Budget Guide to Watersports

Introduction to budget board sports

Board sports aren't necessarily expensive. Often you can hire equipment, go with a friend and loan theirs or go with a school where the equipment will almost always be included in the cost. In many cases you can learn by having lessons with other beginners and the cost of the day will be split equally so get a group together!

Top Spots for Budget Surfing

Kuta Beach in Bali has to be one the best places to learn for the budget traveller. There is an abundance of surf shools, heaps of other people and Bali on the whole is very cheap. That coupled with the warm Indian ocean and the crazy nightlife then you cannot go wrong. Of course Kuta may not be everyone's ideal tropical paradise but if you are looking to learn to surf on a budget then Bali is the place.

Byron Bay in Australia is another backpacker's centre and is on all but a few itineraries for the trip up the East coast of Australia. This laid back hippy ville has forgiving waves for the learner and loads of schools eager for your limited tourist buck.

South West France is the surfing hub of Western Europe and is an excellent place to learn your craft. In the summer the waves tend to be smaller and therefore more suited to learners.

Surfing is a very individual sport but having other people around you is great. It can also be dangerous to surf on your own. If you are surfing where there are sharks just by having one other person with you halves the chance of attack! (I would like to stress that shark attacks on surfers are so rare they make World news when they happen!

Here are some links for further reading on surfing.

Kite \ Wind Surfing

Using the wind to surf is no better way for ripping up a few waves. Wind surfing has been around a while while Kite-surfing is a new and very fast growing sport.

These sports can be quite affordable if you have lessons over a number of days, which will also give you the chance to become a bit more skilled. We would suggest looking for a week long windsurfing course and maybe three days for kiting. Kite surfing tends to be slightly easier to get the hang of but the safety risks are greater.

Here are some resources for further research.