Haikou

Haikou (海口, "mouth of the sea") is the provincial capital and primary transit gateway of Hainan Island. Situated at the northern tip of the island facing Guangdong's Leizhou Peninsula across the 30-kilometre Qiongzhou Strait, the city serves as Hainan's administrative and commercial centre. With roughly 2.9 million residents, Haikou has a relaxed pace shaped by broad tree-lined avenues, a large population of mainland transplants, and coconut palms along nearly every roadway, giving rise to its traditional nickname, the Coconut City (椰城).

Unlike southern resort hubs like Sanya, Haikou functions primarily as a working coastal city rather than a beach destination. The waters along its northern coast are tidal and silty, making swimming impractical. Travelers come instead for colonial-era arcade architecture in the old quarter, an energetic food culture centred on morning noodles and afternoon "Lao Ba Cha" teahouses, and direct rail and ferry links to the rest of the island and mainland China.

The urban area spans four main districts: Longhua forms the commercial centre; Xiuying houses the commercial ferry ports and western rail station; Qiongshan holds historic governmental sites; and Meilan encompasses the international airport and eastern delta lands. The Meishe River winds north through the urban core into the sea, bordered by public parks and dedicated cycling paths.

By Plane

Haikou Meilan International Airport (IATA: HAK) is 25 km southeast of the city centre in Meilan District. The airport operates two passenger terminals: Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international and select domestic routes, connected by a free terminal shuttle.

HAK is the primary hub for Hainan Airlines, with frequent domestic connections to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shenzhen (flight times 1 hr 15 min to 3.5 hrs). International routes connect Haikou directly to Hong Kong (1 hr 20 min on Cathay Pacific or Hong Kong Airlines), Singapore (3.5 hrs on Scoot), Kuala Lumpur (3.5 hrs on Batik Air Malaysia), Bangkok, Sydney, and Melbourne.

To reach downtown from HAK:

• Commuter / High-Speed Train: The underground Meilan Railway Station directly connects the terminal to Haikou East Railway Station (10 minutes, ¥6–10 / $0.85–1.40 USD) and Haikou Railway Station (30 minutes, ¥13 / $1.80 USD).
• Airport Shuttle Bus: Line 1 runs to Haixiu Road in central Longhua District every 30 minutes (¥20 / $2.80 USD, 45 minutes).
• Taxi: Official taxi ranks sit outside the arrival exits; a metered trip downtown costs ¥50–70 ($7–10 USD) and takes 30–40 minutes.

By Train

Haikou links to the national rail network via rail ferries across the Qiongzhou Strait and serves as the northern hub for the Hainan Ring High-Speed Railway operated by China Railway Guangzhou Group.

• Haikou East Railway Station (海口东站): Located on Fengxiang West Road in Longhua District. This is the central passenger terminal for high-speed bullet trains (CRH) looping the island. High-speed trains depart every 15–20 minutes to Sanya along the Eastern Ring line (1 hr 15 min to 2 hrs, ¥100 / $14 USD Second Class, ¥160 / $22 USD First Class), stopping at Wenchang, Qionghai, Bo'ao, and Wanning. The Western Ring line connects Haikou to Danzhou and Dongfang.
• Haikou Railway Station (海口站): Located in western Xiuying District. Direct cross-strait conventional passenger trains arrive here from mainland cities including Beijing West (28 hrs), Shanghai South (24 hrs), and Guangzhou (10–12 hrs). Carriages are loaded onto roll-on/roll-off train ferries across the strait. Sleeper tickets (Hard Sleeper ¥200–350 / $28–49 USD; Soft Sleeper ¥350–550 / $49–77 USD) should be booked via 12306.cn or Trip.com.

