The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the list of the first batch of blocks for tourism and leisure purposes on Jan 10. 

Altogether, 55 streets featuring history, culture and commerce were included in the list. Hainan's Qilou Old Street in Haikou made the list for the province.

Haikou Qilou Old Street is one of the most distinctive streetscapes in Haikou. It was initially formed in the 1820s and 1940s and has a history of more than 100 years. The oldest building, named Sipailou, was built in the Southern Song Dynasty  (1127-1279). It won the title of "China's Famous Historical and Cultural Street" in 2009.

The street is located in the center of Haikou old city, and mainly consists of five old streets including Deshengsha Road, Boai North Road, Zhongshan Road, Xinhua Road and Changdi Road.

Haikou's white arcade buildings not only feature traditional Chinese architecture, but also imitate Western and Nanyang styles of architecture, and Indian and Arab styles of architecture are obvious.

The unique arcade architecture in Haikou Qilou Old Street. [Photo/VCG]