Browsing Tag

Surf

travel

Niyama: The Ultimate Wellness Weekend

Posted on February 18, 2018

A weekend away in the Maldives is a special adventure, whether you’re headed to a divers paradise, honeymoon hotel or even embarking upon a working retreat, the azure blue of the sea is as mesmerising out of the plane window as it is from the island itself. A short sea-plane ride from the capital lies Niyama, an island that’s got plenty for you to explore with 4 km’s of jungle and beach, that you can wander around by bicycle.

From the beach villas, looking out on your private pool is as postcard-worthy as it is stepping out beyond onto your slice of beach. You could get lost watching the waves gently take back some of their land with every kiss of the beach, as the sun slowly dips below the horizon, casting an electric orange glow across the open ocean that lies in front of you. If like me you’re only missing an umbrella-clad coconut from this picture… rest assured there’s plenty around.

A whole host of restaurants dot the shoreline that vary from themed a la carte offerings to bespoke fish markets with plenty of fresh catch to choose from. The reef fish is a must-try, a little disconcerting if you’ve just been snorkeling with them at sunset mind but you’ll soon learn to adjust to island life.

What’s totally unique if you’re not too keen on getting to grips with the marine life the more traditional way (by getting wet) is their underwater restaurant, located on it’s own little sunset hotspot just off the island’s coast. A quick pontoon ride away and you’ve landed at ‘Subsix’ which turns in to a nightclub and a bit of a glow party once the sun goes down. Dancing with the fish is a new one on me…

The pièce de résistance for me is the newly opened a fully functioning surf bar at the very tip of the island. A shoreline entry with some beautifully cresting waves on the most impossibly clear water. Don’t be surprised if a turtle pops his head up to say hello too!

3 Surf Opens in Barbados Not To Miss

Posted on September 28, 2017

Ahh Barbados… beautiful beaches, amazing BBQ’s and gnarly breaks. The ultimate sunshine destination boasts the Caribbean’s most consistent surf conditions with swells all year round! Barbados is the ultimate destination this season for all surf enthusiasts. In keeping with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s a ‘Year of Sports 2017,’ surfing is just one of the country’s key concentrations.

Perfect for all levels, the water temperature never drops below 25*C and peaks at 28*C in the summer, coupled with their tropical backdrops is worth the trip alone. Barbados gets roughly 3000 hours of sunshine and nearly 365 days of surf. In the winter, the north and west coasts pick up plenty of swell and the constant trade winds ensure that the east coast breaks consistently.

Whether you’re hanging out at Surfer’s Cafe with local legends like Barbadian surfing Queen Chelsea Tuach, you prefer to check out all the action from the beach, or even get involved yourself with some SUP yoga, there’s a distinct and very active surfing community here that’s calling…

Surfer of the Year (#SOTY) 4 – 14 October, 2017

SOTY 4 is the fourth and final Barbados Surfing Association (BSA) local surfing event of the calendar year. It consists of four events held at various locations around the island, mainly on the south and east coast. This series is open to surfers of all nationalities and points also count towards qualifying for Barbados’ national team. Participant ages range from 11-50. This annual event includes youth events (U12, U16, U18) and Open, senior men and masters male and female categories. There will be stand up paddle (SUP) and longboard competitions for both men and women. The event is open to all.

National Surfing Championships – 4 November, 2017

This event will be held at Barbados’ famed surfing enclave, the Soup Bowl – (featuring world class waves, suitable for pro surfers only), and is one of the most exiting events on the Bajan surfing calendar. Participants vie for the National title in categories which include youth categories (U12, U16, U18) along with Open, Masters, Longboard and SUP competitions. All are open to men and women and men. Now in its 34th year, only the best surfers on the island can compete in this event. Some past national champions include Mark Holder, Zed Layson and Alan Burke. More recent champions include Che Allan, Zander Venezia, Chelsea Tuach, Chelsea Roett and Bruce Mackie. Ages range from 11-50. Competition is open to Barbadian citizens.

Independence Pro becomes Part of Inaugural Barbados Surf Festival – 16 – 19 November, 2017

Independence Pro, held every November, has long been the biggest event on the Barbados Surfing Association’s calendar. This year, the event is being renamed and expanded as part of the first annual Barbados Surf Festival. There will be competitions for professional men and women, and juniors (Under 18 and Under 12). There will also be a surfing village highlighting local arts and cuisine, a beach fashion show with a bikini contest, live entertainment, local DJs and live bands. There will also be a kid friendly fun zone and a night road tennis tournament.

Get booking

On the East Coast, which is just minutes away from Bathsheba, where most of the surf events are taking place you’ve got a few options but handpicked by the Tourism department are:

The Atlantis Hotel
Sea-U-Guest House
Santosha Barbados (a great apartment on the East Coast)

If you’re staying further south…
Coconut Court
Savannah Beach Hotel

fashion

Billabong X Andy Warhol

Posted on April 11, 2017

“I came out of the womb on a surfboard” said Andy Warhol infamously back in his day, so it was only a matter of time before a surf collection was created. Who other than the world’s most popular sun, sand and surf brand, Billabong, to take on his iconic designs and turn them into a unique capsule collection called ‘Warhol Surf’.

The brainchild of the brand’s LAB – a division which supports local talent in a variety of pillars, from musicians to artists, designers, photographers and of course surf icons. The collab with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts helps to bring to light his little known fascination with surf culture and their convention-challenging styles. Having partnered in the past with Bob Marley and Metallica, Billabong is no stranger to rebellious spirits.

Bikini’s feature florals in muted tones and charcoal backgrounds, all in their signature shapes, including a surf perfect paddle suit. Sunset pastels add a more summery vibe to the halter-neck bikinis and for men, grey and white palm trees on darker t-shirts and board shorts give a subtle nod to Warhol’s 1968 Southern Californian surf video ‘San Diego Surf’.

Available only at selected outlets across the Middle East and Asia, grab your limited edition bikini or rashie down at their store exclusively in The Dubai Mall.

fashion Fitness

New Year, New Workout Gear

Posted on January 5, 2017

Ever feel like your workout wardrobe is better than your evening one? I certainly do… but that means it’s time for it to get a bit of a karmic cleanse too (I mean who wears neon to the gym anymore!?). I always wear my newest gym gear, because like everything, when it’s new, I feel confident in it. Admittedly there’s a few colour heavy/trendy pieces mixed in with the more classic black leggings, but all in all, I can honestly say I’d be happy to downward dog in just about everything in there.

Even though it’s my current favourite gym wear, it’s worth recycling the pile every so often. If you can’t work out what to throw out, turn the pile upside down and see if you go for those forgotten leggings next time you book a class or if you pull from within the pile itself!

For me though, a workout isn’t just in the gym! My swimwear also gets a refresh every January – to whittle out those few favoured bikinis that are turning a little see-through…

Check out my fave new pieces you can buy online in the U.A.E!
THE UPSIDE paddle suit from Sun & Sand Sports

DHARMA BUMS leggings from yApparel

BODY LANGUAGE capri leggings and crop top from Sun & Sand Sports