HAINAN · South

Hainan 海南

China’s tropical island — coconut palms, resorts and reef diving.

IslandResortsDiving
Best timeJanuary · February · December
Stay5–7 days
This monthAugust · Caution
View on map
Main citiesSanya, Haikou, Wanning, Lingshui
Main airportsSanya SYX / Haikou HAK / Qionghai Boao
Getting aroundRound-island HSR; self-drive friendly
BudgetMid-high (¥500–900/day; peak surges)
Language barrierGood signage and resort English
Payment easeExcellent (very international)
Altitude noteLow island; Wuzhi 1,867 m
Best monthsJanuary · February · December
When to Go

When to visit Hainan

综合气温舒适度、降水与极端天气、景观季节性、节假日人流的月度评分。绿越高越适宜,红色月份需谨慎。

90
JAN
18–24°
★ Best
90
FEB
19–25°
★ Best
86
MAR
22–27°
 
80
APR
24–29°
 
68
MAY
26–30°
 
58
JUN
27–30°
 
54
JUL
26–30°
 
50
AUG
26–30°
 
62
SEP
25–29°
 
78
OCT
24–29°
 
86
NOV
22–27°
 
90
DEC
19–25°
★ Best

11–3 · Peak Season

BEST
  • 25°C sunshine — China's winter-escape ceiling
  • Spring Festival price peak
  • Swimming and resort season at its best

Apr–May · Shoulder

GOOD
  • 28–32°C warming, crowds fade
  • Hotel rates halve — value window
  • UV climbing

Jun–8 · Summer

HOT
  • 34°C “steamer” heat but sea breezes
  • Family rush
  • Afternoon thunderstorms

Sep–10 · Typhoon Season

TYPHOON
  • Peak typhoon frequency (esp. Sep–Oct)
  • Muddy water for days after storms
  • Low prices, weather-dependent
Climate

Year-round temperature & rainfall

平均最高温月降水均值

-20°20°40°January 降水 13 mmFebruary 降水 11 mmMarch 降水 17 mmApril 降水 56 mmMay 降水 135 mmJune 降水 185 mmJuly 降水 260 mmAugust 降水 239 mmSeptember 降水 257 mmOctober 降水 199 mmNovember 降水 55 mmDecember 降水 28 mmJanuary 平均 21℃ · 适宜度 90February 平均 22℃ · 适宜度 90March 平均 25℃ · 适宜度 86April 平均 27℃ · 适宜度 80May 平均 28℃ · 适宜度 68June 平均 29℃ · 适宜度 58July 平均 28℃ · 适宜度 54August 平均 28℃ · 适宜度 50September 平均 27℃ · 适宜度 62October 平均 27℃ · 适宜度 78November 平均 25℃ · 适宜度 86December 平均 22℃ · 适宜度 90JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC

Temperature & rainfall: ERA5 1995–2024 monthly means for a representative city; conditions vary by city, altitude and terrain. Dots show monthly suitability. (Updated 2026-08)

Attractions

Top attractions in Hainan

每个景点都标注了决策信息:最佳季节、建议时长、预约要求与人流水平。

Must-see Ya

Yalong Bay–Haitang Bay (亚龙湾·海棠湾)

“The first bay under heaven” — crescent sand and China's densest luxury-resort row.

最佳季节 Oct–Apr 建议时长 2–4 days 到达方式 40 min from SYX airport 预约 Book stays (huge seasonal spreads) 人流 CNY packed 适老宜幼 Resort kid-facilities peak
Must-see Wu

Wuzhizhou Island (蜈支洲岛)

27 m visibility — the “Lovers' Island” for diving, island loop carts and white sand.

最佳季节 Oct–May 建议时长 1 day 到达方式 20 min ferry from Sanya 预约 Entry + ferry + activities ahead 人流 Capped queues in season 适老宜幼 Kids' snorkel programs
Culture Na

Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone (南山文化旅游区)

The 108 m offshore Guanyin — Buddhist park, vegetarian canteen, sea breeze.

最佳季节 Year-round 建议时长 Half day 到达方式 1 h from Sanya 预约 Entry + buggy 人流 Holiday-heavy 适老宜幼 Buggy-friendly
Culture Ha

Haikou Qilou Old Street (海口骑楼老街)

Nanyang-style arcades — peeling colonnades holding “lao ba” tea and Hainan noodles.

最佳季节 Oct–Apr 建议时长 2–3 h 到达方式 City transit 预约 Free 人流 Moderate 适老宜幼 Walkable
Coast Ri

Riyue Bay, Wanning (万宁日月湾)

China's surf capital — consistent winter swells and a national beachhead for beginners.

最佳季节 Oct–Mar swell season 建议时长 1–3 days 到达方式 Wanning HSR + taxi 预约 Surf-school lessons bookable 人流 Winter surf tribe 适老宜幼 Kids' lessons
Coast Du

Dunjiezhou Island, Lingshui (分界洲岛)

The Niuling line splits climates here — reliably clear water, a dive favorite.

