Haikou City, located at the north end of Hainan Island has a total land area of 2304.84 square kilometers with 131 kilometers of coastline. It has a total population of 1.73 million people.
Also known as The Coconut City, Haikou is the capital of Hainan province and is the center of Hainan's government, culture, economy, and transportation. The World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health have identified Haikou as one of the healthiest cities in the world and it is recognized as "China's Best Tourism City,"
As the provincial capital Haikou has all the services and amenities that one would expect from a modern city. Xiuying and Xingang are the two main ports of Haikou, these two ports make this city also known as a port town that handles most of the island's commerce with the mainland. Meilan Airport is 18 kilometers from the urban area. All of the province's cities and counties are connected to Haikou by highway and the city's public transportation includes a convenient bus service and 24 hour taxis.
In the period since liberation, and particularly in the last twenty years Haikou has grown from a small backwater town reliant on handicrafts to one of the leading destinations in Asia, with infrastructure investment to match. Haikou's future plans include development of the northern bay area as a cosmopolitan residential living area, which with its stunning coastline, will be another complement to this famous economic and garden city in southern China..
Tourism activities in Haikou are plentiful. The location and geography of this tropical coastal city have led many visitors to compare the beaches to Hawaii. Whether you are seeking a quiet beach retreat, visiting the famous thermal areas, hiking in the hills and protected areas, or shopping in the city malls. Haikou has something for everyone.
There are more than 30 ethnic minority groups in the Hainan province,each group has their own culture and every group celebrates their cultural festival on the March 3rd every year. At the mean time, the groups will also celebrate the international coconut festival. At the end of November each year, all the Hainan people will celebrate the well known Hainan Happy Festival.
In Hainan, the traditional local products include coconut food , coconut made ornaments, natural sea pearl and crystal made jewellery and gold ornaments and so on. Hainan's traditional food include Wen Chang Chicken, Jiaji ducks, Hele crabs and Dongshan goats, etc.
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