We went to Boao expecting conference halls. We left thinking about fishing nets. That contrast is the whole story of this town.
The village before the forum
For most of its history Boao was a fishing village at the Wanquan River mouth, where the river meets the sea. Old fishermen still remember the days when the biggest event of the year was the anchovy run.
Why the forum came here
In 2001 the Boao Forum for Asia chose this quiet spot as its permanent home — the story goes that the founders wanted a place that felt neutral, calm and distinctly Asian. The conference complex now anchors the waterfront.
What it is like today
Between forums the town returns to a slow rhythm: seafood restaurants along the river, the white sand of the estuary bar, and the Jade Belt Beach (Yudaitan) where river and sea meet. Jiaji duck from nearby Qionghai is the local table classic.
Read next Pair a Boao visit with our Qionghai destination guide and the Jiaji duck story in the food channel.
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