Haikou Banana Hostel

Haikou City has many outdoor BBQ stalls. If your looking for Western standard comfort and cleanliness these places may not be for you: the outdoor BBQ stalls are usually little more than a few plastic tables and chairs put out on the street. However, I consider these to be one of the charms of Haikou city. The stalls do not exist in the day time, but wait until the sun sets and the temperature drops and at around 9 o'clock in the evening certain streets will come alive with BBQ sights and smells.

To order food, look at what is on display and choose what you want. The method works even if your Chinese is limited. Here are some of my favourite Haikou BBQ dishes:

• BBQ fish served with fresh small limes. 5 RMB. (Mackerel pike fish, also known as Pacific saury, Chinese: 秋刀魚 Qiū dāoyú)
• Whole sweetcorn. 3 RMB
• Dried squid with wasabe and soy sauce. 10 RMB
• BBQ'ed oysters with garlic. 10 RMB for a tray of 10
• Chicken wings. 3 RMB
• Local beer

The street BBQs are popular with local people and form part of the Haikou nightlife. Many locals drink beer and eat BBQ at these stalls until early morning. Some of the stalls are still open at 4am. It is normal to go eat at a BBQ after leaving a nightclub late at night before going home to sleep.

Where?

There are many BBQ stalls within walking distance of Haikou Banana Hostel. Try the corner of San Dong Lu and Hai Da Lu, or Er Dong Lu.

Here is a picture of the Muslim BBQ on Haidian Island, it is on the corner of Haida Road and Erdong Road.

If you like to try different street food, you will enjoy this place. Lots of choices from around China. Very affordable.

Chinese name: 海大南门小吃一条街. Pinyin: Hǎi dà nán mén xiǎochī yītiáo jiē

English name: Hainan University south gate street food

Type of food: Street food. 小吃 (Xiǎochī)

Chinese address: 海甸岛三西路海南大学南门对面 (Hǎi diān dǎo sān xi lù hǎinán dàxué nán mén duìmiàn)

How to get there: just at the opposite side of the south gate of Hainan university on Sanxi Lu. About 5 minutes walk from the Banana Hostel.

Price per person: 9 RMB.

Comments English:

Super snacks and more around, definitely can make you a real treat, and ultra-affordable price Well, suffice 9 yuan per capita. Recommend：qingbu liang, roujia mo, liang pi noodles, freshly squeezed orange juice, etc.

Comments Chinese:

超多的各地小吃，绝对可以让你一饱口福，而且价格方面超实惠哦，人均9元人民币足矣。特色推荐:清补凉、炒冰、鸡蛋饼、鲜榨橙汁等等。

Buy the fresh seafood from the market stalls and take it to the restaruant area to be cooked. There is lots of fresh (alive) food to choose from, ranging from the ordinary (fish, prawns) to the exotic (snakes, turtles). This is a local style place so don't expect western standard cleanliness, but the food is fresh so little risk of food poisioning.

It is very busy and lively (ie noisy) and part of the fun is experiencing the buzz and bargining for your food. If you are quite fussy about what and where you eat this place may not be suitable for you. Also, as in most places in China, don't expect anybody to understand English.

Chinese name: 板桥路海鲜市场. Pinyin: Bǎn qiáo lù hǎixiān shìchǎng

English name: Ban Qiao Road Seafood Market

Type (分类): Sea food. 海鲜 (Hǎi xiān)

Chinese address: 板桥路板桥新村. Pinyin address: Bǎn qiáo lù bǎn qiáo xīncūn

How to get there: Taxi - 15 RMB. Or take bus 11 and get off at the Qīngnián lùkǒu stop and then walk.

Opening times: Usual Chinese evening meal times: 17:00 to 19:30.

Price per person: around 30 RMB.

Comments: Haikou Ban qiao is a very affordable and famous place to eat seafood, the price not expensive, you can buy fresh seafood and to the local processing of the food stalls opposite.

Comments Chinese: 板桥路是海口吃海鲜很实惠的地方，价格又不贵，买了新鲜的海产品去对面的排挡就地加工了。

Hēng měi lè fàndiàn

Foreigner friendly restaurant, with a picture menu and individual meal sets. Prices are around 20-30 RMB per meal. Most food is Chinese with a couple of Chinese style Western dishes.

Million restaurant is very close to the Haikou Banana Hostel. It is on the opposite side of Renmin Avenue, a few metres north. It has a green, red and white sign.

3 branches, 1 near DC
Clean, fast, simple, good service, good taste. Menu: noodle dishes, dumplings, cold vegetable dishes.

Picture menu. Foriegner friendly.
Price per person 15-20.
Highly recommended