China's tropical island of Hainan - The North

China's tropical island of Hainan - Travel planning:

With an area of 33,920 square kilometers, Hainan is the smallest province and at the same time the southernmost point of China. The island is known for its tropical climate, as well as the sandy beaches in the south and the wooded, mountainous interior of the island. The north and west are less important for tourism.

Arriving by plane is possible from almost every major Chinese city. You can either fly to Haikou in the north or to Sanya in the south. The connections to Haikou are usually much cheaper, since Sanya is the most attractive city for tourists.

On the island you have the opportunity to travel around the island by express train, which is quite cheap. There are train stations in the main towns along the coast. Alternatively, you can rent a car at one of the airports, but therefore you need a Chinese driver's license.

Due to the tropical climate, it is advisable to avoid the summer months as well as the rainy and typhoon seasons. The most pleasant travel time is between the end of September and the beginning of May. The Chinese national holidays should be avoided due to the travel rush and the correspondingly high prices.

Arrival in the capital Haikou:

Due to the extremely cheap flight price and the fact that I wanted to explore the entire island, I decided to fly from Beijing to Haikou.

From Beijing there are several daily connections to the two major cities on the island. For the stay in Haikou I have booked the Garden Lane Meilan Airport hotel right at the airport. The city center as well as the surrounding sights can be reached by taxi from the airport.

When you are in Haikou, don't miss a stroll through the shopping streets of the Binhai Road Residental District. Especially in the early evening, the district invites you to stroll and take a look into the small shops.

In the southwest of the city center is the Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark. Here you can discover the volcanic influence on the island of Hainan. There is also a lot of information in the park about active volcanism on earth.

From the crater rim of the Ma'anling volcano, at 222.2 meters above sea level, you have a great view over the island's capital.

Lingao:

About an hour of driving west of Haikou, there is the city of Lingao. This was formerly part of a French colony.

Parts of the French influence can still be seen in the Lingao Corner Jiefang Park. For example, the lighthouse was built by French settlers.

Also worth seeing is the Paifang Park. Chinese gates with sayings of well-known writers are lined up here for several kilometers.

Combined with an entertaining hike through the jungle, you will find the Guijin waterfall in a forest clearing.

Traditional salt production in the Danzhou Bay:

If you drive further southwest from Lingao, you will reach the Danzhou Bay after about an hour.

Besides a small port, the Danzhou Bay is worth a visit because of the sea salt extraction proceeded there.

In one of the side arms protected from the waves of the sea, the Yangpu salt field is located. Salt has been extracted from the sea in the traditional way here since around 800 BC.

This used to be the most common method of extracting sea salt. The more than 1000 stones, cut flat on the top, are washed over with salt water at high tide. When the water recedes at low tide, the water evaporates and the salt can be collected from the stones.

Today the salt field is only used by a few settlers for salt production. Directly at the small settlement you have the opportunity to buy the salt or try dishes prepared with it.

Ocean Flower Island:

If you continue driving from Danzhou Bay in the southwesterly direction, you will reach the Ocean Flower Island in about 25 minutes by car. The island has its name because of its shape, which is like a lotus flower.

At the end of 2021, the artificially built project, which covers a total area of 381 hectares, was not yet completed. Nevertheless, or perhaps because of that, it was worth a detour, as there were only a few visitors on the island.

In addition to amusement parks, hotel complexes, a congress center and extensive green areas, there is also a European quarter with restaurants, cafes and some replica attractions on the island.

The view from the European Quarter towards the Hilton Towers. With a bit of luck you can find some replicas from European cities hidden in the alleys. Among other things, a statue of the Bremen Town Musicians can be seen here.

Conclusion:

The north and west of Hainan Island are relatively undeveloped for tourism and are therefore less attractive than the rest of the island. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth planning a few days to at least discover the capital Haikou and Danzhou Bay in the north.

The west of the island is not particularly worth mentioning, since it is mainly industrial areas and production facilities that are located here.

We have therefore also decided to explore the interior of the island with the tropical forests and mountains next.