Has paddle boarding come to India yet? It has gained much popularity in the US over the recent years. Where would be the best place to go and do this?
I highly suggest that you go to the Andaman Islands. These group of islands are among the most beautiful places in India. There are a lot of things that you can do in this place. Since you mentioned paddle boarding, this is an activity that is quickly growing in the area. There are several resorts in the region that offer this sport. I have to warn you though, the cost of vacationing in the Andaman Islands can be a bit more expensive compared to other destinations in the country. Have and enjoy! I hope this helps.
Hello there, @Rayne! Welcome to the forum! Yes, paddle boarding can be done on some beaches in India. It isn't as popular as other water sports like surfing or paragliding though. Perhaps because it is more difficult than other water sports. But in the recent years, it has started to gain some popularity especially amongst the adventure seekers. Here are some of the regions in India where you can try paddle boarding: Goa - You can try paddle boarding in these beaches: Candolim, Mobor and Rajbaga. The best months would be from October to May. Price is at Rs. 1,200 per person. The activity can be done for up to an hour or more. Andaman Islands - You can try paddle boarding in many of the beaches in Andaman, like the Havelock Islands and Ross Island. At Port Blair, there's the 'Andaman Water Sports Complex' which has equipments for rent for a lot of water sports like surfing, paddle boarding and jet skiing. Nainital - You can try paddle boarding in the Sattal Lake or Garuda Lake. The two lakes have less crowds and are great for paddle boarding despite their smaller sizes than Nainital Lake. Chennai - The water in Kovalam in Chennai is perfect for paddle boarding. There's this one institute here called the 'Bay of Life.' They offer different courses for tourists who want to learn paddle boarding. They have one day, five days and eight days courses. Price ranges between Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 17,000 per person. It depends on how long the course you chose is. Another one here is the 'Covelong Point Surf School', which is mainly a surfing school but has equipments for rent for paddle boarding too. Kerala - Varkala has different lakes, canals and backwaters suitable for paddle boarding. Several tour agencies offer paddle boarding courses for tourists. Two of which are: Can Fly and Kerala Adventure Tourism. Mangalore - The Mulki Beach in Mangalore is an ideal location as well for paddle boarding. The first surf school in India, called the 'Ashram Surf Retreat' is located here as well. Aside from surfing, they also teach paddle boarding, snorkelling, kayaking and wake boarding. Odisha - The Ramchandi Beach here, located in Konark, is another great destination for paddle boarding. This is also the location for the India Surf Festival held annually. Stand Up Paddle Boarding is quite popular here and you can find schools teaching beginners or even experts about paddle boarding. Those were all the regions I was able to find that offer paddle boarding and paddle boarding courses. I hope this helps!
