All about surfing in Phuket

Phuket Island offers tourists various types of water activities: diving, sport fishing, swimming, sailing regattas, surfing. Such a spectacular and beautiful sport as surfing appeared here relatively recently. The Thais themselves are very sporty people, and many of them, even children, are very good with the board and are happy to teach foreigners, not for free, of course.

Of course, there are much more significant places for surfing, such as Hawaii, California, Australia, Bali, but you can also catch a good wave in Phuket. In general, Phuket is considered the capital of Thai surfing. There is no need to wait for unforgettable extreme and giant waves, their height can be from 1.5 to 3 m. with a length of 50-100 m., but in general, the conditions here are the most favorable compared to all other resorts in Thailand. Every year the beaches on the west coast of the island are becoming more and more popular among surfers. Competitions have been held here for several years, there are schools and camps where beginners are trained.

To help beginners

For those who know how to ski, it is easier to master the management of the board, but others can do it. Even without a mentor, you can learn to ride by watching an instructional video, reading safety warnings. To begin with, it is better to pick up a bigger board and try to ride a smooth soft wave near the shore, copying the actions of other athletes.

The board can be rented directly on the beach, on Katya the rental price is the lowest - from 150 baht per hour, on other beaches it is slightly higher. If the board is taken for a longer time, the price decreases. Having tried several different boards, you can choose the optimal one according to height and weight.

For those who cannot master skating on their own, coaches come to the rescue. They are mostly Thais. Communication with them takes place in English. The cost of the mentor's services together with the board costs an average of 1000 baht per 1 hour (see currency of Thailand, exchange rate). For the first time, 1-2 hours of riding is enough, since tumbling on the waves is a tedious occupation. It is better to take a break and continue learning.

In four days of hard training, you can learn to ride quite well. In order not to get burned in the sun, it is better to wear a T-shirt or a special suit, a cap with a visor. When falling from the board, the wave covers your head, so water can get into your ears. Try not to injure yourself and others with the board.

The best season for surfing in Phuket

Experienced surfers note that waves come to Phuket from May to October. At other times, they can be caught if you are lucky by chance. There may be rain and wind in September. The best months for surfing are June and October.

Newcomers coming from November to March are given the opportunity to learn riding an artificial wave by paying 800 baht per hour of training. This surf school is located on Kata Beach. Training at Phuket Surf House is carried out regardless of the weather, because artificial steep waves are generated by a special machine. Trainers help beginners to master the art of conquering the wave. At the initial stage, a special cable protects against falling. There is also a free-mode camp on Katya, where surfers exchange experiences, relax and have a good time.

To find out the forecast for skiing, you need to look at the information on special sites, such as WindGURU, magicseaweed.com . Here you can get useful information – the length and height of the wave, wind speed, its direction, temperature, precipitation. If calm is indicated and the wave height is less than one meter, skiing will not work.

More details about the seasons in Phuket here...

Beaches for surfing in Phuket

All beaches suitable for wave riding are located in the southwestern part of Phuket.

According to experienced surfers, the best place to surf in Phuket is Kata Beach. There are all the conditions for surfing – two shops and seven outlets right on the beach for equipment rental, instructor services. There are always a lot of surfers on the Kata, the atmosphere is friendly. But the main thing is that you can catch the biggest wave here. At the same time, the Kata is suitable for both professionals and beginners. The latter should keep in mind that in the southern part of a small bay there are many pitfalls from which you need to stay away.

South of Kata Beach is Kata Noi. The waves here are also large, up to 2 m, but not constant. They appear suddenly and can change direction. Beginners have a hard time, this beach is more suitable for professionals.

The middle of Bang Tao beach has protection from large waves, but you can ride small ones perfectly. In the northern part there are winds and bigger waves. On Surin beach there is a group of large rocks in the middle part, but there are opportunities for surfing to the north and south. Good waves happen at high tide.

Kalim Beach is also popular with surfers. It is protected from storms, waves in wild weather reach a height of 2.5 m and are long enough. There is a coral reef on Kalima. On Patong beach the best place to surf is the northern part, where the waves are fast and high. The wind is steady, the direction is to the shore.

More details about all the beaches of Phuket here...

Competitions

Surfing competitions are held annually on the island of Phuket. The very first of them took place on Kata Beach, and this tradition has been observed for 10 years. Competitions usually take place at the end of August-September. The winner is awarded a check as a prize.

For four years now, competitions have been held on Kalim Beach at the end of June, attracting hundreds of participants – Kalim Surf Contest. Another surfing competition has been held on Kamala Beach for the last six years.