最佳季节 Oct–May 建议时长 1 day 到达方式 Lingshui HSR + wharf 预约 Entry + ferry 人流 Season-heavy 适老宜幼 Sea theater shows
Culture

Culture & local life

Hainan is the “fourth province of the Northeast” and Nanyang's front parlor at once: hundreds of thousands of “migratory bird” retirees winter here (making Northeastern the second language of Sanya), while Haikou's arcades hold the stories of overseas Chinese who sailed south.

Li and Miao cultures are the indigenous layer: Li brocade's bold human motifs is UNESCO-listed intangible heritage; boat-shaped houses and the third-month-third love festival still live in the Wuzhi hinterland.

Island time is “lao ba tea”: a pot and pastries and lottery talk from morning to afternoon. Qingbuliang, coconut chicken and Wenchang chicken form the taste triangle — and Wenchang chicken rice sailed south to become Singapore's national dish.

Local know-how

  • Li/Miao villages: remove shoes in boat houses; don't barge into rites
  • Seafood stalls: fix unit and cooking prices before ordering (touting complaints are common)
  • Cover up off the sand; beachwear stays at the beach
  • Protect the reef: never stand on coral or touch marine life
Special Notes

Special notes & precautions

⚠ Typhoon-season riskAugust–October typhoons cancel flights, stop ferries and close sights routinely — buy refundable, buffer your days.
⚠ Spring Festival price surgeLate Jan–Feb: Sanya hotels 3–5×, flights likewise; “sky-high seafood” disputes spike — eat at clearly-priced places and photograph the bill.
⚠ UV and jellyfishTropical sun is brutal (SPF50+ every 2 h); jellyfish season Mar–Jun — heed beach flags.
✓ East or west lineEast (Haikou–Wenchang–Wanning–Lingshui–Sanya) strings surf and bays on HSR — the first-timer's line; the center (Wuzhi) is for depth, the west (Danzhou–Dongfang) for quiet.
✓ Duty-free strategy离岛免税 (Haikou Riyue Plaza / Sanya CDF Mall): ¥100,000 annual quota per departing traveler, goods collected at the airport/station on departure day.
Food

Eating in Hainan

Clean, original flavors: Wenchang chicken's simplicity, qingbuliang's sweetness, coconut in everything.

Wenchang chicken & coconut chicken hotpot (文昌鸡·椰子鸡) · The head of Hainan's four famous dishes; coconut-water broth Hainan noodles & Hou'an noodles (海南粉·后安粉) · The Haikou breakfast pair — tossed noodles and peppery pork broth Qingbuliang (清补凉) · Coconut-milk shaved ice with a dozen toppings — night-market royalty Helè crab & Jiaji duck (和乐蟹·加积鸭) · Two more of the four famous: roe crab and white duck First Market seafood (第一市场海鲜) · Buy fresh, pay for cooking — salt-pepper mantis shrimp mandatory Lao ba tea (老爸茶) · Haikou's arcaded afternoon: pineapple buns, milk tea, lottery talk
  • Light and low-spice by default
  • Vegetarian: qingbuliang on coconut base; Nanshan's temple canteen
  • Shellfish allergy: fish soups and shrimp paste run beneath many dishes

🍽️ Useful phrases for ordering (tap to copy)

椰子鸡锅底要原味。
Yēzijī guōdǐ yào yuánwèi.
Coconut chicken hotpot, original flavor.
清补凉椰奶的,少糖。
Qīngbǔliáng yēnǎi de, shǎo táng.
Qingbuliang with coconut milk, less sugar.
这个海鲜怎么卖?加工费多少?
Zhège hǎixiān zěnme mài? Jiāgōngfèi duōshǎo?
How is this seafood sold? Cooking fee?
Practical

Clothing, stays, transport & souvenirs

出发前最后确认的四件事:怎么穿、怎么住、怎么走、带什么回去。

👕

穿衣

  • Summer kit year-round: quick-dry, rash guards, swimwear
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): 22°C evenings — light jacket; noon swims best
  • Diving/surfing: stinger suits against sun and scrapes; reef shoes
  • Dry-bags for electronics in the rainy season
🏨

Where to stay

  • Sanya: Yalong (beach resorts), Haitang (new luxury), Dadonghai (value + nightlife)
  • Riyue Bay: surf-lodge community, in-the-water vibe
  • Haikou: qilou quarter for culture, gentle prices
  • Peak (11–3): a month out; Spring Festival 2–3 months
🚄

Getting around

  • Round-island HSR: Haikou–Sanya east line 1.5 h
  • SYX to Yalong 40 min (¥80–100)
  • Self-drive the east-coast expressway for freedom
  • Island ferries book out in season (Wuzhizhou/Dunjiezhou)
🛍️

What to buy

  • Duty-free goods (离岛免税) — Cosmetics/watches/bags, ¥100k/year quota (Collect at departure; keep boarding pass)
  • Xinglong coffee (兴隆咖啡) — The returned-overseas Robusta tradition
  • Coconut products (椰子制品) — Candy, milk powder, carved shells
  • Baisha green & kuding tea (白沙绿茶·苦丁茶) — Local cups that cut grease
  • Li brocade (黎锦) — UNESCO-listed weaves — small pieces travel
Nearby

Nearby destinations

Keep Exploring

Change the month —
a different Hainan awaits.

Back to the interactive map to explore Hainan — and China — in other seasons.

Revisit Hainan in its best month