The best time to visit Haikou is between October and May. Lying in the low latitudes just above the equator, Haikou has a tropical marine climate. It is warm with occasional showers in springtime while summer is hot and rainy. Typhoons and storms in autumn make it cool and wet while winter is dry with cold winds. Haikou has long periods of sunshine throughout the year with an average of at least 2,000 hours of sunshine. The average annual temperature is 23.8 ℃ with temperature ranging between 38.7℃ and 4.9℃.

By air

Haikou Meilan International Airport is located in the town of Meilan in Meilan District in Haikou. It is 25 kilometers from Haikou’s city centre. From Haikou, there are over 60 airline routes to many destinations in China and abroad such as Hong Kong, Macau, Fukuoka in Japan, Cheju in Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

By rail

There are air-conditioned high-speed trains from Haikou to the south of Shanghai, Guangzhou and west of Beijing. It takes approximately 11 hours to travel from Haikou to Guangzhou.

By road

Hainan is easily accessible via the national highways East Line No.223, Middle Line No. 224 and West Line No. 225 toward Guangdong Province and the island’s Ring Expressway.

Haikou Meilan International Airport is located in the town of Meilan in Meilan District in Haikou It is 25 kilometers from Haikou’s city centre. It takes approximately 30 minutes from the airport to get to Haikou’s city centre City. Shuttle buses operate from 05:30 till the last night flight, at 30-minuteintervals. Ticket fare is RMB 20 per person. It costs approximately RMB 60 to take a taxi from the city centre to the airport.

Haikou offers a wide range of hotel choices. Even during peak periods such as the Spring Festival and National Day when hotels may be fully booked in Sanya and other cities, you will still be able to find accommodation to suit your requirements.

Ultraviolet radiation can be very intense on Hainan Island. Thus, it is strongly recommended that visitors protect themselves from the sun using sunglasses, high SPF sunscreens and umbrellas. It is also suggested that they bring along preventive remedies for heat stroke and gastrointestinal illnesses as well as mosquito repellents.

Haikou is the most historical and culturally attractive city on Hainan Island. It dates back to the Han dynasty and was established as a port towards the end of Song dynasty to the early part of the Yuan dynasty. It was named "Haikou" during the Song dynasty and has a history of over 900 years.Throughout history, Haikou had many names including Haikou Port in the Song dynasty; Haikou harbor in the Yuan dynasty; Haikou Du, Haikou Suo, and Haikou city in the Ming dynasty; Haikou Trading Port and Qiongzhou in the Qing dynasty and was also known as Haikou town in the early days of the People’s Republic. Haikou once belonged to Guangxi and then became part of Guangdong, within the Qiongshan County. Haikou became the capital when Hainan province was established in 1988.

Haikou is located in the west delta of the Nandujiang River, the largest river on Hainan Island. As it is directly at the mouth of the river, it was literally named “Haikou”. It is famous for its colorful neon lights and streets lined with coconuts, hence it is also known as "Yecheng” or Coconut City.

Compared to Sanya, Haikou is more subdued, which makes it a romantic city. This romance is captured in the old streets with its sotto porticoes- outer walls featuring simple yet fine carvings of flora, birds, dragons or phoenix; grey roof tiles reflecting sunlight and engravings on doors and windows, all showcasing the loveliness and exquisite charm of the island The color of the walls have faded and are covered with wild grass and climbing vines, reflecting the vicissitudes of the ancient city.

Our Top Picks for Haikou

1. Haikou’s Streets of Sotto Portico: go to these streets if you want to try authentic Hainan snacks and know more about Haikou’s history and culture.
2. Haikou Volcano Geo-Park: it is China’s only volcano site in a coastal city in the tropics. It is also the first world class tourist attraction in Hainan. Its main attractions are its 40 Quaternary volcanoes. After the volcanic eruption in Qiongbei, a cluster of volcanoes were formed and are the most intact in the world, and they are often described as natural volcano museums.
3. Holiday Beaches: Enjoy the sea breeze as you stroll along the walkways next to the beach. Nearby are the prestigious yacht club and luxury hotels. In the evening, visitors can enjoy＂Impression of Hainan Island＂produced by the acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou at the theatre on the eastern part of the beach.
4. Wugong Temple: featuring historical and cultural relic exhibits of ancient artworks by former court officials, history and culture of Hainan Island including its unique ancient architectural sites and relics. Some of which are revered as the “Beautiful Scenery of Hainan and Taiwan”, the “Humanity of the Sea” and the “Top Resort in Hainan”. This is a place that you must visit to really appreciate the history and culture of Haikou.
5. Hainan Tropical Wildlife and Botanical Garden: it is the first large tropical wildlife and botanical garden in China and is also its only rainforest garden on a tropical island, where visitors can view the huge variety of tropical flora and fauna.