Understanding　how　terrestrial　ecosystems　respond　to　climate　change　can　help　achieve　regional　sustainability.　The　normalized　difference　vegetation　Index　(NDVI),　which　is　an　important　vegetation　parameter　and　ecological　index,　can　directly　reflect　changes　in　the　ecological　environment.　Based　on　meteorological　observation　data　and　NDVI　monitoring　data　from　2000　to　2018,　we　explore　the　impact　of　climate　change　on　vegetation　on　Hainan　Island.　Firstly,　by　using　Mann–Kendall　trend　detection　together　with　correlation　and　partial　correlation　analysis,　we　analyze　the　spatial　patterns　and　trends　of　the　NDVI,　annual　average　temperature,　and　annual　precipitation　at　grid　level　and　also　investigate　the　spatial　relationship　between　the　climatic　factors　and　vegetation.　The　results　show　that　(1)　the　ecological　conditions　on　Hainan　Island　are　good　and　the　vegetation　trends　are　positive;　(2)　the　air　temperature　of　Hainan　Island　has　a　strong　positive　effect　on　the　NDVI;　and　(3)　precipitation　prevents　vegetation　growth　in　the　rainy　season　especially　in　the　central　parts　of　the　island.　This　study　focuses　on　the　spatiotemporal　characteristics　and　evolution　of　vegetation　and　the　influence　of　climate　change　on　vegetation.　Our　study　provides　a　scientific　basis　for　achieving　regional　ecologically　sustainable　development　and　valuable　evidence　related　to　the　impact　of　climate　change　on　vegetation　in　tropical　island　regions.　©　2020,　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature.