History of Haikou

Haikou, known also as the 'Coconut City', is the capital of Hainan Province, China's second largest island. The city is the provincial administrative center of Hainan as well being the focus of the local economy, culture and transportation. Haikou stands at the northern end of Hainan Island, on the west bank of the Nandu River estuary. This river is the longest on the island and the city's name appropriately means 'Mouth of the Sea'.

With the sea on three sides Haikou enjoys a long coastline that features excellent bathing beaches and sea side resorts. Holiday Beach is the most popular of these, while Xixiu Beach is where the National sailing and windsurfing teams train and hold competitions.

The downtown area of the city has an excellent environment with streets lined with coconut palms. Here there are modern and convenient public transport facilities and all that is best in a tropical seaside city that is pollution free and that meets the needs of the tourist in a friendly and welcoming way.

Besides its natural resources, Haikou has a number of important sites of historical interest. The Wugong Temple (The Five Official's Temple), the Tomb of Hai Rui and the Xiuying Emplacement each serve as reminders of the historical importance of Haikou.

No trip is complete without the opportunity to savor tempting local food and shopping opportunities. It goes without saying that for anyone coming to Haikou, seafood is definitely a must. However, the city is also famous for its other prized dishes. There are four to delight the gourmet and should not be missed. They are Wenchang Chicken, Dongshan Mutton, Jiaji Duck and Hele Crab. The climate means there is an abundance of fresh local fruits such as mangos, pineapples, jackfruits, coconuts and carambola, betelnuts, pawpaw, longan and lichee, loquat, naseberry and passion fruit. Maybe some of these will be new to you but we are sure that if you try them you will want to take come home!

As for transportation, don't worry! Hainan Meilan Airport, railway station, ship and expressway links cities of China and the whole world.

Haikou has evolved from a simple sightseeing city to an attractive seaside resort and business center. The services for visitors to the city are being extended with the aim of establishing Haikou as Southern China's key center for tourism.

Tourist Places in Haikou

Haikou China, the capital of Hainan Province, is located on the southern bank of the Qiongzhou Strait, facing the mainland's Leizhou Peninsula. It is an ancient city. Visitors to the city can expect pleasant conditions and clear skies most of the year. Haikou enjoys a diverse and colorful blend of traditional folk customs and modern Chinese and western culture. Visitors exploring the crowded streets are sure to hear Chinese opera; traditional folk songs and western pop music and experience an equally diverse blend of sights and festival celebrations.

DONGJIAO COCONUT PLANTATION
Dongjiao (Dongjia Yelin) coconut plantation has 500,000-coconut trees of various varieties of coconut species. You will find it cozy and relaxing. Elegant log huts are built under the shady trees for tourist to rest. Beach resorts with deluxe chalets and villas is being developed this area. The restaurants are well known for their seafood cuisine.

TOMB OF HAIRUI
The Tomb of Hairui can be found in the west of the Haikou town. The place has the tomb of Hairui who was a compassionate and popular officer who lived during the Ming Dynasty. So the people decided to build Harui's tomb on the particular spot. At the entrance to the tomb is a stone archway with scarlet inscriptions says "Yuedong ZhengQi." A stone tablet with Hairui's title inscripted on it was erected on the tomb.

WUGONG TEMPLES
Wugong Temples is a complex of five traditional temples and halls. The buildings were built during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty to commemorate the five well-known officials of the Tang and Song dynasties. The five temples forming the whole complex are the Wugong Temple, Songgong Temple, Guanjia Temple, Xuepu Temple, Wugong Jingshe and the Qiong Garden.

How To Reach Haikou

By Air :
Haikou Meilan Airport, 25 km (16 miles) away from the center of Haikou, provides a convenient connection between Haikou and other cities at home and abroad. It has more than 200 air lines flying between major cities inside China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Wuhan, Dalian, Xiamen, Xian, Chengdu, Harbin, Qingdao and Nanjing, etc., as well as direct flights to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and so forth.

Haikou Meilan Airport (HMA) is 30 minutes ride from downtown by bus. A shuttle bus operates between the airport and downtown Haikou. It begins at 5: 30 each morning and runs until the last flight of the day. The bus fare is RMB 15 per person. China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines provide a free bus to the airport. The former starts at the gate of Civil Aviation Hotel on Haixiu Road while the latter starts at the building of the old airport. If you take a taxi to the airport, the fare is about RMB 30 - 40 after a bargain with the driver.

From HMA to Sanya City:
1.Hire a taxi at the price of RMB 300 - 400
2.Take a taxi to Haikou East Bus Station with RMB 50 -70, and then take the coach to Sanya with the price of RMB 79. Arriving at the Sanya Bus Station, it costs about RMB 50 to Yalong Bay, RMB 10 to Dadonghai and RMB 7 to downtown Sanya by taxi. Taxi fares are a little bit more expensive at night.
3.Take the shuttle bus from HMA to Haikou East Bus Station with a price of RMB 15. On arrival, take a minibus to Sanya which will cost RMB 30 -50, this bus makes frequent stops on its journey.

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