Top 10 Marinas in China
China's coastal waters stretch for nearly 18,000 kilometres, encompassing tropical reef lagoons in the south, the temperate sailing grounds of the Yellow Sea and Bohai, and the dramatic island-dotted coastlines of Zhejiang and Fujian. For foreign sailors, the bureaucratic framework — mandatory cruising permits, compulsory pilots in some areas, and restricted zones around military installations — creates genuine complexity. But the country's marina infrastructure has grown at extraordinary speed since the 2008 Olympics brought international sailing to Qingdao. In 2026, a well-prepared crew with the correct paperwork can access some of the most untravelled cruising waters in Asia.
Sanya International Yacht Club, Hainan
At the southern tip of Hainan Island, roughly at latitude 18 degrees north, Sanya's Yalong Bay complex is China's most ambitious marina development. The facility includes over 300 berths for large yachts and superyachts, a chandlery, fuel dock, travel-lift, and five-star resort amenities within the perimeter. The Sanya Race Week event, which runs annually in late January, draws international offshore fleets and is the primary event putting Chinese sailing on the global map. The water temperature stays above 24°C through most of the year; the approach through the South China Sea from Hong Kong is approximately 270 nautical miles.
Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre, Shandong
The 2008 Beijing Olympic sailing events were held here, and the legacy infrastructure remains the most technically capable public marina on China's northern coast. Qingdao's position on the Yellow Sea gives it a genuine offshore sailing tradition — the city hosts the Qingdao International Regatta each August and is home to the China headquarters of several ocean race campaigns. The approach waters are affected by dense summer fog in June and July; September and October bring clear skies and consistent north-easterlies.
Zhoushan International Yacht Club, Zhejiang
Located in the Zhoushan Archipelago — a chain of more than 1,300 islands south of the Yangtze River delta — this marina sits at the intersection of some of China's most interesting sailing geography. The Zhoushan area is a busy commercial shipping lane, but the inshore islands provide sheltered channels and reasonable anchorages. Access to the open East China Sea is straightforward from here. The archipelago's cuisine is notable: fresh seafood appears on every table in every direction.
Xiamen International Yacht Club, Fujian
Xiamen occupies a natural harbour of unusual beauty, ringed by colonial-era architecture on Gulangyu Island. The yacht club and marina occupy a modern facility with around 200 berths; the approach involves careful navigation around the international shipping lanes entering the port. The waters between Xiamen and the adjacent Jinmen (Kinmen) Island — now administered by Taiwan — carry a complex history, but for practical sailing purposes the channel is manageable with correct paperwork. The summers here bring warm, reliable south-westerly monsoon winds.
Shanghai International Yacht Club, Pudong
In Shanghai, the marina lies in the Pudong New Area with views of the Lujiazui skyline — an almost surreal backdrop for a sailing berth. The approach via the Yangtze estuary demands careful attention to tidal timing and the extraordinary volume of commercial traffic. The marina itself is functional, with around 150 berths, and primarily serves corporate and weekend sailors based in the city. Offshore access requires a valid cruising permit. For passage sailors, Shanghai is the staging point for northbound voyages toward Shandong and Korea.
Dalian Sun Asia International Yacht Club, Liaoning
Dalian sits at the southern tip of the Liaoning Peninsula, commanding the entrance to the Bohai Sea. The Sun Asia yacht club is the primary leisure marina in a city that takes maritime affairs seriously — Dalian is one of China's major shipbuilding and port cities. Berths reach to 200; facilities include a fuel dock, maintenance workshops and a sailing school. The Bohai Sea itself is largely sheltered by the Shandong Peninsula to the south; sailing conditions are consistent if less dramatic than the open coast.
Weihai International Yacht Club, Shandong
At the eastern tip of Shandong Province, Weihai commands clear views across to the Korean Peninsula and handles yacht traffic crossing to and from Incheon. The marina offers around 250 berths and is among the better-equipped in northern China, with workshop facilities and a haul-out capacity of around 30 tonnes. The passage across to Korea — roughly 200 nautical miles at the shortest route — is the most common offshore overnight leg that Chinese-based foreign sailors make.
Beihai International Yacht Port, Guangxi
On the coast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the Gulf of Tonkin, Beihai's international yacht port serves as the southernmost mainland staging point before Hainan. The facility handles both pleasure craft and some artisan fishing traffic. The approach from the south passes the Weizhou Island, an extinct volcanic island with clear water and coral formations — a genuine offshore destination that sees very few visiting yachts. The gulf's summer monsoon brings south-westerly winds ideal for northbound passages.
Zhuhai International Yacht Club, Guangdong
Across the Pearl River estuary from Hong Kong, Zhuhai's marina sits within the economic zone adjacent to Macau and the Hengqin development area. The 300-plus berth facility caters primarily to Hong Kong-based owners who want mainland access without the complexity of Hong Kong waters. The surrounding area includes the newly built Hengqin arts and tourism district. The short hop from Zhuhai to Hong Kong, about 45 nautical miles, is one of the most trafficked leisure sailing passages in the Pearl River Delta.
Tianjin Yacht Club, Tianjin
Tianjin is the nearest coastal city to Beijing, and its yacht club sits within the Binhai New Area development on the Bohai Sea. The facility is modest but functional; the appeal lies in its role as a gateway for sailors exploring the northern Bohai, including passages toward the Liaodong Peninsula and the coast of Liaoning. Winter in the Bohai is severe — temperatures drop well below freezing and ice formation is a genuine hazard between December and March. The sailing season runs from April to October.
Explore on the map
China's cruising grounds are vast and varied, from the tropical reefs of the South China Sea to the cold waters of the Bohai in winter. Use the interactive map to locate all marinas listed here and plan your route through this frontier sailing territory. Whether you are staging a Hainan Race Week campaign, navigating the Zhoushan Archipelago, or preparing a crossing to Korea, the map shows depth data, anchorages and marina positions across the full coastline. China on the map reveals the sheer scale of this extraordinary maritime country.