Hainan's only underrated romantic ancient town, it's incredible
A deep dive into four ancient towns around Hainan🏮. We've selected 4 niche, authentic, and low-commercialization island ancient towns for an immersive experience of Qiongzhou's ancient architecture and local life. Perfect for a short, high-value getaway✨
Luoyi Ancient Village🌿 (Chengmai Old Town)
📍Location: Luoyi Village, Laocheng Town, Chengmai County
An ancient, authentic volcanic stone village in Hainan with a thousand-year history. Dating back to the Song Dynasty, the entire village is built from volcanic rock. Over 400 ancient stone houses are arranged in rows, with deep, quiet alleys and coconut groves. It is rarely visited by tourists and remains the most complete, living ancient settlement in northern Hainan.
✨Key Highlights
① Typical northern Hainan volcanic architectural style, featuring black salt wood beams and volcanic rock walls. Ancient archways, ancestral halls, and thousand-year-old wells are perfectly preserved. The mossy stone alleys are full of historical charm.
② Extremely restrained commercialization. No trendy souvenir shops; the village retains its original farming lifestyle. Villagers chat in the alleys and tend to their livestock, offering a simple, healing atmosphere that preserves the look of the village from a century ago.
🚗Transportation
40-minute drive from Haikou, with free open-air parking at the village entrance. Alternatively, take the high-speed train to Haikou Station and transfer to a local bus for a 50-minute ride to Luoyi Ancient Village.
🏨Accommodation Recommendations
Economy (US$14–20): Farmhouse courtyards at the village entrance, clean and simple, convenient for exploring the alleys. Comfort (US$22–30): Volcanic stone house-themed homestays, with views of coconut groves and ancient alleys from the window. Quality (US$35–50): Ancient northern Hainan-style courtyards, offering a quiet, exclusive island breeze.
🍜Local Specialties
Fushan coffee, Bailian goose, sweet potato noodles, coconut sticky rice cakes, and farmhouse wild vegetable stew—authentic northern Hainan flavors.
Puqian Ancient Town💧 (Wenchang Puqian)
📍Location: Puqian Town, Wenchang City
A century-old coastal trading port in Hainan, thriving because of its proximity to the sea. Long, old-fashioned Nanyang-style arcade streets stretch out, with mottled walls etched with the marks of time from the hometown of overseas Chinese. Far from the crowded popular bays, it retains the most authentic fishing port atmosphere.
✨Key Highlights
① A century-old Nanyang-style trading town, featuring rows of retro arcades, an ancient pier, and the sites of century-old businesses. The intricate carvings on the door lintels bear witness to the prosperity of ancient Qiongzhou's maritime trade.
② No excessive tourism development. The old street is filled with local, long-standing snack shops and fishing supply stores. The end of the street leads directly to the fishing port, where you can watch boats return and seafood being traded, offering a rich, authentic fishing village atmosphere.
🚗Transportation
1-hour drive from Haikou, with large free parking lots on the outskirts of the ancient town. Alternatively, take a bus from Wenchang Passenger Station to Puqian Town, then a 20-minute ride to the old street entrance.
🏨Accommodation Recommendations
Economy (US$15–22): Affordable fishing inns in the town area, great value. Comfort (US$24–36): Nanyang-style homestays for an immersive experience of the overseas Chinese heritage. Quality (US$39–54): Boutique coastal courtyards, perfect for enjoying the sunset over the fishing port.
🍜Local Specialties
Puqian Zaopo vinegar, mackerel porridge, seafood noodle soup, Wenchang chicken rice, and coconut milk Qingbuliang—authentic eastern Hainan coastal snacks.
Zhonghe Ancient Town📜 (Danzhou Zhonghe)
📍Location: Zhonghe Town, Danzhou City
A thousand-year-old cultural hub in Hainan and a nationally recognized historical and cultural town. This is where Su Dongpo lived in exile and studied. The ancient streets are simple and long, with old residences and academies scattered throughout. It is quiet, has very low commercialization, and is a severely underrated secret of western Hainan's cultural heritage.
✨Key Highlights
① A thousand-year-old administrative center of Danzhou, featuring the well-preserved Dongpo Academy, Ningji Temple, and Ming and Qing dynasty streets. With volcanic stone roads and old eaves with dark tiles, the cultural atmosphere has endured for a thousand years.
② Far from the mainstream tourist circuit, with no noisy trendy businesses. The streets are dominated by the lives of local residents, with old-fashioned tea shops and local eateries everywhere. The pace is slow and comfortable, offering a simple and pure local life.
🚗Transportation
2-hour drive from Haikou, with a free parking area at the entrance of the ancient town. Alternatively, take the high-speed train from Haikou to Danzhou Station, then transfer to a local bus for a 30-minute ride to Zhonghe Ancient Town.
🏨Accommodation Recommendations
Economy (US$15–21): Convenient inns on the old street, within walking distance of the ancient academy streets. Comfort (US$23–34): Western Hainan courtyard homestays, surrounded by greenery and elegant. Quality (US$37–52): Boutique courtyards with a Dongpo cultural theme, perfect for enjoying the quiet night in the ancient town.
🍜Local Specialties
Danzhou Milan, Luoji Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), red fish porridge, alkaline water buns, and farmhouse chicken soup—authentic western Hainan mountain and local flavors.
Sanqing Ancient Village🪨 (Haikou Shishan)
📍Location: Sanqing Village, Shishan Town, Xiuying District, Haikou City
An 800-year-old Song Dynasty volcanic lava village located on a volcanic plateau. The entire village preserves rows of volcanic stone houses, walls, and alleys. The iconic Anhua Ancient Building stands in the village. It is a niche, undeveloped gem and the pinnacle of authentic ancient villages in the suburbs of Haikou.
✨Key Highlights
① A volcanic settlement dating back to the Song Dynasty, with over 90% of the original stone houses and alleys preserved. The volcanic lava landscape blends with the ancient architecture, featuring winding stone steps and towering ancient trees. It's a fantastic spot for niche, vintage-style photography.
② Completely authentic with no commercial packaging. There are no assembly-line shops, and the village is quiet and peaceful, retaining the most primitive volcanic village appearance. Perfect for a quiet stroll and clearing your mind.
🚗Transportation
30-minute drive from downtown Haikou, with free public parking on the outskirts of the ancient village. Alternatively, take a bus to the Shishan area and walk for 10 minutes to reach Sanqing Ancient Village.
🏨Accommodation Recommendations
Economy (US$14–20): Farmhouse courtyards in the town center, simple, clean, and cozy. Comfort (US$22–30): Volcanic mountain homestays, quiet and suitable for a deep, slow-paced trip. Quality (US$34–47): Boutique mountain residences in lava-built structures, offering an immersive experience of northern Hainan's volcanic charm.
🍜Local Specialties
Shishan black tofu, braised goat, Yi ba (rice cakes), sweet potato leaves, and handmade sweet fermented rice—authentic farmhouse flavors in the suburbs of Haikou.
🚗4-Day Self-Drive Itinerary
Route Overview
Depart from Haikou → Luoyi Ancient Village (D1) → Puqian Ancient Town (D2) → Zhonghe Ancient Town (D3) → Sanqing Ancient Village (D4) → Return
The road conditions around the island are smooth, and the pace is relaxed, making it suitable for friends traveling together or short, deep family trips.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Haikou → Luoyi Ancient Village (approx. 40 mins)
Depart in the morning for the northern Hainan volcanic ancient village. Stroll through the thousand-year-old stone house alleys, visit ancient ancestral halls and wells, and experience the authentic island village life. Overnight in Chengmai.
Day 2: Chengmai → Puqian Ancient Town (approx. 1 hr)
Drive in the morning to the Wenchang overseas Chinese port. Stroll through the century-old arcade streets, check out the authentic fishing port scenery, and unlock the slow coastal life of eastern Hainan. Overnight in Wenchang.
Day 3: Wenchang → Zhonghe Ancient Town (approx. 2 hrs)
Head to the thousand-year-old cultural town of Danzhou in the afternoon. Wander through the Dongpo Academy and ancient streets, read about the thousand-year cultural heritage of Qiongzhou, and enjoy the quiet time in the ancient town. Overnight in Danzhou.
Day 4: Danzhou → Sanqing Ancient Village (approx. 2 hrs) → Return
Stroll through the Haikou volcanic ancient village in the morning, weave through the lava stone house alleys, experience the 800-year-old Song Dynasty architectural style, and immerse yourself in the authentic charm of northern Hainan before heading home.