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Haikou, known as the 'Coconut City', is the capital of Hainan Province. The city features beautiful sunshine, crystal water and soft sand. It is the provincial administrative center of Hainan as well being the focus of the local economy, culture and transportation. It stands at the northern end of Hainan Island, on the west bank of the Nandu River estuary. This river is the longest on the island and the city's name appropriately means 'Mouth of the Sea'.Haikou has evolved from a simple sightseeing city to an attractive seaside resort and business center. The services for visitors to the city are being extended with the aim of establishing the city as Southern China's key center for tourism.
Facts of Haikou
Chinese Name: 海口市 （ Hǎi kǒu Shì）

With the sea on three sides, Haikou enjoys a long coastline that features excellent bathing beaches and sea side resorts. Holiday Beach is the most popular of these, while Xixiu Beach is where the national sailing and windsurfing teams train and hold competitions. Dongzhai Port Nature Reserve in the northeast of Haikou is a typical tropical jungle and a heaven for birds. Besides its natural resources, Haikou has a number of important sites of historical interest. The Temple of Five Lords (Five Official's Temple), the Tomb of Hai Rui and the Xiuying Emplacement each serve as reminders of the historical importance of the city. Here lists top attractions in Haikou.

Tomb of Hai Rui	Wuzhi Mountain	Qiongtai Academy
Haikou Nanli Lake	Dongzhai Harbor Mangrove	Haikou Holiday Beach

How to get to Haikou?

As for transportation, don't worry! Hainan Meilan Airport, railway station, ship and expressway links cities of China and the whole world. The downtown area of Haikou has an excellent environment with streets lined with coconut palms. Here there are modern and convenient public transport facilities and all that is best in a tropical seaside city that is pollution free and that meets the needs of the tourist in a friendly and welcoming way.

When to visit Haikou?
Hainan Province is the second largest island off the Chinese mainland, the largest being Taiwan. Hainan is the more southerly of the two and is nearer to the mainland, separated only by narrow straights. Hainan is the largest special economic zone of China.

Haikou, the provincial capital has a tropical marine climate with an average annual temperature of 20C (68F). Spring weather in Haikou is warm with almost drought conditions but the high summer temperatures bring heavy rain in their wake. Autumn is a season of typhoons and rain storms. It can feel quite cold in winter by contrast. As a rule, the best time to travel is between November and the following April. From May to October local weather is moist because of its rainy seasons, with the precipitation reaching a peak during September. As high temperatures warm the waters of the South China Sea from June to September tropical storms (hurricanes), known here as typhoons, are driven toward the coast and Haikou can experience force 8 storms that cause considerable problems for traffic.

Haikou Travel Tips

Minority Groups in Haikou
As well as the Han people, there are a number of minority groups living in the province. The Li Ethnic Minority Group is the native group of Hainan. With a population of over 1.3 million, they inhabit the Mt. Wuzhishan and southwestern areas of the Island. The Li Minority has a close cultural relationship with Zhuang and Buyi minorities. Their most famous product, Li Brocade, has been greatly admired since the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Visa Policy to Haikou
1. Passengers holding citizenship of the countries which have foreign relations or official trades with PRC can enjoy the facility of a Visa on Arrival (VOA) at Haikou International Airport..
2. Hainan 30-day visa-free access with a validity of 30 days is available for travel groups or individuals from 59 countries, i.e. USA, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Italy, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ukraine and Kazakhstan and so on.
3. Upon entering Hainan, tourists must declare their luggage and articles at the Customs. Please Dial: 0898-851-6888 for detailed information on Chinese Customs.