At one point, Hainan was considered a backward place serving as a place of exile for failed officials.
Hainan island was originally attached to the Northeastern part of what is now Vietnam, however, the island was formed after it physically broke away from Vietnam due to volcano eruption and drifted southeast near China after the Mesozoic period, millions of years ago.
Hainan is China's smallest province, and also the largest island under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China. Hainan is also the only island province administered by the PRC.
Hainan is the smallest and southernmost province of China, consisting of various islands in the South China Sea.
Hainan Island, separated from Guangdong's Leizhou Peninsula by the Qiongzhou Strait, is the largest island under PRC control Taiwan, which is slightly larger, is also claimed but not controlled by the PRC and makes up the majority of the province.
The province has an area of 33,920 square kilometers (13,100 sq mi), with Hainan Island making up 32,900 square kilometers (12,700 sq mi) (97%) and the rest divided among 200 islands scattered across three archipelagos.
It was administered as part of Guangdong until 1988, when it became a separate province; around the same time, it was made the largest Special Economic Zone established by Deng Xiaoping as part of the Opening Up of China.
There are a total of ten major cities and ten counties in Hainan Province. Haikou on the northern coast of Hainan Island is the capital while Sanya is a well-known tourist destination on the southern coast.
The other major cities are Wenchang, Qionghai, Wanning, Wuzhishan, Dongfang, and Danzhou.
According to China's controversial territorial claims several territories in the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands (Nansha) and Paracel Islands (Xisha), are notionally administered as part of the province.
The provincial name derives from its major island, Hainan, in Hainanese "Hai Nam", which is named for its position south of the Qiongzhou Strait / Kheng Ju Haihiap. To the north of the strait, the Leizhou Peninsula / Lui Ju Buadau in Guangdong is also known as Haibei/Hai Bac or North of the Sea.
Former names for Hainan Island include Zhuya, Qiongya, and Qiongzhou. The later two gave rise to the provincial abbreviation or Qiong/Kheng.
Hainan was historically part of Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces and as such was the Qiongya Circuit under the 1912 establishment of the Republic of China.
In 1921, it was planned to become a special administrative region, in 1944 it became Hainan Special Administrative Region with 16 counties containing the South China Sea Islands.
During the 1920s and 30s, Hainan was a hotbed of Communist activity, especially after a bloody crackdown in Shanghai, the Republic of China in 1927 drove many Communists into hiding.
The Communists and the Li natives fought a vigorous guerrilla campaign against the Japanese occupation of Hainan (1939–45), but in retaliation the Japanese launched numerous massacres against Li villages.
Feng Baiju led the Hainan Independent Column of fighters throughout the 1930s and 1940s. After the Japanese surrender in 1945 the Nationalist Party (KMT) re-established control.
Hainan was one of the last areas of China controlled by the Republic of China during the Chinese Civil War when it lost the mainland from 1946-49.
Hainan, separated by the Qiongzhou Strait from the Leizhou Peninsula of Guangdong, is the largest island administered by the People's Republic of China.
The area of Hainan Island (32,900 km2 (12,700 sq mi), 97% of the province) is similar to that of Belgium. To the west of Hainan Island is the Gulf of Tonkin. Wuzhi Mountain is the highest mountain on the island at 1,840 m (6,040 ft).
Hainan Island measures 155 km (96 mi) long and 169 km (105 mi) wide.
The northern half of Hainan is covered with the ancient Hainan Volcanic Field. Beneath the topsoil is volcanic rock while the topsoil itself contains small pieces of this vesicular rock.
Wetland covers 320,000 hectares, 78,000 hectares of which were created artificially. Most of this is located in the eastern and northern part of Hainan.
Most of the rivers in Hainan originate in the central area of the island and flow radially in different directions. The Wanning River in the southern part of the island is the largest river surrounding Hainan.
It is 350 km (220 mi) long. The Nandu River in the northern part of the island is 314 km (195 mi) long, and its tributary, the Xinwu River, is 109 km (68 mi) long.
The Changhua River in the west is 230 km (140 mi) long, and the Wanquan River in the east is 162 km (101 mi) long. Evaporation during the dry season around the coastal areas greatly reduces the flow of the rivers.
There are very few natural lakes in Hainan. There is a well-known artificial reservoir, the Songtao Reservoir, in the central-north area.
Several small islands exist around the coast of Hainan Island:
- Dazhou Island is located about 5 km (3.1 mi) off the coast of Wanning
- Haidian Island, on the north coast, is part of Haikou City
- Nanwan Monkey Island, in actuality a peninsula
- Phoenix Island is an artificial resort island currently under construction in Sanya Bay.
