Traversing the Century-Old Nanyang Corridor: Exploring the Arcade Streets of Haikou

The Arcade Streets are Haikou's oldest streets, consisting of a 3-kilometer-long open-air museum with over 700 Nanyang-style buildings. Most of these buildings were built in the 1920s, when overseas Chinese from Hainan brought the arcade style from Southeast Asia back to their hometown for renovation. The second floor extends outward to form a corridor with a roof, providing shade on sunny days and shelter from rain. The gray-yellow exterior walls are covered with cracks, and the rooftops are decorated with stone-carved lions, lotus flowers, and Western scroll patterns, resembling a group of old gentlemen in old suits. The three most worthwhile areas to visit in the Arcade Streets: 1. Zhongshan Road (the best section) Highlights: 50 well-preserved arcade buildings in a row. Pay attention to the shop logo reliefs on the rooftops. Hidden detail: The window of No. 57 Arcade Building perfectly frames the spire of the clock tower, making it a natural viewfinder. Special reminder: After 4 pm, the corridors will be filled with tea stalls, so take photos early. 2. Deshengsha Road (residential area) Local scenes: The old tailor shop makes the sound of sewing machines, and rusty anchors are piled up in front of the hardware store. Architectural surprise: A banyan tree grows out of the wall of Building No. 34, and its roots wrap the arcade building into a green giant. Special reminder: Be careful of clothes that may drip from the clothes drying poles above your head at any time. 3. Shuixiangkou (pier ruins) Historical traces: The stone road retains the grooves for transporting goods in those years. Spectacular check-in: Arcade Building No. 21 is completely wrapped by banyan tree roots, like a green spider web. Special time: At 6 am in the morning, you can see fishermen selling freshly landed seafood from their carts. Arcade Streets - the architectural code of Nanyang old buildings: 1. Breathing corridor The columns are spaced 2.5 meters apart, which is exactly the width for carrying sedan chairs in those years. The stone slabs on the ground are slightly inclined, and rainwater will automatically flow to the street. Wooden louver windows on the second floor: open for ventilation in summer and closed to prevent rain during typhoons. 2. Secrets on the roof Dwarf wall decoration: Nanyang is called "Five Foot Base", with common elephant and sailboat reliefs: Drainage mechanism: The lion stone carving hides a drainpipe in its mouth, which will spit water when it rains: Lightning protection device: The lotus carving at the highest point is actually an old-fashioned lightning rod. 3. The story of the window Colored glass windows: The remaining blue-green glass of the Daya Hotel will draw a rainbow on the ground when sunlight passes through it: Wooden folding window: The old pharmacy on Deshengsha Road retains a design that can be completely retracted into the wall; Wire mesh window: The special anti-theft window of the old pawnshop on Xinhua South Road has a grid only the size of a fist. Super practical guide: Transportation Guide Bus: Take routes 3/6/14 to "Zhonglou Station", and the entrance to the old street is right after you get off. Self-driving parking: Jinzonglv Plaza Underground Garage (CNY 8/hour, 5-minute walk to the old street) Hidden entrance: Enter from the alley next to "Yeyutang" on Changdi Road to avoid the crowded main entrance. Time Schedule 7-9 am: The morning light shines obliquely on the corridor, and the locals buy vegetables with a sense of life; 11 am-2 pm: The shaded area of the corridor is cool, suitable for slowly viewing the architectural details; 5-7 pm: The sunset dyes the arcade building into a honey color, and the lanterns light up one after another. Photo Tips 1. Classic angle: Take a photo of the clock tower from the window on the second floor of No. 57 Zhongshan Road (you need to queue up); 2. Upward shot: Take an upward shot of the arcade building wrapped in banyan tree roots on Deshengsha Road; 3. Light and shadow magic: Take a picture of the fishbone shadows of the louver windows on the ground at 3 pm on a sunny day; 4. Limited on rainy days: The wet stone slabs reflect the lights of the arcade buildings, and take photos with your mobile phone at a low angle. Nearby attractions to check in 5-minute walk: Clock Tower (red spire landmark, the bell rings on the hour); 10-minute bike ride: Xitian Temple (local snack market); 15-minute tricycle ride: Dongmen Market (see the small mountains of dried salted fish and experience the atmosphere of the city).