Destination guide
Medical Treatment in Boao Lecheng (Hainan) for International Patients
海南博鳌乐城
Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone is a designated medical zone in Qionghai, on the east coast of Hainan island. It was approved by China's State Council on 28 February 2013 and sits along the Wanquan River near Boao.
Medical care in Boao Lecheng (Hainan) for international patients
Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone is a designated medical zone in Qionghai, on the east coast of Hainan island. It was approved by China's State Council on 28 February 2013 and sits along the Wanquan River near Boao.
What sets Lecheng apart from every other destination on this site is regulatory, not geographic: under the zone's special-access policy, licensed medical institutions inside the zone can apply to use certain innovative drugs and medical devices that are already approved abroad but not yet registered in mainland China.
For patients, this can mean access in China to a specific overseas-approved medicine or device years before it might become available through China's national approval process. Whether a particular product can be used for a particular patient is decided case by case by the treating institution and the regulators.
Why patients choose Boao Lecheng (Hainan)
- Special-access drugs and devices. Innovative medicines and devices approved overseas but not yet registered in China can be applied for and used inside the zone, under regulatory approval for each case.
- A real-world data pilot. Clinical data collected from patients treated in the zone can support a product's national registration in China, which is why international manufacturers bring new products here.
- A dedicated medical zone. Hospitals, specialist centers and a central pharmacy for special-access products are clustered in one area.
- Recovery-friendly setting. A quiet coastal location with a warm climate, which some families prefer for longer treatment stays.
What makes Boao Lecheng (Hainan) different
Special access to overseas-approved drugs and devices
Ask whether this applies to your caseA licensed institution in the zone, on behalf of a patient with a clinical need, applies to the Hainan regulators to import and use a product that is approved overseas but not yet registered in China. Approval is granted product by product and, for each use, under strict traceability rules.
According to publicly reported figures, the zone had introduced more than 500 international innovative drugs and devices by mid-2026, and some products used there have gone on to receive national registration in China supported by real-world data collected in the zone. These figures change frequently; they describe the zone, not any individual patient's eligibility.
What this means for your case. Horcare can check whether a specific medicine or device your doctors have mentioned is used in the zone, help you understand the application route, and coordinate with the treating institution. Horcare cannot guarantee that a product is available, that an application will be approved, or that a treatment will work. Eligibility and the treatment plan are decided by the treating institution and the regulators.
Hospitals
Institutions in Boao Lecheng (Hainan)
We are preparing profiles of the institutions in Boao Lecheng (Hainan) that Horcare helps patients access. Until they are published here, tell us the diagnosis and the medicine or treatment you are asking about. A coordinator checks which institution fits the case and replies within 24 hours.
Matched personally, case by case
Free case review · personal reply within 24 hours · initial assessment within 72 hours.
Get a Free Case ReviewGetting to Boao Lecheng (Hainan) and visa basics
The nearest airport is Qionghai Boao International Airport, a short drive from the zone. Haikou Meilan International Airport has more international connections and a high-speed rail station in the terminal area; trains run along the east coast to Qionghai and Boao stations, followed by a short drive to the zone.
Hainan has its own visa-free entry policy for nationals of a list of countries for short stays, in addition to China's national visa-free and transit policies. Longer treatment may still require a visa. Visa rules change and depend on your nationality and length of stay; confirm current requirements with the Chinese embassy or visa center before you book.
China has expanded visa-free and visa-free transit entry for many nationalities, but longer treatment usually needs an appropriate visa supported by a hospital letter. Confirm current rules with the Chinese embassy or visa center. Visa guide.
Where to stay and practical tips in Boao Lecheng (Hainan)
- Accommodation options in Boao range from hotels to serviced apartments; your coordinator suggests places near the treating institution.
- Hainan is hot and humid for much of the year. Plan for sun protection and air-conditioned transport for patients who tire easily.
- Hotels register foreign guests with the local police automatically. If you stay in a private home or apartment, registration must be completed within 24 hours of arrival.
- Some special-access medicines can only be used inside the zone. Ask before travel whether follow-up doses must also be given there.
Hospital deposits and bills are paid directly to the hospital; Horcare adds no markup. How hospital payments work.
How Horcare coordinates care in Boao Lecheng (Hainan)
The case review is free; hospital bills are paid directly to the hospital with no markup; the service fee is quoted in writing before any paid work.
Diagnosis and treatment decisions belong to the treating hospital. See how it works · Compare other destinations
- 01
Free case review
Send the diagnosis; personal reply within 24 hours, initial assessment within 72 hours.
- 02
Specialty-first match
Departments in Boao Lecheng (Hainan) (or elsewhere, if better suited) are matched to the condition, not to hospital fame.
- 03
Arrival in Boao Lecheng (Hainan)
Appointments, airport pickup and a dedicated coordinator with medical interpreters on site.
- 04
Follow-up at home
Translated records and liaison with the treating team after you return.
Boao Lecheng (Hainan): frequently asked questions
More planning help in our Guides and patient stories.
What is the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone?
It is a designated medical zone in Qionghai, Hainan, approved by China's State Council in 2013. Licensed institutions in the zone can apply to use certain innovative drugs and devices that are approved abroad but not yet registered in mainland China.
Can I get a drug in Lecheng that is not yet approved in China?
Possibly. If a product is approved overseas and there is a clinical need, a licensed institution in the zone can apply for special access. Each case is reviewed by the institution and the regulators, so availability and approval cannot be promised in advance.
Is Lecheng a clinical trial site?
Lecheng is mainly about using overseas-approved products under special access, not experimental treatment. Data from these real-world uses can support national registration in China. Registered clinical trials are a separate route and follow their own eligibility rules.
Can I take special-access medicines home?
In general, special-access products are for use inside the zone under the treating institution's supervision. Ask the institution about follow-up doses before you travel, because this affects how long you stay or how often you return.
How do I get to Boao Lecheng?
Fly into Qionghai Boao International Airport or Haikou Meilan International Airport, then continue by car or by high-speed rail along the east coast. Your coordinator plans the route with you.
How much does treatment in Lecheng cost?
Costs depend on the product and the treatment plan. Imported special-access products can be expensive, and the institution issues its own quote. You pay the institution directly; Horcare adds no markup and quotes its own service fee in writing before any paid work.
How do foreign patients pay hospital bills in Boao Lecheng (Hainan)?
You pay the hospital directly, usually as a deposit at admission and a settlement at discharge, against itemized invoices. Horcare adds no markup to hospital bills; its own service fee is quoted in writing before any paid work.
Not sure which Boao Lecheng (Hainan) hospital fits your condition?
Send us a summary. A coordinator reviews it for free and replies with options.
No passport or full records needed to start · Hospital bills paid directly to the hospital, no markup