Nanwan Monkey Island is a peninsula nature reserve in southern Lingshui County, home to approximately 2,000 macaques and reached by China's longest over-water cable car — a 2,138-metre crossing above the strait that separates the peninsula from the mainland. The reserve was established in 1965 and is the only nature reserve in the world specifically dedicated to protecting endangered macaques on an island. The monkeys live in semi-wild conditions with supplementary feeding; the reserve does active work on population management and macaque rehabilitation.
The tourist element is difficult to ignore: there are trained monkey performances and feeding shows that sit uneasily with the conservation mission. The wildlife encounter itself, however — walking among 2,000 macaques who have largely ceased to be bothered by human presence — is genuinely striking. The peninsula is forested and the trail system allows a degree of exploration beyond the performance areas. The cable car crossing itself is worthwhile for the aerial views of the coast and mangroves below, even if the destination were not.
The reserve is easiest to reach from Sanya (about 40 minutes by car) or from Lingshui town. Entry includes the cable car.