Most people fly to Sanya and never leave the resort. I did that on my first trip and regretted it. On my second visit I built a Hainan 7 day itinerary that rides the coastal high-speed train from Haikou down to Sanya, stops for surf in Wanning, and folds in a day of real rainforest. This is a Hainan island travel route one week that balances beach time with the green interior, and it is easier than it sounds because a train circles the whole island.
Why a Hainan itinerary with rainforest and beach works
Hainan is China’s only tropical province, and the contrast is the point. You can swim in the morning and walk into misty forest by afternoon. The best time for Hainan 7 days is November to March, when the rest of China freezes and Hainan sits at a pleasant 22 to 28°C. I went in late February and the water was warm enough for daily swims. Avoid the May to September typhoon season if you can; storms cancel ferries and flights. The Hainan one week trip budget is moderate: resorts cost more, but local food and trains are cheap.
Day 1: Arrive in Haikou
Land at Haikou Meilan Airport (HAK). The airport has its own high-speed rail station, so you can board the island loop without leaving the terminal. Stay in the old town near Qilou Snack Street, where arcade buildings from the 1920s line the lanes. For a deeper neighborhood walk, see our Haikou travel guide. The first evening I just ate: fresh coconut (RMB 8), wenchang chicken (RMB 48), and crab porridge (RMB 30).
Day 2: Haikou to Wanning by train
Take the high-speed train south along the east coast (about 1 hour, RMB 50 to RMB 75). Wanning is the surf town of China, centered on Riyue Bay. Even if you do not surf, the black-pebble beaches and sleepy cafes are a nice break from city noise. Rent a scooter (RMB 50 per day) to reach the quieter coves. Our Wanning travel guide maps the break points and the guesthouses that lend boards.
Day 3: Surf or cycle around Wanning
I booked a two-hour group lesson for RMB 180 and stood up by the end, which felt like a small miracle. Non-surfers can cycle the coastal road or take a boat to Jiajing Island for snorkeling (RMB 120 with gear). Lunch is cheap shrimp and rice noodles at the market. Wanning is the place I would add a second night if I rebuilt the week.
Day 4: Wanning to Sanya and Yalong Bay
Continue south to Sanya (about 30 to 45 minutes by train, RMB 30 to RMB 55). Sanya is the busy hub, but the beaches differ block by block. I stayed at Yalong Bay, the widest and cleanest stretch, about 30 minutes from the city center. Resort day passes run RMB 150 to RMB 300 if you are not a guest. The Sanya Yalong Bay guide compares it with Dadonghai and Haitang Bay so you can pick your base. For the full picture, our Sanya beach travel guide covers ferries to the offshore islands.
Day 5: Sanya beaches and a fishing village
Spend a slow morning on the sand, then visit a quieter spot like Yazhou or a fishing village for lunch. I took a half-day boat to Wuzhizhou Island (RMB 168 with ferry and entry) for clearer water, though it gets crowded by noon. Book the first boat. The seafood markets in Sanya let you buy live crab and have a nearby stall cook it for RMB 20 to RMB 40 processing fee; a full dinner for two ran RMB 150 to RMB 250.
Day 6: Tropical rainforest day
Hainan’s interior is covered by the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, a protected belt of old-growth forest. I went to the Jianfengling or Baoting (Yanoda) sections; Yanoda has boardwalks and a cable section (entry plus shuttle RMB 130 to RMB 170), while Jianfengling is wilder and better for serious hikers. It was 26°C at the coast and 19°C in the fog up top, so bring a layer. Our Hainan tropical rainforest park guide explains which gate to choose by fitness level. You can read the background of the island’s ecology on the Hainan page on Wikipedia.
Day 7: Return north or fly out of Sanya
If your flight leaves from Haikou, take the train back up the coast (about 2 hours, RMB 80 to RMB 120) and enjoy one last bowl of Hainanese noodles. If you fly from Sanya Phoenix Airport (SYX), you are already close. I ended in Sanya and flew home directly, which saved a transfer.
Hainan one week trip budget
Per person in RMB: island trains RMB 300 to RMB 500; resort or hotel RMB 300 to RMB 900 per night (six nights, RMB 1,800 to RMB 5,400); park entries and boats RMB 600 to RMB 1,000; food RMB 100 to RMB 200 per day (RMB 700 to RMB 1,400); scooter and local transfers RMB 200 to RMB 400. Total: roughly RMB 3,600 to RMB 8,700 per person. A Hainan 7 day itinerary can be done on the lower end if you skip resort day passes and eat at markets.
Getting around the island loop
The high-speed rail connects Haikou, Wanning, Sanya, and points east and west, with trains roughly every 30 to 60 minutes in daytime. Book on 12306; seats are easy outside holiday weeks. For village hops, use a scooter or a registered car. The coastal road between Wanning and Sanya is scenic enough that I sometimes wished I had driven, but the train is simpler for a first visit.
Food worth the trip
Beyond the famous Hainan chicken rice, try qing bu liang (a cold sweet soup with beans and fruit, RMB 10), coconut rice, and the morning markets’ fresh juice (RMB 8). In Haikou the Qilou night market is the best value; in Sanya the waterfront is pricier. I kept a running note of cheap coconut stands because they are everywhere and always refreshing.
Hainan practical notes
The island runs on the same apps as the rest of China, so install Didi, Alipay, and a maps app before you arrive; rural signal is fine along the coast but fades in the forest. Sunscreen is essential year-round, and I went through more than expected because the sea glare doubles the burn. Bring reef-safe lotion if you plan to snorkel. Taxis at Sanya airport sometimes quote flat rates, but the meter or Didi is always cheaper, so insist on it. A SIM or eSIM with data keeps the train-booking app working on the move. I also kept a paper note of my hotel name in Chinese characters, which helped when a driver in a small town could not read my map pin.
What I would change
Next time I would cut one Sanya resort day and add a night in Wanning, because the surf town had the most relaxed pace. I would also skip Wuzhizhou if the weather is grey; the rainforest is a better rainy-day backup than an island with poor visibility. A Hainan itinerary with rainforest and beach needs at least one interior day to feel like more than a beach holiday.
Sample day-by-day
Day 1 Haikou. Day 2 train to Wanning. Day 3 Wanning surf. Day 4 Wanning to Sanya Yalong Bay. Day 5 Sanya beaches. Day 6 rainforest. Day 7 return or fly out. This Haikou to Sanya itinerary by train shape keeps the coast on one side and the green heart at the end.
A Hainan 7 day itinerary is the easiest tropical week in mainland China. Ride the loop, swim, then walk into the forest, and you get two trips in one. Build it around the best time for Hainan 7 days and the heat stays friendly the whole way.