This short film brings together original photographs from around the island. Watch it below, then follow the links to find out more about the places that catch your eye.

Explore the places in the video

Emperor Cave — Changjiang — Limestone formations, ancient history and a winding mountain approach.

Mulan Bay — Wenchang — Lighthouse views, crescent beaches and coastal camping.

Xixiu Beach — Haikou — Sailing, windsurfing and kiteboarding.

Bei Gang Island — Haikou — Fishing heritage, tidal flats and island life.

Dongzhai Wetlands — Haikou — Mangroves, migratory birds and the wildlife along the shore.

Foguang Temple — Wenchang — Buddhist architecture and the Pilgrimage Avenue.

Yahu Rice Terraces — Wuzhishan — An honest guide to the terraces, their agricultural heritage and visiting at dawn.

Chubaocun — Wuzhishan — Thatched homes and the cultural heritage of Hainan’s Li people.

Where will you explore next?

This short video explains the main steps, from preparing your documents and registering on the application platform to completing the required learning, submitting your application and collecting your permit. It also explains the difference between a provisional driving permit and a full Chinese driving licence.

Read the full step-by-step guide HERE:

How to Apply Online for a Provisional Driving Permit in Hainan as a Foreign National

Hainan’s coast has no shortage of reasons to keep driving: fishing towns, volcanic shoreline, long beaches, headlands and stretches of road where the island feels far less developed than its resort image suggests.

Lighthouses offer another way to join those places together.

A circuit from Haikou down the east coast and back up the west takes in six very different structures, from a 72-metre modern tower at Mulan Bay to a Ming-era stone lighthouse built from basalt and a 19th-century steel lighthouse at Lingao.

The route is:

Haikou → Mulan Bay → Boao → Shenzhou Peninsula → Yulinjiao → Xisha Stone Lighthouse → Lingao Cape → Haikou

The appeal is not simply the lighthouses themselves. Each stop opens onto a different part of the island.

1. Mulan Bay Lighthouse, Wenchang

Mulan Bay Lighthouse is the natural first stop from Haikou.

Built in 1995, the tower rises 72.12 metres and has a nominal range of 25 nautical miles. It stands on Hainan’s northeastern coast, where the Qiongzhou Strait opens towards the South China Sea. 

What makes Mulan Bay particularly useful for a road trip is that there is now more here than the lighthouse.

The Mulan Bay Lighthouse Cultural Station began trial operations in May 2025. By June, the site included a lighthouse museum, observation hall, cultural-products area, café and sea-viewing platform. 

That turns what might otherwise have been a quick photo stop into somewhere worth spending some time.

2. Boao Lighthouse, Qionghai

Boao’s lighthouse is much newer.

The present tower entered service in 2011 and has a nominal range of 22 nautical miles. Published height figures vary depending on the reference point used, but roughly 75 metres gives a reasonable sense of its scale. 

It is also one of the easier stops on this route.

The lighthouse can be seen clearly from the public road, and there is street parking nearby. You do not need access to the lighthouse compound to appreciate it.

The setting is very different from Mulan Bay. Boao is more developed, with hotels, restaurants and the town close at hand, so it works equally well as a short stop or somewhere to break the journey.

3. Shenzhou Peninsula Lighthouse, Wanning

The red-and-white tower at Shenzhou Peninsula is one of the most distinctive landmarks on the route.

It stands at the end of a long breakwater on the Wanning coast, with open sea on one side and the developed peninsula behind it. State-media reporting has described visitors walking along the breakwater to reach the base of the structure.

This is primarily a landscape and photography stop: a long sea wall, a narrow line into the water and a lighthouse standing at the end of it.

A visitor report from January 2026 described a walk of more than two kilometres from the parking area, with a shuttle operating at the time. Those arrangements can change, so they are better treated as tentative rather than a permanent feature of the site.

4. Yulinjiao Lighthouse, Dongfang

Yulinjiao marks the shift from Hainan’s east coast to the much less developed western side of the island.

The lighthouse stands on Yulinzhou in Dongfang, overlooking the approaches to Basuo Port. It was first built in 1957 and has a reported nominal range of 18 nautical miles.

The lighthouse serves vessels entering and leaving Basuo Port and shipping using the western coastal route around Hainan.

The setting is the real attraction for drivers. Yulinzhou projects into the sea, with rocky coastline on one side and beach on the other, giving the lighthouse a much more exposed feel than the towers at Boao or Mulan Bay.

5. Xisha Stone Lighthouse, Danzhou

The fifth stop is unlike anything else on the route.

Xisha Stone Lighthouse, 细沙灯塔, sits on Danzhou’s volcanic coast. Instead of concrete or steel, the structure is built from blocks of basalt.

Hainan Daily reports that it dates back to the Ming dynasty and that for centuries it helped guide coastal fishermen home and that the tower has been included as a Hainan provincial protected cultural-relic.

There are stories linking the lighthouse to beacon fires and the local salt trade, a Ming-era lighthouse structure built from basalt on Hainan’s volcanic west coast.

6. Lingao Cape Lighthouse

Lingao Cape provides a strong historical finish to the circuit.

The lighthouse is the only one on this route with national-level cultural-heritage protection. It was included in the seventh batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, approved by the State Council in 2013.

Its history reaches back to the late nineteenth century. Sources date its construction to 1893 and its completion to 1894.

