And the IDEAL places to try them
For many, a beach vacation on an exotic island is all about the reclining. Horizontal in a hammock, gently swaying, soaking up the sun and sipping cocktails from a coconut..wow, writing that almost felt like a holiday in itself!
But if you tend to feel restless when you ‘should’ be relaxing, then beach holidays can be a bit of a nightmare, for both you and your companions. Indeed, for the restive type, rather than fidget and fuss on your beach towel, why not inject a little fun, excitement and adventure into your seaside holiday?
If you’re more thrill than sand seeker and you’re looking for inspiration for your next trip, then here are 5 adventurous activities to do on a beach holiday and the IDEAL places the try them.
EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SCUBA DIVING
One of the most popular adventures to engage in while on a beach holiday is scuba diving. This gives you an opportunity to explore under the water, which can be nothing short of spectacular. For many travellers, the vacation destination they choose is actually based on whether or not there are scuba diving opportunities there and, if so, how many dive sites are offered.
With a whopping 71% of the planet covered by the ocean, we think it’s fair to say that there are more incredible diving spots around the world than you can shake a snorkel at. However, one massive island known more than most for it’s beautiful, abundant coastline is Australia. From its crazy colourful coral reefs to the north to the giant kelp forests in the south, and its multitude of shipwrecks scattered throughout its surrounding oceans, this is the world’s premier diving destination.
Yep, the Land Down Under has it all when it comes to Scuba Diving. However, if we had to pick one place to dive it would be the Osprey Reef. Located in the coral sea off the North Queensland coast, the Osprey Reef is arguably the best diving spot in the world and includes the famous shark feed dive at North Horn. So, apart from your diving equipment, you’d best bring your bravery.
If you want to be treated to top-notch scuba diving on your beach holiday, here are some more of the best destinations to visit:
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Costa Rica
- Bonaire
- Cayo Largo, Cuba
- Koh Tao, Thailand
For those planning to scuba dive, know that the fit is so important on a wetsuit, whether you buy or rent. For this reason, you might want to buy one yourself, accurately suited to your size and measurements. There are a lot of specifics in terms of fit here, and a rental may not necessarily tick all the boxes.
Read: 4 of the best deep blue sea diving sites in the world for beginners
HIT THE WAVES AND HEAD OUT WITH A SURFBOARD
Depending on the destination you choose, it may also be ideal for surfing. This is a very popular sport at beaches around the world, and can be a really exciting activity for your holiday. If you’re new to surfing, you may want to head out with an instructor those first couple of times. They can go over the basics with you and help get you started.
Keep in mind that some beaches will be suited better for beginner surfers, whereas others are meant for the pros.
Here at IDEAL, Ericeira in Portugal is one of our favourite places to go surfing in the world. Originally known as a quaint fishing and seaside community, Ericeira is still very much untouched by major tourism. World famous for its diversity of waves, it’s one of Portugal’s most popular surfing locations, with an array of beaches capable of hosting those of varying skill levels. It’s ideal for seasoned and novice surfers and paired with its cultural charm, it’s a great destination for families.
Some of the other best surfing destinations in the world include:
- Biarritz, France
- Gold Coast, Australia
- Maui, Hawaii
- Southern Oaxaca, Mexico
SEA KAYAKING – A TOUCH OF ADVENTURE AND EXERCISE
Sea kayaking is one of those activities that seamlessly blends adventure with a good workout, managing to trick even the most exercise-phobic traveller into getting their pulse rate up.
What’s more, it can be done in a huge array of destinations. Just be sure that the area you choose to kayak in is safe and that you’re prepared for the water and wave conditions.
Depending on the destination, you’ll even be able to check out incredible sights along the way, like the cliffs, caves and underground springs that bubble to the surface in Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, or take in the massive variety of fish in Mexico’s Baja Peninsula – The Sea of Cortez – which has been coined the ‘world’s aquarium’. There are also some great kayaking opportunities when on a seaside holiday at Sea Pines, Hilton Head, should you be visiting the southern states of the US.
RENT A SCOOTER & GO BEACH HOPPING
Not one for watersports? There are some places in the world that just beg to be experienced from the vantage point of a scooter, and tropical islands with dense foliage and steam seemingly rising off the roads are perhaps the pinnacle riding pinion.
The sense of freedom, with the wind in your hair and sails and a feeling that adventure in your heart, is just a rev away. On two wheels, you can see so much more and in less time; the journey, as they say, is so much more than the destination. Whilst the world is your oyster on top a steel horse, here are some of our favourite places to ride:
- Thailand’s southern islands
- The Greek Islands, too
- Perhaps the most spectacular coastal path in the world, The Hai Van Pass between Hue and Da Nang, Vietnam
- Closer to home, the east coast of England’s coastal road from Skegness to Whitby is pretty special
PARASAILING
An adrenaline-raising, gravity-defying sport which gives you a magnificent view of the beach and the sea, too? Count us in!
For the uninitiated, parasailing – sometimes referred to as water parasailing – involves a thrill-seeking individual being harnessed to a parasail wing (the part that looks like a parachute) and then being towed at speed by a speedboat until they are propelled into the air by the power of wind force.
Whilst it looks like a daring sport fraught with danger, parasailing is actually surprisingly safe, with control and caution exercised at every turn. In fact, there aren’t a great deal of turns – the predictability and straight lines of the speed boat is one of the key reasons parasailing is actually incredibly safe.
If you’re still not convinced, we’ll just say this; your chance of being in a fatal accident parasailing is 1 in 2.5 million. And if you’d rather not land in the water and instead prefer a dry landing, this can be easily arranged, too!
Anyway, any beach with a free-wheeling spirit and predictably tranquil skies can host this fantastic pastime, but some of my favourite places to parasail in the world include Phuket in Thailand, Miami, Rio’s famous Copacabana Beach and Kerela or Goa in India.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Phew, after all that adventure, we need a lie down! Now, where did we lay our beach towel?