SUP Beginner Program
Co-organised with Hong Kong Surf & Stand Up Paddle Association
The 2-hour SUP Beginner Program covers all basic SUP knowledge that you need to know:
1. How to use SUP equipment properly
2. Learn important safety rules
3. Learn basic paddling techniques on land
4. Practice and improve your strokes in flat water
This program will allow participants to learn basic SUP skills such as: How to paddle forward and backward in prone position, in kneeling position and in stand up position; how to manoeuvre the board in flat water; the correct posture and balancing skills; as well as important SUP safety knowledge (such as how to fall properly). Your lesson will be conducted in calm flat water.
Price Includes: SUP equipment (Board, Paddle & Leash), Instructor, Digital SUP Beginner Certificate issued by Hong Kong Surf & Stand Up Paddle Association
Group Class (Min 4 people): Please refer to our booking system for the up-to-date price and date.
Private Class: Please refer to our booking system for the up-to-date price and date.
Blue Sky Eco Tour
Want to enjoy a relaxing holiday away from the buzzing downtown? Join our Blue Sky ECO Tour to escape the city and explore the wonderful nature!
Our international qualified instructors will bring you to explore the hidden gems around the Sai Kung Peninsula, and bring you to have a closer look at the different geological landscapes with Kayaks or SUP, learning about the different ecological facts and knowledges at the same time.
Depending the location chosen, Blue Sky provides a full day 6 hour tour or a half day 3 hours journey. We will take you to the Sai Kung Peninsula and its coastal islands (Ung Kong, High Island, Po Pin Chau, Pak Sha Chau, Yim Tin, Kau Sai Chau, Sharp Island, etc.) to explore. Some of these locations are designated “Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark“ which are protected by longstanding, well established legal regulations and have international geological significance.
Attractions for Eco Tours
Kau Sai Chau / Tiu Chung Chau
Kau Sai Chau is the 6th largest island in Hong Kong. In the old days, the villagers used to farm, fish and produce salt for a living. Kau Sai village has more than two hundred years of history and was once classified as a military area by the British Hong Kong government. You will find Hung Shing Temple in the southern part of the island, the building was built before 1889, and was declared an “Outstanding Project” by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage 2000 Awards and also a Grade III Historic Building. It is used to celebrate the Hung Shing Festival and being the community center and village school.
Located at the south of the larger island of Kau Sai Chau, from which it is separated by a narrow channel, Jin Island’s landscape features various interesting landforms such as sea caves, stacks, arches and inlets, thanks to years of exposure to the easterly winds and sea waves.
Tiu Chung Arch in the southern part of the island has been regarded as one of the famous “Four Sea Arches” of Hong Kong. The 30-meter-tall arch can be sailed through when tides are low on a fine day and the weather stable. But people can also land on the island and climb uphill — the renowned arch will then appear as the wagging tail of an adorable goldfish.
Sham Chung / Kei Ling Ha
Sham Chung is a village and an area of Neolithic settlement in Hong Kong. Located next to Three Fathoms Cove, Sham Ching is a coastal inlet between Sai Kung West Country Park and Ma On Shan, which was once known as Kei Ling. Here you’ll find a restored Hakka village, remote grassland and lush mangroves referred to as Sham Chung.
Our instructor will take you to visit this historical place via water. Depart from our Kei Ling Ha centre, we will paddle pass the breakwater in the the ocean, passing various mangroves and fishing villages, and enjoy the quiet and peaceful journey along the way.
Green Egg Island
Green Egg Island a.k.a Lan Pai is located at the eastern side of Tai Leng Tung, near the Clear Water Bay. It was so-named since its shaped is liked a green pouched egg.
The water around the island is very shallow and clean making the place very suitable for various water sports activities including stand up paddle boarding, snorkelling and kayaking.
The coast of the mainland is a pebble beach and it’s pretty pebbly in the sea, too, so best to bring wet shoes.
Ung Kong Group
Being part of the Hong Kong Geo Part it contains one of the four biggest sea caves in our eastern waters Sha Tong Hau Cave. This is an ideal place to study rhyolite and sea caves. The huge sea cave cuts right thorough the island and it is wide enough for us to paddle through. Taking great pictures with these natural artwork.
Most parts of the exposed stratum of Bluff Island belong to the Early Cretaceous Kau Sai Chau Volcanic Group. From the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, this region was the site of earth shaking changes. It began about 146 million years ago (Late Jurassic) when there were violent magma activities. Fiery underground magma intruded upwards, melting ancient rocks along its path. It forced its way through cracks and thrust along crustal faults or weak bands until it reached the surface to cause great volcanic eruptions. Sometimes magma was pressed inside underground voids. It created such an immense force that when it finally broke out it made catastrophic impact. Explosion shot volcanic ash and gravels high into the air. Lava was vented out from the crater from where it coursed down the slopes, igniting fires and generating great clouds of ash and fume.
According to data for determining the absolute age of rocks, volcanic eruptions and magma intrusion activities took a cyclical pulse pattern. In every cycle, major eruptions were always followed by great magma intrusions. Such cyclical volcanic magma activities can be categorized into four stages, and consequently there are four volcanic rock groups in Hong Kong ranging from old to new: Tsuen Wan Group, Lantau Group, Repulse Bay Group and Kau Sai Chau Group. Judging by the exposed stratum of Bluff Island, we know that eruptions took place in the 4th stage.
