Hainan
This is China’s smallest and southernmost province. Hainan Island is the main island. Its capital is Haikou. Aside from islands, Hainan boasts of many rivers and lakes, including the Wanning and Changhua Rivers. Unlike other areas of China, natural rivers are few in number in this southernÂmost area.
Hainan’s climate ranges from subtropical to tropical. Haikou’s climate is subtropical, as are other areas in northern Hainan. The farther south you travel, however, the cliÂmate is more tropical (warmer temperatures are the norm). Winter temperatures range from 16°C to 21°C; summer temperatures are between 25°C to 29°C. As tourists would expect, summers are hot. This is parÂticularly true in northern areas of Hainan.
A few notes about local cuisine:
Dig in on seafood! Chefs prepare many meals with shrimp, lobster, crab, and other sea life creatures.
Wenchang chicken: a drier meat with lots of texture.
Hainan chicken rice: a dish with rice mariÂnated in chicken soup.
Attractions
Five Officials Temple: Built in honour of the five Tang (618-907 AD) and Song dynasty officials (960-1279). This site is southeast of Haikou. The temple complex has many buildings, including the Guanjia Hall, Xuepu Hall, East and West Hall, and the Ancestral Hall of the Two Fubo Generals.
Yangpu Ancient Salt Field: An archaeologiÂcal heritage site in Yantian Village. See more than one thousand stones that evapoÂrate seawater to produce salt (stones are cut on top). Stones are equipped with a thin rim to contain water.
Yanoda: A rainforest located near Sanya. The Chinese government has reserved forty-five square kilometres for the Cultural Tourist Zone, while the rest of the rainforest (123 square kilometres) is fully protected. China’s tourism department has rated this attraction AAAAA, the highest rating on the country’s rate scale.