The lighthouse itself is a cylindrical iron or steel structure, very different in appearance from the tall concrete towers at Mulan Bay and Boao. It stands within the wider historical landscape around Hainan Liberation Park.

That makes Lingao more than a final lighthouse stop. It is also an opportunity to spend some time at one of the island’s better-known historical sites before turning east towards Haikou.

Turning the six stops into a road trip

Mulan Bay combines a working lighthouse with a new visitor facility. Boao is an easy roadside stop. Shenzhou Peninsula is about the breakwater and the coastal setting. Yulinjiao feels more exposed and distinctly west-coast. Xisha is the historical outlier, built from volcanic stone. Lingao closes the route with a nationally protected 19th-century lighthouse on the last leg back to Haikou.

If your permission to remain in China is approaching its expiry date, the first question is not simply how to “extend your visa”. China distinguishes between visas, stay permits and residence permits, and the procedure depends on the document you hold and why you need to remain.

For foreign nationals in Hainan, three routes may be relevant: extending an ordinary visa, obtaining a stay permit in one of the circumstances allowed under immigration rules, or extending an existing work-category residence permit.

At a glance

Your situation: You hold an ordinary visa and need additional time in China.
What to do: Apply to extend the visa.
When to act: At least 7 days before the permitted stay expires.

Your situation: You fall into one of the circumstances for a temporary stay permit.
What to do: Apply for a stay permit.
When to act: Before your existing lawful stay expires.

Your situation: You already hold a work-category residence permit and will continue working in China.
What to do: Apply to extend the residence permit.
When to act: At least 30 days before it expires.

There is one important exception to the first row. If your visa states that you must obtain a residence permit after entering China, you should not treat it as an ordinary visa-extension case. Chinese law requires the residence-permit application to be made within 30 days of entry.

If you hold an ordinary visa

A foreign national who entered China on an ordinary visa can apply for an extension where there is a continuing reason to remain.

The application must be made at least seven days before the permitted stay expires. Approval is not automatic: the exit-entry authorities consider the reason for the extension and the evidence provided. There is also a limit on how much additional time can be granted. The total extension cannot exceed the original period of stay stated on the visa.

For example, if the visa originally allowed a 30-day stay, extensions cannot add more than another 30 days in total.

Hainan’s provincial service asks for four basic categories of material: a valid passport or other international travel document, an application form, a photograph and documents supporting the reason for the application. The exact supporting evidence depends on the visa category and the reason for remaining.

The National Immigration Administration’s current guide gives further details. A business visitor holding an M visa, for example, may need a letter from the inviting or receiving organisation or individual, while other visa categories have their own supporting requirements.

Once an application has been accepted, the decision must be made within the validity of the acceptance receipt, which cannot exceed seven working days. Visa charges depend on the document issued and, in some cases, the applicant’s nationality.

If you entered Hainan visa-free

Do not assume that a stay permit is automatically the correct way to extend a visa-free visit.

Hainan’s own guidance says that foreign nationals using the province’s regional visa-free policy who need to remain longer for a legitimate reason should apply for a visa through the public security exit-entry authorities before the visa-free period expires.

The National Immigration Administration also lists visa-exempt entrants among the groups that may qualify for a stay permit in certain circumstances. The correct document therefore depends on the particular visa-free arrangement and the reason for remaining.

If you entered Hainan visa-free and need more time, confirm the appropriate route with the exit-entry authorities before your permitted stay expires rather than selecting a procedure based only on its English title.

When is a stay permit used?

A stay permit is not simply another name for a visa extension.

The National Immigration Administration lists a number of situations in which one may be issued. They include some visa-exempt foreign nationals who need to remain beyond the permitted visa-free period, foreign crew members and their accompanying family members who need to leave the port city, and people whose previous reason for residence has ended but who need to remain temporarily for humanitarian reasons.

The current national guide gives the basic application requirements as:

1. A valid passport or other international travel document.
2. A completed Foreigner Visa Application Form and a compliant photograph.
3. Evidence supporting the reason for the application.
4. Any additional material required for the particular case.

The Hainan provincial record is less detailed and refers simply to evidence relating to the reason for the stay.

Foreign-language supporting documents should be translated into Chinese. Applications are normally made in person, although national rules provide limited exceptions. Once accepted, a stay-permit application should be decided within no more than seven working days.

If you already hold a work residence permit

Foreign nationals who are already living and working in China under a work-category residence permit use the residence-permit extension procedure rather than the ordinary visa route.

The legal deadline is earlier: an application to extend a residence period must be made at least 30 days before the current residence permit expires.

For Haikou, the official work-category residence-permit procedure uses an interactive checklist that changes according to the applicant’s circumstances.

For a standard extension, the page asks for a 2-inch white-background front-facing photograph, a valid passport or other international travel document, an application letter from the employing organisation, and the Foreigner’s Work Permit or an electronic social security card carrying the work-permit information.

Additional documents may be required depending on the applicant’s circumstances. These include a health certificate for permits valid for more than one year, employer registration documents where the employer has not already filed with the exit-entry authorities, and an explanation where the applicant did not enter China on an R or Z visa.

The official online checklist adjusts the requirements to the applicant’s situation, so it is worth checking before visiting the service centre.

