A Great Place For Your Favorite Water Sport - Hilton Head

Hilton Head Island isn't just about tennis and golf. Chances are, if you have a favorite water sport, the island not only offers it, but offers it in the unique and beautiful waters that can only be found here. For those who prefer a faster-paced, adrenaline-fueled water sport, the local scene offers waterskiing, jet skiing, surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, and more. Of course, not everyone is looking for a rush, preferring instead to experience the island's beauty at a slower pace. For them, Hilton Head offers activities such as fishing and boating. Anyone wanting to experience their favorite water sport in a unique location should definitely check out what this island has to offer.

Probably the fastest-paced water sport Hilton Head has to offer is jet skiing, perfect for anyone seeking the ultimate adrenaline rush on the island's gorgeous waters. You feel the water and the wind rushing past you as you ride the motorized personal watercraft of your choice standing up. Another great option for those who prefer sitting down is a wave runner, which is identical except that the motorized personal watercraft comes equipped with a seat. If you don't have your own equipment for either water sport, the local community has several companies offering rentals on both types of personal watercraft.

In addition to personal watercrafts, the island offers many other boating experiences as well. If boating is your water sport, Hilton Head's rental companies offer a wide selection of sailboats, motorboats, kayaks, and more. If you are interested in fishing, you can rent that equipment as well or even hire a specialized fishing tour boat. Just make sure you get your fishing license first! Of course, if you want to experience the waves from behind a boat, water skiing equipment is also available.

If surfing is your preferred water sport, Hilton Head offers 12 miles of beaches with great surfing to be had on every single mile. If you would like to combine the thrill of surfing with sailing, windsurfing is a great option. Windsurfers still enjoy riding the waves like surfers, but their sails give them some control over their speed and direction. Of course, the true thrill of windsurfing comes when the wind picks up speed. Instead of just riding the waves, windsurfers who know what they're doing can use the wind to plane the surface of the water, achieving speeds normally only possible with a motor.

If you want to experience something truly unique to the area, you can take advantage of parasailing to get spectacular views of the island and its surroundings. Parasailing is similar to water skiing, except you use a parachute. The speed of the motorboat creates enough wind to life you and your parachute up into the air, allowing you to enjoy Hilton Head's natural beauty from above. While you can parasail almost anywhere there is water, nowhere else can you use it to view the island in all its glory. This is something that every water sport enthusiast visiting and resident to the island should experience.

Ken is a Hilton Head Real Estate professional with over 29 years in the business. To see current properties for sale visit Ken-Oliver.com.

5 Great Places to Take a Water Sports Holiday

Water sports enthusiasts who enjoy activities like sailing, yachting, rafting, canoeing and jet skiing and are looking to take a holiday themed on such activities will find plenty of choices in terms of destinations. This guide lists five of the best choices for water sport holidays.

1. Tahiti - Located in French Polynesia, Tahiti offers a long list of water based activities and water related activities that adventure enthusiasts are sure to enjoy. Tahiti has many beautiful beaches made up of soft white sands and turquoise waters. Scuba diving, fishing, windsurfing, water skiing, kayaking, snorkeling, boating tours, catamaran cruises, walking under the sea, jet skiing, para sailing and canoeing are just some of the activities available that visitors to Tahiti can enjoy.

2. Barcelona - This city is situated along the Catalan coast, and has seven beaches and 4.5 kilometres of coastline. The proximity to the beach has encouraged the development of water based events and activities here and the city boasts many diving schools, water sport centres and boat chartering agencies. In Barcelona, people can enjoy a variety of water sports, ranging from sailing to jet skiing.

3. Florida - This state is known for its beaches and it is no surprise that people come here from all around America and the world, to participate in water sport activities. With the famous Florida Keys, the Miami Beach, West Palms, Fort Myers Beach and many other stretches of beach area that play host to a number of water sport activities, Florida is the ideal destination for people who like water sports.

4. Cuba - Tourists and people looking for qualified diving training can enjoy a trip to Cuba, where tourists can find a number of excellent locations for a wide choice of water sports and water related activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, yachting, surfing, sailing, water skiing and jet skiing. Locations such as Varadero have diving schools and some of the best teachers from around the world come to teach in the warm Caribbean waters.

5. Thailand - The south of Thailand boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, along with some of the best dive locations. The Phuket Island, Krabi and the neighbouring islands offer many facilities for tourists to indulge in a number of activities. The most common activities in this area are rafting, canoeing, diving and snorkelling.

Joe used to teach English in Cuba and has since been fascinated with Cuba and travel in general. Joe enjoys writing about Diving in Cuba and about Bangkok travel and culture. Joe also loves to spend time writing screenplays.