Phuket is leading Thailand’s recovery in tourism as the southern resort island motors on with record arrivals and a robust outlook on high season prospects.
Airline services from Australia and around the region are packed and this ensures events hosted on the island are going from strength-to-strength.
The island has recently been the venue for yacht regattas and this month it hosts a regional hospitality and travel show a first for southern Thailand.
Add to that successful mix, the fact that regional surfers will be out in force, this month, to catch the end-of-the season breakers rolling into the island’s popular west coast bays.
For half of the year, there is hardly a ripple in these tranquil waters, but once the southwest monsoon hits the island’s west coast, May to October, the waves roll in growing in height and energy until they are a veritable surfers’ paradise come September.
Phuket gained the attention of Asian surfers back in 2002 and since then this little known sport has taken root. Helped along by visiting Australian surfers, a community was born, followed by competitions and club activities to establish safety rules and improve lifeguard techniques.
Now the annual Quicksilver Surfing Contest is a firm favourite with surfers and visitors who turn out to photograph spectacular runs on the crest of ocean breakers.
This year’s event will be held in Kata bay, 22 to 26 September, but actually the sport can be witnessed at most bays with the northern point of Patong bay being one of the most popular sites.
The contest hosts promise a five-day fiesta on Kata beach that will include a surf contest organised to professional standards, live music beach parties and even fashion shows.
Phuket Boardriders Club, a non-profit organisation formed in 2002, hosts the annual event.
Date: 1-31 August , 2012
Location: Patong Beach, Kathu District, Phuket
For more information: TAT Phuket +66 76 211 036, +66 76 212 213
