Given that the climate of Macau is subtropical, it seems unlikely destination to go skiing. But last April the Macau Ski Association made the impossible possible when they built Macau’s first indoor skiing centre. For those who love to ski, you no longer need to jump on a plane and head overseas to enjoy the slopes, while for people like me with no experience at all it provides a great chance to give it a try which I did recently!
Hidden in the industrial building at the north of Macau, it’s not easy to find but I was fortunate to have the coach Larry Pun, pick me up at the nearby MacDonald’s. When you walk into the skiing site you can see a large ski machine but because the temperature is controlled there is no need to wear very thick clothes. All the equipment you need to ski can be found here and you can choose between skiing and snowboarding.
It was hard for me to choose so I decided to try both! Skiing is quite easy at the basic level. In about 15 minutes I could already perform some simple actions such as going forward, stopping and turning. Larry said to me, “To learn and do well at all the basic movements you generally need three one-hour lessons. It’s easy to learn but difficult to master and the speeds can get pretty fast too.”
I loved the snowboarding. I spent about an hour learning and could sometimes manage to stay upright unassisted although I had trouble handling it skilfully when I stopped on the incline. When I was able to stand without the coach’s support and ski by myself, the feeling of success was huge! Snowboarding requires a real focus on balance and strength more than skiing does but in my opinion it’s more exciting and looks coo! It’s a good choice for people who love a challenge.
There are two packages for lessons. The first is basic course for beginners with three students max, while private lessons are available as well. The other involves the use of a ski machine for practice. This requires more skill and you can adjust the speed of the ski machine as you go. The general teaching speed is about 10km/h with the maximum speed at 30 km/h. Putting on safety belt, the machine stops running if you fall, so whether you are an adult or a kid you can enjoy it safely!
Their contact details are:
Address: Rua Graciosa No.29-53, Chiao Kuang Building, Rés-do-Chào A, Macau
Tel: 2848 1868
