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China allows ordinary passport holders from 59 countries to enter Hainan Province visa free for a range of purposes. This policy aims to promote tourism, business, trade, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions, and sports competitions in the region.

Eligible countries include Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Monaco, and Belarus.

Travelers can enjoy a visa-free stay in Hainan for up to 30 days, starting from 00:00 on the day following their entry. They can enter through any of Hainan’s ports open to foreign countries. To make their way to Hainan, visitors can take civil airlines, business charter flights, or cruise ships. They must enter through Haikou Meilan International Airport, Sanya Fenghuang International Airport, Qionghai Boao Airport, Yangpu Port, Haikou Port, Qinglan Port, Basuo Port, or Sanya Port. Border inspection authorities will approve the entry without the need for prior declaration. Travelers must arrive directly from their country or transit via a third country, Hong Kong, or Macao to qualify for visa-free entry.

While in Hainan, travelers can explore the entire administrative area of the province. If they wish to extend their stay or travel to other parts of China, they need to apply for a visa at the exit-entry administrations of Hainan’s public security authorities before their visa-free period expires.

If a mutual visa exemption agreement exists between a traveler’s country and China, those provisions will take precedence. Travelers can choose the most suitable policy if multiple visa exemptions apply.

Tourism Surge in Hainan:

The Hainan provincial department of tourism, culture, radio, television, and sports reported a significant increase in inbound tourism for the first half of this year, with approximately 495,800 visitors. This marks an impressive 251.6% year-on-year growth, highlighting Hainan’s rising popularity as a travel destination.

Hainan, China’s only tropical island province, serves as a popular tourist destination. The island is home to the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park and features three international airports, a high-speed loop line, and the Coastal Scenic Highway, making travel easy. Hainan hosts numerous international events like the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, China International Consumer Products Expo, Hainan Island International Film Festival, Hainan Island Carnival, Tour of Hainan, and Round Hainan Regatta. Tourists can enjoy activities such as surfing, yacht rides, rainforest tours, and experiencing local culture.

Hainan also stands out as China’s largest special economic zone and the world’s largest free trade port. The province boasts a comprehensive policy framework supporting free trade, characterized by zero tariffs, low tax rates, a simplified tax system, and the free flow of trade, investment, capital, people, and data. Hainan has developed a modern industrial system with “four pillars, three strengths, and three premium service sectors,” leading its economic progress.

Airports in Hainan:

Haikou Meilan International Airport:

Haikou Meilan International Airport serves as the primary gateway to Haikou, the capital of Hainan province in South Central China. Located 25 km (16 mi) southeast of the city center, the airport opened in 1999, replacing the old Dayingshan Airport situated along what is now Guoxing Avenue. Operated by Hainan Meilan International Airport Company Limited, it is the largest and busiest airport in Hainan, having handled 24.216 million passengers in 2019, ranking it 17th among China’s civil airports.

Sanya Phoenix International Airport:

Sanya Phoenix International Airport is the main aviation hub for the city of Sanya in South Central China’s Hainan province, positioned about 15 km (9 mi) northwest of the city center. Spanning nearly ten thousand acres, the airport boasts a runway 3,400 meters (11,200 feet) long and 60 meters (200 feet) wide, capable of accommodating large aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340. It is the second busiest airport in Hainan, following Haikou Meilan International Airport. Notably, Sanya Phoenix International Airport was the first in Hainan to launch transcontinental air service, with Transaero Airlines starting non-stop flights from Moscow in 2007. Although this service ceased in 2015 with Transaero’s closure, airlines like IrAero, Alrosa, and Azur Air have resumed flights from various Russian cities to Sanya since 2017, contributing to the growth of Russian tourism in Hainan.