Riyue Bay Surf Resort launches as highlight of Hainan’s 2026 Marine Tourism Year

International

China’s first surfing-themed resort blends engineered waves, coastal lifestyle and contemporary culture

China Tourism Group has inaugurated Riyue Bay Surf Resort on November 11 in Wanning, Hainan province. The opening celebration combined professional surfing displays, artistic performances and elements of next-generation surf culture, marking the debut of the country’s first resort fully dedicated to surfing.

Art, performance and world-class surfing at the grand opening

The ceremony opened with Ocean Breeze in Blue, performed by the Hainan Provincial Song and Dance troupe. Professional surfers from China, Brazil and Australia then demonstrated aerial manoeuvres on the custom-built 6MCFLY wave, showcasing the speed, height and precision made possible by the resort’s advanced surf-wave engineering.

A high-tech destination for surfers of all levels

Conceived as a “spiritual home for wave riders,” the resort supports beginners and elite athletes alike. Its Four Wave Levels—Large, Medium, Small and Micro—create tailored environments for learning, practising and refining skills.

At the heart of the complex is China’s first Olympic-grade surf lagoon. Powered by pneumatic wave technology, it delivers 23 calibrated wave settings that ensure consistent, year-round conditions regardless of tides or weather. The system enables both safe instruction and high-performance training.

A new coastal lifestyle concept

Riyue Bay Surf Resort expands the idea of a beach holiday by bringing together sport, hospitality, retail and culture. Accommodation includes the architecturally distinctive UECHAO Hotel, whose design draws inspiration from reef formations and ocean movement. Across 132 individually styled rooms, guests can immerse themselves in an atmosphere shaped by rhythm, surf and shore.

X-Livin High Street, the resort’s lifestyle and retail district created in collaboration with young entrepreneurs, serves as a social centre. LIVEHOUSE performances, a beach club, cafés, Southeast Asian dining and outdoor lifestyle brands form a lively environment where culture and sport intersect.

Experiences shaped by waves, art and night-time spectacle

The resort’s event programme reflects its creative approach to coastal living. Activities include an island-life festival and market, group fitness runs, skateboarding sessions, drone light shows above the sea, floating cinema screenings and fire-dance performances.

Looking ahead, Riyue Bay Surf Resort aims to make its philosophy—creating waves rather than waiting for them—a defining element of modern coastal travel, setting a new benchmark for surf-centred, style-driven oceanfront experiences in Hainan and beyond.