Fah Thai Magazine - Inflight Magazine of Bangkok Airways Issue Jul-Aug 2023

SURF SEASON
Thailand’s largest island is famous
for some of the world’s best
beaches, a vibrant nightlife and a
mind-blowing culinary landscape.
But Phuket also boasts a hidden side that
surprises visitors who arrive at the right time
of the year – a thriving surfing culture.
From Top
to Bottom
Several surf
competitions are
held throughout
the year in Phuket
Phuket’s waves
may lack quality,
but that is made
up for by warm,
clear waters and
picturesque tropical
backdrops
Waves in Phuket
are perfect
for beginners, yet
they still deliver
enough action to
keep experienced
surfers happy
In the peak travel season,
December to April, tourists are met
with palm-shaded sands lapped
by the calm, azure waters of the
Andaman Sea. But after April, Phuket
reveals its other side, as the waves
rise to beckon those with a keen
sense of adventure.
Surfing in Phuket has a
surprisingly deep history dating
back half a century. The 1970s was
the golden era of surf exploration
when the sports’ pioneers scoured
the coasts of Southeast Asia in
search of raw adventure. However,
Phuket failed to match the quality
and consistency of waves they
found a few hundred kilometres
south in Indonesia, and the island
was relegated to the footnotes of
surfing history.
Over the next few decades,
Phuket’s waves were forgotten by
all but a handful of expat surfers,
opportunistic holidaymakers, and
adventurous Thais.
Fast forward to 2020, when
COVID-19 arrived and left people
with endless leisure time on their
hands. With beachside hotels
offering huge discounts, many
decided to quit the city for the beach
And since the waves arrive with
the wet season in Phuket, surfing
becomes a perfect rainy day activity.
where they discovered the perfect
antidote to lockdown blues: surfing.
Celebrity heartthrobs also caught
the boarding bug, supercharging
the trend.
The Thai surfing scene exploded.
Surfing schools and rental shacks
sprang up on beaches from Rayong
to Songkhla that showed even the
slightest ripple. Big crowds joined
surfing competitions and festivals
in popular spots like Phuket, Khao
Lak and Laem Ya. The wave rose
so high that Thailand now has
a surfing team that competes
internationally, with riders enjoying
big-name sponsorships.
Wild but also cool, surfing has
always exerted a magnetic pull on
people of all ages. Though some are
quickly turned off by its challenges,
others develop a lifelong love affair
with the board. Surfing brings you
closer to nature, while forcing you
to leave your worries on the shore.
It brings surreal magical moments:
glimpsing the sunset through a clear,
blue wave, or that indescribable
sense of achievement as you catch a
wave in a dance of perfect harmony.
This novelty sport can easily
grow into a hobby before finally
embracing you in its laidback,
laughter-filled, sun-kissed lifestyle.
In contrast with other sports,
surfing relies entirely on the whims
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