- Wuzhizhou Island is located within Haitang Bay
- Xinbu Island is located directly to the east of Haidian Island
Due to their close proximity to the main island, the flora, fauna, and climate conditions are very similar.
A number of small islands, which are located hundreds of kilometers to the south, are claimed and administrated by Sansha as part of Hainan Province.
Sovereignty of these islands is however disputed. These islands include:
- Paracel Islands Xisha Islands – "The West-sands" – claimed by Vietnam, the PRC and the Republic of China (Taiwan, ROC)
- Money Island, Paracel Islands
- Rocky Island, South China Sea
- Tree Island, South China Sea
- Triton Island
- Woody Island, South China Sea
- Zhongsha Islands, The Middle-sands
- Spratly Islands, Nansha Islands, The South-sands are subject to claims by Vietnam, the PRC, ROC, Malaysia, The Philippines, and Brunei.
- Spratly Island
- Flat Island (Spratly)
- Taiping Island
- James Shoal (southernmost point)
- Loaita Island
- Namyit Island
- Nanshan Island
- Sin Cowe Island
- Thitu Island
- West York Island
Compared to most of mainland China, the air quality of Hainan is far higher since it strays away from factory pollution, which has plagued the air on the mainland.
Throughout 2012, Hainan had the highest air quality in the country for 351 days.
The provincial government's environmental protection campaign has taken action against a number of industrial plants.
During 2012, several outdated manufacturing facilities had their business licenses revoked, and 175 cases related to illegal sewage discharge were handled.
Total sulfur dioxide emissions for the province were 34,000 tons in 2012, a 3 percent year-on-year reduction. In 2011, smog emissions were reduced 6.3 percent to 15,000 tons
The population density of Hainan is low compared to most Chinese coastal provinces.
In 2000, the ethnic groups of Hainan included the Han Chinese, known as the Hainanese people, who are the majority 84% of the population; the Li (Hlai) 14.7% of the population; the Miao 0.7% and the Zhuang 0.6%.
The Li are the largest indigenous group on the island in terms of population. Also found on the island are the Utsuls, descendants of Cham refugees, who are classified as Hui by the Chinese government.
There is a Tanka community that live at Sanya Bay.
Although they are indigenous to the island and do not speak a Chinese language, the Limgao (Ong-Be) people near the capital 8% of the population are counted as Han Chinese.
Most of the Hainanese population practices Chinese folk religion and Chinese Buddhism. The Li population has a Theravada Buddhist minority.
Most of the Utsuls of the island, a branch of Cham people living near Sanya, are Muslims. Because Hainan was a point in the travel route of missionaries, there are some Christians.
According to the Chinese General Social Survey of 2009, Christians constitute 0.48% of the province's population.
Nanshan Park is the centre of Buddhism on Hainan Island. Encompassing more than 50 km2 (19 sq mi) of rainforest, the site includes countless grand temples, statues and spiritual gardens the likes of Saviour Garden and Longevity Valley.
With intricately trimmed hedges and abundant in lotus flowers, a venerated symbol in Buddhism meaning virtue or purity.
At the heart of the valley is the grand Nanshan Temple, its gates flanked by stone figures of Buddha in front of the Tang dynasty-style entrance.
The interior displays images of the Four Heavenly Kings amid statues of other deities enshrined in renderings of stone, gold and jade.
Perhaps the most popular site within the Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone is the awe-inspiring stone rendering of the bodhisattva Guan Yin, emerging out of the South China Sea to stand at 108 metres, taller than the statue of liberty.
The Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone is visited by thousands of tourists and pilgrims each year who come pay homage to the site that plays a significant role in the religion in China and to sample some of the finest Buddhist vegan cuisine on the island
Hainan's economy is predominantly agricultural, and more than a half of the island's exports are agricultural products.
Hainan's elevation to province-level status (1988), however, was accompanied by its designation as China's largest special economic zone, the intent being to hasten the development of the island's plentiful resources.
Prior to this, the province had a reputation for being a Wild West area, largely untouched by industrialisation; even today there are relatively few factories in the province.
Tourism plays an important part of Hainan's economy, thanks largely to its tropical beaches and lush forests.
The central government has encouraged foreign investment in Hainan and has allowed the island to rely to a large extent on market forces.
Hainan's industrial development largely has been limited to the processing of its mineral and agricultural products, particularly rubber and iron ore.
Since the 1950s, machinery, farm equipment, and textiles have been manufactured in the Haikou area for local consumption. A major constraint on industrial expansion has been an inadequate supply of electricity.
