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Luhuitou Park, Sanya

Stone statue of a deer turning its head beside a young woman, on a plinth above a wide stairway in Luhuitou Park
Photo: lienyuan lee, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free; you register with your passport at the gate
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
8:00–22:30, last entry 22:00; open daily
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h 30 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Sightseeing cart
28 yuan return, same price for all ages
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Luling Road (鹿岭路), Jiyang District, near Xiaodonghai Road
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
18.22714, 109.49841YesGo MapGoogleApple
From Dadonghai
Taxi 5–10 min; bus 55 to the Luhuitou Scenic Area stop, 2 yuan
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Walk to the top
25–40 minutes uphill from the gate
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment
Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card, or cash yuan
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time needed
90 minutes; 2 hours with sunset

Key facts

12 mthe granite statue of the deer, the hunter and the girl on the summit; some guides say 15 m
2 sourcesChinese and Japanese WikipediaTravel China Guide
Free entryonly the sightseeing cart is paid
4 sourcesNational Business Daily (mrjjxw.com)East China TripChina Educational ToursCtrip/Qunar
181 mthe highest of the hill's peaks, the top viewpoint over downtown Sanya
2 sourcesChinese Wikipedia (Hainan Yearbook)East China Trip
82.88 haof tropical forest across the hills of the headland
SourceChinese Wikipedia (Hainan Yearbook)
Lin Yuhaothe Hainan sculptor who made the statue and picked the site himself
SourceChinese and Japanese Wikipedia
Deer CitySanya's nickname, Lucheng (鹿城), comes from the legend
2 sourcesChinese and Japanese WikipediaTravel China Guide
Li peopleHainan's indigenous people, whose hunter-and-deer legend named the hill
3 sourcesChinese and Japanese WikipediaTravel China GuideChina Daily
5 peakson the hill; Beiting Pavilion sits on the highest
2 sourcesEast China TripChina Educational Tours
Macaqueswild monkeys live in the park's forest
2 sourcesEast China TripChina Educational Tours
West-facingthe summit looks over Sanya Bay and Phoenix Island, where the sun sets
2 sourcesEast China TripChina Educational Tours

Luhuitou Park entrance fee: is it free?

Yes. Entry is free, but you register with your passport at the gate — without it you may be turned away. The only charge is the optional sightseeing cart to the summit: 28 yuan return, one price for adults and children, according to Chinese booking sites. We found no official price list, so treat it as a guide.

Older guides quote a 35–42 yuan ticket; that has been dropped. Unofficially, the gate office sometimes sells only a bundle with an extra tour. If you just want the ride up, book the cart on Trip.com beforehand or simply walk.

China runs on QR payments, and cards are rarely any use at small stalls. Pay through Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to your Visa or Mastercard — set them up before you fly — and carry some small yuan notes for the bus and drinks.

Opening hours and the best time for sunset

The park opens daily from 8:00 to 22:30, with last entry at 22:00. A few sources give 7:30 or an earlier 21:00 close, so double-check on the day. There's no weekly closing day.

Come an hour before sunset. By our own astronomical calculation, the sun sets in Sanya around 18:05 in November and December and around 19:20 in June and July. Arrive by 17:00 in winter or 18:15 in summer to get up, grab a spot at the railing and stay for the city lights after dark.

Midday is hot and shadeless at the top, even in winter; weekday mornings are the quietest.

How to get to Luhuitou Park

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. From downtown (Jiefang Road), a taxi takes 15–20 minutes and, unofficially, costs about 15 yuan. From Dadonghai it's 5–10 minutes and about 10 yuan. DiDi runs inside Alipay in English and takes foreign cards.
  2. Cheaper: city bus 55 from Dadonghai or downtown to the Luhuitou Scenic Area stop (鹿回头风景区, Luhuitou Fengjingqu); route 125 also passes through Dadonghai. Fares are 2 yuan, cash without change or QR code. Sources disagree on route numbers, so check Amap before you go.
  3. At the gate, show your passport for the free entry pass. Booking online is advised during the day; unofficially, evening visitors are let in without one.
  4. Ride the sightseeing cart up (28 yuan return) or walk — 25–40 minutes uphill on paved paths.
  5. Head back the same way. Keep your hotel's address in Chinese on your phone for the driver.

