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Haikou’s event calendar is anchored by the Chinese lunar holiday cycle and a handful of Hainan-specific festivals. The busiest and most expensive periods are Spring Festival (late January or February) and the National Day Golden Week (October 1-7). Here are the key dates, part of our Haikou travel guide.
Haikou Events and Festivals: Winter and Spring
Chinese New Year / Spring Festival (late January or February)
The biggest holiday of the year, when Haikou fills with families and domestic tourists. Dates shift each year (in 2026 it falls on February 17). Expect full trains and peak hotel rates, temple fairs, fireworks, and lion dances around Qilou Old Street, plus many restaurants closing for the first few days. Book transport and rooms two to three months ahead, and see our best time to visit Haikou guide for how this affects prices and crowds.
Boao Forum for Asia (late March)
A high-profile economic conference held in Boao, about 100 km south of Haikou, usually in late March. Most of it is closed to the public, but it raises hotel demand across Hainan’s east coast and tightens security in the region, so expect pricier rooms and busier roads that week. Getting there and back is covered in our Haikou travel tips page.
Hainan Coconut Festival (April)
Held in Wenchang, about 60 km east of Haikou, usually in April. It celebrates the coconut industry with tastings, cultural performances, and agricultural displays, an easy day trip from Haikou by high-speed rail or bus.
Haikou Events and Festivals: Summer and Autumn
Qiong Opera Performances (year-round)
Qiongju is Hainan’s local opera, a 400-year-old art form performed in Hainanese dialect with distinctive singing. Regular performances run at the Qiongshan District theaters and during temple festivals, and free or low-cost outdoor shows appear in parks around the city, especially around holidays. Ask your hotel concierge, many of the properties in our where to stay in Haikou guide can point you to a show.
Mid-Autumn Festival (September or October)
A lunar festival for mooncakes and family gatherings, falling in September or early October. Expect evening lantern displays and crowds at Baishamen Park and along the coast, and mooncakes, including Hainan’s coconut and lotus versions, in every bakery for weeks beforehand.
Hainan International Tourism Island Carnival (November to December)
A province-wide festival held in late autumn and early winter, spread across Haikou and other Hainan cities, with parades, food fairs, beach events and concerts. Dates vary by year but cluster around November and December, the start of the dry season, which our Haikou weather by month page confirms is the most comfortable time to attend.
National Day Golden Week (October 1-7)
The second major domestic holiday surge of the year. Haikou’s beaches, the volcano park, and Qilou Old Street get crowded, and prices rise. It is lively if you want the festive side and a hassle if you want space. For where to avoid the worst of it, see our Haikou neighborhoods guide, and for what to do once you are here, start with things to do in Haikou.
