Traveling with a SUP: Great destinations for stand up paddlers
The first rays of sun wake you up at 6 a.m. and, still sleepy, you look out of your campervan at the lake. The water is still as smooth as a mirror and the air is crystal clear. Exactly the right time for a wonderful morning lap on the lake, which you have all to yourself at this time of day!
In our opinion, this is how every vacation day could begin! As an enthusiastic and ambitious stand-up paddler, you don't want to go without your SUP board when traveling. In this article, we have put together a small selection of destinations that are very suitable if you would like to take your SUP equipment with you on vacation.
Traveling with a SUP: Seaside destinations
If you want to have your SUP equipment with you on your next seaside vacation, you should keep a few points in mind.
You must choose the right SUP board according to the wave height. You can paddle well in small waves of up to 50 centimeters and slightly above with an all-round SUP board. Experienced paddlers also have few problems in small waves with a touring SUP board. Note that you should use a different leash for the ocean or waves. However, if you want to paddle in higher waves similar to surfing, you need a shorter wave SUP. But you should already have a fair amount of experience for that.
Destinations with beautiful lakes or canals
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Paddling on a picturesque alpine lake in the mountains is one of the most beautiful paddling pleasures. For a SUP vacation on a lake, the Austrian Salzkammergut, for example, offers countless SUP spots. During a two-week vacation, you can paddle on a different lake every day.
If you prefer to drive to Italy, the Northern Italian lakes are a wonderful destination for stand-up paddlers. South of Munich, in Bavaria and Tyrol, you will find great SUP areas such as Lake Tegernsee, Lake Walchensee, Lake Starnberg, or Lake Achensee. Lake Eibsee is particularly picturesque. - Tip: Many larger lakes like Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Traunsee, Lake Walchensee, and many other lakes have thermal winds from midday onwards that can reach between 5 and 20 knots. This is very uncomfortable when paddling. Keep this in mind when planning your tours.
- In France, Brandenburg, or Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, you will find numerous canals that are suitable for multi-day SUP tours.
Destinations with SUP opportunities in the city
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Sightseeing in a city can be very exhausting! It's much cooler to visit a city from a SUP board. In cities such as Hamburg, Berlin, Ghent, Rostock, Zurich, Haarlem, Friedrichstadt, or Helsinki, you can take part in guided SUP sightseeing tours through the city.
Attention: In Venice (as of 2019), stand-up paddling in the canals has recently been further regulated, and paddling is no longer permitted in almost any of the canals. Paddling is allowed in the lagoon.
Destinations with flat water or small waves
- The Croatian coast with its many small islands is a perfect destination for stand-up paddlers. You can paddle to secluded bays and take great photos in the crystal-clear water. Due to the offshore islands, the water is usually flat or has only slight waves.
Destinations with higher waves
- The Atlantic coast in Portugal, Spain, or France, with its high waves, is a paradise for surfers and wave SUPers. You should already have SUP skills here or take a wave SUP course at the local schools, because there are dangers here such as so-called rip currents (dangerous currents) that can bring your SUP fun to an abrupt end.
The SUP packing list for your trip with a SUP
- SUP board incl. transport bag
- Paddle
- Dry bag or waterproof smartphone case
- SUP clothing adapted to air and water temperatures
- the appropriate leash for the respective body of water
- Buoyancy aid or Restube
- a SUP session book in which you can document all your tours on the trip
- Towel
- Headwear and sun protection
- Water bottle
We hope you enjoy your SUP trips, whether in calm water, in a canal, or in the waves at the sea. Always be careful and look out for each other!
