Hainan Island 海南 Travel Guide
Hainan Island Overview
Hainan Island is often referred to as China’s Hawaii – at least on the Mainland. In a short space of time it has gone from provincial backwater to a top tourist destination and it’s largely about the beaches and tropical climate. While much of the rest of China shivers through the winter it is still warm here and so the crowds flock. It has a different feel to Thailand being a lot more resort based and is worth tagging on at the end of a winter trip for a taste of summer warmth.
Best Months to Visit Hainan Island
Best Reason to Visit Hainan Island
To relax on the beaches after a couple of weeks of intense China travel.
Top Attractions in Hainan Island
Haikou is the island’s capital and is witnessing an economic boom that has turned it into a construction site. Despite that it still has a tropical ambience and friendly locals. Sanya in the south of the island is where all the beach lovers end up. Most international chains have resorts here and the beaches aren’t bad at all. What is referred to as Sanya is actually 3 areas, Sanya Bay, Dadonghai and Yalong Bay, the latter being the the plushest. It’s not all beaches though. Wuzhishan is up in the hills and is the centre of the Li and Miao Ethnic minorities.
Weather Averages for Hainan Island
Our Top Hainan Island Travel Tip
Hainan is very convenient to add on as a relaxing few days at the end of your trip but try and avoid being there during Chinese holidays and seasonal events.
Hand Picked Hainan Island Hotels
We almost always recommend staying in Sanya as the best hotels and general atmosphere exists here if it is a beach holiday that you are after. The type of hotel you stay at will depend a bit on your circumstances – some are more suited to families, others to people on a China honeymoon. For the former we recommend somewhere like the Hilton Sanya Resort and Spa and for the latter the Mandarin Oriental.
Explore More of China
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By Phil Stanley & Headseast – TCTC Destination Expert.