Acrobatic Kick Volleyball

When you come to Southeast Asia, you may notice a group of young boys kicking around a rattan ball. Some may just be casually passing the ball to each other while preventing the ball from hitting the ground. Others may be engaged in competitive action complete with emotion and acrobatics.

This game is called sepak takraw. The objective of the game is similar to volleyball, but with a couple major differences. The ball is made of rattan and any part of the body can be used to move the ball around except the hands and arms. These exceptions alone can make watching sepak takraw a very exciting experience. The players expertly keep the ball in the air and acrobatically flip their bodies midair when going for the kill. If there is a sport that combines power, skill, balance and acrobatics, sepak takraw must surely be it.

The sport is also growing outside of the region. Countries in Asia, Europe, and North America are starting to embrace the game and have founded their own national associations and teams. The King’s Cup in Thailand brings in the top international teams to determine the world champion.

The sport is very popular in many countries in the region such as Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. You can always stop and admire the skill these sepak takraw players are displaying when you walk by them in the streets. Who knows, they may even invite you to play with them.

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Fact File:

Exotissimo arranges tours to many Southeast Asian countries where sepak takraw is played.

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