The Western Line
An artificial island worth up to 160 billion yuan, the academy of an exiled poet — and the train down the west coast.
| Day | Transfer day without an overnight stay, from Haikou to the south |
| Stops | Ocean Flower Island · Dongpo Academy in Zhonghe · Baimajing station |
| Train | Western Line since 2015, 345 km, up to 200 km/h |
| Light | Sunset approx. 17:56 — from the train window over the sea |
What this day is about
The west of Hainan is the side of the island hardly any traveller knows. There are no big resorts here, but ports, industry, salt fields, Li villages and wide, dry landscapes. This section is just a single day, a transfer day from Haikou to the south — but one with two stops that are among the most revealing of the whole trip.
The first shows the island's latest chapter: Ocean Flower Island, Evergrande's artificial flower island, where you can see how China's property boom rose and collapsed. The second goes back almost a thousand years, to Su Dongpo, the great poet who founded a school here in exile. Between the two lie barely an hour's drive and nine centuries.
The other side of the island
The west lies in the rain shadow of the mountains in the interior. It's much drier than the east, in places almost like a savannah, with cacti, thornbushes and sand dunes on the coast. In the north-west lies Yangpu, a large industrial and container port that plays a key role in the Hainan free trade zone.
Tourism is barely developed here, and that's exactly the appeal. Looking out of the train window you see a Hainan without hotel complexes: fields, fishing villages, salt pans, wind turbines and again and again the sea.
The Western Line — a railway round the island
At the end of the day it's south by high-speed train. The western line opened on 30 December 2015 after only a good two years of construction. It is 345 kilometres long, has 16 stations and links Haikou with Sanya via Danzhou and Dongfang. Together with the eastern line, finished in 2010, it forms a 653-kilometre loop — the world's first high-speed railway to go all the way round an island.
The trains run at up to 200 kilometres an hour. Since 2025 they've been running on the island almost like buses, with frequent services and short-notice booking. The west side is the quieter one: fewer passengers, more landscape. Sit on the right-hand side heading south and you'll keep seeing the sea — and in the late afternoon the sun sinking over it.
Getting around on this day
From Haikou to Ocean Flower Island is a good two hours by car. With luggage it's easiest to book a driver for the whole day who also takes you to the academy and the station — via the hotel or a booking platform. Individual Didi rides work too, but then the luggage has to come along every time.
The station for the onward journey is Baimajing, not far from the flower island. From there the train runs south along the west coast to Yazhou. Best check timetable and tickets the day before in 12306 or Trip.com.
- Book the train ticket from Baimajing to Yazhou the day before via 12306 or Trip.com — with your passport; the number is then on the ticket.
- Book a driver for the day who keeps the luggage in the car: Haikou – Ocean Flower Island – Dongpo Academy – Baimajing station.
- For the Dongpo Academy have some cash or Alipay ready — or learn three poems by Su Dongpo by heart.
- Bring water and sun protection: the west is drier and often hotter than the east.
Turquoise = blue hour · Gold = golden hour · Light = harsh midday light
Day by day
With luggage and a driver for the day, a good two hours to the west coast.
Evergrande's flower island: hotels, water park and light show next to empty high-rises. The island is freely accessible.
On the island or on the way in Baimajing, a fishing town with seafood by weight.
Where Su Dongpo taught in exile. Afterwards a stroll through the old flagstone lanes.
Along the coast southwards on the Western Line, at sunset over the sea. Sit on the right.