Which watersport should you try?

Windsurfing uses a board with a sail to power you across the water. You will start on a large, stable board with lots of buoyancy and a small sail, before gradually moving to smaller boards as you progress. All the kit you need is supplied at the beachclub including a buoyancy aid; you may want to bring a rash vest and shorts.

With expert tuition and modern kit, the basics are quite easy to pick up. Everyone learns at a different pace, but in a week, if all goes well, you can expect to be able to sail a triangular course…and to have had a lot of fun. You get such a great sense of achievement every time you learn something new. No matter what level you’re at, there’s always a new move or technique to learn. Even the pros spend hours trying to master the next big move.

Windsurfing gives you an amazing sense of freedom and a huge adrenalin buzz. Anyone who likes a physical and mental challenge will love learning to windsurf. Find out more about our watersports holidays in Europe.

A kayak is a small boat, it sits low on the water and you sit in the kayak facing forward, using a double-bladed paddle to move through the water. Different kayaks are available for a variety of water conditions; some are for white water, others for racing, some purely recreational and a bit of everything in-between. Kayakingis a very accessible watersport and depending on where you choose to kayak, no experience is necessary.

It’s very easy to pick up the basics; every beachclub has sit-on-top kayaks for one or two people ready and waiting on the beach. If you need a few pointers one of the watersports team will show you the best paddle technique, and you’ll be ready to go. 

Take a holiday to Retreat Beachclub, and you can enjoy inclusive kayaking tuition, great if you want to do more than just leisurely paddling. Overall, kayaking is a great way to take in the sites and provides an excellent low impact workout. Find out more about our kayaking holidays.

Dinghies are small boats with sails that you can sail on your own (single-handed), in a pair (double-handed) or with a small group. Our beachclubs in Sardinia, Croatia and Greece are great places to learn to sail, the water is warm and the sun is shining, it makes those capsize moments much more appealing! You don’t need any specialist kit, everything you need is provided, but for comfort you may want to bring sailing gloves and neoprene shoes to protect your hands and feet.

Dinghy sailing tuition is included in the cost of the holiday and with lessons six days a week, it’s a quick and easy way to learn a fun watersport. Wind conditions permitting, after a week of lessons you should be able to make your way around a triangular sailing course. If everything falls into place there’s no reason why you can’t enter the weekly regatta and earn your racing stripes.

Some of the terminology can be a bit tricky to get the hang of. Knowing your tack from your gybe, centreboard from rudder and tiller from mainsheet takes a bit of getting used too. Soon enough it all falls in to place and you’ll be successfully sailing upwind without a care in the world. Find out more about our dinghy sailing holidays.

Stand up paddle boarding or SUP, as it’s commonly known is quickly becoming a popular activity of choice for watersports holidays in Europe. Basically speaking SUP uses a large, wide surfboard and a long paddle to propel you through the water. 

The great thing about SUP is that it’s extremely accessible. If you have never done a board sport before you might find yourself a little wobbly at first, however you’ll quickly find your sea legs. Start by finding your balance on your knees and then stand up when you feel ready. After a week you’ll be paddling confidently without falling in, your balance will have improved massively and you’ll be nailing turns.

Being out on the water and in the fresh air is hard to beat and learning with a group is guaranteed fun and a great way to make new friends. If you like being outdoors, on the ocean and in the fresh air, you definitely have to give SUP a go, we promise you’ll love it. Find out more about or stand up paddle boarding holidays.

Water skiing is a little like snow skiing, but on water and wakeboarding more like snowboarding, with both you’re pulled across the water behind a motorboat. It can be a little tricky to start with but pretty soon you’ll be gliding across the smooth, glassy water.

The ski boats have a bar that is placed alongside the boat, complete beginners start by holding the bar, this gives you plenty of time to get used to the motion of the boat and to control the skis or wakeboard. Once you’ve mastered the bar, it’s time to get behind the boat on a tow rope. You can then start playing around on the water, learning tricks and jumping the wake. It’s really addictive and despite the aching arms and legs you’ll be rushing to book your next session. At most beachclubs, for a little extra, you can also book wakeboard and water ski packages, which are based around British Water Ski and wakeboard qualifications. Find out more about our water skiing and wakeboarding holidays.

Simply put kitesurfing involves a board (similar to a wakeboard) and a large kite, which together enable you to move across the water. If you want to learn to kitesurf, most schools will provide you with all the equipment you need and if you learn with us in the sunny climes of Sardinia and Greece the only clothing you’ll need is a pair of shorts and a rash vest or thin neoprene top.

If you’re new to kitesurfing it’s really important to have lessons. First up, you need to know how to fly the kite, as kitesurfing is 80% kite skills and 20% board skills. This is probably the trickiest thing to get right in this watersport, especially when you introduce the board for the first time.

One you’ve got the basics down, you’ll start to see steady progress. Complete beginners will probably need 6-10 hours of tuition, but of course everybody learns at a different pace. Once you crack kitesurfing and are skimming along the waves, it’s an exhilarating feeling that’ll keep you coming back for more. Find out more about our kitesurfing holidays.