China

Where to surf in China

At first sight, modern China and surf culture may seem two worlds apart, yet the Chinese have a history of wave-riding, going way back to the 8th century. These days, a thriving surf scene is now populating the coasts of Hainan, Guangdong and Fujian. Even the northern province of Shandong has seen a boom in surf activity in the coastal town of Qingdao. It’s surfing as we know it but with Chinese characteristics, which include no localism whatsoever, plenty of party waves, a dozen government sponsored teams in Hainan, and hordes of tourists taking lessons during national holidays.

Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The extensive East China coastline receives swell both from the winter Northeast monsoon and the more sporadic summer southerlies. Zhejiang and Fujian are scarcely populated (surf wise) with the exception of Nangsha beach on Zhujia island (Zhejiang, Ningbo) Houcai Bay and Liu’ao Bay (Fujian, Zhangzhou). The northern province of Shandong also offers good potential during summer months with Shilao Ren in Qingdao attracting plenty of surfers. These areas get quite cold during the long months of the winter, with water temps dropping to 10C in Fujian and Zhejiang. Shandong gets even colder.

Outside of these few hotspots this immense coastline offers chances of empty quality surf for those willing to get lost around fish farms, industrial ports and bustling towns. Winter NE swells in the 2-6ft range, are nearly constant from November to April, but summer flat spells can be long, tide range is huge (up to 7m in Zhejiang) and the coast is often industrialised, with great amounts of plastic waste or algae bloom.

South China Sea

The Hong Kong & Guangdong zone is where the Chinese surf expansion began with spots like Big Wave Bay (Hong Kong), Silver Beach (Beihai, Guangxi), Dapeng Peninsula (Shenzhen), Pinghai (Huizhou), and Zhelang (Shanwei) leading the charge. The beaches of Xichong and Dongchong lay just a 2h drive from the rich megalopolis of Shenzhen (population 17 million) while Pinghai and Zhelang are reachable from Guangzhou (14 million) through efficient, but often congested highways. The surf spots there are packed with surf schools and beginners frolicking in the easy sand-bottom breaks. A few pointbreaks can be found in more secluded bays, but they need a big NE swell or a typhoon to activate. Spots in Hong Kong are less consistent and of lower quality compared to the rest of Guangdong or Hainan. There are a few well-kept secrets on some of the 263 islands under HK jurisdiction, but you need knowledgeable contacts.

In 2024, the Hong Kong surf scene was shocked that a government ban on surfing had been put in place across all beaches. In reality, the ban was never enforced and surfing life goes on as usual in Big Wave Bay and Shek O, the main hubs. However, if a typhoon alert is called for the area then all the beaches are deemed unsafe and shut.

The lush, green, tropical island of Hainan is the epicentre of surf expansion and the only surf area effectively appealing to an international expert surf audience. It clearly represents the best bet for getting a quality wave in China, receiving the largest, most reliable surf both from the winter NE monsoon (80% surf days between November and February) and from the fairly regular summer south swells (30% surf days from April to October). Typhoons deliver a fair amount of high quality surf between May and November but some of the spots get shut down with security patrolling the coast. There are about 15 leg-burning pointbreaks and an infinite number of surfable beaches on the island. The spots in Wanning and Lingshui areas are definitely the best, offering affordable accommodation in front of good quality waves such as Riyue Bay, Shimei Bay, Fuli Bay and Xintan Bay. These same spots are also the training ground for the provincial teams practising full-time on the island. The level of Chinese surfers, especially those in the teams, has grown exponentially, so getting a wave with 20 or 30 of them training can be hard. Choose early mornings (before 9am), lunch breaks and sunsets to avoid their presence.