If you yearn for the wind in your hair, sun on your face, sand in your toes and to be pummelled by the ocean then you need to check out our round-up of five of the best destinations for water sports around the world.
Oahu, The Hawaiian Islands
The home of modern surfing, Hawaii offers epic swells and is probably the number one destination in the world for the 'sport of kings'. Think Big Wednesday and Point Break if you're heading here! Oahu's North Shore is legendary for its big wave surfing, while Waikiki is more suited to newbies learning how to catch their first wave. Stand-up paddle boarding is also big on the Hawaiian Islands.
San Diego, California
Perfectly positioned on the southern Pacific coast of the US, San Diego is a water sports paradise with year-round surf, sunshine and warm temperatures. Water sports are a daily event for locals and visitors, from all manner of board and surf combos including surfing, wake boarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodyboarding, stand-up paddle boarding and step-off surfing to sailing, scuba diving, kayaking, jet skiing, water-powered jet packing and fishing.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali was the first Asian country to adopt surfing, where it has flourished due to consistent and frequent breaks all around the island. Its gorgeous azure waters mean that scuba diving, snorkelling, white water rafting are very popular too. You can even have a go at tubing - it involves you, an inflatable tube and a fast-moving stream! This little slice of tropical paradise planted in the Indian Ocean and Java Sea has a monsoon climate which means pleasing temperatures whenever you visit, and a rainy season during the UK winter.
Costa de la Luz, Spain
Andalucia's Costa de la Luz runs between Tarifa and Cadiz on the west coast of Spain. With pleasant temperatures all-year-round and the Atlantic Ocean lapping at its shores, the Costa de la Luz is a hot spot for water sports in Europe. Windsurfing, surfing, sailing, kitesurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, wake boarding and water skiing are all common here. The waves aren't going to measure up to the world's biggest surfing destinations, but it is a great place to hone your skills close to the UK.
Queensland, Australia
Basking in the sunshine and turquoise waters of the north eastern coast of Australia, Queensland provides water sports enthusiasts with an amazing array of aqua-based entertainment. Sailing in the Whitsundays? Snorkelling and diving on the Great Barrier Reef? Kayaking and rafting on Queensland's rivers or the Coral Sea? Or surfing on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast? Take your pick!
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Written by Maxine Clarke: a writer, mummy, missus and campervan-lover. Used to travel, now enjoys a good holiday! Follow her on Twitter.
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