With the erection of an ever-growing number of modern high-rise office and apartment towers in Haikou, officials have determined to preserve some of the city's precious and irreplaceable heritage found in the older buildings along Deshengsha, Boai and Zhongshan roads in the city's core area.

The classic Chinese architecture found in Old Downtown District provides a sharp contrast to the styles of today and offers a glimpse of daily life in a different age. The area was previously made up mainly of the homes of wealthy and overseas Chinese families.