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Great for: Relaxing and beautiful views
How to get there: Fly (Hainan is an island)
Best experience: Deserted beaches and December sun
Accommodation: An inn we found when there
Plane views
Haikou (海口) is on an island called Hainan off the South Coast of China, the island is famous for its tropical climate and beautiful beaches, although there aren’t as many beaches in Haikou as further south in Sanya there are still some great views!
Despite it being December, Haikou was a wonderful temperature of around 23-25 degrees. The streets were lined with palm trees and it really felt like being far away on a tropical holiday. The air was clear and unpolluted and everything felt really relaxed, other than the roads which were chaotic and filled with electric scooters.
Aside from beaches there is plenty to do in Haikou. Although we only went for a long weekend we stumbled across beautiful parks, a lovely cycling trail and countless great food options.
Out exploring we also came across this stunning botany and music themed park with ocean views and lots to play with.
There was also a pretty famous place with a market, park and fairground rides. During the day people flew kites in the park and at nights neon fountains came to life, it was a great place to relax and do pretty much anything you want, from shopping to small, cosy bars. We took a trip on the ferris wheel which allowed us to get a great view of the city.
Although Haikou is known for its coastline the skyline and buildings also have their own city charm, at night all the buildings lit up in a beautiful, perfectly synchronised display of lights.
The food in Haikou isn’t particularly famous but there are some local delicacies, particularly shellfish and fish (unsurprisingly due to the access). On our last day we found a cute food court with many different dishes and street food, everything from grilled octopus to more flavours of ice cream than I could count
So that was Haikou! A whirlwind of sand, bright lights and some rare winter warmth. I already want to go back and explore Hainan island more.