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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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Even though there are many sandy beaches in Türkiye, most of them are still waiting to be discovered by sandboarders.
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.