The Haikou procedure gives a processing time of seven working days and a statutory limit of 15 working days. National guidance likewise gives a maximum 15-working-day period for residence-permit applications once they have been accepted.

The residence-permit fees are RMB 400 for a permit valid for less than one year, RMB 800 from one year inclusive to less than three years, and RMB 1,000 from three years inclusive to five years inclusive.

Where to apply in Haikou

For the work-category residence-permit procedure, the Haikou Public Security Bureau lists:

Haikou Citizen and Visitor Center / 海口市民游客中心
Comprehensive Service Window for Talent and Engineering Construction, Unit 01-15, Area B, 1st Floor, Government Service Hall
No. 1 Binhai Park Road, Longhua District, Haikou
海口市龙华区滨海公园路1号

Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30-12:00 and 14:00-17:30, excluding weekends and statutory holidays.

Consultation: 0898-12367

The Haikou procedure requires an onsite visit and collection of biometric information.

For ordinary visas and stay permits elsewhere in Hainan, the correct office will depend on where the application is being handled. Rather than travelling to the provincial address shown on the Hainan “One Thing” page without checking, call 0898-12367 first or use the National Immigration Administration’s office finder.

Find an exit-entry service office through the National Immigration Administration

Official sources

Haikou — Foreigner Residence Permit (Work Category)
Authority: Haikou Public Security Bureau
Official Haikou procedure

Hainan — Foreigner Stay and Residence “One Thing” / 外国人停居留“一件事”
Authority: Hainan Provincial Public Security Department
Official Hainan provincial service

National Immigration Administration

Visa extension, replacement and reissue service guide

Stay permit issuance, replacement and reissue service guide

Residence permit service guide

Foreign nationals who need an official health examination or vaccination in Hainan can use a combined service operated by Haikou Customs.

The official Hainan Government Service Network procedure covers both entry/exit health examinations and vaccinations, with service locations in Haikou and Sanya. You can make an appointment online, although the government procedure also says you can go directly to a service centre without booking online first.

At a glance

Services:
Entry/Exit Personnel Health Examination Appointment
出入境人员健康体检预约

Entry/Exit Personnel Vaccination Appointment
出入境人员疫苗接种预约

Who it is for: People requiring entry/exit health examination or vaccination services

How to apply: Online, or directly at a service location

In-person visits: The official procedure lists one visit. Further visits may be needed if a re-examination is required or if you choose to collect a paper certificate in person.

Processing commitment: 4 working days

Health examination fee: See the Fees section below.

Vaccination fees: Depend on the vaccine and eligibility. The government page is unclear about some vaccine charges.

Locations: Haikou and Sanya

Responsible authority: Haikou Customs (海口海关)

Who can use the service?

The service is for people who need an entry/exit health examination or vaccination for foreign nationals living or working in Hainan.

The combined service contains two separate options.

The first is:

Entry/Exit Personnel Health Examination Appointment
出入境人员健康体检预约

The second is:

Entry/Exit Personnel Vaccination Appointment
出入境人员疫苗接种预约

What you need

The materials required depend on the scenario selected in the system. Follow the current materials list shown by the online application system for the service and circumstances you select rather than relying on a generic document list. (Google translate is good enough to translate the page). 

You should also take the required original documents and photocopies with you to the service centre. Staff check these on-site before the examination.

How to apply

1. Start the application

Go to the Hainan Government Service Network (Haiyiban) and search for: 出入境人员健康体检和疫苗接种预约

Select 出入境人员健康体检和疫苗接种预约“一件事”, then click 在线办理 (Apply Online). You will be taken to Hainan's unified authentication platform to log in before continuing with the application.

2. Upload the required materials

Upload clear images of the original materials specified for your application.

3. Submit the application

Submit the information through the system.

4. Attend the service centre

Go to the relevant service location in Haikou or Sanya for your health examination or vaccination.

For a health examination, take the originals and photocopies of the required materials with you.

5. Complete the on-site document review

At the centre, staff check the original documents and photocopies.

If the materials meet the requirements, you can proceed to the examination. If they are incomplete, you will be told on-site what needs to be supplemented.

6. Complete the examination or vaccination

For a health examination, you undergo the required examination and the chief examining physician reviews and issues the results.

Vaccination is handled as the separate vaccination service within the same combined procedure.

7. Re-examination where necessary

Some health examination results may require a re-examination.

The government procedure says the timing of a re-examination cannot necessarily be determined in advance and will depend on the individual case.

Do you have to make an appointment online?

No.

The FAQ on the official government procedure says applicants can either make an appointment through the combined health examination and vaccination service or go directly to the offline service location for the examination or vaccination.

If you are making a special trip to the centre, it may still be sensible to telephone beforehand to confirm the current arrangements.

Processing time

The official procedure gives a committed completion time of:

4 working days

For health examinations, a paper certificate can be collected three working days after the medical examination or, where necessary, the re-examination.

If a re-examination is required, its timing cannot necessarily be determined in advance.

Receiving your health examination certificate

Where a paper certificate is required, the procedure states that it can be collected three working days after the examination or re-examination.

Applicants may:

• collect it personally;
• receive it by post; or
• authorise another person to collect it.

If examination results are abnormal and affect the certificate application, the applicant will be notified by telephone.

Fees

The application instructions on the official government procedure give the health examination fee as:

RMB 367

They also state that the amount may vary according to the examination items required.

