5 Adventure Water Sports to Try Before You Die

Are you the kind of person who doesn’t consider it a holiday unless you’ve back-flipped off something? Skydived? Bungee-Jumped? For an increasing number of travellers, extreme sports are making up a big part of the experience of being abroad. While your travel insurance company might not be too please about you getting up to crazy shenanigans abroad, there are certainly a growing number of companies creating equipment for you to do just that! Here are 5 adventure water-sports that adrenalin-junkies must try!


Photo: tibchris

Kite Boarding
Holding onto massive kite (kind of like the type that sits above a paraglide) and strapped into a wakeboard/surfboard, you’ll take surfing to a whole new level as you harness the awesome power of the wind to reach heights you never dreamed possible. The exhilaration and challenge of navigating waves as well as the wind is like a marriage between sailing and surfing. We love it, and we’re sure you will too!


Sailing—Moths
You might not think that sailing is all that adventurous, but you’ve probably never done it on a moth. A moth is a type of sailing dinghy with a keel underneath that allows the hull of the boat to rise out of the water and give the illusion of skimming across the water, just hovering. These boats go very fast and the feeling of flying is unsurpassable!

Jet-Skiing
If you’ve never been on a jet ski, you’ve never lived. All the James Bond films you’ve ever seen cannot prepare you for the feeling of utter power of being in control of a powerful jet engine, ridden like a motorbike across the water. Most of y=the time jet-ski hire can be quite expensive, but in some South East Asian or Caribbean countries it is quite inexpensive—just make sure you are confident in riding it, as the safety standards might not be particularly high!

Jet-Boating
If you want even more power underneath you, a jet boat might be the way to go. Invented in New Zealand to navigate the shallow waters of its rocky rivers, the jet boat can perform in waters only a few centimeters deep, reaching speeds of up to 120kph. Jet boating is a popular tourist attraction, and a great way to combine sightseeing with some totally crazy adventures.


Photo: ElMarto

Parasailing
If your idea of a good time includes being 40 feet above sea level, being towed behind a boat at high speeds while harnessed into a parachute, parasailing is definitely for you. The tension between the boat and the wind in your shute creates a smooth, gliding ride, until the driver of the boat decides you’re having too nice a time up there and manages to dunk you in the water! A great way to take in a view, but also a damn fine way to experience an adventure sport on the water, parasailing is easily one of the most enjoyable experiences out there.