Water Sports

 

Although the Maldives are renowned to be the quietest and most remote places on Earth, it’s not without exciting sports available to those with a thirst for adventure. Whether simple or challenging, Maldives sports are a great way to stay fit, in the most beautiful of surroundings.

 

Surfing

Enjoyed by people all over the world, surfing is an incredibly exciting sport for both beginners and experts. The atolls of the Maldives provide excellent swells and environments for all skill levels. Several local surfing enthusiasts offer surfing lessons to beginners, and guide experienced surfers to the biggest waves. Surfing is a favorite hobby of many of the locals, and is a great way to make lasting friendships.

 

Windsurfing

Another great way to enjoy aqua blue seas of Maldives is windsurfing, a variant of surfing. Also known as sail-boarding, a windsurf utilizes a surfboard equipped with a specialized sail. Surfers stand on the board and use their hands to manipulate the sail for directional and speed changes. Though not as popular as plain old surfing, windsurfing lessons are also available from some local experts. Learning to windsurf is quite challenging, but learning is half the fun and the sensation of gliding over reefs and seas is rival to none.

 

Water Skiing

Water skiing, a fun sport for both beginners and experts, involves a person being pulled behind a watercraft, such as a small motorboat, on a pair of specially-designed water skis. Instructors are available to teach anything from the basics to new tricks that the advanced skiers can add to their repertoires. For those into extreme sports, water skis can be a mode of transportation to a favorite diving location, such as a particular section of one of the Maldives’ gorgeous coral reefs.

 

Para-sailing

Parasailing is one of the sports relegated to the fit and the hardcore adventurer. Quite like water skiing, the skier straps a parachute to their back and once an optimum speed is reached, the parachute is deployed and the skier is lifted into the air. Parasailers can reach more than 100 feet into the air, and can see the seascape for miles around. Although this sport may seem extreme, trained professionals are on site to ensure safety.

 

Snorkeling

In the other direction, one of the most relaxing Maldives water sports is snorkeling. A modified version of swimming, that involves a snorkel – a face mask that covers the eyes and nose and provides a tube that breaks the water’s surface – and a pair of fins, snorkeling is the best way to view the fantastic coral reefs found all over the Maldives. It doesn’t require any expensive lessons, and even children can learn to snorkel in less than half an hour.

Thousands of travelers visit the Maldives simply to see the exotic marine life that lies just below the water’s surface. There are dozens of Maldives water sports to enjoy while vacationing, honeymooning, or simply getting away from the stress of everyday life. This is true regardless of experience level or preference.