At Tanjung Aru Each Paddle Stroke Is A Rhythm With The Sea And Sky

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A couple framed by a glowing evening sky.
AT the first light of day, Tanjung Aru Beach in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, comes to life.
The sky shifts its colours from deep indigo to soft violet as the sun’s rays break the horizon.
Soon, they transform again – to blush pink, pale gold and finally the warm orange glow that floods the calm waters of the South China Sea.
It is here, just steps away from the city centre, that paddleboarding has found its natural home.
Unlike surfing, which depends on the force of crashing waves, paddleboarding follows a slower, more measured pace.
The pleasure lies in the smooth glide of the board, the dip of the paddle, the gentle movement across the water in silence.
From the board, the coastline takes on a fresh perspective.
The beach stretches into the distance, fringed with coconut palms that form a natural border.
The noise of Kota Kinabalu fades into the background, softened by the hush of water.
Tanjung Aru is not only one of the best places in Sabah to watch paddleboarders in action, but also to watch the sunset.
Beneath the surface, fish scatter in flashes of silver, their scales shimmering as they dart through the sunlight.
Out to sea, the green slopes of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park islands – Gaya, Manukan and Sapi – emerge clearly against the horizon, beckoning paddlers to venture further.
People come to paddleboarding for different reasons: fun, fitness, relaxation, or simply the thrill of exploration.
For fitness enthusiasts, it is exercise disguised as leisure. The calves work to maintain balance on the shifting board, while the steady rhythm of paddling from side to side strengthens biceps and triceps.
For others, the board becomes a floating raft, a way to pause time – lying back, letting the tide carry them gently as the clouds drift overhead.
Adventure seekers use it to explore hidden corners of the sea. They slip into mangrove inlets, skim across shallow reefs, or chase the fiery colours of sunrise as the water itself seems to glow.
To stand upright on a paddleboard, poised between sky and sea, is to feel suspended – part of the shifting colours, part of nature itself.
Palm trees, ocean breeze and a sunset that turns the coastline into a painting.
Paddleboarding is more than sport; it is a conversation with the ocean.
For beginners, the calm waters at Tanjung Aru provide the perfect classroom, where balance comes with patience and persistence.
For seasoned paddlers, the open sea is an endless playground, inviting exploration with each stroke.
Yet for everyone, the joy remains the same: to stand on water, moving with the tide, seeing Sabah’s shoreline from an entirely new perspective.
Here, each paddle stroke is a reminder to slow down, to breathe and to let the world pause – if only for a little longer.
Pictures by Leon Kuan can be found on:
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Instagram: @Sesat_in_Malaysia

A couple framed by a glowing evening sky.- Star

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