Hainan East Line 460km Self-Driving Full Guide! These 8 Free Check-in Spots Are Breathtaking

🌟 **Hainan East Line 460km Self-Driving Full Guide! These 8 Free Check-in Spots Are Breathtaking**

> **Wheels rolling over coconut groves and waves, half road and half ocean, this "Coastal Pastoral" route made me understand what true freedom is!**

When my car drove onto the Hainan Island Ring Road East Line, I truly understood the meaning of "Coastal Pastoral"—to the left are coconut groves and rice fields, to the right is a glassy sea surface. Rolling down the window, the salty sea breeze mixed with tropical fruit fragrance hits your face. This **460km essence section** (Haikou to Sanya) runs almost entirely along the coast. I spent 4 days and 3 nights and gained travel memories as cinematic as a movie.

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**🚗 Itinerary Overview: 4 Days 3 Nights Essence Route**
| Day | Highlights | Accommodation Suggestions |
|------|----------|----------|
| **Day1** | Haikou Arcade Old Street → Wenchang East Suburb Coconut Grove → Mulan Bay Lighthouse Sunset | Wenchang Coconut Grove Homestay |
| **Day2** | Qionghai Boao Yudai Beach → Wanning Shimei Bay → Riyue Bay Surfing | Wanning Seaside Inn |
| **Day3** | Lingshui Fuli Bay Road → Fenjiezhou Island → Sanya Houhai Village | Sanya Bay Seaview Hotel |
| **Day4** | Sun Bay Road → Luhuitou Overlook | Return Trip |

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**🌴 Must-Experience Activities: These 5 Tested Things Make the Trip Legendary**
1. **Camping at Mulan Bay Waiting for the Milky Way**
At Hainan’s northernmost Mulan Bay, there is one of **Asia’s tallest lighthouses**. When I arrived at dusk, the beach was almost empty. After pitching the tent and lighting a bonfire, at 2 a.m. the Milky Way descended, the lighthouse beam intertwined with starlight, and a long exposure on my phone captured stunning starry sky photos.
*Tips: Navigate to "Mulan Bay Campsite," free parking available, nearby villagers sell fresh coconuts (5 RMB each).*

2. **Be a Surfer at Wanning Riyue Bay**
Riyue Bay, popularized by the show "Summer Surf Shop," has gentle waves perfect for beginners. I spent 200 RMB renting a board plus 2 hours with a coach. The first time I stood on the surfboard, behind me was the coconut grove road, ahead the blue sea and sky, instantly understanding what "freedom on the wave crest" means.
*Tips: Surf shops are concentrated in Tianxin Village; recommended times are 8 a.m. or 4 p.m. to avoid strong sun.*

3. **“Coastal Movie Set” from Shimei Bay to Shenzhou Peninsula**
This **30km coastal road** is rated as "Hainan’s most beautiful aerial photography spot." When I flew my drone, the road looked like a ribbon winding through azure waters, with the red and white Shenzhou Peninsula lighthouse at the end, resembling a scene from the movie "The Vanished" (which was actually filmed here).

4. **Drink Freshly Picked Coconuts in East Suburb Coconut Grove**
The 500,000 coconut trees in Wenchang East Suburb Coconut Grove create a dense canopy. I learned from a local grandma how to hook coconuts with a long pole. The juice from the freshly cut coconut was three times sweeter than store-bought! Cycling the coconut grove trails at dusk, the light and shadow were dappled like the Land of Oz.

5. **Shoot “Supercar Blockbusters” on Sun Bay Road**
Near Sanya, Sun Bay Road winds in an S-shape along the mountain and sea. Rent a convertible (300 RMB/day), put on sunglasses, with the gradient jelly-like sea as the background, friends on social media all asked if I had gone to California’s Pacific Coast Highway.

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**📸 Photo Guide: 3 Spots to Instantly Become a Travel Blogger**
- **Mulan Bay Windmill Coast**: Shoot at 6 a.m., white windmills in the morning glow framed with the ocean. Use a wide-angle lens at a low angle to include beach rocks.
- **Riyue Bay Sea Gate**: After 4 p.m. with front light, surfer silhouettes and coconut grove road form a dynamic composition. Use a telephoto lens to compress space for more impact.
- **Fenjiezhou Island Cliffside Restaurant**: Drone shot from the mountaintop, the sea shows three layers of blue, green, and cyan. Wearing a red long dress is recommended to highlight the subject.

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**🍍 Food List: Authentic Flavors for 20 RMB per Person**
- **Wenchang Coconut Chicken**: At "Ruifeng Coconut Chicken" inside East Suburb Coconut Grove, the chicken is tender, and the broth is simmered with three coconuts. About 50 RMB per person.
- **Wanning Hele Crab**: Near Shimei Bay at "Xiehou Seafood Restaurant," steamed crab with secret sauce is full of rich roe, about 120 RMB each.
- **Lingshui Sour Rice Noodles**: Street stall on Xincun Port Road, smooth rice noodles with small dried fish, sour and spicy appetizer, 10 RMB/bowl.

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**💡 Practical Tips: One Guide to Avoid Pitfalls**
1. **Car Rental Choice**: Pick up at Haikou Meilan Airport. New energy vehicles are convenient for charging (charging pile coverage along coastal road reaches 92%), but SUVs are recommended as some wild sandy beach roads can cause sedans to bottom out.
2. **Avoid Peak Travel**: Prices triple during Spring Festival/National Day! Recommended months are March-May or September-November, fewer people, beautiful scenery, hotel average 200 RMB/night.
3. **Navigation Settings**: **Set waypoints in segments** (e.g., "Mulan Bay → Shimei Bay Sea View Pavilion") to avoid navigation errors directing you onto highways.
4. **Free Benefits**: All viewing platforms and beaches are free to enter, even camping at Mulan Bay is free.

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**A final little surprise**: Near Wenchang Mulan Bay, I accidentally found a wild sandy beach called "Baohu Jiao" (Tiger Embrace Corner). The reef rocks look like a crouching tiger, and at low tide a coral secret realm appears. Locals dig sea urchins here. At that moment, I suddenly understood—the beauty of Hainan East Line is half in the guide, the other half hidden in those corners you stumble upon by chance.

**Feel free to leave a comment to get the detailed route map PDF~👇**
(Continuously updating Hainan’s off-the-beaten-path experiences, follow me so you don’t get lost!)