Haikou city is best explored on foot. But if you’re keen to spread your wings and see more distant parts of the capital, you can always experience taking public transport such as buses, tourism buses and taxis.
As well as being affordable, they’re also a great way to move around quickly, without having to worry about the hassle of parking a car somewhere.
But make sure you’re ready for the challenge of trying to communicate the name of the bus stops you need, in Chinese. Don’t worry, it’s all part of your adventures in Haikou!
Currently, there are more than 103 bus lines, including tourist ones. The City Bus, for example, is perfect for giving an overview of the whole city as it stops at the Hainan Museum, the Arcade Streets (Bell Tower Station), Evergreen Park, Five Ancient Ministers Memorial Temple and South Bus Station, among others.
A ticket costs 1 yuan, 0.13 euros approximately. Some of the stops are covered by the line 35 and 50 as well. The latter also includes the amazing Golden Beach, Holiday Beach, the Port Market and Xinhua Market.
If you’re travelling as a tourist, it can be difficult to get used to everything to start with, especially if you’re not familiar with the routes. If that’s the case, why not kick off with Tourist Bus Line 1, with a ticket fare starting at 5 yuan?
It stops at the Bell Tower, Evergreen Park, Haikou Port (Xiuying Port), Xixiu Beach, Holiday Beach and at the Hainan International Convention Center.
Should you prefer to explore the city deeper, you can always take the Bus Line 2, with a ticket fare starting at 15 yuan. Stops include the Evergreen Park, Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden, Xixiu Beach, Guanhaitai and the Leiqiong Global Geopark Hainan.
When it’s time to return to Haikou’s Meilan International Airport, you can take Haikou Airport Bus Line 1, with stops at the Civil Aviation Hotel, Hainan Opera Theatre and Five Ancient Ministers Memorial Temple.
The ticket fare starts at 20 yuan. And don’t forget, there’s always a taxi if you need to get to the airport faster to meet your check-in time.
If you decide to take a taxi to go to the city center once you land at Haikou’s Meilan International Airport or on your way back, make sure you look for a licensed vehicle. This way you’ll make sure you’ll get the best service possible.
Drivers are usually very friendly and welcoming, giving you a great first impression of Hainan island.
Be adventurous and try out some of the buses to get you around Haikou. You can always start out with the tourist lines to get comfortable. These have information translated into several different languages onboard, to help you out.