Overview of Hainan Island - climate and temperature, nature and attractions. The population of the island and the main resorts, transport links, the famous Hainan cuisine.
Hainan is the southernmost province of China, which includes the island of the same name located in the South China Sea. There are 10 major cities on the island, the most famous of which is the tourist resort of Sanya.
The island has dimensions of 155 x 162 kilometers, which is comparable in area to Belgium. The highest point of the island - Mount Vudzhi, or as it is called the "Mountain of Five Fingers", is located in the very center of the island, at an altitude of 1840 meters above sea level.
Hainan Island - Famous Chinese Resort Overview The island is pierced by several large rivers, originating in the central part of the island and flowing in a radial direction. The largest river, the Vannin, is 350 km long, followed by the Nandu River, which is 314 km long. During the dry season, the rivers become noticeably smaller and their flow decreases.
Compared to mainland China, Hainan's air quality is significantly higher, according to a 2012 survey, which ranked as the cleanest air for 351 days. These results were achieved thanks to the environmental protection campaign organized by the provincial government. A number of industrial enterprises were expelled from the island, and the licenses of several factories engaged in illegal waste dumping were cancelled.
Hainan Island has more than 1,500 km 2 of rainforest, which is home to 4,600 plant species and over 570 animal species. Forests cover more than 61.5% of the island.
Climate and temperature of Hainan Island
The climate of Hainan Island varies from subtropical to tropical. The northern part of Hainan, including the capital of the island, Haikou, has a humid subtropical climate, while the larger island has a tropical monsoonal climate.
The coldest months are January and February when temperatures drop to 16 - 21°C. The hottest months are July and August, with temperatures between 25 and 29°C.
With the exception of the mountainous areas of the central part of the island, the average daily temperature in Hainan in any of the months is well above 10 °C.
In the north of the island, summers are quite hot, the temperature stays above 35 ° C for a month. The average annual rainfall ranges from 1500 to 2000 mm and can reach 2400 mm in the central and eastern regions of the island. During the rainy season, floods occur as a result of typhoons passing through the island.
From January to February, thick fog shrouds Hainan, especially in coastal areas and in the northern part of the island. Fog causes cold winter air from the north to come into contact with the warm sea, causing the moisture evaporating from the sea to turn into fog. During this period, residents usually keep the windows of their houses closed. The air humidity is so high that drops of water collect on the walls.
Local population and religion
Hainan's population density is low compared to most provinces in mainland China. Ethnic groups of the population include: Han (84%), Li (14.7%), Miao (0.7) and Zhuang (0.6%). Also distinguished are the Utsuls, descendants of refugees, and the Tanka community living in the Sanya Bay area.
The population is educated at colleges and universities, including: Haikou College of Economics, Hainan University, Hainan Normal University, Hainan Medical Institute and others.
Most of the Hainanese population professes the traditional Chinese trend of Buddhism - Mahayana. The population of the Lee people, adheres to the teachings of Theravada. The Utsuls, who live near the city of Sanya, profess Islam. Since Hainan was one of the points on the way of the procession of missionaries, there are also followers of Christianity.
Nanshan Park is the main center of Buddhism on the island of Hainan. It includes over 50 km 2 of rainforest, and countless great temples, statues and gardens teeming with lotus flowers. Lotus is a very revered symbol in Buddhism, meaning strength or purity.
Transport connection
Hainan Province has two international airports - as well as two domestic airports Qionghai and Danzhou.
The island has a rail link to the mainland via a rail ferry. The ferry terminal is located near the Haikou Railway Station, which is intended for freight and passenger trains arriving from the mainland.
Sea ports: Haikou Xiuying serves as the main passenger and cargo center. Matsun Port is located in Chengmei County. Basuo Port in Dongfang City is a small port on the west coast of Hainan. One of its main purposes is to transport iron ore from the Shilu mine.
local dishes
The menu of Hainanese cuisine is dominated by seafood such as shrimp, crab and fish.
One of the famous dishes of the province is chicken recipe from the eastern region of the island - Wenchang. For cooking, a small free-range chicken is used. Unlike chickens from factory cages, its meat has a more pleasant texture and is less fatty.
Local chicken dish - Wenchang Hainanese chicken with rice is also a very famous dish in Southeast Asia. For quick cooking, many cheap restaurants use chicken fat to add flavor to the dish, but the real recipe calls for marinating the rice in chicken broth for a richer, fuller flavor.
