Haikou first trip: airport to the city, and how many days do you need?

How many days for Haikou? 3 to 4 days

Haikou is the capital of Hainan Province on the north of Hainan Island. Nicknamed 'Coconut City' for its mix of sea and palm trees, it pairs the Nanyang-style arcades of Qilou Old Street and historic sites like the Five Officials Temple with a volcanic-crater geopark and mangrove forests. The guide suggests 3 to 4 days.

Spend two days in the city on Qilou Old Street, Haikou Bay, the Five Officials Temple and Hainan Museum, and one on the volcanic geopark plus the mangroves or a beach. Haikou is the starting point of the island's high-speed railway, so on the last day you can take the train from Haikou East to continue around the island to Sanya instead of heading to the airport.

• Day 1: airport to the city → Qilou Old Street and street snacks → Century Bridge lit up from the Haikou Bay promenade at dusk
• Day 2: Five Officials Temple → Hainan Museum (book online; closed Mondays) → night-market grills and qingbuliang
• Day 3: Ma'an crater at the Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark → Dongzhai Port mangroves or sunset at Holiday Beach
• Day 4: rice noodles for breakfast → the airport, or the high-speed train from Haikou East toward Sanya

• eSIM vs pocket Wi-Fi vs roaming vs local SIM →

Airport to the city: airport bus, Meilan Station train or taxi

From Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) there are three ways into the city: the airport bus, the city train and high-speed rail from Meilan Station (the airport's own rail station), and taxis or ride-hailing.

Buy airport bus tickets and board outside Gate 4 of the T1 arrivals hall, or at Gate 3 on T2's ground-floor arrivals. Several routes run into the city, including one to the west bus terminal, and the fare is about 20 CNY. You can also buy tickets by scanning a QR code with WeChat. Routes and times can change, so check the airport's official information.

Meilan Station reaches Haikou East in about 9 minutes. From the same station, the eastern ring high-speed line runs via Wenchang and Boao to Sanya. Buy tickets on 12306 (China Railway's official booking) with your passport, and check official fares. Taxis are metered, and the airport has a taxi rank and a ride-hailing pickup area, handy with heavy luggage or late arrivals.

• Airport bus: outside T1 Gate 4 or T2 ground-floor Gate 3, about 20 CNY; check routes and times officially
• Meilan Station: about 9 min to Haikou East; book on 12306 with your passport; check fares officially
• Taxi or ride-hailing: metered (check fares officially), handy with luggage or late arrivals

Getting around: buses, the city train, taxis and payments

City buses are the basic way around town. Fares run from about 1 CNY up to about 5-6 CNY depending on route and distance, and you can pay with mobile payment such as Alipay.

The city train is an urban rail line linking Haikou, Haikou East, Meilan, Changliu, Xiuying, Chengxi and other stations. You can tap in with the Alipay '12306' ride code after identity verification; as a foreigner, also be ready to buy tickets on 12306 with your passport. Taxis are metered, and ride-hailing apps are widely used and charge Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Some foreign apps and services may be restricted in China, so sort out your connection (roaming, eSIM, etc.) and a Chinese map app before you go. Foreigners can link overseas cards such as Visa and Mastercard to Alipay and WeChat Pay; set them up before you travel, and get some cash at a bank or ATM too.

• City buses: about 1 CNY to about 5-6 CNY, mobile payment
• City train: Alipay '12306' ride code (identity verification needed) or tickets on 12306 with your passport
• Taxis: metered / ride-hailing apps: Alipay or WeChat Pay
• Before you go: connection, Chinese map app, overseas card linked, some cash

Two days in the city: Qilou Old Street, Haikou Bay, the Five Officials Temple and the museum

Start the first afternoon on Qilou Old Street. Nearly 600 arcade buildings blending Chinese, Western and Nanyang styles survive here, built in the 1920s-30s by Hainanese returning from Southeast Asia, and the street was named a 'Famous Historical and Cultural Street of China' in 2009. The covered walkways shelter you from sun and rain, and there are plenty of snack and craft shops. At dusk, walk to the Haikou Bay promenade: since 2019 both banks of the Haidian River have been coastal parks, with views of the Clock Tower and Century Bridge into the evening lights.

