10 Days in Qionghai

Settle in the county town; the century-old Xizai lanes and an evening market of Hainan's four famous dishes set the base.

1. qionghai xizai old street
2. qionghai city markets

The forum has met on Dongyu Island since its founding in February 2001; Lecheng's old temple courts sit where the Wanquan meets the sea.

1. qionghai boao forum site
2. qionghai lecheng island

Riverside village paths in the morning, bicycles through the 10,000-mu (about 667-hectare) farmland park after lunch.

1. qionghai shamei village
2. qionghai longshouyang farmland

An early start for the dawn catch unloading, then the harbour lanes where fishing families mend nets and dry the day's take.

1. qionghai tanmen port

A full museum day at the 2018 building — the Southern Song wreck of Huaguang Reef No. 1, recovered ceramics and the hand-copied route books fishermen kept for generations.

1. qionghai south china sea museum

The Jiaji-edge memorial records the women's platoon formed in May 1931 with factual exhibits; soak at Guantang in the afternoon.

1. qionghai red detachment memorial
2. qionghai guantang hot springs

Climb the granite hill to around 328 metres for plain-wide views, then the late river cruise back into the week's rhythm.

1. qionghai baishiling
2. qionghai wanquan river

An honestly labelled Wanning day — about an hour south, the Xinglong tropical botanical garden, laid out from 1957, grows coffee, cacao and spice trees along shaded paths.

1. qionghai xinglong plantation

A declared Haikou day, about an hour north by HSR — the arcade streets and harbour quarter; the full Haikou plan lives on the haikou pages.

1. haikou arcade old streets

A last market morning for dried seafood and coconut sweets, then the HSR or a flight out of Boao airport.

1. qionghai city markets