Stand-up paddleboarding has increased in popularity over the years and is a great way to have fun while getting some exercise in. It’s accessible to people of all ages and lifestyles which makes it quite appealing. It’s also a great way to take in the beauty of your surroundings. If you are looking for some beautiful places to check out while on your stand-up paddleboard (SUP), then look no further. Here are some of the 20 best places to go stand-up paddleboarding.
Patagonia
Patagonia is made up of 260,000 miles spanning both Argentina and Chile. It is characterized by it abundance of glaciers, wildlife, and impressive mountain peaks. This makes it suitable for the extreme paddlers out there who want to take in the breathtaking scenes that Patagonia has to provide.
Venice, Italy
Venice is well known for its canals and ancient gondolas. This ties in perfectly with stand up paddleboarding and travelers can choose to see the city from their boards. There are even qualified guides available that can provide tours.
San Diego, California
San Diego’s calm waters make it a perfect location for both beginner and advanced paddlers. With its beautiful coastline, this is a perfect place to enjoying the scenery while having fun on a SUP.
Grenada
Grenada is a tropical paradise in the Caribbean. It is well known for aquatic activities so stand-up paddleboarding fits right in. The weather is warm year-round and paddlers will have access to breathtaking views of aquatic life while they paddle.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is another beautiful Caribbean destination with wonderful weather. It is teeming with aquatic life such as turtles, stingrays, and manatees. You will enjoy soaking up some sun while observing the breathtaking scenery as you paddleboard along the coast.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
You might not have immediately considered Amsterday when thinking about SUP destinations. However, this city has 165 canals which makes it a perfect place for exploration on a SUP. You can enjoy the city’s beautiful architecture from a SUP, paddling along peacefully.
Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
This beautiful lake is shared by both California and Nevada. It’s a calm lake that makes a great starting place for beginners. However, advanced paddlers can also enjoy the nice scenery as well.
Turks and Caicos
This is yet another stunning Caribbean destination with plentiful marine life. Stand up paddle boarding is increasingly being done here and its a great way to see the marine life and the beautiful coastline and surroundings.
Sunset Beach: Oahu, Hawaii
When we think of surfing, Hawaii automatically comes to mind. It should therefore be no surprise that Sunset Beach is also one of the most popular stand-up paddleboarding locations in the world. During the summer, the water is calm and suitable for a nice day of paddleboarding. A popular route for many is the four-mile journey from Sunset Beach to Waimea Bay.
Santa Cruz, California
This is one of the best locations in California for stand-up paddleboarding. One thing to note, however, is that the water is chilly all year. It’s, therefore, better to wear a wet suit when on your board in Santa Cruz. Some great areas for paddleboarding are the wharf or the Santa Cruz Harbor.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali is simply stunning. This doesn’t hurt when it comes to stand-up paddleboarding. The waves are relatively calm and consistent, making it a great place for beginners to earn some chops. The beaches in the north such as Medewi and Balian are even calmer and less crowded.
Bahamas
Stand-up paddleboarding and the Caribbean go superbly together. The Bahamas is a beautiful group of islands with lots of shoreline and calm beautiful tropical waters. Paddleboarders of all skill levels will enjoy it here but beginners especially will appreciate the calmness of the water. If you want to paddleboard while looking at sea turtles then the Bahamas is the place for you.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is known for its surfing, but as we have seen with the Bahamas, this also usually means that it will be good for paddleboarding. This is great for tourists who may not want to go through the experience of learning how to surf since it’s more difficult to learn how to do. They can instead go for a more relaxing ride on a SUP. The scenery is beautiful and there are lots of natural wonders and beaches to enjoy while stand-up paddleboarding in Costa Rica.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a great summer destination since it has lots of live entertainment and great amusement and water parks. It is also home to a large stretch of beautiful beaches. This lends itself perfectly to paddleboarding of course. You can enjoy group tours through salt marsh groves and freshwater creeks. If you’re feeling adventurous you can even launch through the surf for a great adrenaline rush.
Namotu Island, Fiji
Namoty is surrounded by gorgeous waters that are some of the best for paddleboarding. This coupled with the stunning scenery and great resorts, make it one of the most enviable stand-up paddleboarding destinations.
Queensland Australia
Australia is an excellent destination for water sports in general. However, for the beginner stand-up paddleboarder, it can be especially tricky to choose where to go. Calm waters can be found at Tallebudgera Creek, while more advanced paddleboarders can tackle the waves off of the coast.
Lisbon Coast, Portugal
Lisbon’s waters are calm and clear. Visibility can be up to 70 feet on a calmer morning. This makes the experience of stand-up paddleboarding that much more breathtaking. The marine life and the pure joy of paddleboarding make Lisbon a destination that you have to add to your to-visit list.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town has several different locations which are great for stand-up paddleboarding. Whether you’re looking for canals or ocean surf, you can find it in Cape Town. Those who are specifically looking for calm waters can head to Langebaan Lagoon north of Cape Town.
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
New Zealand’s Bay of Islands is located in the north of the island and is home to many sheltered coves, bays, and inlets. It also has warm water all year, making it the perfect spot for stand-up paddleboarding. In addition to the beautiful water and warm weather, you also have the opportunity to enjoy breathtaking marine life such as dolphins.
Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland
Although Northern Ireland isn’t the first place that pops into most people’s minds when thinking of stand-up paddleboarding, it is quite the place to do the activity. It has lots of beautiful, rugged coastline that is great to take in while stand up paddleboarding. While the waves can become unmanageable in the winter, they are much calmer and flatter in the summer, making the area the perfect stand-up paddle boarding destination at that time of the year. Besides being great for paddleboarding in the summer, it is home to the renowned Giant’s Causeway which boasts about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that formed because of an ancient volcanic eruption.
Wrapping Up
There is truly something for everyone when it comes to stand-up paddleboarding. From the glaciers of Patagonia to the calm waters of the Caribbean, if you want to take full advantage of all of the beautiful scenery that you can enjoy while stand-up paddleboarding, this list will help you to find somewhere that you can enjoy based on your preferences and skill level.