Surf & Golf Retreat in Tropical Hainan: PerfectSwell Wave Pool + Championship Courses

A typical day starts early, because the surf calendar runs advanced wave settings first thing in the morning and late at night, with beginner sessions through the middle of the day. The pool runs one wave setting per session, and that setting changes hour by hour — a sample day reads 08:30 A1 Advanced, 10:30 B2 Complete Beginner, 11:30 I1 Intermediate, 13:30 B4 Experienced Beginner, 14:30 I2 Intermediate. You check the surf calendar against your dates before you commit to them, then your slot, level and wave setting get locked in.

Sessions are 55 minutes. Beginners get softboards, a coach in the water with a maximum of four surfers per coach, and gentle rolling whitewater designed to get you standing on day one. Intermediate surfers ride The Runner or The Jetty — clean, open-face walls similar to chest-to-head-high Trestles, with a roll-in take-off. Advanced surfers get The Peak: a quick take-off into a long, open face with a turn section, an air section and a barrel section all in the same wave, one day lefts and the next rights. Pro sessions are private bookings only, on a slab barrel wave with a steep take-off into a large hollow tube, or the air ramp with a consistent section on repeat. Over 50 wave types are available exclusively in private sessions.

Every wave in the pool is filmed. You can watch your session on the lounge screens afterwards and take home downloads of your best rides. There's a surf shop on site with all the major brands, a quiver of rental boards covering performance shortboards, mid-lengths and soft tops, wetsuits for kids and adults, plus lockers, showers and changing rooms steps from the water. The Surf Café does specialty coffee, cold drinks and post-session food. Sauna, ice bath and hot plunge are in the recovery suite.

What makes this different from any other surf trip is that the pool removes the variable. You're not paying for a week hoping the ocean cooperates. Six sessions over three nights for two people, with a Garden View room, breakfast for two, softboards and one video session each, adds up to a surf trip with a guaranteed result. The trade-off is that it's a pool, not an ocean — but the ocean is nearby at Riyue Bay for seasonal natural surfing, and the island surf guide covers the local breaks.

Coaching runs in tiers: private one-on-one sessions, group clinics capped at four surfers, a kids program for ages 6 to 14, and a multi-day Pro Training Camp by invitation. Video analysis is an add-on available with any session. Every program is led by qualified coaches with competition and teaching backgrounds.

Beyond the pool, Hainan itself is the second half of the trip. Wanning is a laid-back surf town with local shops and cafés. Xinglong, minutes away, has natural hot springs and tropical coffee plantations. The interior is mountainous, with rivers cutting through palm forest and waterfalls in the jungle. The coast alternates between cliffs and long sand beaches. Night markets, fire performances and a Li heritage culture round it out. Non-surfers are fully accounted for — spa treatments, hikes, river excursions, cooking experiences, markets and a beach club can be arranged while the surfer is in the water, and everyone reconvenes for dinner.

What's included

- 3 nights (or more) at the Surf Pool Resort, Garden View room - Breakfast for two - 6 PerfectSwell surf pool sessions over 3 nights for two people (more on longer stays) - Softboards provided for applicable session setups - One video session per person - Premium car airport transfers from Haikou (HAK) - English-speaking trip coordination and WhatsApp support throughout - Surf shop and board rental access on site - Lockers, showers and changing rooms - Recovery suite access: sauna, ice bath, hot plunge - Spectator access for non-surfing companions

Golf packages additionally include: - 2 rounds of golf at The Dunes (Essential tier) - Ritz-Carlton Haikou stay and Mission Hills Blackstone round (Premium tier) - Rosewood Sanya stay, private yacht day and Lu Hui Tou golf (Luxury tier) - Tee times, transfers between resort and courses

What's not included

- International flights - China visa fees (visa-free entry applies for most nationalities) - Lunches and dinners (breakfast only included) - Surf pool sessions beyond the package allocation - Coaching sessions (from CNY 228 per person per hour) - Photo and video packages (from CNY 200 per surfer per session) - Private pool sessions (from CNY 7,760 per hour) - Board and wetsuit rentals beyond what's included - Spa treatments and additional excursions - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and gratuities