Extreme Sports

For many people, the idea of a vacation spent lazing around isn’t particularly appealing; these people want something more out of their vacation time than just a suntan and a hangover, they want excitement! The appeal of an adventure vacation makes a lot of sense when you consider that many people work long hours in jobs that often leave much to be desired in the realm of being mentally stimulating or physically active.

There are many kinds of adventure vacations and tours in Alberta, depending on your interests and abilities. Even if you are moderately fit, there are many places that offer walking, hiking or horseback riding tours; for those with a higher level of fitness, winter snow shoeing might be an appealing option.

There are many places in Alberta that you can travel to for a variety of experiences. Alberta has many mountains, working farms, historical sites, and rivers where you can find interesting and exciting vacation destinations.

For those who enjoy a mountain holiday, there are many mountain destinations in Alberta such as Lake Louise and the Canada Olympic Park.

Lake Louise is Canada’s largest ski and snowboarding area and averages 380 cm of snow annually; the resort is also situated within Banff National Park, a World Heritage Site. The Chateau Lake Louise was originally built in the late 19th and early 20th century and is a jewel of a destination in the Canadian Rockies. The resort plays host to skiing, snowboarding, and skating activities as well as sleigh rides.

Canada Olympic Park is the site of the Calgary Olympic Winter Games in 1988. They offer many instructional programs in skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, bobsled, and mountain biking. The Park also has a new zip-line adventure for the adventurous visitor. The Olympic Park also has the benefit of being only ten minutes from Calgary’s downtown core.  Read more...

Even though it’s January and half the winter sports season is over you still have time to explore new territories. Since it’s a new year, we here at Colorado Ski Shop have culled our knowledge and experience and we want to share this year’s top five snowboarding destinations with you!
Check out the list below, did your favorite spots make it?

SNOWBIRD

Utah is one of those states with so many potential snowboarding and skiing venues that it’s an absolute dream to any winter sport enthusiast. We picked Snowbird for its unique attributes and extensive network of runs and lifts. The tram will get you to the top of its 11,000 feet (Hidden Peak) in a mere 8 minutes so you can begin exploring one of its 85 runs. With the highest altitude of any Utah resort and about 500 inches of annual snowfall, Snowbird offers a longer season of use than many other resorts – in 2005, skiers were in full swing until July 4th! In addition, Snowbird is only 29 miles from Salt Lake City, allowing visitors the opportunity to explore nightlife, culture and cuisine with a short drive. Snowbird is great for both skiing and snowboarding, so grab your gear and go!

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN

Sunny California has its own winter sport havens, many of which are causing quite a stir on the international snowboarding scene. Mammoth Mountain is one of those resorts whose reputation is known far and wide – even Shaun White, Olympic snowboarder, has a season pass! From October to June, this place is a snowboarder’s dream. The summit rises 11,000 feet and includes a 3,000 foot vertical drop. For the experienced rider, we recommend Hangman’s Hollow – a narrow chute bordered by rocks and positioned at a steep incline. Beginners need not apply (just stick to the Panoramic Gondola – enjoy scenic vistas on your way up to the top of the mountain!). No gear? No problem – Mammoth Mountain rents out everything you need, from ski equipment to snowboards!  Read more...

Hawaii is home to perfectly breaking waves and warm water that makes it a tropical paradise for all; this is especially true for surfers. Surfing is a hug part of the traditions and culture of the all the Hawaiian Islands. This sport goes back to ancient times. It is embedded in the hearts and minds of the residents of Hawaii.

Bonzai Pipeline
This is an infamous surf destination and has been for many years. The foremost surfers from all around the world travel to this spot to surf. They have good reason too! On any given day there are often large glassy waves that create perfect tubes. Being the most popular surf destination on the globe, it attracts many championship surf contest every year.

Waimea Bay
This is one of the oldest surfing areas in Hawaii. It is best known for large monster waves that swell and manifest at its point and shore breaks. Its shore breaks are notorious throughout the surfing world. Waves break really close to the shore which makes for high impact surfing.