Is Luhuitou Park worth it?

Yes, if you're staying in Dadonghai or on Sanya Bay: it's the best sunset in the city for 90 minutes and the price of a cart ride. As a park it's modest — paved paths, pavilions and viewpoints rather than gardens.

If you're based out at Yalong Bay and not otherwise heading into town, an hour's round trip just for the view is optional. Families do well here: the cart takes the effort out of the climb, and there's a small deer area near the top.

What to see at Luhuitou

  • The deer statue on the summit: the deer looks back over its shoulder beside the young hunter and the girl it became. It's Sanya's signature photo.
  • Beiting Pavilion, the highest viewpoint: Sanya Bay, the towers of Phoenix Island and the river bridges below.
  • The view east over the curve of Dadonghai beach and its hotels.
  • The cliff carved with 爱 (“love”) and the inscribed lovers' stones — couples come here from all over China.
  • The love-lock wall and ribbons tied to the old tree by Shanmeng Pavilion.
  • The deer enclosure near the top — unofficially, the animals are livelier late in the afternoon.
  • The city lit up at night, from the same viewpoints, until closing.

The legend of the deer that looked back

The name, “the deer turns its head”, retells a legend of the Li people, Hainan's indigenous inhabitants. A young hunter chased a spotted deer for days, from the mountains of the interior all the way to the sea. Cornered on a cliff edge, the deer looked back and turned into a young woman. The two married and settled on this shore.

The hill, the headland and the village below all take their name from the story, and Sanya itself is nicknamed Lucheng, “Deer City”. The summit statue is the work of Hainan sculptor Lin Yuhao; its height is usually given as 12 metres, though some guides say 15.

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Luhuitou, Dadonghai or Yalong Bay?

Luhuitou Parkyou are hereHilltop park with statue and viewpointsFree; cart 28 yuanCity view and sunset1.5–2 h≈ 15–20 min by taxi
DadonghaiCity bay and beachFreeBeach and seafront evenings2 h or more≈ 3 km, 10–20 min
Yalong BayWhite-sand bay lined with resortsFree public stretch by Central SquareSanya's clearest waterHalf a day≈ 25 km, ≈ 30 min

Luhuitou and Dadonghai are neighbours: beach by day, hilltop at sunset. Yalong Bay is a separate half-day trip.

Sanya viewpoints compared

Every viewpoint in Sanya rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Phoenix Island4345 minFree33 min walk
Luhuitou Parkyou are here361 h 30 minFree—
Tianya Haijiao212 hFree17.5 km
Nanwan Monkey Island202 h 30 min≈ ¥154 incl. return cable car54.4 km
Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park202 h 30 min¥158 incl. shuttle; bridges extra13.2 km
Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone193 h≈ ¥130–160 with park train32.0 km
Yanoda Rainforest Park173 h 30 min≈ ¥168 incl. park shuttle30.0 km
Wuzhizhou Island164 h144 yuan incl. return ferry29.4 km

East Sanya in a day: beaches, then the hilltop

Morning in the forest park and on the sand at Yalong Bay, afternoon in Dadonghai, sunset by the deer statue. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park2 h 30 min · ¥158 incl. shuttle; bridges extra
  2. 98 min walk from the previous stopYalong Bay3 h · Beach free; rentals extra
  3. 248 min walk from the previous stopDadonghai Bay2 h · Free
  4. 40 min walk from the previous stopLuhuitou Parkyou are here1 h 30 min · Free entry; cart 28 yuan return

4 places · about 15 h 26 min with walks · 386 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Phoenix Island