Using Kayak or SUP, our qualified guide will bring you to have a closer look at these magnificent views. As the Ung Kong Group is within the core protection area, and in view of the strong wind, big waves and dangerous terrain, sightseeing is suitable only on calm days, and only boat tours with no land excursion.
High Island – Po Pin Chau
Po Pin Chau is a triangle island by the east dam of High Island Reservoir. In more than 100 million years ago, a huge volcano (up to 18 km in diameter), was located between High Island and Ninepin Island. When lave covered the surface during explosion. Regular contractions happened while the layer cooling, which produce the hexagonal columnar joint seen today.
Po Pin Chau was once part of High Island. Though out million years, a hill was cut in half by natural erosion processes and a gigantic sea stack came to being. Long years of erosion have separated it from the mainland. Today this islet and High Island stand closely opposite, with just a narrow strip of water between them. High Island and the surrounding region is volcanic rock terrain.
Instructors could bring participants to have a close look and picture with this huge historical site. With good weather condition, participant may even have the changes to hike on Po Pin Chau, enter the sea caves and take a look on the “Heart of Hong Kong”.
Sharp Island
Is one of the islands of the Hong Kong Geo Park. In 2002, The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department set up buoys for coral conservation areas. Instructors would lead students paddle to Sharp Island and visit the beautiful underwater world of Sai Kung. Transparent Kayak could keep you dry while observing the coral and the natural life around it.
If you happen to catch the low tide, witness the emerging promenade that connects the nearby Kiu Tau islet. Stroll along the natural sand levee for a closer look at this interesting coastal land form.
Dozens of giant boulders are scattered on the tombolo beaches. The quartz monzonite has been weathered and eroded to various degrees to yield irregular cracks. Other typical volcanic rocks found on Sharp Island include volcanic breccia and rhyolite, the former containing angular pyroclasts while the latter’s surface is adorned with lava flow banding. These rocks were form by around Cretaceous (150 million years ago to 66 million years ago). It would also be a nice place to have a 1 hour hiking to understand all these.
Yim Tin
Yim Tin a small offshore island in Sai Kung area which was settled by the Chan’s family 300 years ago. “Yim Tin” means salt-pan. In earlier days villagers of the island lived on farming and salt-making.
1860s, missionary arrive Hong Kong and settled in Yim Tin. With the Christian background, the St. Joseph’s Chapel was built. The chapel is a Grade III historic building and also received an Award of Merit as part of the 2005 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.
The Yim Tin Tsai Typhoon Shelter, established in 1968, is located at the east of the island. It is bordered on the east by the northern part of Kau Sai Chau, and by breakwaters in the north and south. Mangrove is found off the breakwater linking Yim Tin Tsai and Kau Sai Chau. It would be a safe and wonderful place for students to paddle though while enjoying view of mangrove forest.
San Wai
San Wai lies in the east coast of Sai Kung peninsula and situated at Stage 2 of the MacLehose Trail. It was one of the beaches carved by the waves of Pacific Ocean. It is characterized by white sand and clear blue waters, which is attributable to its relative inaccessibility. It is quiet and untainted, usually visited by junk-trippers and hikers only. It came first in the Hong Kong Best 10 Scenic Sites Election in 2006, considered the “The backyard of Hong Kong”.
There are a few restaurants in San Wai Village, visitors could always get some refresh and spend the whole afternoon relaxing in one of the most beautiful view in Hong Kong.
Pak Sha Chau
Pak Sha Chau is a small island about 200m in diameter, only 1.5 km away from Sai Kung. It was originally two islands, due to the narrow channel, sea convection to sand alluvial, forming a unique cross-strait beach. Long beach is a good place for tourists to take a rest and spend time on taking pictures or picnics.
STAND UP PADDLING PROGRAM
Stand Up Paddling History
SUP began in the 1960s in Hawaii, when surfing instructors used the technique to position themselves for taking photographs. More recently, professional surfers used the technique for training and have become “wildly popular”. Supporters cite the ease of learning as a key to its popularity, with beginners becoming comfortable in as little as an hour of training. SUP boarding highly popular with both men and women worldwide.
What are the advantages of Stand Up Paddling? What makes it so fun?
Stand Up Paddling is a “new” water sport that is fast growing where invented by Hawaiians for photo taking. Over the world, it is now becoming a water sport, which focus on the core fitness with distance flat-water paddle as well as stand up paddle surfing.
In SUP, one can paddle on the open ocean, in harbors, on lakes, rivers or any large body of water. One of the advantages of Stand Up Paddle Boarding is the angle of visibility. Because of the standing height over the water, one can see both deeper into the water and further across the surface of the water, allowing better visualization of features others lower above the water may not be able to see, whether it is the marine life in the harbors, lakes and coves or the incoming swells of the ocean marching on the horizon.
Stand up paddle is a phrase that is quickly gaining in popularity. Over the past few years the sport of stand up paddle boarding has grown significantly and now people are throwing yoga into the mix.
