Beneath the arcades of the old town, people have been walking in the shade for a hundred years. Haikou's qilou, those gallery houses whose upper floors jut out over the sidewalk, shield passersby from the sun and the tropical downpours of Hainan, the large island off southern China. Chinese merchants who returned with fortunes made in Southeast Asia, the "Nanyang," built this district in the early twentieth century, blending Baroque stucco, Chinese balconies and colonial shutters: a look found nowhere else in the country, and the beating heart of this port of call.

From the Terminal to the Arcades

Ships dock at the port of Xiuying, in the western part of the city. A twenty-minute taxi or shuttle ride leads to the historic district. Haikou, a provincial capital of more than two million people, stretches along the strait that separates Hainan from the mainland; its wide avenues, palm trees and sea air give it the feel of a resort town rather than a metropolis, despite the new towers rising at the pace set by the island's free-trade zone status.

The Arcades of Qilou Old Street

The old quarter lines up several hundred of these restored gallery houses, along streets that are now partly pedestrian. Visitors wander among tea shops, noodle stalls and vendors selling freshly opened coconuts, beneath weathered mouldings that restorers have refreshed without over-polishing. The clock tower, standing opposite the old river port, serves as a landmark and houses an exhibition of old photographs; its upper floor offers a pleasant view over the surrounding rooftops. The place is best enjoyed slowly, with a cup of Hainan coffee in hand: the island roasts its own beans, a legacy of emigrants who returned from Malaysia, and serves it very sweet, in old-fashioned tea houses where regulars spend hours talking.

The Temple of the Five Lords

South of the centre, the Temple of the Five Lords honours five senior officials from the Tang and Song dynasties who were exiled to Hainan, then considered the edge of the world. Red-wood pavilions, banyan gardens and calligraphed stelae tell how these disgraced officials brought letters and schools to the island; locals still honour their memory with undiminished gratitude. The visit sheds light on the whole of Hainan's history: a land of exile that became a land of welcome.

A Volcano at the City's Doorstep

About 45 minutes' drive away, the Leiqiong Volcanic Geopark protects a field of extinct craters covered in tropical forest. Hand-cut lava steps climb to the rim of the main crater, between lychee trees and strangler banyans; the neighbouring villages have built their walls and houses from the same dark stone. The excursion pairs well with a visit to old Haikou for anyone with a full day to spare.

Practical Tips

Hainan's Table

The island gave its name to a dish known across Asia: Wenchang chicken, poached and served with rice cooked in its broth, which Singapore adopted as Hainanese chicken rice. Try it at the source, paired with qingbuliang, a chilled coconut-milk dessert topped with beans, fruit and sago pearls, perfect for this climate.

Haikou surprises with its gentleness. Few come here on purpose, yet they leave with the memory of shaded arcades, a cup of sweet coffee and a story of exiles turned builders. Discoveries made without fanfare are often the ones that last.