By Car

Haikou is the primary hub for Hainan's expressway system:

• G98 Hainan Island Ring Expressway: Encircles the entire island coastline. Driving south to Sanya along the eastern corridor spans 270 km and takes about 3 hours.
• G9811 Hainan Central Line Expressway: Runs south through central Hainan to Sanya (250 km, 3.5 hours).
• G9812 Expressway: Connects Haikou directly southeast to Wenchang (65 km, 50 minutes).
• From Mainland China: Vehicles drive to Xuwen County on Guangdong's Leizhou Peninsula via the G75 Lanzhou–Haikou Expressway, board roll-on/roll-off vehicle ferries at Xuwen Port or Hai'an New Port (¥373 / $52 USD per standard car including one driver; ¥41.50 / $5.80 USD per passenger), and disembark at Haikou Port or Xinhai Port after a 60-to-90-minute crossing.

By Bus

Hainan Haiqi Transportation Group operates provincial and interprovincial coach services from three major stations:

• Haikou Passenger Transport Terminal (海口汽车客运总站): Located next to Haikou East Railway Station. Runs hourly coaches to Sanya (3.5–4 hrs, ¥80–90 / $11–13 USD), Wuzhishan (3.5 hrs, ¥65 / $9 USD), and Baoting (4 hrs, ¥75 / $10.50 USD).
• Haikou East Bus Station (海口汽车东站): Located on Haifu Road. Serves eastern destinations including Wenchang (1 hr, ¥22 / $3 USD, departures every 20 minutes) and Qionghai (1.5 hrs, ¥35 / $5 USD).
• Haikou West Bus Station (海口汽车西站): Located on Haixiu West Road. Dispatches coaches to western Hainan (Danzhou, Dongfang) as well as long-distance mainland sleeper buses to Guangzhou (10–12 hrs, ¥200 / $28 USD) and Shenzhen (12–14 hrs, ¥260 / $36 USD).

• Haikou Qilou Old Street (海口骑楼老街): Preserved blocks of two-to-four-storey arcade shophouses built between the 1850s and 1930s by returned Southeast Asian merchants. The facades feature plaster carvings and shuttered windows along Zhongshan Road, Boai Road, and Xinhua Road. Free entry.

• Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark (海口石山火山群国家地质公园): A UNESCO-listed volcanic park 15 km southwest of downtown. Stone staircases lead to the rim of the 222-metre Mount Fengling crater, with trails passing through lava tubes and stone villages built from basalt blocks. Open 08:00–18:00; admission ¥60 ($8.40 USD).

• Five Officials Temple (五公祠, Wugong Temple): An ancient temple complex on Haifu Road commemorating five prominent Tang and Song Dynasty statesmen exiled to Hainan, alongside a memorial shrine dedicated to poet Su Dongpo. Open 08:00–18:00; admission ¥25 ($3.50 USD).

• Hai Rui Cultural Park (海瑞文化公园): Located on Qiuhai Avenue, this memorial park surrounds the 1589 tomb of Hai Rui, a Ming Dynasty official remembered for his honesty. The grounds contain ancestral pavilions, stone sculptures, and historical exhibition rooms. Open 08:30–17:30; admission is free.

• Xiuying Fort (秀英炮台): A coastal artillery battery constructed in 1891 during the late Qing Dynasty to guard the Qiongzhou Strait against foreign warships. Visitors can explore underground ammunition bunkers and view preserved 19th-century Krupp coastal defense guns. Open 08:30–17:30; admission ¥10 ($1.40 USD).

• Hainan Provincial Museum (海南省博物馆): Situated on Guoxing Avenue, this provincial museum presents artifacts recovered from the ancient Maritime Silk Road (including porcelain and cargo from the Huaguangjiao I shipwreck) and displays on indigenous Li and Miao textile traditions. Open Tuesday–Sunday 09:00–17:00; admission is free with passport presentation.

• Holiday Beach (假日海滩) & Wanlü Park (万绿园): Expansive waterfront public parks along Binhai Avenue featuring palm groves, coastal walking promenades, and sunset viewpoints across the strait. Free entry.

