City Guide:HaiKou
1.General introduction | 3.Education & Health care |
Location & Climate | Schools |
Ecomomy & Industry | Hospitals |
2.Transportation | 4.Recreation |
Rail | Shopping |
Bus | Cuisine |
Air | Attraction |
Nightlife |
1. General introduction
Haikou is the capital and most populous city of Hainan province, China. It is
situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River. The
northern part of the city is the district of Haidian Island, which is separated
from the main part of Haikou by the Haidian River, a branch of the Nandu.
Administratively, Haikou is a prefecture-level city, comprising four districts,
and covering 2,280 square kilometres (880 sqm). There are 2,046,189 inhabitants
in the built up area all living within the 4 urban districts of the city.
Haikou was originally a port city. Today, more than half of the island's total
trade still goes through its ports. The city is home to Hainan University, which
has its main campus on Haidian Island.
Location & population
Haikou is the capital and most populous city of Hainan province, China. It is
situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River. The
northern part of the city is the district of Haidian Island, which is separated
from the main part of Haikou by the Haidian River, a branch of the Nandu.
Administratively, Haikou is a prefecture-level city, comprising four districts,
and covering 2,280 square kilometres (880 sq mi). There are 2,046,189 inhabitants
in the built up area all living within the 4 urban districts of the city.
Haikou was originally a port city. Today, more than half of the island's total
trade still goes through its ports. The city is home to Hainan University, which
has its main campus on Haidian Island.
Climate
Haikou being China’s only tropical island has generally great weather year round.
April to October is the active period for tropical storms and typhoons, most of which
occur between August and September. May to October is the rainy season with the
heaviest rainfall occurring in September. Despite its location, the city has a
humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a tropical climate, with strong
monsoonal influences. Nevertheless, the area has hot summers and warm winters,
usually with high humidity.
Economy & industry
The GDP per capita was $3,573 USD in 2008, ranked number 43 among 659 Chinese
cities. In 2011, the city's GDP reached 71.3 billion yuan, amounting to about 30
percent of the province's total. Haikou exports substantial quantities of
agricultural produce and livestock. There is a small amount of industry, including
canning, textiles, rice hulling, and light engineering.
Hainan Airlines has its headquarters in the HNA Building in Haikou. Automotive
manufacturer, Haima Automobile also has its global headquarters here. The Haikou
Free Trade Zone is also located in the city.
2. Transportation
Railway
There are three train stations in this city at present, including Haikou
Railway station, East Railway Station and Meilan Airport Railway Station. People
can leave the city by train for Guangzhou, Sanya, Shanghai South and Beijing West.
Air
Haikou Meilan Airport, 25 kilometers (16 miles) away from the city center,
provides a convenient connection with other cities at home and abroad. It has more
than 200 air lines flying between major cities inside China such as Beijing,
Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Wuhan, Dalian, Xiamen, Xian, Chengdu,
Harbin, Qingdao and Nanjing, etc., as well as direct flights to Hong Kong,
Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and so forth.
3. Education & Health care
International Schools
Several major educational institutions are located in Haikou:
•Hainan University has its main campus on Haikou's Haidian Island, with the South
China Tropical Agricultural University, now part of the university, located in the
southern part of the city.
•Hainan Normal University is the oldest institution for higher learning. It has an
enrolment of more than 20,000, including approximately 200 foreigner students, and
has recently constructed a new campus in Guilinyang, just outside of Haikou.
•Hainan Medical College, founded in 1993, offers degrees in medicine. It is located
in the southern part of the city.
•Qiongzhou University is located in Qiongshan District.
•Haikou College of Economics, located by Guoxing Road, with a new campus in Guilinyang.
•Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences is located across the road from
Hainan Medical College.
•Hainan Middle School is considered one of the most prestigious middle schools
in Hainan. Its main gate is located a few metres from the east gate of Hainan
Normal University.
Hospitals
A relatively small city by Chinese standards, Haikou still has a decent amount
of hospitals and medical clinics. Most star hotels contain medical clinics:
Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College
No.31 Longhua Road Haikou City Hainan Province
0898-66788120/66772248
Haikou People's Hospital
No.43 Haidian island Haikou City Hainan Province
0898-66189688/66189689
Haikou Women And Children Hospital
No.6 Wentan Road Guoxin Avenue Haikou City Hainan Province
0898-65222333/65222666
Hainan Provincial people's hospital
NO.19 xiuhua Road xiuying District haikou city Hainan Province 0898-66226666
Hainan women and children's Hospital and health institute
No.15 LongKun South Road Haikou City Hainan Province
0898-66789460
4. Recreation
Shopping
Haikou is the commercial center of Hainan Province, and as such goods from around
the whole island gather here. In addition to the Le Pu Sheng Emporium, the No.1
Department Store, and Shengsheng department store, new shopping centers are
developing rapidly in this area. Traditional folk trade markets are also available
to shop and cultivate local customs.
Using local materials, Hainan's featured artwork and souvenir are created with an
ocean theme, rural style and national flavor. Generally there are about ten
categories, into which fall over a hundred different kinds of products that are
created to appeal to tourists. These categories are:
Pearl
There are many shops within Hainan that sell many kinds of pearls, but the seawater
pearl is the specialty of Hainan Province. If you are interested in purchasing
pearls, to avoid the risk of imitations you are best to buy in larger jewelry
stores.
