CITY · HAINAN
Haikou
海口 · Hǎikǒu
Overview
Capital of Hainan, the tropical island province. Calm coastal city with a colonial-era arcade district and a launchpad to the beach destinations of Sanya, Boao and Xinglong.
Haikou is the calmer, more workable side of Hainan island. The 1920s arcades along Zhongshan Road, the Five Officials' Memorial Temple and the Haikou Old District give the city a distinct identity. Most beach travel happens further south at Sanya, but Haikou's beaches and the coconut-palm coast at Holiday Beach are pleasant. Hainan is a Free Trade Port with Chinese citizens permitted enhanced duty-free shopping.
What to see
- Old Arcade Street (Qilou) on Zhongshan Road
- Five Officials' Memorial Temple
- Haikou Hai Rui Tomb
- Holiday Beach
What to eat
- Wenchang chicken
- Coconut chicken hot pot
- Tropical fruits
Getting there
Haikou Meilan (HAK) airport. Hainan ring HSR connects Haikou to Sanya in 90 min.
Getting around
Bus and taxi. No metro.
Where to stay
Old district / Zhongshan Road or coastal Holiday Beach.
We list neighbourhoods, not specific hotels — we don't endorse hotels.
When to go
November–April. Summer is hot, humid and prone to typhoons.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥280 |
| Mid-range | ¥620 |
| Comfortable | ¥1500 |
Itineraries visiting Haikou
Food of Southern China
- Beef Chow Fun干炒牛河
Flat rice noodles dry-fried with silky marinated beef, beansprouts and spring onion over a fierce wok flame.
- Beef Chow Fun干炒牛河
Stir-fried wide flat rice noodles with sliced beef, scallion, bean sprouts and a smoky wok-hei flavour.
- Buddha Jumps Over the Wall佛跳墙
Fujian's banquet centrepiece — a slow-simmered soup of dried abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, ham and 20+ other ingredients.
- Cantonese Roast Goose烧鹅
Whole goose roasted to crisp-skinned tenderness. The most prized of the Cantonese siu mei roasted meats.
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