A surfer's board went missing in Hawaii, only to be discovered more than 5,000 miles away in the Philippines.

A man who lost his surfboard in massive waves off the coast of Hawaii was astonished to learn it was found in the Philippines, a distance of 5,200 miles.

Doug Falter, a surfer and photographer from Hawaii, lost his board in Waimea Bay, Oahu, back in February 2018, as shared in a post on his Facebook page.

"I was heartbroken because I had just ridden the biggest waves of my life on that board," he posted on August 17. "That's why it meant so much to me."

Falter had hoped that a local fisherman might stumble upon his board or that it would wash up on Kauai, a spot he’d heard was known for recovering lost boards, but he never imagined it would end up in the Philippines.

"It's 5,200 miles away!" Falter exclaimed, explaining that the new owner had purchased it from a fisherman to learn surfing and then reached out to Hawaii-based board shaper Lyle Carson via Facebook.

"As disappointed as I was when I lost it, I’m now happy to know my board ended up in the hands of someone eager to learn the sport," said Falter.

Dinogo has contacted Falter for a statement.

The board’s new owner is Giovanne Branzuela, a primary school teacher from the southern Philippines, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The board had shifted from a pale blue to a yellowish hue during its journey across the Pacific, but Lyle Carson's name was still legible.

Branzuela reached out to Carson, who then informed Falter about the incredible discovery.

"It turned out to be a surfboard from Hawaii. I couldn’t believe it myself," said Branzuela, 38, to AFP. "It's always been my dream to learn to surf and ride the big waves here."

"For now, I can use his surfboard. I promised him I would take great care of it," he added.

Falter shared on Facebook that he would have visited Branzuela if not for the coronavirus travel restrictions, but he's now raising funds to send the aspiring surfer some gear and materials to help his students learn English.

The two stay in touch online, and Falter told AFP that he plans to visit once he can, to retrieve his board and give Branzuela a beginner's board to learn on.

"It was my first custom-shaped big wave board, made just for me. I rode it on the biggest waves I've ever tackled," Falter told AFP.

"It's a reason for me to go to the Philippines, visit, and finish the story," he said. "I think it would be a great way to end it... by teaching him how to surf."