Dreaming of traveling to China, but afraid of the famous smog and polluted air? There is a way out! How about a trip to Hainan Island? This tropical region is famous for its beaches, coral reefs and rich cultural heritage. Gathered detailed information on what to try, how to get around and what to do in Chinese Hawaii.
Tips before traveling
- Don't forget to download a VPN before traveling to the island. Chinese authorities restrict access to information resources. If you want to stay in touch with the outside world, share photos on Instagram and watch new episodes of your favorite vlogs on Youtube, you can't do without a VPN.
- If you are considering a beach vacation, it is best to come to the island in late fall and spring. The ideal time for excursions and outdoor activities is from December through March. Prepare for typhoons and vagaries of weather in August and September.
- The sun shines all year round in Hainan, which means sunscreen and hats should be your faithful travel companions.
- We advise you to change money and arrive with yuan in advance. The dollar exchange rate on the island can unpleasantly surprise tourists.
- Check if your phone has an offline translator. If not, be sure to install one. It will be very difficult to communicate on the streets, in cafes, restaurants and transportation without a "language". Take care of communication in advance.
- Install offline maps of the region you are traveling to. They will help you if you can't connect to the Internet and driving along an unknown route leads to a dead end.
Where and for how much do you have it?
During a holiday in Hainan, you can try all Chinese dishes and decide on a favorite. The main items are all kinds of variations of noodles and rice. Choose the right toppings, toppings and spices to find a dish to your liking. We warn you at once: spicy sensations are provided. Chefs do not spare spices to give the dish a bright and rich flavor. Remember that portion sizes are not small at all, and neither is the amount of oil in them.
Be sure to check the price on the menu. Eateries indicate the price of the whole dish or a portion for 100-200 grams. This is where an offline translator comes in handy, which will help you save your budget.
Seafood is another important ingredient in the local cuisine. Dishes with sea creatures can be found in almost every café and restaurant. Chefs go beyond the usual European dishes with shrimp, salmon and salmon and even cook sea urchins.
Hainan offers traditional Chinese and exclusively local cuisine. Local chefs adapt to the peculiarities of the region and use local products to the maximum. One of the main symbols of Hainan gastronomy is the coconut. We recommend stocking up on vitamins and trying papaya, bananas and other tropical fruits.
Mast-haves of the local cuisine:
- chicken wenchang;
- Jiaji duck;
- crab hele;
- Hainanese chicken and rice;
- pumpkin rice;
- Dongshan lamb.
If you plan to spend the evening in a restaurant, we advise you to pay attention to these establishments:
- Ossiano Underwater Restaurant & Bar (average check per person - $306);
- Bread Street Kitchen & Bar-Gordon Ramsay ($79);
- Barbacoa ($94);
- Crab Kitchen ($80);
- Hilton Haikou Meilan -In Room Dining ($25).
In addition to restaurants, you can find more budget-friendly dining options on the island. Fast food has even reached China. KFC, McDonald's and other chains operate in Hainan. There are also chifangs on the island - small cafes where you can buy a generous portion of a snack for $5-7.
We advise you to pay attention to the local shopping centers. Here you can not only close items from the shopping list, but also have a great lunch. The supermarkets sell ready-to-eat food, which can be bought by weight.
Travelers often look in the food courts of shopping malls. The advantage of this option is the availability of pictures and the hope that sellers speak a foreign language in places where tourists congregate.
Another option for gastrotouring in Hainan is to eat at the markets. Yes, yes, at the market you can buy fresh fish, fruits, vegetables and taste dishes made from local ingredients. The quality of these dishes is rarely inferior to restaurants, and the budget savings will pleasantly surprise any traveler.
The first floor of the First Market in Sanya is the Mecca for all those who want to eat delicious and inexpensive food on the island. Here you can find Peking duck (from $9), all kinds of seafood variations and even dried shrimp (from $7 for 1 kg). And note that the laws of the market apply anywhere in the world.