Before the trip, it is useful to plan a budget, a significant part of the expenses of which is food in cafes and restaurants. Our article is given, the average cost of the bill and the addresses of popular establishments where you can try national Chinese dishes, and exotic seafood dishes are given.
Tourism and recreation on Hainan Island
More than 30 million tourists visit Hainan every year. These are mainly vacationers who arrived from the mainland of China. There are more than 800,000 foreign tourists, and about 220,000 from Russia, and the number of our compatriots is growing every year. The total annual tourism income exceeds 32 billion yuan (4.3 billion US dollars).
In order to stimulate the flow of tourists to Hainan, visas were canceled for a number of countries when organizing group tours. Visitors to the island can claim a tax refund on luxury goods (up to 8,000 yuan) purchased within the province.
Hainan Island is divided into eight tourist regions: Haikou and the region, Northeast (Wenchang), Central East Coast, Southeast Coast, South (Sanya City), West Coast (Chinese Riviera), Northwest (Danzhou, Chengmei), and the Central Highlands (Baisha, Wujishan).
The main resort of the island is Sanya.
Yalong Bay is the most expensive and prestigious place in the vicinity of the Sanya resort on Hainan Island, where many 5-star hotels are located.
Dadonghai Beach is very popular - a long, wide and clean beach with coral sand and palm trees. Along the beach there is a line of cafes and restaurants.
Air tickets to Hainan Island (the resort city of Sanya), from Moscow and St. Petersburg during the sales period arranged by China Southern can be purchased at a price of 19,000 rubles (both ways).
Attractions in Sanya County
Phoenix Island is an artificial island in Sanya Bay.
Phoenix Island - Sanya Monkey Island - near the famous perfume bay, a popular tourist center of Lingshui County, is a nature reserve for macaques.
Xiangshui Bay is a scenic area, 48 km from Sanya.
Lubi Dong is a cave 15 km north of Sanya city.
Lubi Dong Cave - Sanya Nanshan Temple is a Buddhist cultural area to the west of Sanya, where an article of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy Guanyin is located, 108 meters high.
Yanoda is an area of tropical forests. The reserve is open to guided visitors (walking tours), there is a zip-line, and a waterfall with the possibility of climbing.
Visa to Hainan. Chinese visa for Russians
Citizens of the Russian Federation to enter Hainan Island need to apply for a Chinese visa. For the purpose of a tourist trip, a visa can be issued at any Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in the territory of the Russian Federation.
In order to get rid of paperwork and tedious standing in lines, you can use the service through our partner - TravelToHome.
In the case of booking a tour through a tour operator, he can arrange a group trip for which a visa is not required. For residents of Russia, the group should consist of at least 2 people, for Ukrainians and Kazakhs - from 5 people. The visa-free regime applies only to members of organized groups.
Historical Sites of Hainan Island
Haikou City is the provincial capital and contains many interesting sights. Also known as Coconut City, Haikou is a major port. Here is the revered Temple of the Five Officials, consisting of five traditional temples and halls, which were built in honor of the five officials of the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. These officials were exiled to Hainan for periods ranging from 11 days to 11 years for speaking out against the emperor's policies.
Xuyin Barbet Fort was built in 1891 to protect the southeast coast of China during the Sino-French War. Xuying Fort covers an area of about a third of an acre. Five large cannons remain intact and are available for inspection by tourists.
Hai Rui Tomb is one of the key national symbols of the protection of the island. Hai Rui was a compassionate and popular official of Hainan origin who lived during the Ming Dynasty. He was known for his lifelong honesty and his willingness to speak up on behalf of the locals. In the later stages of his life, Hai Rui was persecuted and fell out of favor with the emperor. His admirers built a tomb in 1589 after his death, in memory of his great deeds.
The ancient salt field is a heritage site in Yantian Village on the Yangpu Peninsula. The field includes over 1,000 flat-topped stones that are used to evaporate sea water and produce salt in this way.
Salt production - Yangpu Salt Field Sailing
To enter the international yachting community, new provincial regulations now allow foreign yachts to stay a total of 183 days each year, with a maximum single stay of 30 days. For the development of sailing, it is planned to build 13 additional ports.
