Hang Ten

SURFING HKSAR

Surf’s up! Here’s how to stay AND look cool this summer, with all things surf-related in Hong Kong, bruh. By Carla Thomas and Sarah Fung

Surfing

WHO IT’S FOR: Beach bums that don’t mind spending all day in the water, waiting for the perfect wave. WHERE TO GO: Big Wave Bay is one of the most popular surfing beaches. Rent a surfboard (or boogie board) and a wetsuit from the local village stores and off you go! You can also find surf camps and board rental on Tai Long Wan (strong swimmers only) and Pui O.

WHEN TO GO: Hong Kong has a winter swell so the best waves are between October and April; check the surf report before heading out. Some adventureseekers also head for the surf during typhoons, but we heartily do not recommend this. Hong Kong Surfing Led by Antony Dickson, a long-time surfer in the Big Wave Bay area, Surfing Hong Kong offers lessons in surfing, as well as coasteering and summer camps for kids. He only hires experienced surf instructors - no posers on his watch. One-on-one lessons cost $800 per hour, and drop to $500-$600 for groups of up to five.

surfinghongkong.com

Treasure Island Get your surf on in South Lantau, with a lesson from one of Treasure Island’s helpful instructors. One-on-one lessons will set you back a pretty reasonable $400 per hour ($600 for two students), and they’re happy to accommodate events too, like birthday parties. Once you’ve worked up an appetite in the water, head straight to Treasure Island’s Beach Club restaurant and bar where you can celebrate your newfound gnarliness until late.

treasureislandhk.com

Hong Kong Surfing Hong Kong Surfing Kiteboarding Association of Hong Kong

Kitesurfing

WHAT IS IT: Not for the faint-hearted and tricky to master, kitesurfers use a foil, a kind of large kite, to lift themselves out of and along the water. WHO IT’S FOR: Adrenaline junkies with a head for heights and plenty of upper-body strength. WHERE TO GO: Lantau and Tuen Mun

WHEN TO GO: Spring and autumn are more consistently windy than in the summer and winter months. Kiteboarding Association of Hong Kong This Hong Kong chapter of the International Kiteboarding Association is as legit as they come. They offer a wide range of lessons and training courses, from one-day “discovery” sessions so you can literally test the waters ($600), to three-day beginners’ courses ($3,400), intermediate techniques - even training courses for kitesurfing instructors.

kiteboarding.org.hk

Kite2High This watersports shop in Kwun Tong sells wingfoils, wingsurfs, kiteboards, and anything else you need to hone your sea legs. They also offer lessons in Pui O, Lung Kwu Tan, and Shui Hau Beach: a one-day kitesurfing lesson covering all the basic skills (kite piloting, board handling, self-rescue procedures, basic safety protocols) will run you $1,800 for four hours.

kite2high.com

Windsurfing

WHO IT’S FOR: Anyone who likes getting good at a new sport quickly. With a big stable board and a large sail to catch the wind, the basics of windsurfing can be mastered pretty much immediately. Once you’ve sailed off though, turning around is another matter. WHERE TO GO: Cheung Chau, Stanley Beach ANYTHING ELSE? Hong Kong has a proud windsurfing tradition; Cheung Chau native Lee La-shan won Hong Kong’s first and only Olympic gold medal in the sport back in 1996. Cheung Chau Windsurfing Club Head out to Cheung Chau Windsurfing Centre to learn the fundamentals of windsurfing in a safe and controlled environment before taking the plunge by yourself (or trying not to, that is.) Lessons are available most days of the week (closed on Wednesdays). $1,800 per person for group lessons, $2,500 for private.

ccwindc.com.hk

Aquabound This stalwart of the Stanley Beach scene are old pros when it comes to windsurfing. They offer two-hour private lessons ($1,700), as well as group lessons for up to five people ($800-$1,100, depending on how many in the class). You can also explore wakeboarding, kayaking or SUP boarding here.

aquabound.com.hk

Windsurfing Wakesurf Hong Kong HK Wake School

Wakesurfing

WHAT IS IT: Similar to wakeboarding but without having to hang on to the tow rope. With wakesurfing, you get up then surf the wake behind the boat.

WHO IT’S FOR: Anyone with a good sense of balance who wants a dope wakesurfing video for IG.

WHERE TO GO: Tai Tam is a popular spot for wakesurfing, as is Tai Po. BEST TIME OF YEAR: Any time! It’s grown in popularity as a socially distant sporting activity that you can do even when beaches are closed. Wakesurf Hong Kong Located in Tai Tam Tuk Village, just 30 minutes drive from Central, Wakesurf Hong Kong is a fairly convenient spot to take up this new-fangled water sport. As one of the first wakesurfing companies in Hong Kong, they also offer top-of-the-line equipment and boats, and can cater to all levels of experience. Costs $1,500-$,1800 per hour.

wakesurfhongkong.com

HK Wake School Passionate about all things wake, HK Wake School offers wake surfing and wakeboarding in three different locations around Hong Kong: Ap Lei Chau, Tai Po and Science Park. Their certified coaches include champion wakeboarders, so you know you’re in good hands here. Costs between $1,000-$1,500 per hour.

hkwakeschool.com or follow them on IG at @hkwakeschool

Leisure & Cultural Services Department Good ol’ LCSD! This city-run department offers tons of different windsurfing courses at five different water sports centres around the city. The best part is, as part of the city’s public services, it’s also super affordable. Your tax dollars hard at work! Contact the LCSD directly for more information on pricing and schedules.

tinyurl.com/jckwve5x

Wake2Chill For those of you up in Sai Kung, or just anyone willing to travel for the right conditions, check out Wake2Chill in Tseung Tau Village. They offer a wide range of water-oriented activities, from wakesurfing and wakeboarding, to kayaking, SUP boarding, jet ski rentals - even a floating pier rental! Wakesurfing prices range from $1,000-$1,600, depending on the day of the week and boat.

wake2chill.com HK Wake School

A Functional Approach to Weight Loss

If you've been trying to lose weight and are not seeing results with diet changes and exercise, hormonal issues could be at play.

Dr Ho See Yunn is one of the team of international Medical Doctors at LifeClinic practicing a Functional Medicine and Swiss Biological approach to treating ageing, persistent health issues and chronic conditions from the root cause.

Q: What are the common causes of weight gain? Well-understood causes of weight gain include both poor diet and a lack of exercise. However, in Hong Kong a lack of sleep or stress can cause high cortisol and ghrelin levels leading to an increase in appetite and fat storage. Hormone imbalances, such as declining hormones like estrogen and testosterone after menopause and andropause, may lead to weight gain and fat accumulation in the belly or thighs. Other common causes of unwanted weight gain include unchecked metabolic issues like low thyroid or insulin resistance.

Q: What would a functional approach to weight loss look like?

Medically detoxifying the body can help remove the vast array of toxins stored in our body fat that is inhibiting our liver from burning fat for fuel. Working with a functional doctor or a nutritionist allows you to discover a diet and movement plan that is optimal for your body type. Practicing techniques for stress reduction and better sleep improves the outcome of weight loss e orts. A focus on building good gut health and taking metabolism-boosting supplements helps achieve your weight loss goals.

At LifeClinic, we work on maintaining metabolic, hormone and gut balance to achieve optimal health.

2/F-3/F, The Loop, 33 Wellington St, Central Tel: 2881 8131 | lifeclinic.com.hk