COVER STORY
North Macedonia –
The Unexplored Gem
Damjan Petreski,
Founder,
Paddle Klub
A
lthough the Republic of North Macedonia
is landlocked, it boasts an abundance of
water. With over 50 mountain and glacial
lakes, countless rivers and waterfalls, more than
15 artificial lakes and 3 big naturals lakes, North
Macedonia is a true paddlers’ paradise. It was a
matter of time before this new trend of stand up
paddle boarding (SUP) made its way to our
country. This fairly new sport is a great way of
bringing people closer to nature, getting them
outdoors and away from the everyday fast paced
life, in the company of fun-loving, adventurous
people. People started wanting to experience
something new and exciting, something that they
have never done before, as well as go and explore
places that were previously not available to them.
The ability to ‘walk’ on water, overlooking the
crystal clear watery surface of our lakes and
10
EMERGING MACEDONIA
rivers, can leave anyone speechless. Truly a
unique way of exploring the country. Most of the
lakes and rivers in the county usually play host to
the occasional fishermen, while only a few are
used for recreational purposes. It was 5 years
ago that we began with our adventures around
our lakes and rivers. Many of these adventures,
campouts, organized cleanings, cookouts and
bbq-s, Paddle Klub organized in these unique
locations, most only accessible by water. With
paddleboarding, we found a new perspective to
somewhat familiar places, while calmly and
gently “walking” on water. Other times we explore
places no one has ever paddled before, let alone
paddleboarded there.
These locations filled with beautiful and
untouched nature, greenery and wildlife, will
definitely give you an experience of a lifetime.