Extreme Sports

What’s up guys, it’s a beautiful morning here in Costa Rica. How are you doing today? My name is Bill, I’m down here in Jaco Beach and it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve worked with surf camps and surf organizations, teaching in schools and surfing around the world over the past 15 years and I’ve landed myself in Costa Rica and this is absolutely the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen- to learn how to surf or to score some perfect waves. The potential here is like nowhere else around the whole world. Now, people always ask the same questions over and over about surf trips, surf tours, surf lessons in Costa Rica- so before you guys come down here, I’m going to answer some frequently asked questions we get on a daily basis.

Here’s a little more on “Why Costa Rica for a Surf Trip?” I have never seen so many waves in my whole life, you guys. We’ll take you down the coast and we’ll take you to wave after wave after perfect tubing turnable wave. Literally, this morning was 7 foot, arm stalling, sick tubes, no one around. Out in the water you see the jungle just wrapping the coastline, iguanas running all over the beach. There’s such a variation of waves here that you never have to worry about the tides- high and low tide are good! Thats just one aspect of Costa Rica- The food down here is insane- killer, cheap food, tons of fish. Get down here, Jaco Surf Academy will literally bring you to some of best waves you’ve ever surfed and the water’s warm and beautiful.  Read more...

When it comes to taking a vacation, most people choose to go somewhere tropical, such as Hawaii or the Bahamas. Not many people think of going where it’s cold. In fact, most people who live where it gets cold want anything but cold on their vacation. However, for your upcoming vacation, why not try something new? Why not try a snowboarding vacation. A snowboarding vacation can do wonders for shaking up your life when you need it the most. You can either purchase the equipment or rent it but one thing’s for sure, you’ll have the time of your life.

Check Travel Agencies

Check your local travel agency to see if they have any snowboarding vacation packages. With a snowboarding vacation package, you can get room, board and equipment for a great price. This kind of snowboarding vacation is perfect for taking the family when you just feel like getting away. It’s similar to a ski lodge only you’ll be snowboarding. If you’ve never tried snowboarding before, this is the perfect way to start. After all, there’s no sense in going out to buy all the equipment if you’ve never snowboarded before. Try a snowboarding vacation package and see if you like it first. With the popularity of snowboarding today, chances are, you’re going to love it.

If you’ve snowboarded before and are ready to go on your snowboarding vacation but don’t yet have the equipment, such as a snowboard and the proper clothing, try a ski and outdoor store. Places such as these will have everything you need to prepare you for your snowboarding vacation. You’ll want to wear all the gear as it’s meant to protect you not only from the elements but also from accidents which can occur while snowboarding.  Read more...

The many mountains of North America make for great ski vacations. Many people choose to take ski vacations at one or several of the resorts in the United States or Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Known as the Rocky Mountain State, the U.S. state of Colorado is host to several ski resorts. It is also known as one of the best places to ski in the world due to its high elevation and heavier snow fall. One of these resorts is Aspen, well known for its magnificent slopes and well groomed runs as well as celebrity clientele.

Another wonderful Colorado ski resort is Breckenridge, a favourite among visitors from the U.K. due to the town’s quaint Old Western theme and its mining heritage. It also has ski slopes for all abilities. Check the internet for cheap ski holidays in this lovely resort town.

Winter Park is another great Colorado ski resort. Not only is it home to great skiing for varying abilities, but it is also home to other Winter events such as dog sledding, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides. After a day of skiing, you can enjoy your evening at one of several restaurants, then jump into one of the baths in the resort’s sulphur hot springs. If you travel farther South, you can enjoy the mountains of California and experience the skiing at Mammoth Mountain or South Lake Tahoe. Mammoth Mountain, considered to be the best snowboarding mountain in California, offers skiing from November to July due to its annual 30 foot snowfall each Winter. Though mostly geared to the intermediate skier, there are beginner runs as well. After a day of skiing, a free shuttle is offered so the town’s restaurants and bars can be enjoyed at night.  Read more...

Oahu with its huge sea waves has long been acknowledged as the birth place of surfing. He`e nalu as surfing is known in the Hawaiian language has been around for ages. The earliest reference to it is found as petroglyphs on lava rocks. There are many chants dating back to 1500s about surfing. These chants narrate  stories of great feats that the surfers had.

References have also been found in the journals written by Captain James King,   1779. Surfing as we know has been around for quite some time. Here is a little background on surfing history.

The Hawaiian Tradition of Surfing

In ancient Hawaiian society, surfing pervaded every aspect. It touched the social structure, religion and even myths. Surfing was done on long narrow hardwood boards.

Surfing was such a major part of the ancient Hawaiian society that it even finds mention in the code of taboos, kapu. The Kapu defined the social strata, the royals and the commomners. The surf zones were not untouched from these taboos. Specific beaches were allotted to the chiefs, ali’I and the commoners, maka ai nana, could use beaches specified for them only.

The Demise of Surfing

The play activities of Hawaii, surfing, hula and others saw a decline during the 1820s with the advent of Christian missionaries. They imposed a puritanical code and work ethics. The Kapu system was overthrown by the favorite queen of Kamehameha, Ka`ahumanu and the beaches were freed for everyone, but for more than 150 years no one enjoyed them.

The Resurrection of Surfing  Read more...

It’s vacation time again and you feel like trying something new this year, something that’s both fun and educational. There are many options and many exotic places where we can spend your holiday, and if you haven’t made up your mind yet, we suggest that you try a relaxing scuba diving vacation. Why scuba diving? As, we’ve said before, this is the best way to combination of fun and learning about the underwater life, which will never cease to amaze us with its variety. If you are interested in a marine life, a scuba diving vacation offers you the chance to be close to it. This sport will always provide a wonderful and unforgettable to those who practice it due to the amazing variety of underwater life. It’s this amazing variety that makes each scuba diving vacation different from what you have experienced before. As a recreational form of diving, scuba diving beats any other type of seaside vacation by a long shot, as lying in the sun and bathing in the ocean pale in comparison with being in the middle of all those wonderfully-colored fish, coral reefs, and other underwater forms of life.

Scuba diving is not a dangerous sport either, as long as you wear the special scuba diving equipment. This sport doesn’t require too much physical effort on your part, so it’s safe to say that if your are in good shape and you can walk a few miles, you will also be able to enjoy your scuba diving holiday at its best. You don’t even have to have excellent swimming skills. All it takes is that you feel comfortable in the water and adapt to it with no worries.

 Read more...