Manly Beach hosts Australia Open of Surfing minutes from Kaplan school

This February, Manly Beach, the home of our English language school on the beach, is hosting the Australian Open of Surfing, an annual surf, skate and music festival.

Some of the world's top surfers and skateboarders will be competing, and our students will have the chance to watch it all from within minutes of their English classes.

Open to the public and free to attend, this nine-day event promises to make Manly Beach the center of the action around Sydney.

The festival will showcase the best in Australian music, art, fashion and of course, surfing and skateboarding.

Speaking of music, some of Australia's hottest indie bands are playing, including Jagwar Ma and Vance Joy. It's a fantastic opportunity for Kaplan students and locals alike to watch these bands play for free, among the excitement and atmosphere of an elite athletic event.

"I'm looking forward to seeing all the surfers in action, and I'm so excited to see the concerts," Roman, a Kaplan Sydney Manly student from Switzerland said.

Manly offers a wide variety of activities for the lover of the outdoors, from surfing and swimming to beach volleyball, kayaking and scuba diving.

Visitors to this beachside paradise can also go on cycling tours, climb the amazing Blue Mountains and explore the city of Sydney. "It has been the best time of my life here in Manly and I'm almost 30," said Roman. "I can leave my surfboard at school, and I can go surfing all the time!"

Even when one of the biggest surfing competitions isn't on, Manly is still a fantastic place to spend time, with a great climate, the laid-back vibe of a beach town and the excitement of the big city, Sydney, just a short journey away. "Manly is a good place to do a thousand things," Anna, an 18 year old from Switzerland said. "It's lots of fun, there are super nice people. Study at Kaplan! You can even leave your surfboard at school. "

To see what other fun events the Kaplan students attended during the Australia Open of Surfing, check out #KaplanSurfManly on Instagram.