Surfing picking up in Kudat, says Sabah tourism minister

KOTA KINABALU: Surfing is picking up as a new tourism draw with the district of Kudat being the best place in the state for the sport activity, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun says.

“Based on the feedback that we received, there has been an increasing number of surfers in Sabah and it is also an exciting sport tourism activity,” he said.

“Kudat is the best spot for this sport in the whole state because of its great surfs.

“Each district in the state should explore its niche, and I’m proud to say that Kudat has found its.”

Masidi was in Kudat yesterday to kick off an annual surfing and music festival which combined both activities for the first time at the Kalampunian Beach in Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.

He said it might be a good idea to separate the events again in the future.

“Maybe we need to rethink the music festival and move it back to its original location, the Tip of Borneo, also in Tanjung Simpang Mengayau,” he said.

“We can start the music festival earlier because its location is far from the town and people may be concerned about going home late.”

Professional surfers have described Sabah as a potential surfing destination like that in Bali, Indonesia.

Sabah’s beaches are reportedly good enough to cater to between 50 and 100 surfers at a time.

Kudat, which is about a three-hour drive from here, has wave rolls from about 1.5 metres to 2.5 metres, and also half-foot surfs which are good for beginners.

Sabah’s northern district also boasts more beautiful beaches and pristine waters compared to those in the state capital.

“Kudat is a paradise for surfing enthusiasts. Some of them even rode the waves there during the supermoon phenomenon in November last year,” Sabah Surfing Association president Ivan Tan said.

Source: Free Malaysia Today News