Bo’ao: Hainan Province town rides wave brought by Forum for Asia

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The small town of Bo’ao is located in China’s southern coastal city of Qionghai in the island province of Hainan.

The once small fishing town has been transformed into a major vacation resort and destination for conferences like the Bo’ao Forum for Asia.

Site of the Bo'ao Forum for Asia /CFP Photo

The forum rapidly accelerated the development of the local tourism industry. Bo’ao now has two five-star hotels and numerous four- and three-star hotels for tourism and business.

Bo’ao’s Yudai Beach is an 8.5-kilometer-long natural peninsula. With the South China Sea on one side and the Wanquan River on the other, it separates sea water from river water. In 1999, the northern part of the beach was recognized as a Guinness record holder as "the narrowest beach peninsula separating sea from river." /CFP Photo

Qionghai, where the town of Bo’ao is located, has also benefited from the forum, receiving 8 million tourists in 2015, up 159 percent from 2010.

Bo’ao Airport /CFP Photo

Bo’ao opened a new airport last year, the third in Hainan Province. Tourists can now land in the town directly, for sunbathing, swimming and surfing near Yudai Beach, or to visit attractions like Cai’s Residence (Cai Jia Zhai) and the permanent site of the BFA.

People go bamboo-rafting in the Wanquan River. /CFP Photo

Tourists can also try bamboo rafting on Hainan’s third largest river, the Wanquan, which flows into the South China Sea through Bo’ao.