Much of the island's generating capacity is hydroelectric, and it is subject to seasonal fluctuations in stream and river flows.
Its nominal GDP for 2011 was 251.5 billion yuan or US$39.9 billion, making it the 4th smallest in all of the PRC and contributes just 0.53% to the entire country's economy. At that time, its GDP per capita was 19,166 yuan or US$2,805.
By the first quarter of 2010, Hainan had the highest increase in GDP of any province in China, with a year-on-year increase of 25.1%. The GDP of Hainan's Qionghai city grew 58.7%.
In December 2009, the government of China announced that it plans to establish Hainan as an international tourist destination by 2020.
This announcement contributed to a surge in the province's economy, with a year-on-year increase in investment of 136.9% in the first three months of 2010. Hainan's real estate sector accounted for more than one third of the province's economic growth.
Hainan's climate is tropical, characterised by hot and humid summers, with mild, pleasant winters. Temperatures usually range from 24-35°C in the summer, and 19-25°C in the winter.
The climate of Hainan varies from subtropical to fully tropical.
Northern Hainan, including the island's capital Haikou, has a humid subtropical climate, while most of the rest of the island has a tropical monsoon climate with warmer annual temperatures the further south a location is.
The coldest months are January and February when temperatures drop to 16 to 21 °C (61 to 70 °F); the hottest months are July and August, and the temperatures are 25 to 29 °C (77 to 84 °F).
Except for the mountainous regions in the central part of the island, the daily average temperature in Hainan in all months is well above 10 °C (50 °F), and the total number of growing degree-days reaches eight thousand to nine thousand degrees Celsius.
The summer in the north is hot and, for more than 20 days in a year, the temperature can be higher than 35 °C (95 °F).
The average annual precipitation is 1,500 to 2,000 millimetres (59 to 79 in) and can be as high as 2,400 millimetres (94 in) in central and eastern areas, and as low as 900 millimetres (35 in) in the coastal areas of the southwest.
Parts of Hainan lie in the path of typhoons, and 70% of the annual precipitation is derived from typhoons and the summer rainy season. Major flooding occurs due to typhoons, which can cause many problems for local residents.
From January to February, the island of Hainan is affected by thick fog, particularly in coastal areas and the northern part of the island.
This is caused by cold winter air from the north coming into contact with the warmer sea, causing the moisture that evaporates from the sea to be condensed into fog.
he fog remains from day to night, and is evenly distributed. Visibility may be reduced to 50 metres for days at a time. During this period, residents normally keep windows shut.
The moisture in the air is so extreme that the walls in homes weep, and floors often accumulate a layer of water several millimetres deep.
Hainan Island is often divided into eight regions for tourism purposes: Haikou and area (Haikou, Qiongshan, Ding'an), the Northeast (Wenchang), the Central East Coast (Qionghai, Ding'an), the South East Coast, the South (Sanya), the West Coast also called the Chinese Riviera (Ledong, Dongfang, Xianghsui, Changjiang), the North West (Danzhou, Lingao, Chengmai), and the Central Highlands (Baisha, Qiongzhong, and Wuzhishan/Tongzha).
Popular tourist destinations include the beaches and resorts in the southern part of the province. Inland is Five Finger Mountain, a scenic area.
Tourists also visit the capital of Haikou with area visitor attractions such as Movie Town Haikou and Holiday Beach.
The government of Hainan intends to expand the province's medical tourism industry.
The provincial government plans to establish the Boao Lecheng International Medical Travel Zone in the Bo'ao area.
This was announced at the Boao Forum for Asia in 2011. The State Council has approved the development of Lecheng Island as a medical tourism-themed destination.
Lecheng Island is a small island in the Wanquan River about 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the coastal town of Bo'ao on the west coast of the province.
Construction on the 20 km2. zone is expected to begin in December 2014, will cost a projected 1.5 billion yuan, and is scheduled for completion in 2016. It will be the first special zone for medical travel in China.
Today, it is undergoing heavy tourist-oriented development with various international hotel chains establishing resorts, especially in the Sanya area.
These days, many wealthy Chinese from the northern provinces own second homes in Hainan, where they move to in the winter to escape the bitter cold that characterises much of northern China.
It has been popular with Russian tourists for decades. Now it is being promoted as China's Hawaii. The entire island has been declared a Special Economic Zone.
This industry is expanding in Hainan, with numerous courses being constructed, including Mission Hills Haikou, which is one of the largest golf complexes in the world.
The golf industry attracts foreign investment and overseas golfers from such countries as Australia, South Korea, and Japan.
