Northern Hainan

Northern Hainan, made up of Haikou, Wenchang, Chengmai and Ding'an, with an arcade-building old town, volcanic crater landforms, coconut-fringed coasts and a space launch center.

Northern Hainan is the northern section in the five-region tourism division of Hainan. It includes Haikou, Wenchang, Chengmai and Ding'an, centered on the provincial capital Haikou, and is the gateway through which most travelers enter Hainan. Haikou's Arcade Old Street preserves old buildings in the Nanyang style, while the Five Lords Temple and the Haikou Bell Tower tell the story of the city's history; the Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark is part of the Leiqiong UNESCO Global Geopark, where you can get up close to volcanic cones and lava landforms. Holiday Beach, the West Coast Belt Park and the coast of Jiangdong New Area are good for walks and cycling, and Mission Hills is known for golf and Movie Town. Wenchang is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese and the "coconut homeland"; the Wenchang Space Launch Site has made it a popular place to watch rocket launches, the coconut groves of Dongjiao and the coast at Tonggu Ridge are scenic, and Wenchang chicken is the foremost of Hainan's four famous dishes. Fushan coffee and longevity-village culture in Chengmai, and Ding'an Ancient City and Wenbi Peak, make good short add-ons. A classic itinerary is two days in Haikou plus one to two days in Wenchang, or using it as the start and end point of a round-island self-drive; three to four days is ideal. For transport, Haikou Meilan International Airport has abundant routes, the round-island high-speed railway links Haikou, Wenchang and the cities along the eastern line, and ferries across the Qiongzhou Strait can carry vehicles to the island from Xuwen in Guangdong. Accommodation in Wenchang is tight on rocket launch days, so keep an eye on launch information in advance; sun protection and mosquito repellent are essential, and during typhoon season ferries and flights may be suspended.

Destinations

Itineraries