Surfing

Hi, I will be leaving for Taiwan on May 19th and staying until the beginning of August. I am from the US and would really like to learn how to surf while I am there. I looked up that they have really nice beaches. I haven’t been to the beach since I was last in Taiwan which was 8 years ago! Does anyone know a good place to learn surfing?

Hey man, if you are in the Kaohsiung area, I could put you in touch with someone who can teach you how to surf.

Go to Wu Shi Gang in Yi Lan. Head towards the beach. Try to avoid falling over the surf instructors. You’ll know them because they have deep tans, expensive sunglasses and haircuts aped from Japanese surfing magazines. They’re $5NT. a dozen.

just don’t try to steal their waves :runaway:

What’s the best way to approach one? Say “excuse me sir,” or “hello there, do you surf?” or something? I’ll be staying in the Taipei area, but I want to travel around so I plan on visiting a couple beaches.

If you are in Kenting you can always try this place

taiwansurfshack.com/ssv2/Surf_Tours.html

Go to Baishawan. Theres one surf shop on the beach that gives lessons.

[quote=“cfimages”]Go to Baishawan. Theres one surf shop on the beach that gives lessons.[/quote]Here’s the information on the surf shop at Baishawan.

CU Surf Shop
A.C. - Owner
(02) 2638-2733

Website:
tw.myblog.yahoo.com/surf70tw2000/

Here’s a TV Show introducing AC and the CU surf shop (Can you guess who I am?)
justaiwan.com/event/winner/mov100/top5.htm
(double click the picture to make the video full screen)

Here are some pictures we shot last week! The surf was really nice. Come on out and have some fun!

Thank you for the info!

I would like to learn how to surf as well. But how difficult is it? Could a middle-aged woman in poor shape have any chance?

[quote=“bababa”]I would like to learn how to surf as well. But how difficult is it? Could a middle-aged woman in poor shape have any chance?[/quote]Of course you could. Remember, we’re talking about Taiwan surf, not Hawaii surf. Also, we’re talking about the north coast of Taiwan where it’s the most gentle. Why don’t you just come up to Baishawan, hang out at the beach and take a look? You can watch and learn and then decide if you want to try it. We have quite a few people who just like to hang around the surf shop, drink coffee or beer and enjoy the atmosphere. No one is going to make you surf, but you won’t be able to resist. And, once you catch that first wave and feel that glide through the water, you’re going to get hooked and you’re only going to think about catching the next wave, and the next and the next. Crap…just talking about it has got me going…I gotta get up on the roof and check the waves! :laughing:

Bababa- I met a woman in San Diego who learned to surf at 50 :wink: She was awesome! I believe she was in her late 60’s when I met her, on a 9 ft board and catching the lil summer surf with the best of them. Just give it a try! It’s better to try it so you have no regrets. I do have to say, to get good at surfing you usually need more than a passing interest in it. The first few times are exhausting and you can get a little beat up. But after some time, paddling becomes like walking- you can do it without thinking- and as NorthCoast Surfer said - catch your first real wave and you will NEVER turn back. There is no feeling like it, and each successive step you take to becoming a better surfer is more satisfying than the last. At least that’s how it’s been for me.

About going to Wushi Gong- If you head away from the water you’ll see a path then a little street of surf shops. Just ask at a shop (better than asking random tan guys on the beach :wink: Or head along the highway (the 2 I believe) and you’ll see plenty of shops where you can ask for a teacher.
If you want a long term thing, I have some friends who have a ‘surf club’. For a monthly fee you can stay the night at their place, rent boards, wetsuits, etc. Kind of a nice deal if you want to try out different boards. They’ll also drive around on the weekends and find less crowded spots/better conditions, which is great for a beginner. Their surfing advice/teaching is a little scant- “BIG WAVE COMING! Paddle paddle now!” but I can fill in where they leave off :wink: All around a good crew, we spend a lot of time at the hot springs, eating, cooking in fires on the beach, camping. I’m not sure how much the fees are. It’s in Waiao, overall travel time from Taipei is an hour and a half maybe, on trains, buses, etc.

NorthCoast Surfer, do you have a stand up paddle board? I think I saw you at wushi gang :wink: Really windy day a couple of weeks ago. Nice looking board!

