Haikou

Haikou is an important tourist destination for China situated on the northern coast of Hainan by the mouth of the Nandu River. Also known as the Coconut city, the prefecture-level city covers an area of 2,280 square kilometres and serves as the capital and most populous municipality of Hainan province.

Daily movement throughout the urban center relies on extensive bridge networks, railways, and highways. The northern district of Haidian Island is linked to the main part of Haikou by four crossings, including the Haikou Century Bridge, the Renmin Bridge, the Heping Bridge, and the Xinbu Bridge. Daily rail transit includes the Hainan East Ring Railway, the western ring high-speed railway, and the Haikou Suburban Trains operating between Haikou station and Meilan station. Three main highways connect the municipality to other areas running east, west, and south through the middle of the province, while the Haiwen expressway links the city with Wenchang to the southeast. A railway link to the mainland utilizes a ferry service to transport railway cars and motor vehicles across the strait.

Visitor traffic has expanded significantly over time, with the destination receiving 4.11 million tourists in 2002 and exceeding 83.11 million visitors in 2019. Beyond leisure travel, the municipality develops its Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, and Exhibitions industry, supported by a convention and exhibition bureau established in June 2012.

Haikou serves as the capital and most populous city of the Chinese province of Hainan, situated on the northern coast by the mouth of the Nandu River. As a prefecture-level city comprising four urban districts, Haikou functions as the principal port handling more than half of the entire island's trade.

Movement across the urban area relies on geographical connections anchored by the Haidian River, a tributary of the Nandu River. The northern part of the city rests on Haidian Island, which is separated from the main urban area and linked by four bridges. The largest crossing is the Haikou Century Bridge, connecting the Guomao district with Haidian Island at the estuary, while the remaining road connections from east to west are provided by the Renmin, Heping, and Xinbu Bridges. Directly to the northeast of the city and east of Haidian Island lies Xinbu Island. Most of the terrain is almost completely flat and sits only a few metres above sea level, with the Meishe River winding through the eastern side of the city to flow northward toward the Haidian River.

The municipality's name translates to ocean mouth or seaport, reflecting its origins as the port for the ancient administrative capital of Qiongshan. Haikou old town preserves historical architecture featuring a mixture of Portuguese, French, and Southeast Asian styles built by returnees from overseas. These historic streets historically separated commercial activities into specific zones dedicated to Chinese and Western medicine, silk and bespoke clothes, fresh fish and meat, and the sale of incense, candles, paper, and ink. Qilou Old Street similarly exhibits arcaded buildings that blend Southern Chinese and colonial styles, commemorating the municipality's evolution from a Ming dynasty military post and treaty port into Hainan's administrative center.