We prepared a comprehensive guide for those who would like to discover all the details of sand surfing. You can find below all the necessary information on its origins and how to do it with a detailed equipment list. The most popular spots in Türkiye and from around the world to embark on sand surfing experience are also enclosed for you.
What is Sand Surfing?
Extreme sports are getting more and more popular each day. Sand surfing, also known as sandboarding, is one of the newest extreme sports discovered in the search for adrenaline. Be ready to kick up some dust with sandboarding on the great sand dunes of the world.
Sand surfing is a sport of balance like surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding. The difference between these board sports and sand surfing is the environment. It is done prevalently in deserts and coastal areas. It’s birthplace is Egypt and since then it became popular in the countries that have deserts or beaches with sand dunes.
Surfing on the sand sounds fun but it has its difficulties. It is hard to build a ski lift for participants to go up on the sand dunes easily. You can attend to the organized tours that have all-terrain vehicles for this reason. Unlike snowboarding, sandboarding is not a seasonal sport and you can do it any time of the year.
How to do Sand Surfing?
The practice of sand surfing is pretty similar to other board sports. It is done by riding down a sand dune on a board with both feet strapped. It can also be practiced by sitting down or lying on the board. Unlike snowboard, it has shorter runs. Challenging part of sand surfing is to push yourself down in the beginning. The rest is about your experience in board sports.
If you are a beginner at board sports and want to do sandboarding, it is better to start practicing with skateboarding. Most of the professional snowboarders and sandboarders start with skateboarding. You can skateboard in your neighborhood and learn how to balance yourself on the board first. And then slowly practice controlling your speed while you are riding down of the hills and jumps from ramps. Physical exercise is another necessity for these sports. Some snowboarders recommend Bosu Ball training to learn soft landings. This training also will strengthen your muscles for good balance.
Things to Know Before Sand Surfing
Sandboarding is one of the newest extreme sports that started to become popular recently. If you want to try this excitement there are some important things are good for you to know.
- Except for some locations in the world, it is hard to find equipment to rent. If you just want to try you should check tours for sandboarding before you go.
- Surfing on sand might look safe enough but you need to be careful as the sandy surface is not as soft as it looks. It is recommended that you do it with a professional sandboarder if you are going to try for the first time.
- Waxing the board makes sand surfing better.
- In some places like Cairo, the desert climate can be dangerous. Do not forget to carry water, protect your head from the sunlight. We recommend that you sand surf in the evening.
- Be careful about some unofficial tours in places like Cairo. Always prefer official organizations.
Sand Surfing Equipment List: What Equipment is Needed for Sand Surfing?
Sand surfing doesn’t require much equipment. A board is the main equipment. Sandy surface is much different than snow, so it is hard to glide on the sand with snowboards. For this reason, sandboards are built out of special materials like laminex or formica. Sandboard has a much harder base than the snowboard and a paraffin-based wax is used to have a better glide on the sand.
Sand surfing locations generally have hot weather conditions. Summer clothes are suitable to wear during sand surfing, but beware of the sand as you can easily injure yourself if you fall. For this reason, some protective equipment would be useful for beginners. Similar to other boarding sports equipment; an helmet, knee and elbow pads are good for protection. It is useful to choose lightweight but strong knee and elbow pads. Also, don’t forget to protect your eyes from sand and bring your sunglasses with you.
When is the Best Time for Sand Surfing?
Sand surfing is not a seasonal sport but if you are going do it in a desert land, cooler seasons like fall and winter are the best times for it. These are the best touristic seasons for countries like Egypt where sand surfing is a popular sport. For the countries that have cold winter seasons like Germany and England and have places to do sandboarding, spring and summer seasons are the best.
For safety reasons, sandboarding should be done in the evening. Either at coastal beaches or deserts, hot weather should be considered because it can be dangerous during the day. Overall, different locations can show variety in the best times to do sandboarding. So, we recommend you to check the climatic conditions of the place you would go to for sandboarding.
Where to do Sand Surfing in Türkiye?
There are no deserts in Türkiye but you can find beautiful sandy beaches. Even though sandboarding is not very popular in Türkiye, it is getting more popular each day. In touristic places like Antalya and İstanbul, there are some beautiful sandy beaches to perform where you can sand surf.
If you are planning to sand surf in Türkiye, we recommend you to bring your sandboarding equipment. You can check here to learn more about traveling with your equipment.
Patara Beach
Patara is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with its long coast, clear sea, and sand dunes. The location of this beach is between the two biggest tourism cities in Türkiye; Antalya, and Mugla. Patara is also known for its history of Lycia. This beach is the best spot for sand surfing in Türkiye. Patara is a wonderful place you can drive either from Dalaman or Antalya. Whichever you choose, a great sand surfing experience awaits you.
Even though there are many sandy beaches in Türkiye, most of them are still waiting to be discovered by sandboarders.
Best Sand Surfing Destinations in the World
Sandboarding is an adventure many can enjoy, and the beautiful beaches and astonishing deserts in many parts of the world make this sport even more fun. Being able to sand surf any time of the year increases its popularity as well. Here are some of the most popular places to sand surf around the world.
Al Katamiah Dunes- Cairo- Egypt
Egypt is the birthplace of sand surfing, and the motherland of the sport does it justice with the beautiful sand dunes around the country. Egypt promises one of the best sand surfing experiences with its astonishing atmosphere. Located 50 km south of Cairo, Al Katamiah Dunes offers one of the best areas in Egypt with its great dunes. You can easily try many movements here and have the full experience of sand surfing. Get your Cairo flight ticket today and get started with this sport.
Negev Desert- Tel Aviv- Israel
The Negev desert in the Timna Valley, in the South of Israel is another natural beauty where you can experience the fun world of sand surfing. Its geological structure is rare in the world and has recently become one of the favorite attractions for sand surfing.
Camping under the bright stars of the night in this desert is another option to consider. This natural marvel is one of the favourites if you are looking for a spot to do sandboarding. Flights to Tel Aviv via Pegasus are ready to make this experience possible for you.
Fossil Rock- Dubai- UAE
Dubai is another city where you can find the best sand dunes. Also, this city has great tourist spots that make sand surfing enjoyable with good tours. There are many spots around Dubai, and Fossil Rock is one of the best, with a massive sand drift that you can try some fun maneuvers. If you are ready for sandboarding, get your Dubai flight ticket and go on an adventure.
Monte Kaolino- Nürnberg- Germany
There are not many places for sand surfing in Europe. Monte Kaolino is the only place here and also is home to Sandboarding World Championship. The facility in here makes sandboarding easy to practice with a chairlift that takes you up of the sandy hill. You can get your Nürnberg flight ticket to go to Monte Kaolino.
Hollywell- London- England
Cornwall is located in the west of England, where you can do sandboarding. While visiting England, it is very pleasant to sand surf in this place which is frequented by young people and has high sandy hills. You can feel this excitement in England with a small journey from London. Get your London flight ticket to try sand surfing in England.
If you are planning to travel with your equipment, there might be additional costs. You can click here to check the extra services price table.
