The complete list of wave pools and river breaks

Surfing
Surf pools: man-made waves for landlocked surfers | Photo: Surf Snowdonia

Are you an inland surfer? Are you an ocean surfer in a landlocked nation? Do you want to experience wave riding in a different scenario? Find your nearest surf park, or participate in a river surfing session.

The world's first wave pool was probably a swimming pool built in Munich, Germany, in the 1920s.

The indoor piscina was equipped with a hydraulic mechanism that produced regular waves.

In 1993, Japan decided to build what is still considered one of the best artificial wave pools of all time.

Located in Miyazaki, the Seagaia Ocean Dome delivered consistent and punchy head-high rollers and many tube-riding opportunities.

When it closed in October 2007, it left millions of surfers disappointed.

The world's first exclusive public surf pool opened on August 1st, 2015, in Dolgarrog, Wales.

Surf Snowdonia is the first surf lagoon built with Wavegarden technology, and it pumps three sizes of waves for beginners, intermediate surfers, and advanced wave riders.

Nowadays, there are seven different wave-generating systems in the market: American Wave Machines, CityWave, Kelly Slater Wave Company, Murphy's Waves, Wavegarden, WaveLoch, and Webber Wave Pools.

But if you opt for standing waves, river breaks offer the ultimate freshwater experience.

The planet has stationary waves for all tastes - you can ride a river slope sculpted by Mother Nature or jump into an endless, man-made river flow.

And don't forget those relentless tidal bores - they're rare, but they're unforgettable.

Surf Snowdonia: the world's first surf pool | Photo: Surf Snowdonia

Wave Pools | Open To The Public

Avalanche Bay (Boyne Falls, Michigan, USA)
Big Surf (Tempe, Arizona, USA)
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park (Orlando, Florida, USA)
Himlabadet (Sundsvall, Sweden)
Kalahari Indoor Waterpark (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, USA)
Siam Park (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
Sunway Lagoon (Bandar Sunway, Malaysia)
Surf Snowdonia (Dolgarrog, UK)
Surf's Up NH (Nashua, New Hampshire, USA)
Wadi Adventure (Al Ain, United Arab Emirates)
Wave House (San Diego, California, USA)
BSR Surf Ranch (Waco, Texas)
The Wave Bristol (Bristol, UK)
URBNSURF Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)
Alaïa Bay (Sion, Switzerland)

Wave Pools | Projected

Rif010 (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
URBNSURF Perth (Perth, Australia)
URBNSURF Sydney (Sydney, Australia)

Wave Pools | Test Facilities

Kelly Slater Wave Company (Lemoore, California, USA)
Wavegarden (Zarautz, Spain)
Surf Lakes (Yeppoon, Australia)

River surfing: the world is full endless fun and endless river breaks | Photo: Shutterstock

River Surfing Breaks

Barking Dog (Coloma, California, USA)
Bend Whitewater Park (Bend, Oregon, USA)
Boise River Park (Boise, Idaho, USA)
Bono/Seven Ghosts (Sumatra, Indonesia)
Bulken (Bulken, Norway)
Columbus (Columbus, Georgia, USA)
Corner Pocket (Durango, Colorado, USA)
Cunovo (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Dalhem (Gotland, Sweden)
Eisbach (Munich, Germany)
Fils (Göppingen, Germany)
Floßlände (Munich, Germany)
Gunny (Gunnison, Colorado, USA)
Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)
Hauptbrücke (Graz, Austria)
Hawaii 5-O (Denver, Colorado, USA)
Hawea (Albert Town, New Zealand)
Industrial Hole (Rock Island, Canada)
Isar (Plattling, Germany)
Kelly’s Whitewater Park (Cascade, Idaho, USA)
Kugelfang (Steyr, Austria)
Lippstadt (Lippstadt, Germany)
Miracle (Denver, Colorado)
Mizzoccola (Domodossola, Italy)
Nile Special (White Nile, Uganda)
Óbidos (Foz do Arelho, Portugal)
Pororoca (São Domingos do Capim, Brazil)
Radetzky (Graz, Austria)
Severn (Gloucestershire, UK)
Sewer (Ottawa, Canada)
Sherbrooke River (Sherbrooke, Canada)
Subiaco (Tivoli, Italy)
The Bitches (St Davids, UK)
The Mountain (Kananaskis, Canada)
Turbo (Turbigo, Italy)
U2 (Denver, Colorado)
Wave O Saurus (Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA)

Have we missed a surf pool, man-made wave, or river break? Send us an email.