If you’re like me, then the thought of your typical beach vacation sounds a little…humdrum. Laying on a sandy beach, dripping sweat, binge eating and sipping cocktails is nice for a day. But what about the other 6 days? Call me crazy, but all that beach bumming gets boring. Give me some adventure! Challenge me! Show me the great outdoors!
For active people like me, I’ve compiled a handy guide of some of the best vacations geared toward paddlers throughout the world. Some of these trips include multiple sports like rafting or hiking, others are in remote destinations, and there are even some that combine the rustic outdoors with 5-star hospitality. Read on for the 5 best paddling vacations worldwide and start planning!
1) Luxurious Maine B & B Sea Kayaking Tour
If you love the outdoors but also appreciate the fineries in life, we’ve found a trip where you get to experience the best of both worlds.
Maine Kayak’s Inn to Inn Sea Kayaking trips are perfect little adventures for those who like to experience the great outdoors but still like to go to sleep in a nice warm bed, enjoy a gourmet meal, and have a long hot shower.
Explore the rocky Maine coastline by day as you paddle towards your cozy and quaint bed and breakfast stop-over for the night. Equipment, lodging, meals, and guides are all provided in this 2-day or 4-day inn to inn adventure.
If you want to explore scenic New England bays and harbors, enjoy tranquil, seaside picnic lunches, and get pampered by hospitable Maine innkeepers, this is the trip for you.
2) Belize Multi-Sport Adventure Trip
It’s not just kayaking, it’s hiking, snorkeling, fishing, caving, birding, and paddling all in one! Island Expeditions offers the Ultimate Best of Belize Adventure for those who want to do it all!
On this 10 day journey, you’ll get to see Belize by land, on the water, and under the water as you travel from the Maya Mountains to Glover’s Reef. Kayak the exhilarating Moho River, explore an ancient Mayan cave, snorkel or paddle the Southern Barrier Reef, and photograph the tropical birds and rainforests of Belize.
You’ll never be bored on this vacation! All meals, accommodations, guiding services, and transfers are pre-arranged to make for hassle free traveling.
3) Paddle and Sail Croatia and Montenegro
Rack up some nautical miles as you sail and paddle through the dramatic backdrops of Croatia and Montenegro with a Southern Sea Ventures Croatia to Montenegro Kayak/Sail Odyssey!
Depart from the Split airport in Croatia where you’ll board your mothership, a traditional Gulet sailboat. From there, sail away to multiple spectacular destinations like Hvar, Korcula, and Mljet, Croatia.
Leave your belongings behind at “base camp” and take your kayak out to tour some of the gorgeous emerald waters and steep mountains rising from out of the depths of the sea.
Continue on down to Dubrovnik and over the border to Kotor, Montenegro before concluding your journey in the lovely port city of Cavtat, Croatia. Fourteen days of sailing, paddling, hiking, and soaking in some of the most breathtaking scenery you’ve ever experienced.
Contact Southern Sea Ventures for more information about this spectacular voyage.
4) Surf’s SUP in Hawaii
If you really want to hone your stand up paddle skills, you must go to where it all originated: with the big waves and lush islands of Hawaii.
Maui SUP School and Therapy has it all for those who want to immerse themselves into the SUP life. They offer numerous packages, but their signature package is the Soul Ocean Retreat. The Ocean Retreat mixes daily SUP practice doing everything from SUP surfing to SUP yoga, with holistic practices of breathing and meditation classes, individual healing consultations, cooking classes, and inspirational talks from famous athletes.
The Maui SUP School also offers intense instruction for those looking to get into SUP racing and multi-day classes and lessons for those who really want to take their SUP game to the next level.
Contact Maria Souza from the school to learn more about how she can help you transform your body and your mind through the practice of stand up paddle boarding.
5) Yak Attack in the Everglades!
With kayak fishing’s boom in popularity in recent years, kayak fishing outfitters have started popping up all over the place. There’s no better place to pack up your rod and reel and sneak up on some fish than in the Florida Everglades.
Everglades Kayak Fishing offers the ultimate experience for those wanting to paddle the backwaters of the Everglades that are unreachable by boat. They will work with you to create a tailored experience to suit your desires.
For those wanting to do a multi-day trip, they have select spots in the park where you can camp out for a few nights at a time. Bring all your gear and equipment with you or let them do all the heavy lifting and use their kayak and camping gear. Guide yourself or hire a guide to show you the best spots.
Or take the ultimate “bucket list” trip with catered fine foods, wines, cigars, premium camping equipment, three guides, and a beach Sherpa to lug all the equipment around. Perfect for a bachelor party or a true “bucket list” once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Give Everglades Kayak Fishing a call and start crafting the kayak fishing trip of your dreams!
And there you have it. Five of the best paddling vacations you’ll ever dream of. The only hard part will be deciding which one to go on first! If you know of any other epic paddling vacations, do share them in the comments below. We’d love to hear about it!
Paddle On!
