Haikou (Haidian Island China)

Haikou New Port (fka "Inner Harbour") is a seaport in China's Hainan province. The port is located on Hainan Island's northern coast, approx 7 km (4 ml) east of Haikou Xiuying Port. The port is Hainan's main distribution centre (mainly for seafood) and featured a wholesale fish market (at its eastern end). In 2017, the fish market was relocated on Xinbu Island (to the east of Haidian Island).

Haikou New Port was structurally improved in 1953 by building cement foundations. In 1973 the site was majorly expanded and its max draft (depth) was increased by dredging. Other port development projects included building storage facilities and a shipyard. The fish market provided seafood to all the city's markets and restaurants. Several buildings (adjacent to the market) were used for fish storage and processing, as well as for producing ice blocks (later chipped and sold to seafood dealers). Next photo shows Haikou Xiuying Port.

Haikou City is Hainan's capital and largest city (population over 2 million) located by the mouth of Nandu River. The city's northern part forms the Haidian Island district. As a prefecture-level city, Haikou comprises 4 urban districts (Qiongshan, Meilan, Xiuying, Longhua) and covers a total area of approx 2280 km2 (880 ml2). Originally built as port city, current-day Haikou serves over 1/2 of the island's shipping trade.

By land area, the 4 urban districts are ranked as follows: Qiongshan (940 km2), Meilan (553 km2), Xiuying (512 km2) and Longhua (275 km2). The most populous is Meilan (over 0,63 million).

Among Haikou City's best-known tourist attractions are Evergreen Park (city's largest), Baishamen Park (created in 2010, with an amusement park), Golden Bull Park (with a zoo, lake, large bamboo forest), Binhai Park (with a lake), People's Park (downtown, used for morning exercises / tai chi, aerobics), International Friendship Park, Hongcheng Lake (city's largest, with 3 islands), Holiday Beach (length 7 km / 4,3 ml), Dongzhai Nature Reserve (China's first protected mangrove forest, located approx 15 km / 9,3 ml southeast of the city).

Haidian Island's north coast faces Qiongzhou Strait (aka Hainan Strait) separating the island from mainland China (Leizhou Peninsula, Guangdong). The island's east coast faces Xinbu Island. The island is served by regularly scheduled ferries (run by Guangdong-Hainan Ferry company / part of Guangdong–Hainan Railway). The largest ferries are Ro-Ro vessels that carry passengers along with railcars and automobiles across Hainan Strait.

On December 25, 2017, was launched a new roundtrip China-Vietnam cruise route from Haikou to Halong Bay. The service was run by the ship Glory Sea (previously operated as "Celestyal Odyssey" by Celestyal Cruises). Diamond Cruise Line (China) owned vessel with over 700 passengers departed for the first time from Port Haikou on Christmas Day (Dec 25) at around 3 pm. The 2002-built cruise ship was last refurbished in 2016 (in China), has 7 decks and capacity 840 passengers plus 230 crew. Following the China-Vietnam route's inauguration (2017), the Glory Sea ship in 2018 started Haikou roundtrips to the Philippines. The maiden voyage departed on January 21, 2018.

In May 2019, China’s Ministry of Transport officially approved Cruises to Nowhere leaving roundtrip from homeports Sanya and Haikou. The deal allows China-based liners to operate on itineraries not visiting a foreign port.