Date of publication 01/10/2026
The Advantages of Watersports and Where to Do Them
Discover water sports, how and where to practice them, and take healthy habits home with you.
Our hotels with water sports offer different ways to enjoy the sea during your vacation. In beach destinations, outdoor activity comes with beautiful coastal scenery, and waking up by the shore is all the motivation you need to get moving.
There are plenty of good reasons to exercise in the water. Below, you will also find recommendations on weather, experience level, safety, and equipment. Sailing, kitesurfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling: how can you get started, and where are the best places to enjoy each one? Our beachfront resorts worldwide make it easy to find out.
Why try water sports on vacation
Benefits for body and mind
One of the main reasons to exercise in the water is that it benefits body and mind alike. The two are closely connected: staying active on a getaway helps you manage stress and eases the pressure of returning to work once your vacation is over.
Water sports work major muscle groups while you have fun and unwind.Make your vacation even more rewarding by choosing a destination where sea, nature, and good weather combine to deepen your connection with yourself and your surroundings. Pace and setting shape the experience: whether you're after an adrenaline rush or a calmer state of mind, there's an activity to match the way you want to feel.
Before you start: weather, experience level, safety, and equipment
The best time of year
Stay at hotels for scuba diving, take on an Ironman, or enjoy other water sports in summer, the obvious season. But don't overlook spring and fall: these shoulder seasons are just as good for combining exercise with days at the beach, letting you skip the extreme heat and enjoy your favorite activity at a more relaxed pace.
In some parts of the world, conditions stay ideal almost year-round. Winter works well across the Caribbean, Brazil, the Mediterranean, and North Africa, where temperatures dip only slightly, and crowds thin out, giving water sports enthusiasts even more reason to head out to sea.
Choosing an activity for your age and experience level
At our hotels with sports facilities, there is an activity, or several, for every kind of traveler. The key is choosing one that suits your age and level of experience. Kids can have a great time in the water too. If you are new to surfing or scuba diving, many resorts have on-site schools and instructors who can guide you through the basics. You can start from scratch and even work toward a certification in a convenient, accessible setting.
Safety tips and essential equipment
Staying at hotels with water sports can bring another dimension of well-being to your vacation. To enjoy activities safely, choose experienced professionals who know the destination and its beaches well, particularly if you are still learning. Practice each activity only in designated areas, check the weather forecast before heading out, and stay off the water during storms or strong winds.
Along with the specific equipment required for your sport, wear or keep a life jacket close at hand and carry a basic first-aid kit. Choose comfortable water shoes and swimwear that allows you to move freely. Finally, help protect both your skin and the sea by using reef-safe sunscreen.
Water sports: how to enjoy them
Sailing
Sailing is one of those sports with an unmistakable sense of style. At its heart is the ability to harness and work with the power of the wind. It is also one of the most universal ways to spend time on the water, requiring little more than wind and sea. From tiny boats that are ideal for children or solo sailors to friendly monohulls, few sports offer quite the same sense of freedom on the open water.
Sailing can feel glamorous, but it can also be a physical challenge. Some people seek the excitement of a regatta, while others would rather raise a glass at sunset as the skipper and crew take care of the sailing. At any hour, the views reveal the destination from a different perspective. With salt on your skin and the sea breeze around you, the experience has its own natural sense of well-being.
Kitesurfing
If you want to skim across the water and take flight on the coastal winds, kitesurfing could be your sport. It involves gliding over the surface on a board powered by a large kite and has become one of the most popular coastal activities for combining physical exercise with the rush of speed.
It is a demanding sport that works the core, arms, and hands while also releasing endorphins. Most established kitesurfing destinations have schools where instructors can help beginners get started, and more experienced riders refine their technique. The best locations are places with steady winds, where kites are a familiar sight along the shoreline. Paddleboarding offers a more relaxed alternative.
Sea kayaking
Few activities bring you this close to the sea without requiring you to actually get in the water. Originally designed for rivers and lakes, kayaks are also ideal for calmer stretches of coastline.
Powered entirely by your own strength, kayaking keeps you active while working your core and arms. Although balance matters, kayaks are highly stable, making this water sport suitable for a wide range of ages and experience levels. It is a great way for children to stay active during a vacation at hotels with water sports, as well as a low-impact way to explore areas inhabited by wildlife around sea caves, cliffs, and beaches.
