Hainan Island Self-Driving Tour in November 2023 - Haikou

Guangzhou Huadu — Seven-Day Self-Driving Travelogue on Hainan Island Seven-Day Itinerary November 3rd, Huadu-Qingfeng-Haikou (staying at Country Garden for 321 yuan) November 4th, Haikou-Lingao (waterfall)-Danzhou (Dongpo Academy-Millennium Salt Fields) staying at Haihua Island (350 yuan) November 5th, Danzhou-Wuzhishan-Xidao (Villa 468 yuan) November 6th, Xidao—Atlantis (Apartment 778 yuan) November 7th, Atlantis-Yingge Salt Field-Ledong (staying at Jiushuo Apartment for 463 yuan) November 8th, Ledong-Haikou (duty-free shop)-Zhanjiang (staying at Zhanjiang Apartment for 467 yuan) November 9th, Zhanjiang-Huadu The last time I went on a trip was at the end of 2019. What prompted this trip to Hainan was a few drinks during the National Day family dinner! As per the original plan, the three sisters arrived at Zhongda Garden one after another before 9 am on November 3rd, dilly-dallying until the brother-in-law came back, and finally set off at 9:20 am. Along the way, there were laughs and cheers, and two hours later, we arrived at the Shengtang Service Area. The service area had a nice environment, and everyone agreed to simply have lunch there, 93 yuan for three clay pot rice dishes, which five people couldn't finish, truly a conscientious lunch! After resting for about an hour, we continued our journey around 12:30 pm. The trip was smooth, and by 4 pm we were approaching Xuwen Port. Plans always change faster than expected, and with a command from the boss, we decided to go directly to Haikou, skipping the original plan to spend a night in Xuwen to visit the mainland's Antarctic Village and the Coral Nature Reserve. Fortunately, we were prepared, and with the experience of the Huizhou self-driving tour during the summer vacation, we didn't book a room in advance (otherwise, most of the current bookings on Ctrip do not accept refunds, and I don't have that much money to compensate!). So, we filled up the tank before crossing the sea and headed straight for Xuwen Port. Although we arrived at the ticket office at 16:35, due to the number of cars crossing, we could only get on the 19:00 ferry. While waiting to board, we booked a homestay near the port in Haikou. The 19:00 ferry was delayed a bit before setting sail, and we followed the crowd into the passenger cabin, quite worried that the big brother who drove alone to the car ferry might get lost. Finally, we reunited, settled down, and then took turns to have dinner on our own, eating instant noodles or a more luxurious self-heating meal. It was almost 21:00, and we followed the crowded flow of people off the ferry. While waiting for the big brother to drive out, we witnessed the orderly departure of large and extra-long vehicles from the ferry. At 22:10, we finally arrived at the booked homestay, Country Garden on Haidian Island in Meilan District, Haikou. The three-bedroom apartment cost 321 yuan, which was a good deal, and the house was quite exquisite. The five of us allocated the rooms, lined up for showers, and went to bed. November 4th, in the spirit of waking up naturally, the brother-in-law would certainly not get up early to hit the road. The three sisters all got up relatively early and went for a walk in the community. The community was not large, but the environment was elegant, and the greenery had the characteristics of Hainan. We took a walk, took some photos, basked in the sun, and began to enjoy the sunshine of Hainan. At 8:00 am, we finally received the signal to depart, packed our luggage, and set off for Hainan's morning tea. A teahouse located above the market, Meilan Jufu Dad's Tea Shop, we bought a group meal and ordered a few dim sums (the specialty was coconut jelly), and 148 yuan was enough to satisfy the five of us. Since the departure, we had been discussing the rumors of Hainan's tourist traps, and this price was indeed a bit of a surprise. After morning tea, we went to the arcade old street in Longhua District, Haikou. The arcade old street is a well-preserved historical district, famous for its unique architectural style and strong Nanyang atmosphere. Here, we admired various exquisite residential buildings, and we didn't buy a single coconut, but we did buy a 10 yuan turquoise and a 13 yuan golden turquoise. Five people drinking two coconuts, I wonder if the more we drink, the more we'll have, it's funny to think about! The Haikou Bell Tower is one of the most important symbolic and emblematic buildings in Haikou and a symbol of Haikou's culture. Located at No. 20 Changdi Road, Longhua District, Haikou City, Hainan Province, on the banks of Haidian Creek, it's not far from the arcade old street, just across a road. Because it was quite sunny, we just looked at it from the opposite side and didn't go over to pay our respects.