Updated · 4 min read · Mango Tour editorial, Sanya
In short: Boao Lecheng is China's international medical tourism pilot zone, set up by the State Council in 2013 in Qionghai on Hainan's east coast, about 200 km from Sanya. Its defining feature is a special regime under which designated clinics may, when clinically necessary, use drugs and medical devices already approved abroad but not yet registered in China. Whether that is relevant to a particular client is a decision for doctors, after reviewing records and an in-person consultation.
What the zone is
The State Council approved the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in 2013. It is not one hospital but an area with its own rules, where diagnostic centres, specialist clinics and rehabilitation units operate side by side.
The key provision concerns clinically urgent imports: where a drug or device is approved in another market and no equivalent product is registered in China, a designated clinic in the zone may, with the approval of the Hainan provincial government, import it for use in a specific patient. Hainan consolidated the rules for this procedure in 2023.
Who asks about it
- Clients seeking an in-depth check-up or a second opinion combined with a stay in Sanya.
- Patients asking about access to treatments approved abroad but not yet available in mainland China.
- Rehabilitation after surgery or long treatment, in a warm climate.
- Families travelling with an older relative who needs a medical programme alongside the holiday.
How a client request works
- A short description of the case — no records at this stage.
- A secure channel for medical records, agreed separately; we never accept records through the website or messengers.
- Review of the records by a clinic: whether a trip makes sense and which programme fits.
- Programme and timeline: days of diagnostics, whether a hospital stay is needed, recovery time.
- Only then dates, flights and accommodation, so that treatment never depends on a return flight.
- On site: meeting, a medical interpreter at every appointment, and a coordinator.
Entry rules for medical travellers
Medical treatment is one of the permitted purposes of Hainan's 30-day visa-free scheme, which covers nationals of 61 countries. Guests whose programme continues to mainland China need to check the China-wide rules for their passport.
Hainan visa-free entry rules for 2026 →Getting there from Sanya, and where to stay
Boao is on the east coast, about 200 km from Sanya. The practical route is the high-speed train on the eastern ring line to Boao station, then about 10 minutes by car to the clinics. Qionghai Bo'ao airport is nearby but has few international routes.
For a multi-day programme, guests usually stay in Boao or Qionghai, close to the clinic. For a single appointment or a check-up, they can stay in Sanya and make a day trip.
Sanya's bays compared →Costs and what to tell clients
The cost depends on the clinic, the programme and the scope of tests, and is set after a doctor has reviewed the records; we agree an itemised estimate before the trip. We do not quote indicative prices without that review, because they almost never fit the actual case.
Clients should hear three things clearly: no clinic can guarantee an outcome; contraindications apply and treatment decisions rest with doctors after an in-person consultation; and medical care for foreigners in China is paid, so travel insurance for the whole trip is advisable.
How we work with agencies on medical requests
Mango Tour is a travel company registered in Sanya. We handle the medical side together with our partner MedBridge, a medical operator in the Boao Lecheng zone: records review, clinic selection, appointments and interpreting. We handle transport, accommodation and the guest's stay. Confidentiality of requests and medical data is a condition of the work, and this guide is general information, not medical advice.
Request trade terms →