[quote=“NonTocareLeTete”]Bababa- I met a woman in San Diego who learned to surf at 50 :wink: She was awesome! I believe she was in her late 60’s when I met her, on a 9 ft board and catching the lil summer surf with the best of them. Just give it a try! It’s better to try it so you have no regrets. I do have to say, to get good at surfing you usually need more than a passing interest in it. The first few times are exhausting and you can get a little beat up. But after some time, paddling becomes like walking- you can do it without thinking- and as NorthCoast Surfer said - catch your first real wave and you will NEVER turn back. There is no feeling like it, and each successive step you take to becoming a better surfer is more satisfying than the last. At least that’s how it’s been for me.

About going to Wushi Gong- If you head away from the water you’ll see a path then a little street of surf shops. Just ask at a shop (better than asking random tan guys on the beach :wink: Or head along the highway (the 2 I believe) and you’ll see plenty of shops where you can ask for a teacher.
If you want a long term thing, I have some friends who have a ‘surf club’. For a monthly fee you can stay the night at their place, rent boards, wetsuits, etc. Kind of a nice deal if you want to try out different boards. They’ll also drive around on the weekends and find less crowded spots/better conditions, which is great for a beginner. Their surfing advice/teaching is a little scant- “BIG WAVE COMING! Paddle paddle now!” but I can fill in where they leave off :wink: All around a good crew, we spend a lot of time at the hot springs, eating, cooking in fires on the beach, camping. I’m not sure how much the fees are. It’s in Waiao, overall travel time from Taipei is an hour and a half maybe, on trains, buses, etc.

NorthCoast Surfer, do you have a stand up paddle board? I think I saw you at wushi gang :wink: Really windy day a couple of weeks ago. Nice looking board![/quote]

That was some other evil foreigner.

[quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”][quote=“NonTocareLeTete”]
NorthCoast Surfer, do you have a stand up paddle board? I think I saw you at wushi gang :wink: Really windy day a couple of weeks ago. Nice looking board![/quote]

That was some other evil foreigner.[/quote]
Wow, was that you? I didn’t even mention the evil thing, but yeah, this dude was evil. Mean look in his eye. Kept trying to hit children with his board, kicked a couple of dogs on his way out to the water…
Actually I have other reasons that I think the guy I saw is Northcoast surfer. And he didn’t actually look evil. But he did look like a foreigner. And a surfer. And it was vaguely northeastern coast. He did not however look like a penguin. So I don’t know, you tell me…

Did he look like a penguin?

[quote=“NonTocareLeTete”][quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”][quote=“NonTocareLeTete”]
NorthCoast Surfer, do you have a stand up paddle board? I think I saw you at wushi gang :wink: Really windy day a couple of weeks ago. Nice looking board![/quote]

That was some other evil foreigner.[/quote]
Wow, was that you? I didn’t even mention the evil thing, but yeah, this dude was evil. Mean look in his eye. Kept trying to hit children with his board, kicked a couple of dogs on his way out to the water…
Actually I have other reasons that I think the guy I saw is Northcoast surfer. And he didn’t actually look evil. But he did look like a foreigner. And a surfer. And it was vaguely northeastern coast. He did not however look like a penguin. So I don’t know, you tell me…[/quote]Well,let’s see. It wasn’t me because…

  1. I do have a stand up paddle board, but I’ve never used it any other place besides Baishawan.
  2. I must cop to the evil foreigner charge. Evil, mean look in my eye. Yeah…definitely.
  3. Kept trying to hit children with my board? Children, no. Adults…I’ve no problem with that.
  4. Kicking a couple dogs? No chance in hell it was me. Kick people, yes. Dogs…no waaaaaaaay! :loco:
  5. I’m not a short penguin anymore…that was in my younger days. Now, I’m actually more like Big Z. :roflmao:

Yeah I thought this dude was you because I saw him before with a couple of rescue dogs :wink:
He didn’t actually try to hit or kick anyone. I was making that up.

[quote=“NonTocareLeTete”]Yeah I thought this dude was you because I saw him before with a couple of rescue dogs :wink:
He didn’t actually try to hit or kick anyone. I was making that up.[/quote]Couple of rescue dogs? You mean dogs which rescue people or dogs that have been rescued from the street (rescued dogs)? If it had been me, you would have known it for sure, because I don’t have “a couple”…It feels like I’ve got closer to a couple dozen! Fourteen to be exact. I had fifteen, but Grandma Snowball passed during our extremely cold weather this year. :frowning:

THis dude had two little black rescue(d) dogs- or that’s how it looked. One pup recovering from mange it looked like. Well, good thing I didn’t go up to him and say, in my best stalker voice “I know who you are…I know all about you…cackle cackle cackle…”

It was maoman