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During their occupation of Hainan, the Japanese army used forced labor to complete several infrastructure projects on the island, most notably the Daguang Dam in eastern Dongfang, the Shilu Iron Ore Mine in Changjiang County and the railway line connecting the mine to the ports in Basuo and Sanya. At first the Japanese mainly relied on Chinese labor but later they began importing POWs that they had captured in Southeast Asia, including POWs who originally hailed from Australia, Canada, Britain and other allied countries. Conditions for the laborers were extremely brutal. Only 6000 of the more than 30,000 laborers survived. Many of the dead are buried here at this site. In 2013, the old prison buildings from the Basuo POW Camp Site were controversially moved here from their original location about 500 meters away.
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鱼鳞洲风景区
A small scenic area on the coast near Basuo Port. The main feature is a large rock with a lighthouse on top. This is probably the most recognizable landmark in Dongfang.
海南铁路博物馆
A museum about the history of railways on Hainan Island. Hainan's first railway line was built by the Japanese army in the 1940s using forced labour. The museum's main exhibition hall was originally a Japanese military command center and was later converted into an office for the Hainan Railway Company.
海东方公园
A beach park with a Ferris wheel and a few other amusement rides.
北黎村
Founded around 2000 years ago, during the Han Dynasty, Beili Village was originally known as Changxing Village. By the Ming Dynasty, the village had become quite prosperous thanks due to its location on the Beili River. Gradually, however, the river became silted up and Beili's usefulness as a port began to decline. The final blow to the village economy came during the Second World War, when the invading Japanese army occupied the village and built a rival port at Basuo. After the war, the village struggled to recover and today it remains a shadow of its former self. Many of the old buildings have been abandoned and the ones that are still occupied are in a poor state of repair. Nonetheless, a walk down the village streets offers visitors an interesting glimpse into the past. The most notable building is the Yan Family Residence (颜氏民居). This was the main building used by the Japanese army and it was briefly used as a local government office after the war.
白查村
Considered to be the best-preserved traditional Li minority village in Hainan. The village is comprised entirely of boat-shaped thatched cottages. Many of the original inhabitants no longer live here, however, so today the village is more like an open-air museum than a living village.
俄贤岭
Possibly one of Hainan's best-kept secrets, the park features karst scenery similar to that normally associated with Guilin. Hence it is sometimes referred to informally as Little Guilin (小桂林). As of January 2021, however, the infrastructure at the park is under development and parts of the park are either closed off or subject to intermittent closure. Therefore, if you are considering visiting the park, it's probably best to contact the park management office to get an update on the situation.