• Drink Lao Ba Cha in a Neighbourhood Teahouse: Spend an afternoon taking part in Haikou's social tea tradition (lǎobà chá), sipping local black tea or sweet milk coffee while sharing dim sum, pineapple buns, and fried chicken wings.

• Cycle the Meishe River Greenway: Rent a shared bicycle and follow the dedicated, car-free greenway along Binjiang Road, riding past riverside parks and mangrove wetlands.

• Explore Qilou Night Stalls: Walk the pedestrian alleys of Shuixiang Kou and Zhongshan Road in the evening when food carts, antique vendors, and tea counters open beneath the illuminated facades.

• Select Fresh Seafood at Market Plazas: Browse live fish, prawns, and crabs in the ground-floor market tanks at Banqiao or Dingcun seafood plazas, then pay a cook stall on the upper floor to steam or fry your selection.

• Day Trip to the Wenchang Coast: Take a 20-minute bullet train to Wenchang to visit coastal coconut groves at Dongjiao and view rocket launch towers at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.

Haikou's food culture highlights Hainan's "Four Famous Dishes" (四大名菜)—poached Wenchang chicken, braised Dongshan goat, steamed Hele crab, and braised Jiaji duck—alongside morning rice noodles, sour vinegar broths, and tropical desserts.

• Wen Qiang Ji (文强记文昌鸡): Located on Zhongshan Road in the Qilou quarter. Specialises in traditional poached Wenchang chicken served with calamansi, minced ginger, and garlic dip, accompanied by chicken-oil rice and stir-fried greens. Cuisine: Hainanese. Price: Mid-range (¥50–80 / $7–11 USD per person).
• Ju Fu An (聚福安老爸茶, Daying Road Branch): A lively teahouse filled with locals throughout the day. Serves classic Lao Ba Cha items including garlic chicken wings, red rice shrimp rolls, steamed pork ribs, and sweet milk tea. Cuisine: Hainanese Teahouse / Dim Sum. Price: Budget (¥25–45 / $3.50–6.30 USD per person).
• Banqiao Seafood Plaza (板桥海鲜广场): Located on Banqiao Road in Meilan District. A large market where customers buy live seafood directly from vendor tanks and take it to independent processing stalls to be steamed with ginger or fried with garlic. Cuisine: Fresh Seafood. Price: Mid-range to Upscale (¥100–200 / $14–28 USD per person).
• Qilou Snack Street (骑楼小吃街): Located on Datong Road near the historic quarter. Features counters serving dry-mixed Hainan rice noodles (Hainan fen with beef jerky, peanuts, and pickles), Zaopocu fermented rice vinegar noodles, and coconut Qingbuliang dessert. Cuisine: Hainanese Street Food. Price: Budget (¥15–35 / $2.10–4.90 USD per person).
• Longquan Seafood Restaurant (龙泉海鲜酒楼): An established dining chain with locations across Longhua District. Known for Dongshan goat hot pots, roasted meats, and banquet seafood dishes. Cuisine: Cantonese / Hainanese. Price: Mid-range (¥80–140 / $11–20 USD per person).

• Lao Ba Cha & Hainan Coffee: Strong filter coffee mixed with condensed milk or pots of local green and black tea served at neighborhood teahouses across the city (¥5–15 / $0.70–2.10 USD).
• Qingbuliang (清补凉): Hainan's signature dessert soup, served cold with coconut milk or coconut water over barley, mung beans, taro, watermelon chunks, and coconut jelly (¥10–18 / $1.40–2.50 USD).
• Fresh Coconut Water: Green and golden coconuts sliced open to order at street stalls and fruit markets throughout the city (¥8–12 / $1.10–1.70 USD).
• Local Beer: Regional Chinese lagers including Hainan's Anchor Beer and Tsingtao, widely stocked in grocery stores and restaurants (¥5–10 / $0.70–1.40 USD).
• Bars & Lounges: Cocktail bars and live music venues are concentrated around Guoxing Avenue, Riyue Plaza, and the Binhai Road waterfront.

