7 Days in Qionghai

Settle in the county town and walk the century-old Xizai lanes to the river; Hainan's four famous dishes are on every corner table.

1. qionghai xizai old street

The forum has met on Dongyu Island since February 2001; the little isle of Lecheng keeps the old Lehui county temple courts at the river mouth.

1. qionghai boao forum site
2. qionghai lecheng island

Riverside paths through Shamei village in the morning, then bicycles through the 10,000-mu (about 667-hectare) farmland park's rice rows.

1. qionghai shamei village
2. qionghai longshouyang farmland

Dawn unloading at the port, then the 2018 museum's Southern Song wreck of Huaguang Reef No. 1 and the fishermen's hand-copied route books.

1. qionghai tanmen port
2. qionghai south china sea museum

The memorial at Jiaji's edge records the women's platoon formed in May 1931 — factual exhibits; an afternoon soak closes the day at Guantang.

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

The granite hill climbs to around 328 metres for views over the plain, then the late river cruise slows the week back down.

1. qionghai baishiling
2. qionghai wanquan river

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

1. qionghai city markets