Hotels in Haikou

Haikou: Coconut City at Hainan's Northern Shore

Haikou, capital of Hainan Province, sits at the northern tip of Hainan Island, roughly 30 km across the Qiongzhou Strait from mainland Guangdong. Founded as a garrison town under the Song dynasty, the city became a trading port in the early 20th century, leaving behind Qilou Old Street — a 4.4 km stretch of colonnaded shophouse architecture blending Cantonese, Southeast Asian, and European influences. The Haikou Volcanic Cluster Geopark, 15 km northwest of the city centre, preserves 40 extinct shield volcanoes, including 马鞍岭 (Ma'an Ling) crater, the most accessible at 222 m elevation.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Hotels concentrate in three zones: Guomao (CBD district, metro Line 1), Haidian Island northwest of the Nandu River with waterfront properties, and the Old Town near Qilou Street. Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) lies 25 km east of the centre; the Airport Express shuttle reaches downtown in 40 minutes. Hainan's duty-free quota — raised to 100,000 CNY per person per year under the 2020 Free Trade Port policy — draws mainland shoppers to the Riyue Plaza and Global 100 outlets year-round.

Practical Tips

• Climate: Subtropical; average January low 14 °C, July high 35 °C; typhoon season runs June–October.
• Transport: Metro Lines 1 and 2 cover the main hotel districts; taxis use meters.
• Language: Mandarin standard; Hainanese dialect common in markets.
• Ferry: Haikou–Zhanjiang high-speed rail ferry connects to mainland in roughly 1 hour.