Haikou
Haikou Social Welfare Institution
No. 8 Fu Li Road
Haikou, Hainan, China
570208
Half the Sky Children's Center #21 opened April, 2005 |
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Baby Sisters Infant Nurture Program since April, 2005 |
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Little Sisters Preschool Program since April, 2005 |
HAIKOU
Haikou is the capital of Hainan Province, an island in the South China Sea that is China’s most southern Province. Like other tropical islands, Hainan Island offers clear blue waters, white sand beaches, lush green highlands and an abundance of palm trees that sway in warm breezes. Haikou (the “Coconut City”) is a city of 650,000 located at the northern end of the Island. Haikou’s downtown streets are lined with coconut palms. Haikou’s long coastline has excellent bathing beaches and seaside resorts, including popular Holiday Beach and Xixiu Beach where the National sailing and windsurfing teams train and hold competitions.
In addition to its natural beauty, Haikou also boasts a number of historical sites, including the Tomb of Hai Rui (1514-1587), who is acclaimed as an honest statesman. After seeing the emperor wink at the corruption of court officials, he prepared a coffin for his death and said farewell to his wife. Then he went to the emperor, expressing his criticism and advice. His words were not accepted, cost him his court position, and landed him in jail. After his death when people helped clear up his mementoes, they were surprised to find only eight taels of silver and a few clothes, a shocking contrast to the wealth most officials accumulated in ancient times.
The Wugong Temple (The Five Officials Temple), located five kilometers from the center of Haikou City, was constructed to honor five famous officials, Li Deyu, Li Gang, Zhao Ding, Li Guang and Hu Quan, who were banished to Hainan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The main hall houses lifelike stone statues of the five officials. A stone table is carved with calligraphy inscriptions of Empero Huizong of the Song Dynasty.
Local cuisine includes Wenchang (a small town west of Haikou) Chicken. Fed on rice, Wenchang chicken meat is tasty and served with a special ginger sauce. Hele (140 km southeast of Haikou) crab is famed for its tough shell and fresh and tender meat that can be steamed, boiled, stir fried or roasted. Fresh local fruit is abundant, including mangos, pineapples, jackfruits, coconuts and carambola, betelnuts, pawpaw, longan and lichee, loquat, naseberry and passion fruit.
Dongjiao Coconut Plantation is located near Wenchang City west of Hainan is a forest of over 500,000 coconut trees of all varieties. There is a saying that Wenchang grows half of Hainan’s coconuts and the most famous grow at the Dongjiao Coconut Plantation. Some short areca (betel) nut trees, which resemble coconut trees, are intermingled. The trees not only provide fruit, they also act as a shield against the island’s frequent typhoons.
Dongzhai Harbor Mangrove Natural Reserve Area located northeast of Haikou City is also called “heaven for birds.” About 159 species of birds inhabit the reserve, including many rare migratory birds. Mangrove is a kind of tropical tree that grows in swamps and sends roots down from its branches. When the tide is high, the mangroves are submerged, leaving only the intriguing green crowns for viewing. Because of the nourishment the mangroves provide to the swamp, marine animals like to spawn and raise their infants in the area.
In addition to the beautiful scenery, another natural wonder in Dongzhai Harbor are the villages under the sea. At midnight on July 13th, 1605, there was a severe earthquake and 72 villages disappeared into the sea. Hundreds of years later the 72 villages provide an amazing underwater sight.
Haikou Tropical Ocean World is the first big tropical and oceanic theme park in China that spans 89 acres where you can view the tropical rain forest and the wonders of ocean life.
If you adopted a child who was in a Haikou Half the Sky program, we are happy to send you whatever progress reports and photographs we may have in our files, but only after you've brought your child home. Please download and fill out a progress report request form and follow the instructions for faxing or emailing to Half the Sky.