Nanshan Temple

Nanshan was built in the 1990s on a coastal site associated with the monk Jianzhen, who was blown to Hainan on one of his failed attempts to reach Japan in the eighth century. Its centrepiece, completed in 2005, is a statue of Guanyin standing 108 metres high on a lotus platform on a small artificial island linked by a causeway, with three faces looking out to sea and inland, each holding a different attribute. Visitors can enter the base. The wider park has halls in Tang style, gardens, a vegetarian restaurant and coastal paths, and it functions as an active temple as well as a major attraction.

What you actually see

• The Guanyin statue - 108 metres high on an islet, with three faces.
• The causeway - the walk out to the statue platform.
• The Tang-style halls - the temple buildings in the park.
• The coastal setting - sea views along the paths and gardens.

When to go

November to April for dry, mild weather; summer is hot with typhoon risk. Buddhist festivals bring large crowds. Late afternoon light on the statue from the causeway is the best.

Honest expectations

The complex is modern, built from the 1990s, not historic. It is large and involves a lot of walking or paid shuttles. Entry is among the more expensive on Hainan.

Nearby

Tianya Haijiao lies east; Sanya is further east.