How do you get around the island?
There are many options for getting around the island: trains, city buses, cabs, scooters and bicycles.
Trains
Hainan has a well-developed railroad network. This way you can quickly and comfortably get to a distant point. By the way, it is a great opportunity to go around the island in a circle in just five hours. Trains here are very comfortable and modern, you can book a ticket in the 1st, 2nd class or even take a ticket without a seat. Trains can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h.
You can buy tickets for the selected route at the ticket office at the station or through special terminals. If you do not speak Chinese, we advise you to bring an interpreter or use an app.
Buses
Bus routes run regularly on the island from early morning to late at night. If you don't know which route to take, find the one you want on an offline map app such as maps.me.
Pay attention to the method of fare payment: the price for transportation is not fixed, but depends on how far you travel. We advise you to prepare money in advance, because you need to put coins into a special box when you enter the vehicle. The system does not give change, so do not hurry to spend all the change at once.
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Cab
This is the most popular way of traveling around the island among tourists. It's all about the price: cabs in Hainan are quite cheap, and the driver will take the passenger to the desired point quickly and safely. The authorities strictly control the work of cabs, so the cars have meters and cash registers. You can catch a car on the street or use the service by phone. Often drivers are already waiting for clients near hotels, airports and shopping centers.
The fare depends on the company, condition of the car and distance. The average fare is $1.5 for boarding + the next 4 km, after that you have to pay about $0.3 for each kilometer of the journey.
If you plan to go to a remote location, you can try to save money and agree with the driver on a fixed amount of fare in advance.
Scooters
A scooter is a transportation that does not depend on the passenger's age or status. Don't be surprised to see a man in a classic suit approaching you on the island on a scooter. Gasoline or electric vehicles can be rented for a day for $8-10, and you don't need a license to use them.
Bicycles
You can rent a bike at special points on the street. You need the WeChat app to scan a QR code. You can leave your bike anywhere, but you need to pay for the rental after the ride is over. Scan the QR code and the system will show you a specific amount.
What to do on vacation?
Pay attention to health in Chinese treatment centers
Hainan is famous for its healing hospitals and traditional medicine. These are not hospitals, but special institutions that work to prevent illness. Therefore, you should go there even if you are not worried about anything right now.
Basically, the centers offer various procedures of massage, acupuncture, aroma and mud therapy. The process is accompanied by pleasant music and local incense. Hainanese healers work with restoring a person's energy rather than treating a specific organ.
Make a wish at the goddess statue in Nanshan Park
This park is located at the foot of the mountain of the same name. Here you can find monuments and attributes of this culture. The main feature of Nanshan is a 108-meter-high statue of the goddess Guanyin, which is decorated with precious stones.
Before your trip, remember your most cherished wishes that you have long dreamed of. Go up to the statue of the goddess, touch each toe in turn and ask for your dreams to come true.
To visit the Heavenly Grottoes
This Taoist park is over 1,000 years old. It is traditionally listed as one of the oldest attractions on the island. The sacred trees and grottoes located here have been considered a gateway to another world for centuries. Adherents of Taoism honor this place as the Temple of the Dragon. The southern mountain of the park offers visitors incredible views of the surrounding area.
See rare animal species on Monkey Island
This sanctuary is home to over 2000 protected species of monkeys. 95% of the territory is covered with greenery. The island borders the ocean and is home to many juicy fruits and berries. Monkeys live in their natural habitat, walking around the island and climbing between the trees. We advise you to leave all valuables, ornaments and jewelry at home - cunning animals do not miss the opportunity to steal all that is so protected by tourists.
Learn the history of the island at the Hainan Museum
We also advise you to pay attention to the Hainan Museum. Its exposition combines exhibits of different epochs, styles and materials. Here you can see famous Chinese porcelain, silk and jade products, sculptures and paintings. Some of the exhibits are over 1000 years old.
