How to take a taxi in Hainan with DiDi

Last reviewed October 2026

Step by step

1. Open Alipay and search for DiDi. You can also download the DiDi app, which has an English version.
2. Switch the language to English.
3. Enter where you're going. Paste the Chinese address or drop a pin on the map. English names are often matched wrongly.
4. Confirm the pickup point. Hotel main entrances are easiest.
5. When the ride ends, the fare is paid from Alipay automatically.

Where do I get the Chinese address?

Hotel booking sites in English usually show the address in English only. English names often match the wrong place in ride apps, and smaller places often don't show up at all, so have the Chinese address ready.

• Your hotel: ask the hotel for its name and address in Chinese (email them after booking, or ask at the front desk), and screenshot it so you can show the driver even without data.
• Anywhere else: ask the front desk to write down the Chinese name, or pick the spot on the map.
• Don't run the hotel's English name through a translation app; the result often isn't the hotel's real Chinese name.
• Amap's English version also lets you book a ride by typing in English. Big hotels and sights usually come up; for smaller places, Chinese is more reliable.

Talking to your driver

Drivers sometimes call to find you. If you're using a travel eSIM, you don't have a Chinese number and may not get the call. Use the in-app chat, which can translate. Something simple works: "I'm at the hotel main entrance."

Regular taxis

You can also wave down a taxi on the street in Haikou and Sanya. Show the driver your destination in Chinese and pay by scanning their QR code, or with cash. Drivers' codes are often personal codes, which foreign cards may fail on, so carry some cash.

Getting between cities? Take the Haikou–Sanya high-speed train.

Source: IT Home: Amap English version adds ride-hailing (May 2025, from Amap's official account; in Chinese).