A Journey Through Millennia: Luobi Cave in Sanya Reveals Its Secrets

In September, the first cultural heritage study tour of the“From Ten Thousand Years to This Moment” educational project, titled “A Journey Through the Cultural Heritage of Luobi Cave,” was held in Sanya, bringing residents and visitors closer to one of Hainan’s most important archaeological sites.

Luobi Cave lies at the foot of Luobi Mountain in Sanya’s Jiyang District. It is not merely a scenic limestone cave; it is the southernmost Paleolithic site ever discovered in China. Dating back around 10,000 years, it preserves traces of ancient humans who lived on Hainan long before writing, cities, or states emerged. In June 2001, it was listed among China’s Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. In 2025, it was included in the national program to establish a National Archaeological Park, further confirming its significance.

The cave is a naturally formed limestone hollow with a south-facing entrance. It stands about 12.5 meters high, 16 meters deep and 9 meters wide, with an interior area of roughly 145 square meters. Between 1992 and 1993, two rounds of archaeological excavation uncovered 13 fossilized teeth of late Homo sapiens, more than 200 stone artifacts, and fossils of 45 mammal species, including the lower jaw of a South China tiger and molars of an Asian elephant. Researchers also found remains of 24 species of aquatic invertebrates. Radiocarbon dating places human activity at the site at around 10,000 years ago, reshaping understanding of early life on Hainan Island.

As the earliest known Stone Age human site on Hainan, Luobi Cave is regarded as a foundation of the island’s human culture. It carries valuable information about ancient geography, climate, animals and early inhabitants, making it an important specimen for both archaeology and environmental research.

This autumn’s cave tours aim to share this deep history with the public. Instead of viewing artifacts behind glass in a museum, participants can walk through the real landscape where ancient people once lived. The organizers describe the format as a shift “from observation to immersion.” For visitors to Sanya, it offers a rare experience: enjoying the island’s tropical coastline while traveling back more than ten thousand years into its earliest human story.

For more information, please visit seaviewhainan.com