Yoga on the water… we try out SUP at Stanley Beach, Hong Kong!

My Instagram is full of videos and images of yogis across the world doing SUP (stand up paddleboard) yoga and I’ve been dying to try it out! When I heard that Dee and Nadine, two of HK’s most awesome yogis, were hosting SUP yoga classes, I had to get involved.

Spaces get snapped up for these classes – I tried last year with no luck and didn’t make the cut for their first round of classes this year. So get in quick, sign up to their mailing list and book yourself in.

I arranged to meet Dee and Nadine on Hollywood Road and we made our way to Stanley Beach. The weather was distinctly average and I’ll admit I had secretly hoped it was going to be called off so that I didn’t have to spend the afternoon in the rain. But as we arrived on the south side, the clouds parted and the sun started shining… Phew.

I was amazed at the different levels of ability in the class – some had never done yoga or SUP-ed, others had been to Dee and Nadine’s class multiple times! We all congregated on the beach which was super hectic due to a dragon boat race, but the sounds of the drums and noisy people faded as we centred ourselves in the water and went through a quick SUP overview.

I love SUP and was out on the water with the sun on my back, quicker that you can say “Namaste”. Once we’d arrived at the location of choice, far out in the water, we began the yoga class. It was hilarious – doing a downward dog on a paddleboard is ridiculously hard and there are no exceptions made for the fact you are floating on the ocean! Dee and Nadine want to have fun during the class, so flipping the dog in to the water, three legged planks and king pigeons are all included.

A group of women (plus a token male!) drifting on the South China Sea practising yoga caught a lot of attention. There was a group of men on a junk right next to us who spent a good 20 minutes watching in fascination and people kept coming over to see what was going on but we were all having too much fun to notice. That, and desperately concentrating on not falling in!

Coming together at the end, we joined boards and floated in savasana. For anyone who practices yoga or has a true appreciation for nature, that feeling was indescribable.  Finishing the class, looking out at the sparkly blue sea, I felt so fortunate and grateful – it was such a beautiful moment.

I will absolutely be going back (if I can get a spot!). It was so much fun and great to do something completely different on a Saturday afternoon. Classes cost $500 including board hire and lunch afterwards – usually dim sum or tacos!

Sassy tip: I had no idea what to wear so after a bit of Googling, I opted for a sturdy sports bra (lululemon’s Energy Bra), bikini bottoms and a pair of running shorts. I also took a long sleeved rashie-like top just in case! 

Save your spot by sending an email to [email protected]. More details on upcoming dates here.