Haikou hidden gems: Discover the city's real soul beyond the tourist trail

I've lost count of how many times I've watched tourists leave Haikou saying "it was fine" — and it breaks my heart every time. Because the real Haikou? It's never in the glossy brochures. It's in the volcanic stone villages where farmers still draw water from ancient wells, in a beach where you can sit alone for sunset, in a backstreet food stall that has no English sign but serves the best Wenchang chicken of your life.

Here is the thing: most visitors stick to Qilou Old Street and Holiday Beach, which are fine but packed. The hidden gems I'm about to share require a little effort — a taxi ride to the outskirts, a walk down an unmarked alley, or a willingness to eat at a plastic stool. Trust me, it's worth it. And the best part? You'll have these places almost to yourself.

Hidden Gem #1: Rongtang Village – A Volcanic Time Capsule

About 30 minutes southwest of downtown, Rongtang Village is a 800-year-old settlement built entirely from black volcanic basalt. Unlike the polished volcano park nearby, this place is raw, lived-in, and completely off most itineraries.

How to get there

Take a Didi (taxi app) to 荣堂村 (Róngtáng Cūn). Show the driver: 海口市秀英区荣堂村. The ride from Guomao area costs about 50-70 CNY (6-10 USD) and takes roughly 40 minutes. No entry fee. The village is open 24/7, but visit between 9 AM and 11 AM for the best light on the stone walls.

What to see and do

Wander through narrow lanes lined with moss-covered volcanic blocks. Look for the 72 Volcanic Caves — a network of underground lava tubes used as shelters during wartime. They're dark and uneven, so bring a headlamp (your phone flash won't cut it). I once watched a group of locals pulling water from a well that's been in use since the Ming dynasty — they even let me try the pulley system.

Practical tips

• Payment: No shops inside the village. Bring small bills (cash) if you want to buy sugarcane juice from the roadside stand near the entrance.
• Navigation: Apple Maps shows "Rongtang Village" accurately, but the lane details are unreliable. Just follow the main path and look for the wood sign pointing to the caves.
• Best photo spot: The collapsed stone archway at the east end, right before the rice paddies. Around 10 AM the sunlight creates a dramatic shadow pattern.
• Coming here with children? The uneven ground is a tripping hazard. Keep them close near the caves.

Hidden Gem #2: Fudi Food Street – Eat Where the Locals Eat

Skip the touristy food courts on Qilou. Head to Fudi Food Street (福地美食街) near East Lake. It's a narrow lane packed with two dozen food stalls that barely have a website, let alone an English menu. But the food? Unforgettable.

Timing and navigation

Come at 6 PM sharp — that's when the stalls open. By 7 PM the street is packed with locals. The entrance is marked by a red lantern archway on Yuren Road (显示地址: 海口市龙华区玉仁路). Show the taxi driver: 福地美食街.

Hidden Gem #3: West Xiuying Beach – Your Private Sunset Spot

Holiday Beach is overcrowded, chairs cost 80 CNY, and the water isn't cleaner. Ten minutes farther west lies West Xiuying Beach (西秀海滩). No stalls, no jet skis, just sand, sea, and a handful of locals flying kites. The sunset here? It paints the sky in layers of peach and lavender, and you'll have almost the whole beach to yourself.

Getting there and entry

Take Didi to 西秀海滩公园 (West Xiuying Beach Park). From downtown, it's a 30-minute ride, about 40-60 CNY. No entry fee. The beach is open 24/7, but the best sunset is from June to September around 18:30; winter sunset around 17:30. Note: there are no lifeguards, so swimming is at your own risk.

What to bring

• Your own towel and water — the nearest convenience store is a 10-minute walk east.
• A sarong or blanket to sit on. The sand gets hot even in late afternoon.
• Mosquito repellent — once the sun goes down, the sandflies come out.

I usually stop by a fruit shop on Longhua Road on the way, grab a chilled young coconut (about 8 CNY), and just sit there watching the fishing boats bob on the horizon. No screaming vendors, no tour groups — just the sound of waves and the occasional splash of a fish jumping.

Hidden Gem #4: Haikou Library Old Wing – Silence and Stories

Most people visit the shiny new Haikou Library downtown. The old wing, a few blocks away on Binhai Avenue, is a forgotten gem. Built in the 1950s, it's a two-story colonial building with creaky wooden floors, ceiling fans, and stacks of moldy books in Chinese and a few in English.

Not a typical library experience

Hardly any tourists come here. You'll find a few elderly locals reading newspapers under the banyan trees. The library itself is free to enter; just show your passport at the front desk. They'll register you in a handwritten ledger — a charmingly analog process. The top floor reading room has high windows that let in the afternoon light, perfect for a quiet hour with a book.

Details for visitors

• Address: 32 Binhai Avenue, Haikou (海口市滨海大道32号). Show this to a taxi driver.
• Open hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM daily (closed Mondays).
• Photography: Allowed in the reading room, but ask before taking pictures of staff or patrons.
• Note: No air conditioning. Bring a folding fan if you come in summer.

Hidden Gem #5: The Art Alley Behind Qilou – Street Art Without the Crowds

Qilou Old Street itself is a bustling tourist corridor. But if you slip into the narrow lane that runs parallel behind the main arcades (between Xinhua Road and Zhongshan Road), you'll discover an alley covered in local street art. Murals of Hainanese fishermen, mother-of-pearl inlay, and giant hibiscus flowers cover the walls, painted by a collective of Haikou artists in 2022.

How to find it

From the Qilou main arch at Zhongshan Road, walk east into the alley next to the "Yan'an Pharmacy" (延安药店). The alley is about 100 meters long, ends at a small courtyard with a dried seafood shop. Look up for the best murals — some are on second-story shutters.

Best time to visit

Weekday mornings between 8 and 10 AM, before the shops open and the tourists flood in. The alley is narrow, so you'll get clean shots then. No entrance fee. The art changes every few months, so even if you've visited before, there might be something new.

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