resource and natural water enable the species to thrive and multiply. Visitors reach the monkey’s mountain home by cable car. The journey along China’s longest over-sea ropeway offers breathtaking views of the island’s verdant topography and sparkling ocean below.
The monkeys lay on an entertaining performance for visitors arriving on the mountain although it may not appeal to the eco-tourist’s sense of humor. Guides are present to advise visitors how to approach the animals and offer information about the history and every day workings of the park. Established in 1965, the park is the only island based nature reserve for monkeys in the world.
Getting There & Away
The most common way to reach the island of Hainan is on one of the daily hour-long flights from Hong Kong to Sanya. Alternatively, there are more than 40 domestic routes from Chinese cities to Hainan Island, including a 4-hour flight from Beijing to Sanya. Day tours from Sanya are easily organised.