Kite Surfing

There are many things to do in Phuket, and probably one of them that you could try – you won’t! Why? You just don’t think it’s “for you”. Thing is, it isn’t that hard to kite surf! You could pick it up in just a couple of hours. If you’re in good shape and love the ocean, there is every reason to give it a go. You know, assuming there's a light wind and a good instructor, you too can learn kite surfing in Phuket!

What exactly is kite surfing? You stand on a small surfboard that has straps to hold your feet to the board. It isn’t that tight because you don’t want to break your ankles when your board hits the water the wrong way. The straps will give a bit when you twist them or hit the wrong way. So, you’re standing on this board, which is barely buoyant because it must be small and maneuverable – much more so than a regular surfboard. In your hand, you’re holding the bar for a kite which is in the water in front of you. The wind is probably coming from behind you and you need to launch the kite up into the wind so it will pull you around the water on your board.

Sounds difficult, I know. And let’s not sugar-coat it, it is tough to get going the first few times. There’s a lot to learn about the wind and keeping your balance. Still, there are kids doing it, and if a kid can do it – you can too! It just takes some effort and persistence.

There are a few places for kite surfing in Phuket that you might want to have a look at. Try the following locations if you’re looking for a good place to start:
- Kite Zone at both Friendship Beach and Nai Yang Beach => They offer paddle boarding, kite surfing rentals and lessons.
- Kite Boarding Asia in Chalong and Nai Yang => They offer kite surfing rentals and lessons.

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