It would be a fair statement to say that, visiting the beach on a trip to Hainan is high on the list of things to do for travellers.
For some of the long term expats in town, having a beach on their doorstep largely contributed to their initial decision in moving to Hainan.
Hainan has some fantastic beaches and they are not too far off from the vibrant photo shopped images you’ll see in popular travel magazines or websites selling tour packages.
Some of the nicest beaches on the island have to be around the south coast, some places that spring to mind are Sanya, Bo’ao, Lingshui, Wanning and Wenchang. The water is generally clearer and there are more amenities such as bars, restaurants, convenience stores and activities.
Haikou also has some great beaches to offer and if you are in the capital, they are worth the visit.
The best beaches in Haikou run alongside Bin hai avenue, which is a 20km stretch of road running from Old Town in the center of Haikou to the western edge of the city.
Xi xiu beach 西秀海滩
First on the list is Xi xiu beach, it’s connected to the Haikou Marina and it’s also where the national sailing team is based.
At Xi xiu beach you can windsurf, kayak, sail, kite surf and swim. There’s even a floating pontoon some 150 meters off the shore for swimmers.
In the evening a small strip of bars and restaurants overlooking the beach opens up. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset or grab drinks and food with friends.
It’s also worth mentioning that all the beaches are connected by a walking track and there’s plenty of share bikes on hand. Along the track there are also public bathrooms, convenience stores, car parks and 3 wheel carts selling coconuts and roast potatoes.
Clock tower beach
A few kilometres down is what we like to call ‘clock tower beach’. It’s technically part of Xi xiu beach but, it’s much different. Here there are lots of rocks and pools, it’s a great place to take the kids to pick shells and look for crabs.
Holiday Beach 假日海滩
Holiday beach is one of the most popular beaches in town. In the height of tourist season, it can be difficult to find a spot to lay a towel. One of the highlights of Holiday beach is the hot springs which is next to the beach entrance.
In winter the hot spring pools offer a pleasant escape from the colder winter sea breeze and in summer the swimming pool is the perfect place cool down in the shade of the coconut trees.
The hotspring complex also has an outdoor 2 meter deep 50 meter swimming pool with lanes. It is probably the only one of it’s kind in the city.
Towards the end of Holiday beach is the Haikou Yacht club hotel. The club also has a swimming pool and rooms at the hotel go for around 300 yuan per night.
If you would like to escape the crowds, there’s a quieter beach past the workers bridge, although around this area, there are no public bathrooms or convenience stores.
Wu yuan river beach 五源河海滩
Last on the list and one of our all-time favourite beaches in Haikou is the Wu yuan river beach. It’s probably the quietest beaches in town and it offers a beautiful view of the Wu yuan river, which is a wetland park.
One of the better times to go to Wu yuan river beach is when the tide changes. The flow of water carves out a meandering river in the sand, connecting the ocean to the wetlands.
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