Chinese Surf Tourism in 2026: How 5 Million Chinese Surfers Are Changing Beach Destinations

Nobody predicted that China would fall in love with surfing. The country has a 14,000-kilometer coastline but almost no surfing culture before 2015. And yet by 2025, China has an estimated 5 million surfers, a government-backed surf training program, and a domestic competition circuit that feeds into international events.

For beach tourism destinations with a surf culture, from Bali to Hawaii to the Canary Islands to Portugal’s Algarve coast, this is a market that did not exist a decade ago and is worth paying serious attention to today.

How Surfing Became a Chinese Sport

Two forces drove China’s surf explosion. First, the 2018 National Fitness Program added surfing to the list of promoted sports, triggering government funding for training facilities and competitive infrastructure. Second, and arguably more powerful: Douyin. Short surfing videos, particularly from Hainan Island’s Riyuewan Surf Bay, went viral on the platform, creating aspirational demand among young urban Chinese who had never seen a wave.

Riyuewan, the “Surf Bay” on Hainan, became the epicenter. Young Chinese professionals with board shorts, learner boards, and a strong desire to create content drove a wave (pun unavoidable) of surf tourism within China. When international travel reopened, the same demographic started booking surf trips abroad.

Where Chinese Surf Tourists Go Internationally

Bali remains the top international surf destination for Chinese learners and intermediate surfers. The combination of consistency of waves, established Chinese tourism infrastructure, relatively low costs, and the Bali brand recognition make it the easy first international surf trip for Chinese surfers.

The Philippines (Siargao island) has emerged as a strong alternative, with growing Xiaohongshu representation and a more adventurous reputation that appeals to experienced Chinese surfers. Portugal’s Ericeira (Europe’s only UNESCO World Surfing Reserve) attracts Chinese surf tourists who combine a European trip with surf sessions. The Canary Islands, particularly Fuerteventura, are on the radar for Chinese intermediate surfers seeking Atlantic conditions.

How Surf Tourism Destinations Can Attract Chinese Visitors

• Create Mandarin content specifically for Chinese surfers, not just general Chinese tourists. The surf traveler has specific information needs: wave conditions, board rental quality, surf school instruction language, photography services for capturing rides.
• Douyin and Xiaohongshu are essential. Surfing content performs extremely well on both platforms. Partner with Chinese surf content creators for a destination visit trip.
• Ensure your surf school offers beginner instruction in Mandarin, or at minimum in English with a patient, visual teaching style. Chinese beginner surfers are enthusiastic and willing to pay premium for good instruction.
• Photography packages matter. Chinese surf tourists want professional surf photos to share on social media. A surf photographer service that delivers WeChat-shareable images same day is a high-value add-on.

Pedro’s Take

Surf tourism targeting Chinese visitors is one of the clearest blue ocean opportunities in the current Chinese outbound market. The demand is real and growing. The Chinese surf community actively shares destination content. And almost no international surf destination has built a genuine Chinese marketing presence. The first Bali surf school to run Mandarin instruction and post consistently on Douyin will dominate the Chinese surf tourist market for their island. It is that simple.

(Here is the joke: A surf instructor in Ericeira tells me that Chinese tourists can’t surf. I show him a Douyin video of a 24-year-old from Chengdu nailing a five-foot wave on his fifth lesson, followed by a 30-second edit that got 800,000 views. The instructor books a flight to Chengdu to recruit students. I tell him the students will come to him. He just needs to be on Douyin first.)

FAQ

Is surfing growing in China?

Yes, significantly. China has approximately 5 million surfers in 2025, with Hainan Island as the domestic surf hub. The sport received government backing through the National Fitness Program and has strong social media visibility on Douyin.

What surf destinations do Chinese tourists prefer?

Bali (Indonesia) is the top international choice. Philippines (Siargao), Portugal (Ericeira, Peniche), and Hawaii are growing preferences for more experienced Chinese surfers. Domestically, Hainan Island remains the primary destination.

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About the author: Pedro Wang is the founder of Chinese Tourists Agency, helping beach and surf tourism destinations attract the growing Chinese adventure traveler market. Contact Pedro Wang to build your surf destination’s Chinese strategy.

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