"Cross the Sea - Gather in Haikou on the New Year's Eve" Carnival Festival to be held

According to Haikou Tourism Development Commission, the "Cross the Sea - Gather in Haikou on the New Year's Eve" Carnival Festival will be held from November, 2020 to the end of February, 2021.

With its rainforests, volcanic landscapes, pristine beaches and plethora of surf spots, the tropical island of Hainan is China's very own Hawaii. With numerous international connections, visitors are drawn to Hainan for the scenery and the sunshine, some of China's finest hotels are set along its miles of palm-fringed sand beaches and in its waterside capital Haikou, fondly known as the Coconut City.

Not only is Haikou the gateway to Hainan, it also has its own charm, with many pretty historic neighbourhoods, known as Qilou, characterised by pedestrianised streets and white-washed, porticoed arcades of cafes, shops and handicraft markets. Haikou's Qilou is the place to take a morning tea and spicy rice soup as visitors watch daily life go by against the backdrop of centuries-old Southeast Asian architecture.

These historic streets are also among the setting for an ambitious city-wide festival which takes place at Chinese New Year, as Haikou seeks to establish itself as the 'City of New Year's Eve'. Encompassing more than 200 cultural and entertainment events during the festive season - the 'Cross the Sea' festival will see Haikou's streets, parks and beaches transformed with music, theatre, art and sporting events. A '5D' light and shadow show will illuminate the white-washed facades of the qilou, with another light-art showcase taking place in Sun Moon Square. The hip Haikou Bay Bund will be the setting for street art performances, while duty-free shops will be offering discounts for the duration of the festival - a nod to newly unveiled plans to transform the island into Hainan Free Trade Port - China's largest free-trade zone.

This Carnival Festival is planned to make "Gather in Haikou" a brand of Haikou and "the city of New Year's Eve" more established as Haikou's urban symbol. This will be of great significance for Haikou to deepen integration between culture and tourism, build an international tourism consumption center and support the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port.