Water Advisory: Tap water is not potable. Bottled drinking water is sold in every shop and convenience store for ¥2–4 ($0.30–0.55 USD).

Accommodations range from budget hostels in the old quarter to beachfront resort hotels along the western coast.

• Budget:
  • Haikou Banana Youth Hostel: Backpacker hostel located off Longhua Road near the old quarter; features air-conditioned dorms and basic private rooms. Rates: Dorms ¥60–90 ($8–13 USD), Privates ¥150–220 ($21–31 USD).
  • Hanting Hotel / 7 Days Inn (Haikou East Station & Guomao branches): Standardized budget chain properties with reliable air conditioning, private bathrooms, and Wi-Fi. Rates: ¥160–260 ($22–36 USD).
• Mid-range:
  • Hainan Civil Aviation Hotel (海南民航宾馆): Central hotel on Haixiu East Road, convenient for accessing the airport bus line and walking to Qilou Old Street. Rates: ¥320–480 ($45–67 USD).
  • Atour Hotel Haikou Qilou Old Town: Modern hotel near the historic quarter with comfortable bedding, fitness room, and self-service laundry. Rates: ¥450–650 ($63–91 USD).
  • Holiday Inn Haikou West Coast: Coastal hotel located on Binhai Avenue near the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Rates: ¥500–720 ($70–100 USD).
• Upscale:
  • Shangri-La Haikou: Luxury seaside resort on Binhai Avenue in the West Coast district, offering private balconies overlooking the Qiongzhou Strait, indoor and outdoor pools, natural hot spring tubs, and multiple on-site restaurants. Rates: ¥800–1,500 ($112–210 USD).
  • Mission Hills Resort Haikou: Sprawling resort complex 20 km south of the city centre, featuring ten 18-hole golf courses, an extensive volcanic mineral spring complex, and multiple dining venues. Rates: ¥1,000–2,200 ($140–308 USD).

• Hainan Coffee: Locally grown Robusta and Arabica coffee from the Fushan and Xinglong agricultural districts. Available as whole roasted beans, ground coffee, and premixed sweet coffee packets at supermarkets such as RT-Mart and specialty tea-and-coffee shops.
• Coconut Products: Coconut candies (椰子糖), coconut crisps, coconut milk powder, and handcrafted coconut-shell bowls produced by established island manufacturers such as Chunguang (春光) and Nanguo (南国).
• Hainan Tropical Fruits: Fresh local fruits including mangoes, wax apples (lianwu), jackfruit, and pineapples, sold by weight at Dongmen Agricultural Market (东门市场).
• Li Brocade (黎锦): Handwoven textiles with traditional geometric patterns produced by Hainan's indigenous Li artisans, available in craft shops around Qilou Old Street.

• Wenchang (文昌): 65 km southeast (20–30 minutes by high-speed rail). Known for Wenchang chicken, the historic Confucius Temple, coastal coconut groves at Dongjiao, and rocket launch viewing sites.
• Qionghai & Bo'ao (琼海 / 博鳌): 95 km south (35–45 minutes by high-speed rail). Site of the permanent Boao Forum for Asia conference centre and the estuary where the Wanquan River meets the South China Sea.
• Sanya (三亚): 270 km south (1 hr 15 min to 2 hrs by high-speed rail). Hainan's major tropical beach destination, featuring the sands of Yalong Bay, luxury resort strips in Haitang Bay, and surfing at Houhai.
• Danzhou (儋州): 130 km southwest (1 hour by high-speed rail on the Western Ring). Location of the Song Dynasty Dongpo Academy and the ancient volcanic salt pans of Yangpu.
• Zhanjiang (湛江, Guangdong Province): 150 km northwest across the Qiongzhou Strait (1–1.5 hr passenger ferry plus 1 hr train or coach). Coastal city on the Leizhou Peninsula with historic colonial architecture and transport links to Guangzhou.