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Haikou is China's version of a Pacific paradise. None of the usual city bustle can be traced in this coastal town, even if it is the skyline-swathed capital of Hainan Province. Everything here moves in slow motion: cars inch like snails; locals wake up on the afternoon of the next day; and wanderers stroll the palm-lined streets in their silk pajamas. Apart from sun, sea and sand, there are ancient temples to explore and volcanic craters to conquer. It has the nuts and bolts of what can be expected from an island getaway, except for the hassling hawkers.
Haikou might be laidback, yet it is one of China's leading cities when it comes to environmental friendliness. The United Nations ranked it fifth among the world's 160 cities in terms of best air quality. The city's ground water is an international-standard mineral water. Waste recycling, noise pollution, and environmental-conscious construction are just some of the local government's policies that lead to virtually unspoiled settings like Holiday Beach and Xixiu Beach, where locals and tourists windsurf and jog or hangout in restaurants and bars.
The waters are also sparkling clean in Long Lou Zhen and Wen Chang Shi, Hainan's northeast coast that dabble as abalone farms where visitors can dive in shallow water to harvest clams, oysters and seaweeds. Boat trips, pineapple picking, and fish and shrimp catching can also be enjoyed in Dongzhai Harbor Mangrove Natural Reserve, which includes the evergreen Red Forest Nature Reserve.
China's rare collection of Holocene-era, 10,000-year-old dormant volcanoes is in Haikou Shishan Crater Cluster National Geological Park, where 40 volcanoes and about 30 caves are open for hiking. There are also abound 500,000 variants of coconut trees around the huts, winding trails, and beaches of Dongjiang Coconut Plantation, a famous destination for seafood dining and water sports.
A nationally-protected cultural site is the Tomb of Hairui, the bell-shaped resting place of Ming Dynasty's "incorruptible official." Another Ming Dynasty construction is Wugong Temple, set in lily-filled ponds, exotic palm trees, and winding bridges. Near Evergreen Park is the 19th-century fort, Xiuying Battery, with its cannons and underground chambers. Examples of old and traditional ethnic buildings can be spotted in Old Street and Qiongtai Academy, which have been immortalized in Cantonese and Qiong drama.
Trains from Guangdong arrive in Haikou not by rail but by ferry. It is not unusual that airfares to and from Haikou and Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou are offered half the original price even on peak season. Haikou is also a ferry hub to many mainland cities like Zhanjiang and Beihai.
Haikou Landmarks:
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