LANGKAWI: Many may not know that Pantai Tengah here offers the best spot for adrenaline junkies and surfing enthusiasts in the country.
The best time is between May and September, during the southwest monsoon period when strong winds blowing off the sea generate waves as high as 1.5 metres.
It has become an annual routine for a group of extreme water sports enthusiasts who called themselves the Langkawi Surf Community (LCS) to gather at the beach to surf there.
Samsul Hanapi Samsuddin, 35, said surfing has been added to the list of various water sports activities the island has to offer.
“Around 2014, it was so tempting for me to go surfing when I saw the big waves at Pantai Tengah. Moreover, some of us also have had some surfing experience in several local and international beaches such as Bali, Indonesia and Phuket, Thailand.
“Starting with only about five people, LCS has now managed to gather almost 30 people who share the same interests in surfing,“ one of the LSC founders told Bernama recently.
Looking at the potential of the water sports activities in Langkawi, Samsul Hanapi said LSC is now offering surfing classes to beginners.
“We have received an overwhelming response. For example, last year many foreign tourists took surfing classes with LSC. However, for this year, we see more participation from local surfers due to the Covid-19 pandemic,“ said Samsul Hanapi who hails from Bangi, Selangor, and owns a homestay here.
For Onn Kamaruzaman, 28, besides Pantai Tengah, some of the nearby beaches such as Pantai Chenang could be suitable spots for surfing activities.
“However, it still depends on the tide, swell direction, current and wind conditions. Usually, LSC surfers will surf twice a day, namely from 8 am to 12 noon and from 4 pm until sunset.
“Surfing waves at most Langkawi beaches can be categorised as the beach break which offers short wave rides,“ he said.
Onn said LSC also planned to further commercialise the activities to spur the growth of the tourism industry in Langkawi.
“We want surfing activities to be carried out the whole year and surfers can come to Langkawi once they finished surfing in other locations,“ he added.
Surfing enthusiast Muhammad Syukrizam Abdullah, 26, said he was willing to come all the way from Pahang solely to experience surfing in Langkawi.
“I used to surf with some LSC surfers like Samsul Hanapi in Pantai Cherating until he told be about surfing activities in Langkawi,“ he said. -Bernama