On the second morning, visit the Five Officials Temple, a shrine built in 1889 to honor five Tang and Song dynasty officials exiled to Hainan. It also includes a shrine to the poet Su Dongpo and is a nationally protected heritage site; check official information for hours and fees. In the afternoon, go to Hainan Museum. Admission is free, but you must book online with your real name, up to 7 days ahead. It opens Tuesday-Sunday 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30) and is closed Mondays except public holidays.

In the evening, try night-market grilled oysters and squid, skewers and sour mango sticks dusted with chili salt; choose stalls with marked prices. For dessert there is chilled qingbuliang, coconut milk loaded with fruit, beans and taro, and for breakfast Haikou's favorite, Hainan rice noodles.

• Qilou Old Street: nearly 600 arcade buildings, street snacks and crafts
• Haikou Bay and Century Bridge: walk from sunset into the evening lights
• Five Officials Temple: built 1889; check hours and fees officially
• Hainan Museum: free, real-name online booking (up to 7 days ahead), closed Mondays
• Food: Hainan rice noodles, qingbuliang, liangcha, night-market grills

Days 3 and 4: a volcanic crater, mangroves, the beach, and on to Sanya

The Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark is part of the Leiqiong UNESCO Global Geopark, with 40 volcanoes across about 108 sq km. Walk the paths around the Ma'an crater to see lava landscapes and tropical forest, and visit the volcano science museum. Check official information for fees.

In the afternoon, choose between the Dongzhai Port mangroves and Holiday Beach. Dongzhai Port is a national nature reserve on a bird migration route, where you can cruise through the mangrove forest or walk the boardwalk to watch birds, even rare black-faced spoonbills (check fees and boat times officially). Holiday Beach is Haikou's most popular public beach; admission is free, and you should check official information for opening hours. The west coast is away from the center, so use taxis or buses. Swim only in designated areas with lifeguards, and never at night or after drinking.

On day 4 you can board a high-speed train from Haikou East down the island's east coast to Sanya. Times vary by train, but some take about 1 hour 46 minutes from Haikou East to Sanya. Train tickets need your passport.

• Volcanic geopark: about 108 sq km, 40 volcanoes, Ma'an crater and volcano science museum
• Dongzhai Port mangroves: boat or boardwalk; check fees and boat times officially
• Holiday Beach: free admission; check hours officially; swim only in designated areas
• Haikou East to Sanya: some trains take about 1 hour 46 minutes; book with your passport

When to go? The drier months, November to April

November to April is the dry season, best for walking and sightseeing. May to October is the rainy season, bringing about 80% of the year's rain, and midsummer is very hot. The sun is strong all year, and May-July can bring days above 35°C, so pack sunscreen and a hat and drink water often. Typhoons come mainly July-October, most often in August-September, and can halt flights, trains and boats; check the forecast often and keep plans flexible. Spring Festival and National Day week (around October 1) are very crowded.

On long-term normals, January has highs of 21°C, lows of 16°C and 24 mm of rain, and April has highs of 30°C, lows of 23°C and 80 mm. November brings highs of 26°C, lows of 21°C and 60 mm. In the rainy season, August reaches highs of 33°C and lows of 26°C, with 293 mm of rain, the most of any month. These are 1991–2020 normals for Haikou station from the China Meteorological Administration submission to the WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI). Check the official forecast before you travel.

Entry conditions, including visa-free stay periods, can change. Check official Chinese government or embassy information before you travel.

• Dry season (November-April): January highs 21°C / lows 16°C, 24 mm of rain
• April: highs 30°C / lows 23°C, 80 mm of rain
• Rainy season (May-October): August highs 33°C / lows 26°C, 293 mm; typhoons most often August-September
• Entry requirements: check official info

• Full Haikou travel guide →
• Paying abroad: cash vs card vs travel card →

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