Sanya, China

45 min · Free from the shore; island by booking · 33 min walk

Dadonghai Bay

Sanya, China

2 h · Free · 40 min walk

How to do it right

  • Ride the cart up and walk down — you'll pass the love cliff and the lock wall on the way.
  • Shoot the statue from the wide stairway below the plinth to fit all three figures in the frame.
  • Claim a railing spot at Beiting Pavilion early — it's the highest point, so that's where everyone heads for sunset.
  • Make it an evening: dinner in Dadonghai is 5–10 minutes away by taxi.
  • Weekday mornings are the quietest time if you want photos without crowds.

Questions

Is Luhuitou Park free?

Yes, entry is free with your passport. Only the optional sightseeing cart to the summit is paid — 28 yuan return, according to Chinese booking sites.

What are Luhuitou Park opening hours?

Daily from 8:00 to 22:30, with last entry at 22:00. Some sources differ, so check on the day.

How do I get to Luhuitou Park from Dadonghai?

A taxi takes 5–10 minutes. City bus 55 stops at Luhuitou Scenic Area; the fare is 2 yuan.

How long does it take to walk up Luhuitou?

About 25–40 minutes uphill from the gate on paved paths. The cart is the easy option.

When is the best time to visit Luhuitou Park?

An hour before sunset: watch the sun drop over Sanya Bay, then stay for the city lights. Sunset is around 18:05 in winter and 19:20 in midsummer.

Is Luhuitou Park worth visiting?

Yes, if you're staying in Dadonghai or on Sanya Bay — it's the city's best sunset view. From Yalong Bay it's a longer trip for a view alone.

Are there monkeys at Luhuitou Park?

Yes, wild macaques live in the forest. Keep food in a closed bag and don't feed them.

What is the legend of Luhuitou?

In a Li legend, a hunter chased a deer to a cliff edge; it looked back and became a woman he married. Sanya's nickname “Deer City” comes from it.

Do I need my passport for Luhuitou Park?

Yes — the free entry pass is issued against your passport, so bring the original.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Chinese Wikipedia: 鹿回头 — area, summit height, statue, sculptor (citing the Hainan Yearbook)
  • Japanese Wikipedia: 鹿回頭公園; Wikidata Q10567079
  • Travel China Guide: Luhuitou Peninsula — legend, statue, buses
  • China Daily (chinaservicesinfo.com): Luhuitou Park — address, buses, legend
  • East China Trip: Luhuitou Park Sanya Travel Guide — entry, cart, hours, buses, peaks
  • China Educational Tours: Luhuitou Scenic Area — entry, hours, macaques, viewpoints
  • Ctrip and Qunar: sightseeing cart ticket including free entry
  • National Business Daily (mrjjxw.com) — free entry to the park
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 04.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThe park's official website, listed in Wikidata, would not load, so fares and hours come from Chinese booking sites (Ctrip, Qunar) and travel guides and are marked “verifying”. Free entry is confirmed by National Business Daily and three guides; the 35–42 yuan tickets in older sources are out of date. Hours differ: most give 8:00–22:30, Travel China Guide 7:30–21:00. Encyclopedias give the statue as 12 m, some guides 15 m — we show both. The 181 m summit height is confirmed by two sources; the 280–285 m in some guides is not. Sunset times are our own calculation for Sanya's coordinates. Bus numbers vary between sources; route 55 appears in all of them.

Top YesGo picks: Sanya

Yalong Bay

Sanya, China

3 h · Beach free; rentals extra

Tianya Haijiao

Sanya, China

2 h · Free, advance booking required

Nanwan Monkey Island

Sanya, China

2 h 30 min · ≈ ¥154 incl. return cable car

Yanoda Rainforest Park

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3 h 30 min · ≈ ¥168 incl. park shuttle

Wuzhizhou Island

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4 h · 144 yuan incl. return ferry

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