Parasailing
On many beaches, you will see people soaring above the coastline beneath colorful parachutes. Parasailing has become increasingly popular because it doesn’t require the same level of training as many other extreme water sports. A motorboat tows a person who is attached to a large canopy. As the boat picks up speed, the canopy fills with air and becomes a parachute, lifting the rider above the sea.
Flyboarding
Along with swimrun, flyboarding is one of the newer water sports gaining popularity. Its appeal lies in the sensation of hovering above the waves, propelled by powerful jets of water. The physical demands and adrenaline involved make it better suited to people who are already comfortable with regular exercise and want to take things a step further. Riders strap themselves onto a platform connected to a water hose that propels them into the air, creating the sensation of moving like a dolphin or a superhero.
Scuba diving and snorkeling
Few water sports bring you closer to the world beneath the sea than scuba diving, giving you the chance to discover what lies below the surface. From hotels for scuba diving, you can explore underwater ecosystems such as Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows and Caribbean coral reefs.
The gentle movement of the water and the underwater environment create a distinctive sense of calm. Diving can also support physical well-being by encouraging controlled breathing and strengthening the arms and legs as they move against the resistance of the water. You can begin with snorkeling close to shore before gradually progressing to scuba diving and working toward your certification.
Where to enjoy them: Iberostar destinations for water sports
Spain: the Balearic and Canary Islands
Mallorca's excellent scuba diving sites attract enthusiasts from around the world. The Balearic Islands as a whole, particularly Mallorca and Ibiza, are also well equipped for both first-time adventurers and experienced sailors. Sailing enthusiasts appreciate the islands' marinas and gentle breezes throughout the year. If you would rather sit back and rent a skippered boat while staying at hotels in Mallorca, local companies offer everything from afternoon outings with more adventurous water sports to family excursions that include diving and meals.
Another option is to stay at hotels in the Canary Islands, close to some of Spain's most active and sociable water sports scenes. On the beaches of Fuerteventura, kitesurfing and surfing are year-round pursuits. Every season has something different to offer, from stronger summer winds to gentler winter swells. Although much of the coastline attracts surfers and kitesurfers, Corralejo, Costa Calma, and Sotavento are among the best-known areas.
The Caribbean: Punta Cana, Jamaica, and Riviera Maya
At our hotels in Punta Cana, surf instructors help beginners and experienced riders make the most of the steady Caribbean trade winds without venturing far from the area's beautiful beaches. The shallow, clear, calm waters provide a comfortable setting to learn the basics or show off your skills on the board.
In Montego Bay, home to our hotels in Jamaica, sailing and kayaking excursions unfold against Caribbean sunsets. Coastal routes can take you to well-known places such as Rick's Café or Dunn's River Falls. Many excursions are led by experienced local crews, with food along the way and short stops for snorkeling.
Scuba diving in Riviera Maya, among coral reefs and sacred cenotes, is one of the area's most appealing experiences. While staying at our hotels in Riviera Maya, you can explore the underwater worlds found throughout its network of underground lagoons and coral reefs. Puerto Morelos, Akumal, and Cozumel are among the most popular places to enter the Caribbean Sea and swim alongside colorful fish, starfish, turtles, and even sharks in the wild.
Brazil, Crete, and Morocco
Another favorite coastline among kitesurfers stretches along the Brazilian beaches between Porto de Sauipe and Praia do Forte, where winds and temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year. Our hotels in Brazil are located in Praia do Forte, on the quieter northeastern coast, where enthusiasts will find plenty of opportunities at Porto Beach to glide above turquoise waters.
If you are planning to stay at hotels in Crete while exploring the Greek islands, the regions of Rethymno and Lasithi are known for calmer currents and clear waters, ideal for kitesurfing, paddleboarding, and kayaking close to shore.
In North Africa, our hotels in Morocco provide a seaside base for learning to surf or refining your technique. Board sports have become an international way of life here, bringing together travelers from around the world.
Water sports at our hotels: book your next seaside vacation with Iberostar
Discover what time on the water can bring to your next vacation. As your hosts, we make it easy to enjoy yourself by the sea and in the water. Scuba diving, swimming, water polo, snorkeling, or kayaking. Paddleboarding and bodysurfing. High-energy experiences and quieter moments. Each hotel has its own approach to staying active, shaped by the natural surroundings and local traditions. At our hotels, a team of professionals shares its passion for the ocean through water sports programs designed to help you experience the marine environment more consciously.