Online payment is not supported. Charges for examination items that require payment are paid on-site.

Vaccination charges

The wording on vaccination charges is unclear.

The procedure gives RMB 101 for cholera vaccine, but its wording does not make the position on yellow fever vaccination clear enough to give a definitive charge.

Applicants should confirm the current charge for the particular vaccination they require directly with the centre.

Haikou: 0898-68651113
Sanya: 0898-88616530

Where to go in Haikou

Hainan International Travel Health Care Center
海南国际旅行卫生保健中心（海口海关口岸门诊部）

Address:
Building A, No. 6 Nanmao Avenue, Meilan District, Haikou, Hainan
海南省海口市美兰区南贸大道6号A座

Health examination hours:
Monday–Friday
08:30–12:00

Vaccination hours:
Monday–Friday
14:30–16:00

Weekends and statutory holidays are excluded.

Consultation telephone:
0898-68651113

Where to go in Sanya

Hainan International Travel Health Care Center — Sanya Branch
海南国际旅行卫生保健中心三亚分中心

Address:
No. 475 Hedong Road, Jiyang District, Sanya, Hainan
海南省三亚市吉阳区河东路475号

Health examination hours:
Monday–Friday
08:30–12:00

Vaccination hours:
Monday–Friday
14:30–16:00

Weekends and statutory holidays are excluded.

Consultation telephone:
0898-88616530

The government procedure states that Hainan does not use separate seasonal opening hours for these services.

Contact details

Haikou consultation:
0898-68651113

Sanya consultation:
0898-88616530

Government service supervision/complaints:
0898-12345

Responsible authority:
Haikou Customs
海口海关

Official source

Service:
Health Examination and Vaccination Appointments for Entry/Exit Personnel “One Thing”
出入境人员健康体检和疫苗接种预约“一件事”

Linked procedures:
Entry/Exit Personnel Health Examination Appointment
出入境人员健康体检预约

Entry/Exit Personnel Vaccination Appointment
出入境人员疫苗接种预约

Authority:
Haikou Customs (海口海关)

Official source:
Hainan Government Service Network, Health Examination and Vaccination Appointments for Entry/Exit Personnel

Hainan has plenty of obvious places to visit, beaches, rainforests, old streets and the larger provincial museums.

But scattered around the island are some much smaller museums devoted to subjects you probably would not expect: tropical seeds, old railway locomotives, shells, antique cameras, historic coins and even coconut carving.

Some are substantial collections. Others are the kind of small local museum you might combine with a day trip rather than cross the island specifically to see.

Here are six worth knowing about.

Last checked: September 2026. Admission prices below are those currently published by the Hainan Provincial Government. Opening arrangements for some of the smaller museums are not consistently published online, so check before making a special journey.

1. Ding’an Seeds Museum九所种子博物馆

This is probably the strangest museum on the list, and potentially one of the best if you have children.

The museum is in Jiusuo Village in Ding’an and focuses entirely on seeds. More than 800 kinds of plant seeds and specimens are displayed, with exhibits explaining how seeds develop, spread and interact with people and the natural environment.

One of the exhibits is the enormous coco de mer seed, which gives some perspective on just how different seeds can be once you get beyond the familiar ones we see in fruit and vegetables.

The museum was created from an old village building and forms part of a wider rural project that also includes a café and restaurant, so this makes more sense as part of an afternoon in the area rather than simply driving in, walking around the museum and immediately leaving.

Good for: Families, children and anyone interested in plants or nature
Where: Jiusuo Village, Fuwen Town, Ding’an County
Admission: Free
Opening hours: Check before travelling

2. Hainan Seaworld Museum of Shell Culture — Haikou 海南海世界贝壳文化博物馆

If you have ever picked up a strange shell on a Hainan beach and wondered what it was, this may be worth a look.

The museum is located on Huahui Dadao in Qiongshan District and contains several thousand shells, shell specimens, shell carvings and other objects connected with shell culture. Local reporting also describes fossils and more unusual specimens among the collection.

It is not one of Haikou's big headline attractions, which is partly the point. This is the sort of smaller museum that could work well for families or as an indoor stop when the weather is less cooperative.

Good for: Families, marine life, shells and natural history
Where: Huahui Dadao, Qiongshan District, Haikou
Admission: RMB 39
Opening hours: Check before travelling

3. Hainan Railway Museum — Dongfang 海南铁路博物馆

For me, this is one of the more interesting museums on the list because much of the collection is immediately understandable even if you cannot read the exhibit labels.

Outside are old locomotives, carriages and railway equipment. Inside, the museum traces the development of railways on Hainan through photographs, objects and historical material.

Among the exhibits is the last steam locomotive to operate on Hainan's railway network, along with historic rolling stock including the so-called "Meiling" carriage.

The museum is also an interesting stop if you are exploring the west coast. Hainan's official tourism material includes it on a Dongfang–Ledong–Changjiang driving route alongside places such as Yulinzhou Beach, Jianfengling and Qizi Bay.

Good for: Trains, industrial history, photography and families
Where: Binhai Nanlu, Basuo Town, Dongfang
Admission: Free
Opening hours: Published information has varied, so check before travelling

Local Octopus tip

This is probably the museum on the list where bringing a camera makes the most sense. The old locomotives and rolling stock are much more visually interesting than a conventional glass-case museum.

