Qionghai! Less crowded than Sanya, cheaper than Wanning, this underrated small city in Hainan

While everyone in Hainan rushes to Sanya and Wanning, locals have quietly been escaping to Qionghai! Here, the beaches aren’t packed, seafood is served by the basin, and prices are so friendly you’ll want to stay for a month—

🚗 Lazy Traveler’s Transport Guide

- ✈️ Fly to Haikou Meilan Airport, then take a half-hour bullet train directly to Qionghai; you can smell the sea breeze as soon as you get off the train
- 🚄 The island high-speed rail goes straight to Qionghai Station/Bo’ao Station; it’s only 1.5 hours from Sanya, even faster than going to Wanning
- 🚙 Driving is even freer! Hainan highways are toll-free, so you can chase sunsets by car and stop anytime to daydream by the sea

🏨 No-Risk Accommodation

- 🌊 Want to lie down and watch the sea? Choose Bo’ao Asia Bay, where you can get a sea view room for 500 RMB, with a pool that leads directly to the beach
- ♨️ Want to soak in hot springs? Guan Tang Holiday Hotel is a no-brainer, 400 RMB for a private hot spring bath, perfect for collapsing into the pool when tired
- 💰 Budget travelers head to Jin Furong Resort, 300 RMB for a garden room, just a 10-minute walk to Tanmen Fishing Port for seafood

📸 Must-Do List (Less Crowded, Great for Photos)

- 🏖️ Yudai Beach: Half South China Sea, half river; run barefoot on the sand with waves chasing you from behind for the perfect shot
- 🚢 Tanmen Fishing Port: Get there early to catch fishing boats returning, snap photos of fishermen unloading seafood, and watch the sunset turn the sea orange in the evening
- 🌾 Beireng Village: Spread a cloth by the rice fields for a picnic, wear a straw hat for Japanese-style photos; locals bring their kids here for walks
- 🌅 Story of the Sea: Come in the evening to sit on the seaside swing, order a mango smoothie, and watch the sunset stretch your shadow long

🍜 Foodie Must-Try (Stuff Yourself for Around 20 RMB)

- 🍚 Hainan Rice Noodles: At “Mocun Noodle Shop” in Jiajizhen, 10 RMB a bowl, piled high with toppings, the savory sauce will make you stomp your feet
- 🦆 Jiajizhen Duck: The most authentic is white-cut! Crispy skin, tender meat, dipped in sand ginger garlic sauce, perfect with cold beer
- 🦢 Hot Spring Goose: At roadside stalls in Guantang, 30 RMB for half a goose; the goose fat aroma mixed with the lively street atmosphere goes perfectly with rice—you could eat three bowls
- 🌶️ Fermented Vinegar Soup: Sour and spicy to whet your appetite! With snail meat, seaweed, and crab sticks, 15 RMB a bowl; you’ll want to lick the bowl clean after drinking the soup
- 🥥 Qingbuliang (Cold Dessert): Find any night market stall, 10 RMB piled with red beans, watermelon, coconut meat, topped with freshly squeezed coconut milk, so cold it numbs your head

⚠️ Tips to Avoid Pitfalls

- Don’t buy overpriced souvenirs at the Bo’ao Forum site; just take a photo at the entrance
- Buy seafood at Tanmen Fishing Port Market, pick fresh and have it cooked on the spot; processing fees are clearly marked (usually 10 RMB per portion)
- Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Or you’ll get “Hainan black” in one day
- Rent an electric scooter to circle Bo’ao, 30 RMB a day; feel the sea breeze while exploring the island, much better than taking taxis

Stop wondering where to go in Hainan—Qionghai is the place that makes you never want to leave—after all, who can resist a holiday with “uncrowded beaches, unlimited seafood, and spending money without worry”? 😉