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Surfing is Ideal in These Conditions
Winds
sweep across this island most months of the year
The Southwest monsoon brings
great winds from May to October; the Northeast monsoon brings in easy
breeezes from November to February; and well, around March-April, the
hottest months of the year in Thailand, you can t be sure...
Hanging there in the harness, you race along over the chop and the swell,
perfectly balanced, perfectly in harmony with the elements. Catching the
gusts nicely, you are planing, suddenly airborne; in fact, as you hit one
wave just right your sail is so taut it’s humming. Skimming the sea like a
flight of brilliantly coloured seabirds, you and your companions enjoy an
exhilara-tion comparable only to that of downhill skiing, perhaps, or of
white-water canoeing.
Bored with sunbathing? Can’t afford a yacht, on one hand, and can’t stand
the racket of the water scooters on the other? Maybe you should try
windsurfing. One of the beauties of this sport is that it can provide both
pleasure and a challenge to people of all ages and dispositions.
Phuket is a perfect destination both for confirmed windsurfing enthusiasts
and for people who want to try it for the first time. During the northeast
monsoon season, in particular, steady winds together with flat seas combine
with clean, clear water and superb scenery to make this an intensely
rewarding experience.
Of the 16 beaches on the west coast of Phuket, at least eight offer
windsurfing facilities. Patong, the most developed of these, has seven or
eight windsurfing shops along the beach. Lessons are available for
beginners. The quality of instruction is sometimes better at the big hotels,
although some of the independent operators offer fine service as well.
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