Hainan has always been on the fringe of the Chinese cultural sphere. Traditionally, the island was a place of exile for criminals and disgraced officials.
As a frontier region celebrated by such exiled poets as Su Dongpo, Hainan acquired an air of mystery and romance.
The influx of large numbers of mainlanders after 1950, particularly in the 1970s, when young Chinese from southern Guangdong were assigned to state farms to help develop Hainan.
In the 1980s, when thousands more came to take advantage of the economic opportunities offered has perpetuated the frontier atmosphere on the island.
Hainan cuisine is said to be lighter, with mild seasonings. A lot of local taste is mixed with the Han Chinese taste. Seafood predominates the menu, as shrimp, crab, fish and other sea life are widely available.
Wenchang chicken / Von Sio Coi is a dish known throughout the province of Hainan. Although there are many varieties of this dish, the name is usually used to define a type of small, free-range chicken from Wenchang, located on the east coast of the province.
As opposed to battery chickens, its meat has more texture and is somewhat drier.
Hainan chicken rice / Coibui is a famous dish in Southeast Asia bearing the region's name.
However, whilst many restaurants use chicken fat to quickly add flavour to the dish, the proper local method is to marinate the rice with chicken soup to add a more full flavour.
Regions of Hainan
The hilly center of the island is home to various ethnic minorities, with many involved in the tourist industry.
Much of the coast has beaches.
Cities Hainan
Haikou - in the North, the capital
Wenchang - in the north-east coast of Hainan Island
Qionghai - in the East
Bo'ao - on the East coast
Lingshui - on the East coast, natural heaven, place the Hainan incident occured
Sanya - in the South, main tourist destination
Baoting - toward the South, in the hills
Wuzhishan - in the central highlands
Destinations To Visit In Hainan
Yalong Bay - resort area near Sanya
Xiangshui or Perfume Bay - new resort area near Sanya
Hainan Province has two international airports Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport and two domestic airports Qionghai Bo'ao Airport and Danzhou Airport.
Haikou and Sanya have airports with regular flights to various Chinese cities. There are also some flights from Southeast Asia. There is high-speed train serves Haikou's Meilan Airport.
Trains run daily from Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. The trains are loaded onto ferries to cross the sea with passengers remain in the train cars.
The trains stop at both Haikou and Sanya, as well as Dongfang, a smaller station between Haikou and Sanya.
Today's Hainan is ringed by standard-gauge railways. Since 2004, a rail ferry connects the island's railroad network to the mainland.
In 2005, Ministry of Communications allocated 20 million yuan (US$2.4 million) to set up a committee to research and study the possibility of a bridge or tunnel link connecting the island to the mainland.
From the ferry terminal, located near Haikou Railway Station (west of Haikou), freight and passenger trains arriving from the mainland can proceed on the Hainan Western Ring Railway along the island's west coast, via Dongfang to Sanya.
This railway line has been developed over several decades, starting with a few short 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge lines constructed during the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s.
The Hainan Eastern Ring High-Speed Railway links Haikou and Sanya along the island's east coast. There are 15 stations in between, either in operation or still under construction.
Trains are designed to travel at 250 km/h (160 mph). Travel time from Haikou to Sanya is approximately 1 hour and 22 minutes. The total length of Hainan Eastern Ring High-Speed Railway is 308.11 km (191.45 mi).
The in-between railway stations include Haikou East, Changliu, Xiuying, Meilan Airport, Wenchang, Qionghai, Bo'ao, Wanning, Shenzhou, Sun and Moon Bay, Lingshui and Tiandu.
The first train run started on 30 December 2010 at the price of 114 RMB for first-class seat and 95 RMB for a second-class seat for a full journey between Haikou and Sanya.
The Hainan Western Ring High-Speed Railway is on the west coast of Hainan, roughly paralleling the existing Hainan Western Ring Railway.
It links up with the Hainan Eastern Ring Railway at both ends, thus forming a high-speed railway ring around the island.
You can also reach Hainan by boat. Buses take the ferry.
Haikou at the North end and Sanya at the South end are connected by three highways, East coast, West coast and through the hilly center.
More-or-less any significant place on the island is on, or at least close to, one of these highways. As anywhere in China, there are buses to almost anywhere.
Two railways connect Haikou and Sanya. One is the old western ring railway, and the other one is the new high-speed eastern ring railway.
Another high-speed western ring railway is under construction. High-speed trains run between Haikou and Sanya at up to 250 km/h, takes one hour and a half between the two cities.
As the smallest province in China with relatively flat landscape, Hainan is an ideal destination for long journey cycling trip.