4. Numismatic Museum of Haikou University of Economics 海口经济学院钱币博物馆

A museum devoted to money may sound dry, but the collection is actually a way of looking at trade, travel and economic history.

The museum holds more than 10,000 coins, notes, vouchers and related items covering different periods of Chinese history. The collection includes ancient Chinese currency as well as coins connected with overseas trade and exchange.

That makes it particularly interesting in Hainan, given the island's long connections with maritime trade routes.

The catch is that this museum is inside Haikou University of Economics rather than in a conventional public museum building. The provincial government lists admission as free, but I would check current campus access arrangements before setting off.

Good for: History, coins, trade and collectors
Where: No. 1001 Haitao Dadao, Meilan District, Haikou
Admission: Free
Before you go: Check university visitor-access arrangements

5. Camera Museum of the University of Sanya三亚学院照相机博物馆

This one immediately caught my attention.

Hidden inside the University of Sanya is a collection of more than 500 antique cameras spanning more than a century of photographic technology. The collection includes wooden box cameras, folding cameras, twin-lens and single-lens reflex cameras, miniature cameras and equipment from manufacturers including Leica, Kodak, Konica and several historic Chinese brands.

There are some genuinely unusual pieces. The university describes a tiny Minox "spy camera", early wooden cameras and equipment dating back to the early days of commercial photography.

The collection was donated to the university and the museum is also used for teaching photography students.

The university has previously stated that the museum is open to the public free of charge, but because it sits inside an active university campus, it would be sensible to check access before travelling there.

Good for: Photography, cameras, technology and design
Where: No. 191 Xueyuan Lu, Jiyang District, Sanya
Admission: Free
Before you go: Check current campus access arrangements

6. Hainan Coconut Carving Exhibition Center — Wenchang 海南椰雕文化展览馆

Coconuts are everywhere in Hainan. Turning the shells (and trees) into detailed works of art is something else entirely.

The Hainan Coconut Carving Exhibition Center in Wenchang contains more than 1,000 examples of coconut carving, many associated with Fu Shiqiong, a recognised inheritor of Hainan's traditional coconut-carving craft.

The pieces range from vessels and decorative objects to surprisingly elaborate scenes and sculptures.

Coconut carving has a long history on the island. Hainan government material traces references to the craft back to the Tang Dynasty and notes that carved coconuts were later sent to the imperial court as tribute during the Ming and Qing periods.

This is another museum that makes more sense as part of a wider Wenchang trip. The exhibition centre is in Dongjiao, close to one of Hainan's best-known coconut-growing areas.

Good for: Hainan culture, traditional crafts and photography
Where: Hangtian Dadao, Wenchang
Admission: RMB 20
Opening hours: Check before travelling

Which one should you visit?

If you are travelling with children, I would start with the Seeds Museum or Shell Culture Museum.

If you like photography, the Camera Museum is the obvious choice.

For something that feels particularly connected to Hainan itself, the Railway Museum and Coconut Carving Exhibition Center are probably the most distinctive.

And if you already happen to be travelling through Dongfang, Ding’an or Wenchang, these smaller museums give you another reason to stop rather than simply drive through.

Before you go

These are not all large, professionally staffed museums with sophisticated English-language websites and constantly updated visitor information.

Several are small museums, private collections, village attractions or university collections. That means opening hours and visitor arrangements can be harder to confirm than at places such as Hainan Museum.

If you are travelling any distance specifically to visit one, check the current arrangements first.

It is also worth saving the Chinese museum name and address on your phone. Even when an English name exists, the Chinese name will usually be much more useful in a taxi or navigation app.

Local Octopus tip

Don't expect every one of these places to feel like a polished national museum.

Some are small, slightly eccentric collections built around one person's interest, one local craft or one surprisingly specific subject.

That's actually part of what makes them interesting.

Arriving in Hainan with foreign cash and wondering where to change it?

You have several options. You can exchange money at Haikou or Sanya airport, visit a bank or licensed currency-exchange outlet, use a self-service exchange machine, or simply withdraw RMB from an ATM with an overseas bank card.

There is also an official Hainan payment map that can help you find the nearest exchange point.

Last checked: September 2026.

If you've just arrived

The easiest option is usually to sort out a small amount of RMB at the airport.

Both Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport have foreign-currency exchange services in their international terminals.

You can also withdraw RMB from an ATM if your overseas bank card is supported.

There is no need to exchange a large amount immediately. Get enough for your first day or two, then find a convenient exchange point once you have settled in.

Exchanging money at Haikou Meilan Airport

Haikou Meilan International Airport has three currency-exchange locations in Terminal 2:

• to the left of the International Arrivals exit
• behind check-in island A in the Departures Hall, before security
• opposite Gate 46 in the international departures area after security

The location opposite Gate 46 also provides departure tax-refund services.

Opening times follow the airport's international flight schedule. ML Airport

For current airport information, see Haikou Meilan International Airport's passenger facilities page.

Exchanging money at Sanya Phoenix Airport

Sanya Phoenix International Airport also has dedicated foreign-currency exchange counters in its international terminal.

