China Tourism Group has unveiled Riyue Bay Surf Resort in Wanning, Hainan province, serving up the country’s first surfing-themed stay catering to next-gen surfing culture.
Positioned as the "spiritual home for wave riders," the resort offers four wave levels to welcome surf enthusiasts of different skill levels, from first-time surfers to elite professionals.
It’s home to China’s first Olympic-grade surf lagoon, powered by advanced pneumatic wave technology. A total of 23 pro-ready wave settings have been programmed, to enable year-round surfing for learning, practice, and high-performance surfing.
Guests can check in to the 132-room UECHAO Hotel, designed to blend into the surrounding landscape via reef rock formations and ocean movements.
Beyond the surfing action, the resort also has a retail district X-Livin High Street, which doubles as a social hub with a combination of specialty coffee outlets, eateries, a beach club, live-music area, and outdoor lifestyle brand tenants.
Riyue Bay Surf Resort also offers a mix of lifestyle and cultural events, ranging from festivals and markets, group fitness runs, skateboarding sessions, a drone light show over the sea, floating cinema screenings, and fire dance performances.
The resort’s opening is part of the 2026 Hainan Marine Tourism Year, which aims to shift the island’s tourism model from traditional coastal sightseeing to immersive, activity-based experiences.
The 2026 tourism programme will launch 60 tourism projects, water sports and festive events to offer visitors diverse, high-end tourism experiences.
Hainan hopes to attract 18 million marine tourism visitors by 2027.