Haikou Meilan Airport serves the capital of the island province of Hainan, about 25 km from the city centre.
Haikou is an important gateway to the island, though Sanya remains Hainan's most famous beach destination.
How to get to Haikou Meilan International Airport
By Car
By Train
By Bus
Average travel time to HAK
Parking near Haikou Meilan International Airport
In front of the terminal is the official parking area.
It is not staffed but is video-monitored; covered structure: first hour 8 CNY, then +3 CNY/hour, capped at 50 CNY/24h; open area (overnight parking): 30 CNY for the first 24 hours, then +15 CNY every 12 hours.
How to get to Haikou from HAK
By Train
By Bus
By Taxi
Need an airport transfer?
Compare taxis and shuttles on Booking.com
Car rental at Haikou Meilan International Airport
Some car rental companies have counters in the arrival area, useful for exploring Hainan Island beyond Haikou.
Bring a driver's license, passport, and credit card in the driver's name for the security deposit; foreign licenses are generally not valid in China, and a temporary Chinese license is required.
Hotels near Haikou Meilan International Airport
Airport and Jiangdong New District
Four Points is about 3.5 km from the terminal, 6 minutes by car; GreenTree Eastern and Orange Hotel are in the same new Jiangdong district, 10-15 minutes from the airport.
Best for: Overnight layovers, early morning flights, or anyone working in the new Jiangdong district.
- The shortest possible transfer among all Haikou hotels
- A useful base for anyone working in the fast-growing Jiangdong district
- An area still under construction, with few independent restaurants outside the hotels
- Reaching downtown Haikou or the west coast still takes 30-40 minutes
Recommended hotels
- Four Points by Sheraton Haikou International Airport 149 rooms about 3.5 km from the terminal (6 minutes by car), the shortest transfer among Haikou's hotels; also close to Meilan high-speed railway station. View availability
- Orange Hotel Haikou Meilan International Airport Opened in 2024 in the new Jiangdong district, 3.7 km from the airport; offers priority pick-up and drop-off for flights, among the services most mentioned in reviews. View availability
- GreenTree Eastern Hotel Hainan Free Trade Port Jiangdong New District Meilan Airport A budget hotel in the same new Jiangdong district, about 15 minutes from the terminal; free Wi-Fi and breakfast among the aspects most praised in reviews. View availability
City centre and Binhai Avenue
About 25-26 km from the airport, 30-40 minutes by taxi depending on traffic on Binhai Avenue.
Best for: Anyone who wants downtown Haikou, the offices and restaurants of the Binhai waterfront, with a medium transfer from the airport.
- The Binhai Avenue waterfront just steps away, with restaurants, offices and the convention centre
- Closer to Haikou East railway station than the tourist areas on the west coast
- City beaches not comparable to those on the west coast or in Sanya
- Traffic on Binhai Avenue at rush hour noticeably lengthens the transfer
Recommended hotels
- Hilton Haikou 406 rooms in Hainan's tallest skyscraper, with a sky lobby on the 35th floor and views over Haikou Bay; the first internationally branded hotel in the city's business district. View availability
- Sofitel Haikou A panoramic lobby on the 35th floor with port views, in the Longhua district; 10 minutes from the Binhai Avenue exit and the Xiuying ferries. View availability
- Haikou Marriott Hotel 295 seafront rooms on Binhai Avenue, next to the Hainan International Convention & Exhibition Centre. View availability
West coast: golf and resorts (Longhua)
About 19-30 km from the airport depending on the exact hotel, between 30 and 40 minutes by car through downtown.
Best for: Golf weekends or resort relaxation, accepting a longer transfer from the airport.
- The only area of Haikou with dedicated golf resorts, including the Mission Hills course
- Larger beaches and gardens than the downtown hotels
- The longest transfer of all from the airport, with downtown traffic in between
- A sprawling residential area: in the evening you almost always need a taxi even just to move between resorts
Recommended hotels
- The Ritz-Carlton, Haikou A golf resort with 190 rooms, 16 villas and 15 suites next to the Blackstone course at Mission Hills Golf Club, on volcanic terrain with lakes and wetlands visible from the rooms. View availability
- The Westin Haikou 297 rooms with the brand's Heavenly Bed, five restaurants and bars; about 19 km from the airport, near the science museum and Binhai Park. View availability
- Sheraton Haikou Hotel 341 rooms overlooking the beach, with thermal pools fed by a spring 700 metres deep; 10 minutes from downtown and 40 from the airport. View availability
Airport services
Shopping & Duty Free
Lounges & relaxation
Connectivity & Wi-Fi
Families & Children
Terminal guide
The terminal is appropriately sized for the island's growing tourist traffic. Walking from check-in to gate typically takes 15 minutes.
Customs and security may require extra time: for international flights, it is better to arrive 3 hours early.
Map of Haikou Meilan International Airport
Frequently asked questions
Q. Haikou or Sanya, which is better for Hainan?
Haikou is the administrative capital with an interesting colonial old town; Sanya, further south, is the island's most famous luxury beach destination.
Q. How do you get from Haikou to Sanya?
With the high-speed train that crosses the island, often more convenient than another domestic flight.
Q. What to see in Haikou's old town?
Qilou Old Street, with its arcaded buildings in early 20th-century colonial style influenced by Southeast Asian architecture, is the historic heart of the city before heading to Sanya's beaches.
Q. Why is Haikou's duty free shopping good value?
Because of the whole island of Hainan's reduced-tax zone status, which makes purchases of perfumes and electronics advantageous.
Flight board
Real-time status of arriving and departing flights