You want to know where to buy beach umbrellas? I'll tell you.

Here are some practical places to find reliable beach umbrellas, categorized by need:

I. Emergency Quick Purchase Points

Gas Station Convenience Stores

Fluorescent umbrellas (safety colors to prevent accidents) hung at gas stations along highways; ugly but durable enough to last three years.
Bonus: Buy some ice-cold beer to use as temporary ballast in the umbrella stand.

Beach Lifeguard Stations

Lifeguards sell basic wind-resistant models; a deposit allows for a 30-minute trial.
Crucially, you can learn local umbrella-securing techniques (e.g., using coral rocks to weigh down the ropes in Hainan).

II. Value-for-Money Treasure Hunts

Deep inside Fishing Tackle Shops:

Look for marine-grade sun umbrellas (often sold as surplus stock), with fiberglass frames and rust-proof buckles, resistant to sea breezes for ten years.

Clearance Markets:

In late summer, scour coastal towns for defective umbrellas (misprinted patterns/missing buckles), buy them at a 70% discount and repair them yourself.

Swimming Pool Clearance Sales:

Umbrellas used by pool managers during off-season sales; stainless steel poles and thickened fabric, resistant to chlorine corrosion.

III. Professional Player Hubs

Surf Shop Warehouses:

Find carbon fiber umbrellas (lighter than a mobile phone), which can be secured by inserting them into the gap of a surfboard.

Sailing Clubs:

Member-exclusive purchase of competition-grade canvas umbrellas, stable as a rock in force 8 winds (requires an introduction).

Outdoor Equipment Exhibitions:

Try out magnetic expandable umbrellas – two umbrellas automatically connect to form a gazebo when their sides touch.

IV. Areas to Avoid

• Scenic Area Souvenir Shops

Selling miniature toy umbrellas (labeled as beach umbrellas).

• Trendy Pop-up Stalls

Lace umbrellas/transparent umbrellas are only for show; your scalp will burn after an hour in the sun.

• Supermarket Promotion Carts

19.9 RMB umbrellas will fall apart in the wind.

V. Under-the-Radar Channels

Homestay Barter Corners:

Trade surplus snorkeling masks for vintage wooden-handled umbrellas left behind by European guests.

Fishing Boat Supply Stores:

Custom-made asphalt-coated umbrellas for fishermen (to prevent fishy odors from seeping in), extremely effective at blocking UV rays.

Umbrella Repairman's Private Collection:

Find umbrella repair stalls in old city alleys; for 50 RMB, they can modify an umbrella into an anti-theft umbrella (with triangular barbs welded to the tip).