Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand April / May 2015 - The Health & Wellness Issue | Page 54

Travel & Lifestyle PADDLING OUT We paddled into the direction of a beautiful reef in the Bang Tao area. Over the reef, we scouted for a big turtle Steve had seen there a couple times. Turtles are an endangered species in Thailand. The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation is trying to change this by protecting the marine and coastal ecosystems for the wellbeing of the sea turtles. We were not lucky enough to see one on our excursion, but there’s always a next time! We continued paddling in the direction of Surin Beach. It was amazing to explore Phuket in such a unique way. The water was nice and warm. It was quiet and we were in great company. A dip in the same water would be awesome, and of course Steve had thought about this. We tied all our boards together at a great platoon in front of Amanpuri Hotel. He took out the snorkels for everyone, and we splashed into the water. WINDING DOWN The clear blue waters in Phuket are filled with colourful fish. We threw in some pieces of bread and were surrounded by hundreds of them — some of the fish even ate out of our hands! It was a spectacular experience. After we had a sip of water and caught our breath, we headed to Surin Beach. A little over two hours after we left Bang Tao Beach, we arrived on Surin Beach where we were picked up and brought back to Bliss Beach Club. At the club we enjoyed a lovely lunch, which brought our adventurous day in the water to a close. Two hours on the water finding your balance and paddling is a real workout, but it’s such a challenging, adventurous and fun way to get some exercise. We definitely wanted to go back for more. So we got ourselves a monthly subscription to Skyla’s Surf & SUP Club for only THB 1,000 per month. With the membership, you can make use of their boards and paddle out by yourself anytime you want. MORE ABOUT SKYLA The team of Skyla’s Surf & SUP Club are ocean lovers who take great excitement in sharing their knowledge of water craft riding to young and old. The Club is the first of its kind to offer surfing and SUP. Besides several guided SUP Tours, they offer a range of SUP board rental options to suit your needs. Rent a board for 300 THB an hour, or practice with an instructor for 1 hour and 30 minutes for 1500 THB. Although many people don’t recognize Phuket as a surf destination, you will be pleasantly surprised at what you can find here. From April to early November, Phuket offers both beach and reef breaks, which on great days can compete with the better known surf destinations in the world, minus the crowds. Skyla offers private and group lessons for surfing, as well as board rentals. And let’s not forget about the Surf Camps that are being organized for the kids during the school holidays! CONTACT Skyla’s Surf & SUP Club Bliss Beach Club in Bang Tao, Phuket 202/88 Moo 2, Tumbon Cherng-Talay Amphoe Muang, Phuket, Thailand Web: http://surf-sup.asia/ Phone: +66 (0)954417805 Email: [email protected] 52 WANDERLUST www.wanderlustmag.com