Tian Chi Lake is the center of the Jianfengling
Forest Park.
Tropical Hainan Island is a winter refuge and will be a popular
travel destination for the coming Spring Festival holidays. But
this doesn't necessarily mean that hotels will be booked out and
there will be hordes of tourists. There is another option: Pass by
the golden beaches and head into the wild.
Though half of Hainan's forest cover was felled to make way for
rubber and sugar cane plantations between 1950 and 1980, some of
the island's tropical rainforest remain, in the central highlands,
where a rich variety of tropical plants flourish and fauna, such as
the endangered Hainan gibbons, can be seen.
Mostly remote and hidden far away from convenient transport
links, some of them are actually easy to reach and offer unique
natural interests and descent commendations.
Of these areas, Jianfengling Forest Park is recommended. Part of
Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, near Jianfengling town, you
can get there in about four hours, by bus, from Haikou. It is just
two hours away from Sanya.
The park entrance is a 3-km uphill hike from the town center. From
here, a well-paved 12-km road winds its way into the heart of the
park, passing rubber, sugar cane and tropical fruit plantations run
by the Miao and Li minority people.
Another trek worth taking is to Jianfengling Peak, or Pinnacle
Peak, which overlooks the town of Jianfengling and can be accessed
by a 20-minute bus ride (it takes 50 minutes in a tricycle). It is
more than 1,400 m above sea level and comprises a dense forest
topped off by a summit that looks like a Gothic church's dome.
Visitors can scale the peak along a steep stone path. From the
park entrance, there is a dirt road leading to a parking lot at the
foot of the pinnacle. From the parking lot, at an altitude of 934
m, it takes several hours to reach the top of the summit. Your
reward is a truly spectacular view, especially at sunrise or
sunset.
The major tourist site in the park is at the end of the main
road, an artificial lake called Tian Chi, or Heavenly Lake.
About 3 km further, on the lake's bank, is Mingfeng Valley, or
Phoenix Valley. Along a well-paved 2-km road visitors can explore a
secondary tropical forest. Unfortunately, there are few animals
(except a kind of red-bellied squirrel), or birds to see because of
heavy poaching up until 10 year ago.
Tian Chi Resort is nearby. Staying here you are free to wander
around and enjoy the peace, especially in the morning before
day-trippers arrive.
At this time there is birdsong and assorted frogs and reptiles
may make an appearance. You may even see a red jungle fowl cross
the road. One guest was told "a big, shy cat" in a tree was a rare
clouded leopard.
While there is little likelihood of being bothered by clouded
leopards, mosquitoes and leeches can be a problem. It is wise to
dress in a long-sleeved shirt and pants.
Another advantage of staying in the resort is you may get the
opportunity to visit the reserve's primitive forest, which is about
4 km away from the resort, on the opposite side of the lake. The
resort manager, surnamed Zhao, may be able to arrange this.
The forest is dense but surprisingly quieter than Phoenix
Valley. There are a few birds and squirrels, more frogs, reptiles
and more leeches, so many in fact there is even a 200-m "leech
path".
There is a small platform in the forest. A fire watch tower
erects on the platform, from which you can view the forest canopy
and lake. Here you may see woodpeckers, barbets, minivets and
nuthatches. Even giant squirrels might make an appearance.
You cannot dally too long as you will need some time to get back
and avoid all those leeches on the way down.
Jianfengling Forest Park, in Hainan province, is a rich habitat for
flora and fauna, such as orchid (left), Indian bloodsucker (center)
and jumping frog (right).
(China Daily January 24, 2008)
