Getting Around Qionghai
Qionghai is a county-level city on the eastern side of Hainan Island, and its main urban centre is the town of Jiaji, where most of the practical transport connections come together. The city is also home to the town of Bo'ao, seat of the Boao Forum for Asia, and to the Red Detachment of Women Memorial Park, a National Classic Red Tourism Attraction. As a visitor, you will most likely arrive by air or rail and then rely on a mix of buses, taxis and walking to reach the sights.
Arriving by Air: Qionghai Bo'ao Airport
Qionghai is served by Qionghai Bo'ao Airport (IATA code BAR), located in Zhongyuan Town. The airport is small and straightforward, and there is no rail or metro link from the terminal into the city — your onward options are the airport shuttle buses or a taxi.
- Airport Bus No. 1 — stops at the Qionghai City Government and Qionghai Railway Station. This is the service to take if you are heading into the city or connecting to the rail network. The fare is ¥15.
- Airport Bus No. 2 — stops at Bo'ao and Tanmen, useful if you are heading to the Bo'ao area rather than central Qionghai. The fare is ¥20.
- Scheduling — both bus services are timed according to flight schedules, so they meet arriving flights rather than running to a fixed all-day timetable. If your flight is delayed, expect the buses to adjust accordingly.
- Taxis — also available at the airport for a direct ride into town.
- Airport enquiries — +86 898 36860114.
Arriving by Train
Qionghai Railway Station is on Aihua East Road in Jiaji Town, the city's main urban area. It is the rail gateway to the city and is also one of the stops on Airport Bus No. 1, which makes it a convenient interchange if you are flying in and continuing by train, or arriving by train and heading onward to the airport.
- Bus nos. 6 and 7 connect the railway station with the downtown area.
Hainan's rail network is the practical way to move between the island's main cities, so Qionghai Railway Station is worth keeping in mind for day trips as well as for your arrival. Note that Qionghai itself has no metro or tram system — rail here means the intercity and island rail services, not an urban transit network.
Arriving by Long-Distance Bus
Qionghai Bus Station is at 51 Dongfeng Road in Jiaji Town, roughly 240 metres north of the Red Detachment of Women statue — a useful landmark for orienting yourself in the city centre. The station is fairly new, having officially opened in November 2019.
- Important: the old bus station on Yinhai Road is now permanently closed, even though it still appears on most maps. Do not navigate to it.
- Enquiries: +86 898 62822327.
Getting Around the City
Within Qionghai, public transport is bus-based. There is no metro or tram network to learn, which keeps things simple, but it also means buses, taxis and your own two feet do most of the work.
- City buses — the numbered local routes are the main public transport option. Bus nos. 6 and 7 serve the railway station and downtown, and the airport shuttle buses (nos. 1 and 2) cover the airport, the city government, the railway station, Bo'ao and Tanmen. Fares on the airport services are paid in cash at ¥15 or ¥20 depending on the route.
- Taxis — available at the airport and around the city, and the simplest option if you are carrying luggage or heading somewhere off the bus routes.
- Ride-hailing — the source material does not describe ride-hailing services in Qionghai, so treat taxis and buses as your confirmed options and check locally on arrival if you prefer app-based transport.
- Walking — central Jiaji is compact enough that walking works well for short trips, particularly around the Dongfeng Road area and the Red Detachment of Women statue, which serves as a handy central reference point.
Practical Notes
- Qionghai has a tropical monsoon climate with a long wet season and a pronounced dry season from January to March. Rainfall is heaviest and most frequent from August to October, when typhoons may strike. Humidity is consistently very high, so build extra time into journeys on rainy days and carry rain protection.
- Sunshine is limited from December through February, while May through July is the sunniest stretch of the year — worth factoring in if you plan to walk or wait outdoors for buses.
- Keep the airport bus fares in cash: ¥15 for Bus No. 1 (city government and railway station) and ¥20 for Bus No. 2 (Bo'ao and Tanmen).
- Because the airport buses run to flight schedules rather than a fixed timetable, confirm departure times on arrival rather than assuming a frequent service.