You can find them:

• opposite the baggage sorting area in the International Arrivals Hall
• opposite the duty-free shop inside the international terminal's restricted area

The counters operate around international flights, with services available from two hours before international arrivals and departures. Sanya Airport

The airport currently lists currencies including US dollars, euros, British pounds, Hong Kong dollars, Canadian dollars, Australian dollars, Japanese yen, Korean won, Thai baht, Malaysian ringgit, Philippine pesos and several others.

You can check the latest information on Sanya Phoenix International Airport's currency-exchange page.

What about banks?

Many bank branches around Hainan provide foreign-currency exchange, particularly in Haikou and Sanya.

But don't assume that every branch of a major bank will exchange every currency.

A branch that handles US dollars and euros, for example, may not necessarily handle a less commonly exchanged currency.

If you are exchanging a large amount or an unusual currency, checking with the branch before travelling there can save a wasted trip.

Take your passport with you, as identification may be required.

The easiest way to find an exchange point near you

First, download the Nihao China app

The app you need is called Nihao China. Be careful not to confuse it with Nihao Mobile, which is a separate SIM-card service.

Nihao China is developed by China UnionPay and is available for both iPhone and Android.

On iPhone

Open the Apple App Store and search for:

Nihao China

Check that the developer is listed as 中国银联 / China UnionPay before installing it.

Download Nihao China from the Apple App Store

On Android

Open Google Play and search for:

Nihao China

Again, check that the developer is China UnionPay.

Download Nihao China from Google Play

UnionPay also has an official Nihao China information and setup page, which is useful if you want to check that you have the correct app. UnionPay International

Official Nihao China page from UnionPay International

Once installed, register using your email address or mobile number and log in. UnionPay's own setup guide confirms both registration methods.

Finding the Hainan Payment Service Electronic Map

Once you are logged in:

1. Open Nihao China
2. 2. Tap “Payment Methods”
3. 3. Select the Hainan Payment Service Electronic Map

The digital map allows international visitors to easily locate and use payment services throughout the island.

Hainan's official guidance specifically says the map is accessed through the Payment Methods section of Nihao China.

From there you can find nearby currency-exchange services, ATMs, bank branches and other payment facilities around Hainan.

You may not need to exchange cash at all

If you have an overseas bank card, another option is simply to withdraw RMB from an ATM.

The Hainan payment map can identify ATMs supporting networks including Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay.

Your own bank may charge an overseas withdrawal or currency-conversion fee, so check the amount shown before confirming the transaction.

For many visitors, withdrawing a modest amount of RMB is simpler than carrying a large amount of foreign currency around looking for an exchange counter.

Mobile payment is another option

Cash is no longer the only practical way to pay in Hainan.

Foreign nationals can register for services such as WeChat Pay and Alipay and link supported overseas bank cards. Current Hainan guidance lists Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover among the supported card networks.

That means you may only need a relatively small amount of RMB cash as a backup.

Cash can still be handy, though. Phones run out of battery, cards occasionally fail, and sometimes handing over cash is simply easier.

Keep your exchange receipt

If you exchange foreign cash for RMB, don't immediately throw away the receipt.

Foreign visitors can change unused RMB back into foreign currency using valid identification and the original exchange receipt.

The receipt remains valid for this purpose for 24 months.

For smaller amounts, there are circumstances where identification alone is sufficient, but keeping the receipt avoids unnecessary complications. The current SAFE guidance confirms the 24-month rule and the simplified arrangements for smaller exchanges. Safe.gov.cn

Can you bring RMB into China?

Yes.

The current limit for carrying RMB cash into or out of China is RMB20,000 per person, per trip. The People's Bank of China continues to publish the RMB20,000 limit under its rules on carrying Chinese currency across the border. People's Bank of China

Different rules apply if you are carrying large amounts of foreign-currency cash.

For an ordinary holiday or business trip, though, there is rarely much reason to arrive carrying a large amount of RMB.

Local Octopus tip

If you've just landed, keep it simple.

Exchange a little money at the airport or withdraw some RMB from an ATM. Once you're checked into your hotel or apartment, use the Hainan Payment Service Electronic Map to see what is nearby.

And if you're carrying a currency that isn't commonly exchanged, check before travelling across town to a particular bank.

A five-minute check can save a surprisingly long taxi ride.

Closing a company in Hainan is not a single administrative act. The market regulator’s deregistration procedure is the step that formally ends the company’s registration, but tax, banking, employment, social insurance and other closure matters may still need to be dealt with separately.

This guide covers that deregistration step. It uses the current Hainan registration forms and document standards, which took effect on 1 May 2026.

At a glance

Who it is for: Companies applying for formal deregistration in Hainan
Responsible authority: Hainan Provincial Administration for Market Regulation
How to apply: Online or at a service window
In-person visits required: 0, as listed on the government procedure
Statutory time limit as listed: 20 working days
Promised processing time: Immediate processing; the FAQ states one working day
Fee: No government fee
Result: Deregistration Approval Notice (注销核准通知书)
Appointment required: No
Courier service: Available

Who can apply

The procedure does not set out a separate eligibility test for company deregistration.

What matters is which route applies to the company. Hainan provides different requirements for ordinary deregistration, simplified deregistration, bankruptcy or compulsory liquidation, and companies being dissolved following a merger or division.

Who usually handles the process?

For an ordinary deregistration, responsibility starts with the company’s directors. Under the Company Law of the People’s Republic of China, the directors are responsible for arranging the liquidation and must normally form a liquidation group within 15 days after the company enters dissolution.

