48-Hour Hiking Trip in Haikou | A Weekend Special Forces-Style Tour of the Old Qilou Streets, Haikou Bay Night View, and Volcanic Crater, with a Money-Saving and Scam-Avoiding Checklist

How to complete a high-density itinerary in Haikou over a two-day, one-night weekend? This guide breaks it down into "city center connections + suburban highlights," providing only feasible routes. Day 1 starts with the Qilou Old Street, connecting the night view of Haikou Bay and the night market; Day 2 offers a choice between the Volcanic Crater Geological Park and a more in-depth exploration of the old town, a well-paced but not rushed schedule. The entire itinerary is concise and avoids unnecessary detours, making it suitable for young tourists arriving in Haikou on Friday evening and returning on Sunday afternoon.

Day 1: High-density check-in in the city center

Starting from the Bell Tower in the morning, walk along Deshengsha Road and Zhongshan Road into the Qilou Old Street area. The gables of the Qilou buildings blend Baroque and Nanyang styles. Focus on the arcades, parapets, and shutters. Don't linger too long at the trendy shops on the main street. Turn onto Bo'ai North Road and Dongmen Market. For breakfast, choose a bowl of Hainanese noodles or spicy rice soup. Hainanese noodles are thin rice noodles with peanuts, pickled vegetables, and dried beef. Spicy rice soup is rice with peppered pork offal soup. Pack a glass of salted lemonade to go – it's sour, salty, and slightly sweet, perfect for sipping while walking. You can explore the core area of the entire area in about two hours.

Have lunch in the alleys around the arcades; spicy soup rice with pan-fried sausage or beef brisket rice is a safer bet than at the larger restaurants on the main street. After lunch, head to Wanlv Park and cycle or walk along the coastal path, enjoying views of Haikou Bay and the Century Bridge. The park has large lawns, perfect for relaxing; about an hour and a half should be enough. In the afternoon, choose between Xixiu Beach or Baishamen Park. Xixiu Beach is less crowded and is a sailing training base. There are reefs near the shore, offering great photos of the city coastline and views of the Qiongzhou Strait. If you have extra time, you can skip Wugong Temple and save time to watch fishermen hauling in their nets along the Haidian Creek, experiencing a more authentic local atmosphere.

In the evening, return to Haikou Bay or under the Century Bridge, and secure a good spot before sunset. Start enjoying the night view from when the bridge lights up. Walk along the Haikou Bay promenade to the exterior of the Cloud Cave Library; its shape resembles an alien capsule. Just take a photo from the outside; no need to queue to go inside. For dinner, head to the Ocean University of China South Gate Night Market. There are two types of "Qingbuliang" (a sweet soup), one with coconut milk and one with coconut water. "Zha Zha" consists of various skewers fried and then brushed with sauce. "Zhaobo Cu" is a hot and sour soup base with seafood and vegetables. Eat small portions of each dish in one go, finishing around 9 PM.

Day 2: A scenic route through the suburbs or an in-depth exploration of the old town.

Option A involves visiting the Leiqiong Haikou Volcanic Cluster World Geopark. In the morning, you'll climb the volcanic cones, see the lava tunnels and crater lakes. The temperature inside the lava tunnels is lower than outside, so a light jacket is recommended. From the highest point in Haikou, you can see the Qiongzhou Strait. The entire trip takes about two and a half hours and is suitable for tourists who enjoy natural geology. For lunch, return to the city for Ding'an beef or local pork knuckle rice. In the afternoon, return to the Qilou area to catch up on any remaining snacks; Xitianmiao dessert and Dongmen Market dried goods are good choices.

Option B allows for a more in-depth exploration of the old town, starting from Xitian Temple. Offer sweet potato soup and red bean soup for dessert. Then walk along Yixing Street and Longhua Road, looking for traditional salted drinks such as salted yellow peel fruit and salted lemon. Salted yellow peel fruit along Longhua Road is only available in summer; if you miss it, try salted lemon. Next, visit the Hainan Provincial Museum (advance reservation required) to learn about Hainan's history and ethnic minority cultures. Finally, watch the sunset at Baishamen Park; the beach is spacious and less crowded than the Holiday Beach.

Practical Tips

Transportation Savings Card: From the airport to the city center, you can take the suburban train or airport bus. The suburban train has shorter intervals and is faster than the airport bus. Within the city, the most cost-effective option is a combination of shared bicycles and public transportation. To reach the volcano crater, you can take the tourist bus line. The distances between Qilou, Wanlv Park, and Haikou Bay are short; walking or cycling is more time-efficient than taking a taxi and avoids waiting time. Haikou buses support QR code payment, but external metro cards may not be universally accepted. It's advisable to activate a local QR code before departure.

Packing list: High SPF sunscreen, sunglasses, portable raincoat, power bank, comfortable sneakers, light jacket (it's windy in Haikou Bay at night), empty water bottle. Bring mosquito repellent in summer, and a light long-sleeved shirt in winter.

Avoid queuing pitfalls: Yundong Library requires advance reservations, as there's a high chance of not getting a ticket if you queue on-site; weekend slots are released three days in advance. The night market at the south gate of Ocean University of China opens after 6:30 PM, with peak weekend hours from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM; arriving between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM will make it easier to find a spot. The salted lemon drink on Qilou Main Street has long queues; turning into Bo'ai Road will get you the same drink faster. The crater geological park is less crowded in the morning, but tour groups increase significantly in the afternoon.