Because　China　is　actively　promoting　island-reef　construction,　research　on　low-energy　building　design　in　is　land-reef　areas　with　a　special　climate　has　received　much　attention　recently.　The　convective　heat　transfer　coefficient　(CHTC)　at　an　exterior　building　surface　is　crucial　for　calculating　the　air-conditioning　load　precisely.　This　study　explores　the　applicability　and　feasibility　of　the　naphthalene　sublimation　technique　in　island-reef　areas.　First,　a　field　survey　on　testing　the　environment　in　island-reef　areas　was　performed,　indicating　an　experimental　scheme　in　this　area　should　be　as　simple　as　possible.　Subsequently,　the　naphthalene　sublimation　technique,　in　which　experimental　devices　possessed　the　advantages　of　easy　operation　and　convenient　carry,　was　adopted　to　measure　CHTC　in　this　area.　Finally,　the　effect　of　measuring　parameters　on　CHTC　results　and　the　error　level　throughout　the　experiment　were　analyzed.　Results　showed　that　the　relationship　between　CHTC　and　wind　speed　was　CHTC　=　5.56　+　4.48u　(where　CHTC　is　W/m2·K　and　u　is　m/s),　with　a　high　correlation　coefficient　square　of　0.94.　Additionally,　the　CHTC　predictive　formula　was　reliable,　with　a　mean　percentage　error　of　2.50%　for　estimating　CHTCs　in　island-reefareas.Moreover,　the　reliability　of　CHTC　testing　results　was　almost　impervious　to　outdoor　environment　in　island-reef　areas.　Furthermore,　based　on　the　error　propagation　theory,　the　overall　uncertainty　of　CHTC　in　the　experiment　was　merely　5.4%,　ensuring　the　accuracy　of　experimental　results.　This　study　contributes　to　popularizing　the　simplified　CHTC　testing　method　and　achieving　a　reasonable　CHTC　in　island-reef　areas.　©　2019　ASHRAE.