Hainan Island by Road Bike

This 10-day tour circles Hainan Island by road bike, starting and finishing in Haikou. Riders follow the island's coastline past 300-year-old farming villages, volcanic rock formations, ancient salt fields and ocean-facing hot spring resorts, taking in the island's blend of tropical natural beauty and cultural history.

The route continues south through Dongfang and along "China's Hawaii," the beach-lined southern coast, to the modern city of Sanya, then along the east coast through aquaculture towns, coconut forests and a space launch site at Longlou. The final day passes through Tongguling Peak nature reserve, home to the rare Hainan gibbon, before finishing at windswept Mulan Bay.

Overnights are in a mix of city hotels and seaside resorts, with vehicle transfers used on four days to bypass busier urban roads.

Highlights:

• Cycle the full circumference of Hainan Island, from volcanic coastlines to tropical beaches
• Soak in natural hot springs and visit the historic Lin'gao Cape lighthouse
• Ride past centuries-old salt fields, aquaculture towns and the Dongjiao Coconut Forest
• Explore modern Sanya and spot rare wildlife including Chinese white dolphins
• Visit the 1930s Cai Family Mansion and China's Longlou space launch site
• Finish at Tongguling Peak nature reserve and the windswept beauty of Mulan Bay

Surface and terrain:

Well-paved roads and bike paths, with brief rougher asphalt or gravel sections. Terrain is consistently rolling rather than featuring sustained climbs, averaging 586 m of climbing per day. Some traffic-sharing through towns; four days use short van transfers (30–60 minutes) to bypass busier urban roads.

Weather:

Tropical and warm year-round, with average daily highs around 26°C, rarely below 18°C even in winter. Hot season (May–October) sees highs of 28–33°C, cooler months (November–April) range 20–26°C. Rainy season is May–October, heaviest in June–August. Humidity is high year-round.

Suitable for:

Rated "Fondo" difficulty. Suited to road cyclists with reasonable experience and good fitness comfortable with consistent daily distances around 105 km. Heat and humidity acclimatisation is recommended given the tropical conditions.