Sandy Beach
This is another well known surf area. It is located on the southeast side of the main island, Hawaii, with a famous shore breaks. This beach is best known for featuring shallow waters and critical fast surf. While these conditions may spell danger for some surfers, the more experienced surfers know that it is one of the best spots around. Even on a day where the waves are not large, Sandy Beach is still almost guaranteed to barrel and have many fun waves for anyone to enjoy.

Sunset Beach
This famous surfing destination, on Oahu’s North Shore, is a favorite hot spot for professional surfers to go. The long nice waves make it a great place to hold surfing contests. It is centrally located along the drive to the North Shore. Giving the beach its well deserved name, it’s the perfect destination to catch a beautiful Hawaiian sunset.  Read more...

Here, I have researched top 10 surf camp destinations. It is just a short description of the voted surfing destinations. The research is taken from other research sites and from the research made by most of the travel websites.

The following are the list of the 10 surfing areas in the world voted by surfers and travelers.

1. California surf camps – The Pacific Coast Highway that runs the length of California’s coast provides easy access to hundreds of surfing spots and waves for everyone, from beginners to professionals.

2. France’s West Coast surf camps- France is blessed with two beautiful coasts but it’s the West coast that surfers love for its quality waves and stunning beaches.

3. Costa Rica Surf camps – Costa Rica’s more popular beaches have been surfing destinations for decades. However for the opportunity to catch rides that will make your legs ache it is well worth the journey.

4. Mexico surf camps – The locals are friendly & generous, the vibe seriously laid back, the water is warm and crystal clear and the waves are sweet.

5. Madeira camps- This picturesque island sits alone west of Casablanca and is able to capture the powerful swells coming out of the North Atlantic.

6. Australia camps – Australia’s Sunshine Coast, along the Pacific Ocean, attracts surfers from around the world for its different types of waves and secluded beaches.

7. Bali surf camps – Surfers who travel to this exotic destination enjoy surf created by the southeast trade winds from March through November.

8. Florida camps- Cocoa Beach sits on the Sunshine State’s Atlantic Coast and offers surfers great waves as well as a more cosmopolitan lifestyle than other surfing destinations. . If magnificence vacations are your worry along with great surfing then the beaches of Florida are just true, particularly the Cocoa beach.  Read more...

Thailand has one of the world’s most diverse marine habitats, with more than 300 major reef groups covering an area of over 4,500 square miles. From pinnacles and submerged rocks, through to stunning coral gardens and sheer walls, the scuba diving in Thailand has something to offer scuba divers of all levels of experience. It is this diversity in marine habitats and diving environments which attracts so many divers to the waters around Thailand every year, and today the region is one of the world’s most popular scuba diving destinations.

There are a number of major diving destinations in Thailand, all offering a wide selection of diverse dive sites. Throughout all of these major destinations is a network of well equipped, knowledgeable and experienced dive centres, offering a range of diving from leisure dives through to a selection of scuba diving courses.

It would be impossible to discuss Thailand, without looking at the scuba diving in Phuket and the surrounding areas. Without doubt, the diving in Phuket is of the highest standard, and the waters surrounding the ‘island’ host a number of excellent dive sites. However, the real underwater treasures of Phuket lie slightly further afield. Dive sites such as the Burma Banks, The Similan Islands and the Mergui Archipelago are often found high on the wish list of many discerning scuba diver and offer some of South East Asia’s finest dive sites.

The scuba diving on the Western Gulf of Thailand sees a different emphasis, and the small islands found here have become one of the world’s most popular areas to learn to scuba dive. In fact, the island of Koh Tao has developed a complete tourist industry from scuba diving, and today large numbers of would be scuba divers travel to Koh Tao every day to begin their diving education. Other islands within the Western Gulf of Thailand are also home to developed scuba diving industries, and destinations such as Koh Samui and Ko Pha-Ngan are both home to a large number of dive centres and excellent dive sites.  Read more...