Crystal
These glistening gems are very popular among young girls. DIY shops allow you to
use your imagination and create your own unique gift for your friends.
Li Brocade
This is a featured cloth handmade by the Li people using cotton inside the capsule
of kapok. Particularly renowned during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC),
the Li Brocade is China's oldest cotton textile. The Li Brocade includes a column
skirt, headband, bed sheet, quilt and so on. Designs of flowers, grass, animals and
human beings are exquisitely made.
Coconut Shell Sculpture
These sculptures are carved on coconut shells into various figures including cute
babies, delicate key buckles, tea boxes, pigs, and other craftwork such as pictures.
Remember to bring one home!
Seashell
The DC Department Store on Haixiu Road is worth a visit. Local shell-made wind
bells and toys cost very little but are definitely distinctive local folk
artworks. Be sure to handle the damageable shell craftworks with care.
Pepper
Hainan abounds in pepper, black pepper and white pepper. They can be divided into
pepper pellets and finished pepper. The pepper is not only used as seasoning but
also as a stomach-warming ingredient.
Cultural souvenirs of the Li Minority are also sold in big shopping malls. They
are very unique and distinctive gifts for friends and family.
Where to Buy
Haixiu Avenue is the most bustling commercial street in the city. The tourist
souvenir shops around the Haikou Hotel also converge at this avenue.
Getting There: Bus No.9, 17, 24
Dongmen (East Gate) Market: gathering place for dried seafood, a tasty present
for friends and families.
Wholesale Fruit Market: on Bailong South Road you will not want to miss the
tropical fruits of Hainan Province. Products for sale include mangos, pineapples,
jackfruits, coconuts, betel nuts, pawpaw, longan and lichee, loquat, naseberry,
passionflower, wampee, carambola, etc. Many of these products are unique to Hainan,
and are seldom found in other areas. In addition, if you are courageous enough,
try a taste of Liu Lian (civet durian), the king of tropical fruit. It has an
offensive odor but a very pleasant taste!
Getting There: Bus No.3, 11, 16
Here are some of the large local shopping malls which feature commodities such
as clothes, home appliances, jewelry, and artworks.
No. 1 Department Store of Hainan: Waihai Shopping Center, No.8, Haixiu Road
Sheng Sheng Department Store: Zhujiang Square, Binhai Avenue
DC Department Store: No.10, Haixiu Avenue
Le Pu Sheng Emporium: No.7, Haixiu Road
Tailong Department Store: No.4, Datong Road
Tourist Street: Haixiu East Road
Nightlife
Bars and KTV are patronized until after midnight. There are also growing numbers
of bars and clubs, as well as Western style restaurants popping up around the city.
Word of mouth through fellow expats in the city is the best way to find bars and
restaurants more suited to personal taste. Up until 2015, roadside BBQ sites were
common throughout the city. A massive 2015 campaign to clean up the city prohibited
them. Few remain but can still be found dotted around the city. These are often part
of daytime restaurants, but are more typically mobile restaurants wheeled out to the
roadside. They usually comprise several round tables, plastic patio chairs, and a
restaurant setup consisting of a display table for the prepared items and a long
metal trough used for barbecuing. Most items for sale are prepared on skewers, with
tinfoil bags of shellfish also being served. Patrons drink local beer in large
bottles. These businesses operate from around nine pm to five am every night.
Cuisine
Seafood is the most prominent cuisine on the menu in Haikou (as well as the rest
of Hainan), as shrimp, crab, fish and other sea life are widely available. Wenchang
chicken is a dish known throughout the province also. Although there are many
varieties of this dish, the name is usually used to define a type of small,
free-range chicken from Wenchang, located on the east coast of the province. As
opposed to battery chickens, its meat has more texture and is somewhat drier.
Hainan chicken rice is a famous dish in Southeast Asia bearing the region's name.
However, whilst many restaurants use chicken fat to quickly add flavour to the dish,
the proper local method is to 'marinate' the rice with chicken soup to add a more
full flavour.
Attractions
The Bo’ai Road historical area is located on the south side of the Haidian River,
at the northern part of mainland Haikou. Much of the area comprises arcade style,
dilapidated buildings with European fusion-type architectural facades with Indian
and Arabic influences. The buildings are almost all painted white, and are usually
no more than a few storeys tall. The eastern part of the area is mainly residential.
The western part contains hubs for such items as exotic foods, pets, and fabrics.
The building facades and roads have been restored in parts of the area, Zhongshan
Road being the most notable.
Several large public buildings now occupy Guoxing Road, the new area for arts
and culture. These include the Hainan Provincial Museum, the Hainan Provincial
Library, and the Hainan Centre for the Performing Arts. These are all located near
to one another on the south side of the road, west of Haikou College of Economics,
Haikou campus.
At the west side of Evergreen Park is the Haikou Great Hall of the People,
a concert hall, and HainanExhibition & Convention Center, a large centre for trade
shows and other commercial events. Haikou City Stadium, is the main venue for sports
events, and is located at the southeast corner of Evergreen Park.
- Address:No. 43, Longhua Rd
- Name:Zhidi Garden置地花园Address:Mingzhu Rd, New Bund District
- Address:East Shimao Rd, Jinmao District
- Name:The Bund Center 外滩中心Address:No.18,Taihua Rd, Longhua District
- Name:Jin Bi Wen Hua金碧文华Address:Middle Wenhua Rd, Jinmao District
- Address:No. 75, Binhai Avenue, Longhua District