- Hainan Island, at the southern tip of China, was known in ancient times as "The End
of the Earth," and was used a as place of exile. Today, as a busy Special Economic
Zone, one of Chine's most unspoiled natural regions and the centre of a fast-growing
tourist trade, it's better known as the Chinese Riviera. Haikou has been a strategic port
of call since time immemorial , and is now once again a major trading centre. Much of the
old city remains unchanged. Hainan is one of China's least crowded places and the
country's warmest area, with a climate like Hawaii. There are miles of sandy beaches,
verdant mountains, agricultural land and even unspoiled wilderness. Despite development,
Hainan remains a languid tropical island where the pace of life is relatively slow and
easy, and visitors are encouraged to relax.
Airport Information
- Distance to city: 3km
- Transportation between airport and city:
Visa
- Home entry permit is required for HK Chinese.
- Visa is required for foreigners
- Click here for more details
Customs
- Customs Allowance
- Tobacco: 400 cigarettes
- Liquor: two 75cl bottles of alcoholic beverages
- Customs rules require an accounting of all valuables including watches, jewellery,
cameras and currency that you are taking in. A copy of this is surrendered on departure
and anything missing may well be treated as imported and duty required accordingly.
Therefore make sure you obtain a police report for any goods stolen during your stay.
- Recorded video-tapes must be declared and may be viewed by the Authorities on arrival.
- Click here for more details
Currency
- Renminbi (RMB)
- Approximately RMB1 = HK$0.9297 = US$0.12(updated 27 Aug 1996)
- Click here for
restrictions
Tax
- Airport Tax
- - International: RMB 90
- - Domestic: RMB 15
Embassies and Consulates
- Please click here
Time Zone
- GMT: + 8
- Difference from Hong Kong: + 0
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Accommodation
- Please click here
Transportation
- Taxi
- CNY 10 average fare; CNY 2 per km
- Bus
- Bicycle
Tourist Attractions
- Haikou Harbour
This is arguably the best place in all of China to see sailing junks, which have sadly
disappeared form most other parts of the country; shipyards here welcome visitors
interested in traditional boat-building methods.
- Sanya
This settlement on the south coast is Hainan's second-largest city, but is nonetheless a
laid-back location where casual clothes are worn for almost every occasion and life
proceeds at an unhurried pace.
- Dadonghai
Located just 2 km from Sanya city, Dadonghai is a small-but-bustling beach resort with
such unexpected amenities as western-style cocktail bars with blues music on the sound
system.
- Luhuitou
This neatly-kept town is a fishing port as well as a resort, so restaurants here have
their daily pick of the ocean's freshest bounty, and serve some of the best seafood on the
island.
- Yalong Bay
This tranquil beach resort is where you'd go to get away from everything, including
organized tourist attractions. What you'll find here instead is a stunningly beautiful and
remarkably uncrowded beach, a small village - and peace and quiet.
- Xinglong
Located on Hainan's east coast, this area has been famous for centuries for its natural
mineral springs, water form which is nowadays piped directly into hotel rooms at a
regulated temperature. Coffee is also grown in this area, and provides an interesting
change of taste in the world's largest tea-consuming country.
- Baoling
Best reached by means of a 40-km bus trip from Sanya, this settlement is the centre of
Hainan's largest autonomous areas, home to the Li and Miao ethnic minority peoples, and an
excellent place to purchase beautiful handicrafts.
- The End of The Earth
Located at the extreme southern tip of Hainan (and the limit of civilization, according to
ancient belief), and this small resort features a relatively uncrowded beach with food
soft drinks and a few guest accommodations.
Tours and Activities
- Tours from Hong Kong
Shopping Guide
- Haikou's markets offer interesting carved stones, model junks and woodcarving, along
with silk and bamboo ware. Among the most memorable souvenirs of Hainan are weaving,
embroidery and carvings done by the island's talented Li, Miao, Hui and Zhuang ethnic
minority people.
- Hainan Star Shopping Centre - 6 Hai Xiu Lu
- Friendship Shopping Centre - Da Tong Lu
- Hainan International Commercial Building Duty Free Shop - Da Tong Lu
- Long Zhu Xin Cheng Duty Free Shop - Long Kun Lu
Restaurant Guide
- The South China sea is a flourishing garden for seafood lovers. Hainan restaurants
feature prawns, crab, rock lobster, abalone and shark's fin. Hainan baked chicken is
popular world-wide. Many dishes have been flavored by proximity to the spice routes of
Southeast Asia, and the result is one of the china's great regional cuisines. Every city
on the island claims the best food; the best-known restaurants are in Haikou.
- Hyatt Shark's Fin Restaurant (Guangdong Cuisine) - Haifu Lu
- Hainan Golden Caost Hotel (Chaozhou Cuisine) - Haikou Renmin Avenue
- China Chiuchow Garden Group (Chaozhou Cuisine) - Da tong Lu
- Xi Men Food Street (Hainan Cuisine) - Wen Ming Xi Lu
Language
- Official Languages: Putunghua
- Language of Business and Administration: Putunghua and English
Electricity
- 220 volts, 50 cycles
Emergency and Useful Tel. No.
- S.O.S. Worldwide Alarm Centres: Please click here
- Police
- Emergencies: 110 (foreigner's section 552729)
- Fire: 119
- Ambulance: 120
- Tel No. Enquiry: 114
- 24 hours Tourist Hotline: 65130828 (service in Chinese, English, Japanese)
- Train information: 65129525
- Taxi: 68527084, 68312288, 65138993, 64363452, 68014373
Public Holidays
- Please click here
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