On the East Coast it has a 300km long national road (G223) connecting Haikou, Wenchang, Qionghai, Lingshui and Sanya.
The route, which is packed with most famous beach resorts and tourist attractions, is the easiest ride and most popular among amateur cyclists.
The Middle route crossing Wuzhishan or Five-Finger Hill takes some more toil to go. While it is possible to ride along the West coast, this area is the least developed and more preparation may be needed.
The local Han Chinese speak Hainanese. It is a variant of Minnan. Like the Chaoshan/Teochew variant of Minnan spoken in Eastern Guangdong, it also shares historical linguistic roots with mainstream Minnan.
However, unlike Chaoshan/Teochew variant of Minnan, it differs much more significantly from the mainstream Minnan and has almost no mutual intelligibility with it.
Hainanese is considered difficult to learn even by mainstream Minnan speakers from Southern Fujian and Taiwan as it employs many unusual consonants which have no equivalent in any other Chinese dialects or Western languages, and has an odd tone structure.
Nevertheless, learn a little of the language if you can, as locals are very proud of their language, and even knowing a few basic greetings will get you acquainted with the locals much more easily.
They realise that Hainanese is difficult even for native speakers of other Chinese dialects, and much more so for foreigners, so they'll politely correct any pronunciation errors you make.
Hainanese also has dialectal variations between different parts of the island, though the Wenchang dialect is considered to be the prestige dialect, and is generally used in news reports and understood throughout the island.
The Li people, who are the largest non-Han minority on the island, speak a language that is distantly related to Thai and Lao. There is also a Miao community on Hainan, which continues to speak the Miao language.
As anywhere in China, Mandarin is the lingua franca; nearly everyone can speak it with the exception of some of the elderly. Due to the proximity with Guangdong, some locals have a functional command of Cantonese as well.
As elsewhere in China, English is not widespread but some people speak it quite well. Staff at the main hotels and beach resorts will usually have a functional command of English.
Hainan is a traditional destination for Russians escaping their winters, so many shop keepers and restaurant staff know some Russian, and much signage is in Russian.
However, trying to engage anyone in a conversation more often than not will prove fruitless.
Attractions of Hainan
Sea Turtles 911, the only non-profit organization promoting sea turtle conservation in China, Sea Turtles 911's primary facility is a floating sea turtle hospital in Lingshui near Nanwan Monkey Island, as well as programs in Sanya and Haikou.
While on Hainan Island visitors are welcome to volunteer with the sea turtles and the organization's educational programs. Recommended donation.
Sanya Beach, the best and most touristic beach area in all of China
South Mountain, or Nanshan Tourism Area a large Shaolin Buddhist temple complex along the southernmost point of the island. Many backpackers consider this as a tourist trap, the temple was recently built and entrance fees are high.
Gusong Village in Wenchang, an ancient, unique, beautiful, non-commercial traditional Hainanese village
South Bay Monkey Island also known as Nanwan Monkey Islet, Lingshui South Bay.
Lingshui South Bay Monkey Island also known as Nanwan Monkey Islet, Be wary of the monkeys that steal bags.
Crocodile Farms in Sanya. Under construction - will be available to tourists in the future.
Volcano Park and lava rock villages, about 15km south of Haikou city, next to Shishan Town. The Volcano Park has an entrance fee of about 60 RMB.
Lava rock villages are generally free, but if visiting Rongtang Protected Village pay the local elders 5 RMB.
The method of cooking the rice was actually developed by overseas Hainanese after they migrated to what is today Singapore and Malaysia.
Seafood, very good, very fresh and at reasonable prices
Try Betel Nuts turning you a little befuddled
Singapore-based firm Asia Pacific Breweries have a brewery on Hainan and their Anchor beer is common all over the island. As anywhere is China, a range of both Chinese and imported beers are widely available as well.
Hainan also has a number of locally-brewed pineapple-based beers, odd but worth a try.
The island is covered with coconut trees. So drinking fresh coconut milk is a must.
Be very careful with water sports on Hainan. Government regulation of activities such as parasailing, diving, and boating on Hainan is lax, so staff often provide little or no training to customers, and the equipment can be shoddy.
Without adequate safety precautions, these activities can be dangerous, and even fatal.
Zhanjiang is the nearest mainland city. For some routes through the region, see Overland Kunming to Hong Kong.
There are regular boats from Haikou to Hai'an and Beihai on the Chinese mainland. As well as cruises to Hong Kong and Halong Bay, Vietnam
There are also regular weekly flights to Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Tourism Observer
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