Hainan Province, which comprises the Hainan Island, and the Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha Islands on the South China Sea, is the only tropical island province of China under a tropical marine monsoon climate. In 1988, Hainan was designated as the largest special economic zone in China, thereby making the giant leap from an economic backwater to a front-runner in reform and opening up to the outside world. The province abounds in tropical resources-primitive woods, exotic plants and wildlife, a rich variety of melons and fruits, and abundant marine resources. These, coupled with fascinating sea sights, beaches and unique folklore, bode well for the future of Hainan's tourist industry.

Abbreviation: Qiong
Area: 34,000 square km
Population: 7.6 million

THE PROVINCE'S MEAN TEMPERATURE ()

Month City	Jan	Feb	Mar	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Haikou	17.2	18.2	21.6	24.9	27.4	28.1	28.4	27.7	26.8	24.8	21.8	18.7
Sanya	21.2	22.2	24.2	26.6	28.3	28.5	28.5	28.0	27.3	26.1	24.2	21.9

Haikou

Haikou is capital of Hainan Province as well as a rising international tropical tourist seaside city. As befitted its reputation as a "Coconut City", the air of Haikou is filled with the aroma of coconuts and the smell of the sea. Haikou also woos visitors from around the world with a myriad scenic spots and places of cultural interest. These include Haikou Park, Five Lords' Temple, Hai Rui's Tomb, Holiday Beach Resort, and amusement Park-on-the-Water, just to mention a few.

Coconut Grove, East Wenchang

Coconut trees are everywhere on a strip of seaside land more than 30,000mu in size and several miles in length in the eastern suburbs of Wenchang. The rich verdure of the trees, and the azure sky, have rendered a dreamlike touch to the landscape.

Fengmu Deer Farm

Visitors to Fengmu Deer Farm in Tunchang County, the largest of its kind in south China, are welcome to feed or cuddle a deer, and buy deer-related products and souvenirs. A MUST for visitors to Hainan.

Sanya

Lying on the southernmost tip of Hainan Island, the city of Sanya is skirted by mountains on three sides, and its 180-km-long coast is covered with whitish fine sand. The sea close by features a flat bottom and gentle waves which are ideal for swimming, surfing and motorboat racing. Lagoons, islands, coconut tree groves, beaches and caves are trump cards for Sanya to attract visitors. With 300 fine days a year, Sanya is a famed tourist city and wintering resort. Major seaside attractions: Yalong Bay, Tianyahaijiao ("The end of Earth and The Corner of the Ocean"), mirages, the Deer Looking Backward, Nanshan Cultural Tourist Zone, Sunrise Observation Deck, Sanya international Golf Club, and Sanya Tropical marine Zoo. The beaches of Sanya are also home to Yalongwan national Holiday Resort, reputedly the best wintering place China has to offer. All sorts of service facilities are available there, enabling visitors to play ocean sports as well as cliff climbing and golf.

Dadonghai

Dadonghai is the name of a bathing beach in Sanya. Apart from the gentle sea and smooth beach, Dadonghai's allure also stems from its bright sunshine, coconut tree groves, colourful clouds and sails on the sea. Another plus for this "golden beach": The temperature of seawater averages a perennial 26 degrees Celsius.

Nanshan Cultural Resort

A new bio-tourist seaside resort is rising 40 km west of Sanya. Far more than that, Nanshan is actually a brand-new tourist resort where Buddhism dominates but there is also something of everything-Chinese culture, folkways, seascape, and historical heritage.

Xinglong Tropical Garden

Tropical plants and rare and endangered species of plants, have found a home in this tropical garden that sits near Xinglong Tourist Centre of Wanning. The garden is open to virtually everybody-holidaymakers, sightseers, researchers, etc.

Wanquan River

The 163-km-long Wanquan, which originates in Wuzhi Mountain and flows through one of the most scenic parts of Hainan, is the province's third largest river. The city of Qionghai has established an amusement park, a public park and a recreational center by the river.

Guantang Hot Springs

A four-star holiday villa has been constructed at Guantang, a place in Qinghai and near the Wanquan River, to tap the high-quality hot spring resources there.

Dongshanling Range

For its exotic-looking rocks and peculiar natural beauty, the 184-metre-high Dongshanling Range composed of 3 peaks, is billed as "No. One Mountain of Hainan". An impressive number of monasteries are found there.

Wuzhi Mountain

The 1,867-metre-high Wuzhi Mountain in Tongshi was home to ancestors of Li and Miao peoples in Hainan in remote antiquity. Wuzhishan International holiday Villa has been built in the fashion of a forest park, whose peace and quiet and natural beauty are enough to quality the place as an international Class-A tourist resort.

Zhonghua Ethnic Culture Village

Situated on the southern side of Wuzhi Mountain in Tongshi, Hainan Zhonghua Ethnic Culture Village is a large cultural resort featuring the dwellings, folkways and arts of different ethnic peoples in China. Few visitors are not impressed by the folk singing and dancing performed in the village.

Mangrove Forest Reserve

Mangrove is an evergreen tree indigenous to tropical and subtropical zones. This forest of mangrove trees is found in Qiangshan, forming an opulent "park-on-the-sa" that extends for several dozen km.

Tropical Wildlife Zoo

China's first large-scale tropical wildlife zoo is situated by the Dongshan Lake at Dongshan Town in Qiongshan. The zoo, with a large population of rare birds and exotic animals native to the tropical zone, is a MUST for any visitor to Hainan. The artificial monkey mountain and hundred-bird paradise in the zoo are among China's world-class tourist attractions.

ANOTE ON VISAS

Visitors to Hainan Province may apply for visas upon arrival at Haikou or Sanya. According to relevant government stipulations, citizens from countries and regions that have either established diplomatic relations or are maintaining official trade ties with China, and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, may go through the entry visa formality at Haikou or Sanya when they arrive for such purposes as investment or trade business, economic or technical exchanges, seeing relatives or sightseeing. They may also proceed from Hainan to go to other provinces or municipalities, and leave China through other ports. It takes merely five minutes for one to be granted an entry visa at the Customs Office of Haikou or Sanya.

Coconut Shell Carving: Objects of art carved out of coconut shells are marked for their unique artistic allure and distinct Hainan art style.

Coral Miniature Landscapes: Corals, nicknamed "stone flowers of the sea", are artistically treated, supplemented with sea shells and "sea willows", and placed into a shallow pot, resulting miniature landscapes that never fail to delight refined and popular tastes alike.

Li-Style Brocade: This is a famous textile product made by the ethnic li people.
Hainan Pearls: The pearls produced in Sanya City and Lingshui County can be found only in Hainan.

Hainan Fruits: Hainan produces a wide range of tropical and subtropical fruits. Major ones are coconut, mango, pineapple, jackfruit, litchi, banana, longan, cashew, and durian.

Golf Courses
A number of high-class golf courses have been built in various parts of Hainan.
Taida Golf Club
Add: Yunlong Town, Qiongshan
Phone: 0898-5721551

Dongshan Golf Club
Add: Dongshan town, Qiongshan
Phone: 0898-5569026

Nanlihu Golf Club
Add: Nanlihu Tourist Zone, Anding County
Phone: 0898-3982123

Sanya Golf Club
Add: Tianya Town, Sanya
Phone: 0899-8330154

Yalongwan Golf Club
Add: Yalongwan Resort, Sanya
Phone: 0899-8565157

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS