Li and Miao Villages

Li and Miao Villages

The Li and Miao Villages are located in the outskirts of Sanya City, Hainan Province. They are home to some of Hainan’s most indigenous original residents and offer a microcosm of the Li and Miao ethnic customs.

The villages boast an ancient, serene atmosphere with strong rural vibes, brimming with primal warmth and tropical charm. The ethnic dances of the Li and Miao peoples, along with their beautiful and enthusiastic women, showcase the ethnic customs and religious cultural beliefs of Hainan’s Li and Miao. Please accept the invitation of the lovely and warm-hearted Li girls to join them in a lively bamboo dance.

Features of the Li and Miao Villages: The Li and Miao are the first and second largest ethnic minorities in Hainan, respectively. They generally live in the central and southern mountainous regions of Hainan Island. Therefore, if you’re visiting Sanya in Hainan and want to experience authentic Li and Miao culture, note that many genuine Li and Miao villages are located in remote, hard-to-reach mountainous areas that are inaccessible to most travelers. The easiest way is to visit the Li and Miao Villages along the eastern or central highways of Hainan’s Sanya area, which are open to tourists. The villages feature lush, stout coconut trees, upright betel palm trees, graceful and slender bamboo, sturdy and handsome palm trees, and broad-leaved fan palms.

Although the indigenous minorities around Sanya have long entered modern civilization and are now rarely seen, you can still experience their warmth, songs, dances, and crafts here. The exquisitely handmade Li brocade and the Miao batik, both rich with an artisanal touch, make excellent souvenirs. You might even find yourself playfully pulled into a Li girl’s stilt house by a flower-draped maiden to act as her temporary groom, or be invited by a Miao girl to try on traditional ethnic clothing for a photo. Then you can join in the bamboo pole dance, watch the authentic “climbing the blade mountain” and “walking on fire” performances. Although these have been commercialized, observing their folk customs, clothing, and cuisine still offers a unique charm.

The entire Li Village is enveloped in green. The boat-shaped thatched cottages nestled among the woods are leisurely and quaint, and the vein-like winding paths resemble exquisite little poems. In this pure, simple, and tranquil setting, free from worldly distractions and bustle, visitors’ thoughts remain undisturbed. The freshly plowed rice fields, tender rice seedlings, sturdy water buffalo, swaying banyan trees, and trickling irrigation ditches feel familiar; the large purple eggplants, thick green scallions, tall cilantro, slim radishes, and flocks of white ducks seem endearingly close. The narrow alleys, gray-blue courtyards, old-fashioned hand-pumped wells, and the elongated creak of carrying poles all contribute to its classic vintage charm. The coconut and papaya trees in front of and behind the houses accentuate its rustic countryside flavor, while the quacking of neighborly ducks and birdsongs deep in the woods add an extra touch of simplicity and serenity to the quaint atmosphere. A trip to the Li and Miao Villages truly brings to life Meng Haoran’s poem “Passing by an Old Friend’s Farmhouse”!

It is said that when Li girls reach the age of sixteen or seventeen, they move into a “long” (a special house), waiting for a romantic man to awaken their affection. The “Romantic House” is filled with the lifestyle essence of “men plowing, women weaving.”

Admission Fee

50 RMB

Location

Outskirts of Sanya City, Hainan Province