Lantau’s water-sport providers have plenty on offer for beachgoers keen for more than just a sedate wade. Let’s take a look
When you think Discovery Bay, it’s not often, if ever, you think water sports, with other parts of Lantau more renowned for their beaches. But there is more happening here than you think, with sailing, paddling and rowing all based out of Lantau Boat Club, and more and more kiteboarders seen in the bay.
The reality is, though, if you’re looking for a day at the beach with a kayak, stand-up paddle board (SUP), kiteboard or surfboard, you will be well served to look to Lantau’s southern beaches.
GENTLY DOES IT
Some of Hong Kong’s best beaches are in South Lantau and a mixture of locals, expats and tourists converge there to get out on the water. There is nothing like a day at the beach during the balmy autumn months and there’s plenty to do besides wallow in the shallows.
SUP has been one activity to increase in popularity on Lantau over the past couple of summers and one of the reasons it has garnered such a following is its simplicity and convenience: all you need is a long board and paddle. As far as relaxing water sports go, it is at the top of the list, and at this time of year, Lantau’s calm waters lend themselves to the occasion.
Lengthy with relatively few swimmers, Pui O Beach is the first port of call for water-sports enthusiasts of all types. You can go it alone by bringing your own equipment or head to Treasure Island (www.treasureislandhk.com) to hire surfboards, SUPs, bodyboards and kayaks. The staff will show you how to use them, or you can sign up for a couple of courses.
Lower Cheung Sha Beach is another water-sports hub, and the long-time home of Long Coast Seasports (www.longcoast.hk). While windsurfing is the forté, Long Coast also facilitates wakeboarding, SUP and kayaking.
Alternatively, you might consider hopping on a boat to Cheung Chau: the waters off Tung Wan and Kwun Yam Wan are popular among water-sports enthusiasts, paddlers in particular. A-Team Edventures (www.ateamedventures.com) offers a range of exciting kayaking and paddling experiences, including a Cheung Chau Night Paddle.
WET AND WILD
If the adrenalin rush of kiteboarding is what you’re after, there’s fun to be had for beginners and intermediates alike on Lantau, with Kiteboarding Association of Hong Kong (www.kiteboarding.org.hk) and Hong Kong Kiteboarding School (www.facebook.com/HongkongKiteboardingSchool) offering all sor ts of options out of Shui Hau Wan and Pui O Beach. A range of training courses are on offer including beginner-friendly classes, refresher courses and intensive two-day bootcamps for beginners.
Shui Hau Wan and Pui O Beach are both perfect places to learn to kiteboard, with Kiteboarding Association of Hong Kong even providing a jet ski to ensure beginners can access the right areas to get just the winds they need. Not many people use these beaches for swimming and there is no ferry to worry about; what’s more, the water is relatively shallow. Shui Hau Wan in particular is a learner’s paradise, while the choppier waters off Pui O Beach offer a little more action for those starting to find their feet.
The sport is continually growing in Hong Kong and the waters of Discovery Bay are proving to be the perfect playground for expert-level kiteboarders. Beginners, though, should beware of the DB waters – and winds. You need east directional winds and the wind speeds must be high, around 13 knots constantly, and static, not dropping out. If the wind changes a little bit to the south, the mountain will block the wind, and you will need to swim back to the beach. For these reasons, only the experts kiteboard off DB and there is the notion that they would like it to stay that way, keen as they are to keep their space just for themselves.
SURF’S UP
While Lantau is a hub of water-based activities, one thing it does lack is consistent waves for the surfing community. That’s not to say that you can never catch a wave, but you do have to be patient and seize the moment when it comes. Local surfers stand by for a storm or a tropical depression inside the South China Sea: a typhoon that comes across from the Philippines will also generally push waves on to Lantau. During surf season (winter), you can hope for six to eight good surf sessions, where often the lifeguards pull the nets out and you can get some good waves.
One thing’s for sure, Lantau is neither Hawaii nor New South Wales, which is actually a plus for first-time surfers. If you are looking to improve your surfing skills, nothing beats the waters off Pui O and Cheung Sha beaches. The southeast swell gives waves some solid force and although not massive, their inconsistency makes them challenging enough to surf. Before heading out with a buddy (it’s inadvisable to surf alone even if you’ve got plenty of experience), be sure to check the weather and local surf report (www.surf-forecast.com).
Classes are available for beginner to intermediate surfers on Lower Cheung Sha Beach at Hong Kong Surfing Lesson (www.hongkongsurfinglesson.com), and also on Pui O Beach through Treasure Island. Parents should note that wannabe surfers aged five years and up can get a piece of the action.
At Treasure Island, the Surf Camps for kids are separated into two age groups, five to nine years (grommets) and nine to 12 years (intermediates). Each week-long camp runs from Monday to Friday, and includes three hours of surfing lessons daily, with an hour dedicated to beach safety and ocean education. There are also Surf and Adventure Camps, for youth aged five to nine years, nine to 13 years and 13 to 17 years, which include activities like kayaking, gorging and coastal exploration, in Social responsibility being a key component of Treasure Island’s ethos, all the camps give children the opportunity to learn about sustainability practices and why caring for the environment is crucial to their future.
Over at Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Hong Kong Surfing Lesson provides daily classes (individual or group), as well as three-day Surf Camps for children, aged five years and up. Kids who are new to the game learn basic surf safety and rules, how to stand up on a board and how to ride a wave. Intermediates get to improve their skills – paddling technique, wave selection, positioning, how to generate speed, pumping and carving.
Ready to dive in?