The group is usually made up of the directors unless the company’s articles of association provide otherwise or the shareholders appoint someone else. Its work includes identifying the company’s assets and liabilities, notifying creditors, settling taxes and debts, and preparing the liquidation report.

The person who submits the deregistration application does not have to be one of the directors. Hainan e-Registration guidance allows a designated representative or authorised agent to handle the filing on the company’s behalf. The administrative application can therefore be submitted by someone appointed by the company, while responsibility for completing the liquidation remains with the company and the people legally responsible for it.

Bankruptcy and compulsory-liquidation cases are different. Once the matter is being handled through a court process, the relevant bankruptcy administrator or court-appointed liquidation personnel handle the steps required to conclude that process before deregistration.

What you need

Hainan introduced new company deregistration forms and document requirements on 1 May 2026. The new standards replaced the province’s 2024 standards and introduced separate forms for ordinary and simplified company deregistration. Hainan Provincial Administration for Market Regulation

The relevant official documents are available here:

Enterprise Deregistration Application Form — Ordinary Procedure (企业注销登记申请书（普通程序）)

Enterprise Deregistration Application Form — Simplified Procedure (企业注销登记申请书（简易程序）)

2026 Hainan deregistration document requirements

Ordinary deregistration

Companies using the ordinary procedure should use the Enterprise Deregistration Application Form, Ordinary Procedure (企业注销登记申请书（普通程序）).

This is the route for companies going through the normal winding-up process.

Before applying, the company must complete the required liquidation steps. For ordinary deregistration in Hainan, the 2026 Hainan deregistration document requirements require the relevant creditor announcement and a public deregistration notice through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System to run for at least 45 days before the application proceeds.

Depending on the company’s circumstances, the application may also require:

• a court judgment on dissolution, or an administrative document ordering closure, revoking the business licence or cancelling registration, where applicable;
• tax-clearance documentation, unless the registration authority can obtain the information directly through government data-sharing;
• a copy of the newspaper notice where creditors were notified solely through a newspaper;
• identification for the person submitting the application or authorised representative;
• copies of approval documents where prior approval is legally required;
• the original and duplicate paper business licence, if one was issued.

The company’s dissolution resolution or decision and its liquidation report do not normally need to be submitted under the current Hainan standards, but they must be retained for inspection where applicable.

Simplified deregistration

Companies using simplified deregistration should use the Enterprise Deregistration Application Form, Simplified Procedure (企业注销登记申请书（简易程序）).

Hainan’s market regulator describes this route as applying to companies that have not incurred debts, or have settled their debts and liabilities and otherwise meet the conditions for simplified deregistration.

The current Hainan materials standard requires:

• the Simplified Procedure application form;
• the Simplified Deregistration Commitment of All Investors (简易注销全体投资人承诺书);
• a copy of the identity document of the person submitting the application;
• the complete shareholder register, for a non-listed joint-stock company.

The current standard does not list return of the paper business licence as a required material for this route.

Before applying, the company must publish its simplified deregistration notice and investors’ commitment through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.

There is, however, a point applicants should confirm before filing. Hainan’s 2026 materials standard requires a notice period of at least seven days, followed by a 20-day period in which to apply if no objection is raised. Article 240 of the national Company Law refers to an announcement period of at least 20 days.

Applicants using simplified deregistration should therefore confirm the notice period currently being applied in Hainan before submitting the application.

Bankruptcy or compulsory liquidation

Hainan’s 2026 standards provide a separate route where bankruptcy proceedings or compulsory liquidation have been concluded by a People’s Court.

The Enterprise Deregistration Application Form, Ordinary Procedure (企业注销登记申请书（普通程序）) is used for this route.

The relevant court rulings must be provided. Depending on the case, these include:

• the ruling declaring the company bankrupt and the ruling terminating the bankruptcy proceedings; or
• the ruling terminating compulsory liquidation.

Where the liquidator or bankruptcy administrator submits the application, proof of their appointment is also required.

The original and duplicate paper business licence must be returned if one was issued.

For electronic applications, the current 2026 Hainan standards allow document images to be submitted where permitted by the registration system.

Merger or division

Companies dissolved through a merger or division follow a separate set of requirements.

The current Hainan standard requires, as applicable:

• the merger or division resolution or decision;
• the merger or division announcement, evidenced through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System or the relevant newspaper;
• copies of the business licences of the companies involved;
• return of the paper business licence, if one was issued.

The deregistration application can be filed only 45 days after the merger or division announcement.

Documents you must keep

Some documents form part of the company’s winding-up process but do not need to be submitted with the deregistration application.

Under Hainan’s current standards, these can include the company’s dissolution resolution or decision and its liquidation report.

The company should therefore keep these documents even where the registration authority does not ask for them as part of the application.

Signatures and company seals

Where a document expressly requires both a signature and a company seal, both must be provided.

Where the requirement is not specified, a legal person or other organisation may either have the document signed by its legal representative, responsible person or authorised signatory, or affix its official seal.

Where someone signs on behalf of another person, the relevant power-of-attorney requirements apply.

Foreign-language documents

Foreign-language documents, notarised documents or authentication documents must be accompanied by an accurate Chinese translation.

Where a translation company prepares the translation, the current Hainan standard requires the translation to:

• carry the company’s seal or translation seal;
• state that the translation is accurate;
• include a copy of the translation company’s business licence or other qualification document;
• give the translator’s name and contact details.

Where an individual prepares the translation, the translator should sign it, provide contact details and provide the identification or qualification documents required by the registration authority.

Identity verification

Applicants must complete the registration authority’s real-name verification requirements. The procedure states that facial recognition and other electronic verification methods may be used.

Where an individual cannot complete electronic verification for a special reason, the procedure allows either a legally notarised identity document or attendance in person with the relevant identity document.

For a foreign national acting as the designated representative or authorised agent, the procedure accepts a copy of a foreign passport or a Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.

How to apply

1. Identify the correct deregistration route

First establish whether the company is using ordinary deregistration, simplified deregistration, bankruptcy or compulsory liquidation, or deregistration following a merger or division.

The forms, preliminary steps and supporting documents differ.

2. Complete the required notice or liquidation steps

Ordinary deregistration generally requires the 45-day creditor and public-notice periods to be completed before the application can proceed.

Simplified deregistration also requires prior publication through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.

Court-based and merger or division cases have their own preliminary requirements.

3. Prepare the current form and supporting documents

Use the current 2026 Hainan form for the applicable route.

Check signatures, seals, identity documents, translations and any route-specific supporting material before submitting.

4. Submit the application

Applications can be submitted online or at the service window.

The government procedure identifies the online registration system as Hainan e-Registration 2.0 (海南e登记2.0).

The official procedure page is here:

Company Deregistration, Hainan Government Services Network

The procedure states that electronically processed applications do not require paper application materials. The current standards nevertheless still require the return of a paper business licence under the ordinary and court-based routes.

The published procedure does not explain how a paper licence is handed over during a fully online application. Companies in this position should confirm the current arrangement through the consultation line before submitting.

5. Acceptance and decision

The authority checks whether the application is complete and in the required form before deciding whether to approve the deregistration.

The workflow shown on the government procedure page assigns one working day to acceptance and one working day to the decision stage.

6. Receive the result

If approved, the company receives a Deregistration Approval Notice (注销核准通知书).

Courier delivery is available.

Processing time

The government procedure page gives several different processing times:

Statutory time limit as listed on the procedure page: 20 working days
Promised processing time: Immediate processing (即办)
FAQ: One working day
Workflow: One working day for acceptance and one working day for the decision

These figures do not align with the current general registration rules.

Article 19 of the Regulations on the Administration of Registration of Market Entities states that an application with complete materials in the required legal form should be registered on the spot. Where that is not possible, registration should normally be completed within three working days. A further three working days can be added in complex cases after approval.

The Hainan Free Trade Port Market Entity Deregistration Regulations use the same on-the-spot, three-working-day and possible additional three-working-day framework.

The company deregistration procedure nevertheless continues to display 20 working days in its statutory-time field. Applicants for whom timing matters should confirm the current handling period with the authority.

Fees

No government fee is charged for company deregistration.

What you receive

The official result is the:

Deregistration Approval Notice
注销核准通知书

Courier delivery is available.

Where and how to apply

Online

Use the official Hainan Government Services procedure:

Company Deregistration, Hainan Government Services Network

The procedure states that no appointment is required and lists zero required visits.

In person

1. Enterprise Start-up Registration Comprehensive Service Window, 1st Floor, Hainan Provincial Government Service Center
   海南省政务服务中心1层企业开办登记综合窗口

English address:
No. 3 Wuzhishan South Road, Haikou, Hainan Province

Chinese address:
海南省海口市五指山南路3号

The source states that there is no specific window number.

Opening hours:
Monday–Friday
08:00–12:00
14:30–17:30

Closed on weekends and statutory public holidays. The procedure states that these hours do not vary by season.

Consultation: 4007965656
Press 1 for business enquiries
Press 2 for technical enquiries

Complaints: 0898-12345

The procedure also lists the following numbers for the acceptance and decision stages:

0898-65203570
0898-65323018
0898-65203262

Points to confirm before applying

Two areas are worth checking directly with the registration authority.

For simplified deregistration, Hainan’s 2026 materials standard and Article 240 of the national Company Law give different notice periods. Confirm which period is currently being applied before starting the process.

For ordinary and court-based deregistration, the current standards still require return of a paper business licence where one was issued, while the procedure also supports online applications and lists zero required visits. If the company holds a paper licence, confirm how it should be returned.

Important point

Company deregistration formally ends the company’s registration with the market regulation authority.

It does not necessarily complete every task involved in closing the business. Tax, employee, social insurance, banking, licensing and other obligations may need to be dealt with separately.

Legal basis

The procedure page cites several laws and regulations, including:

• Company Law of the People’s Republic of China
• Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China
• Implementing Regulation of the Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China
• Regulations on the Administration of Registration of Market Entities

Hainan also has separate deregistration rules under the Hainan Free Trade Port Market Entity Deregistration Regulations.

The current forms and document requirements are contained in the 2026 Hainan registration standards issued by the Hainan Provincial Administration for Market Regulation.

Official source

Official source: Hainan Government Services Network, Company Deregistration (公司注销登记)

Authority:
Hainan Provincial Administration for Market Regulation
海南省市场监督管理局