Viator Travel Blog

With the waves gently breaking on the beach, the sun setting over a majestic ocean, and the soft swaying motion of the sea, it’s easy to understand why surfing is such a popular pastime. While other sports get competitive quickly, may involve other people, or contribute to injury, surfing is a sport where it’s only you and the ocean – and this is exactly why it speaks to people on a level some describe as spiritual.

Until you get out there and experience what it’s like to contend with the waves, there simply is just no describing the feeling that comes with catching your first set. So if you’re looking to get into the sport, here are some of the best places to get your feet wet.

Mention Marbella to anyone and they immediately think of money, the rich and the famous. This is the Costa del Sol’s quintessential Monte Carlo, a place to hang out with the glitterati and to be seen by the paparazzi hunting their little bit of sleaze. Stroll along the Passeo Maritimo from the Parque de la Constitucion near the main tourist office and gaze on the multi-million dollar apartment blocs dominating the skyline. Watch the rich walking their poodles and shih tzus or relaxing in the up-market health cafes near the Puerto Deportivo Marbella.

For soul-warming sun, powdery sands, and crystalline waters, the Caribbean offers thousands of beaches from which to choose. From secluded mountain-coddled coves and peaceful palm-lined stretches of sand to idyllic resort-fronted stretches and lively people-watching expanses, you’ll discover an abundance of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Choosing from which beach to enjoy the sun and surf can be challenging, so we have put together an Insider’s Guide to the Best Beaches in the Caribbean.

David Whitley goes kayaking at night – and picks out four other options for travellers who wish to get out and explore Puerto Rico.

Recently a few of us from the Viator San Francisco team took a day-trip to Monterey, Carmel, and the 17-Mile Drive. Only 2 hours from the city, it makes for an easy day-trip; although it would also be a great area to stay for a couple days if you have the time.

There are not many places to go to in French Polynesia on a budget quite like Moorea. On this Moorea Snorkeling Safari you will get all the natural glitz of Tahiti, but on an island with less visitors. Here you will swim into the Moorea lagoon, a paradise stocked with some of the most exotic underwater creatures and colorful coral, not to mention bountiful stingrays.

One of Ocean World’s coolest destinations in St Thomas, The US Virgin Islands, Coral World Ocean Park is a terrific way to get acquainted with the marine life you are, after-all, surrounded by. With a plethora of wonderful exhibits, including the Undersea Observatory Tower, the Caribbean Reef Encounter, the Marine Gardens and the Touch pool, where you get to handle starfish and pet sea cucumbers, but perhaps the most exciting feature is the 30-minute spectacular Swimming with Sharks at Coral World Ocean Park.

Four tourists in coordinating Hawaiian Christmas ensembles asked us how we were able to balance as we scooted past during our Honolulu Segway Tour. My answer: you don’t really have to think about balancing, you just stand and the machine balances for you. This was my second time on a Segway and I found I really didn’t have to think at all. A quick refresher course and we were off and rolling.

Think Aqaba. Think Lawrence of Arabia and that wonderful scene in David Lean’s iconic film with Peter O’Toole, in full Arab regalia, astride his camel, shouting ‘tut, tut, tut’ as the Arab tribesmen gallop across the desert toward the unsuspecting Turks, holed up in their impregnable fortress, overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba. Or Omar Sharif, making his screen debut, emerging from the shimmering mirage and shooting Lawrence’s manservant dead for daring to take water from his tribe’s well. Shooting a man dead for simply filling his satchel with water would appear abhorrent to the average Westerner, regardless of the time setting. But venture out into the desert around Aqaba at the height of summer when temperatures exceed 122°F (50°C), and you will understand that water is the life-blood of this region and its scarcity is a perennial problem, exacerbated by the increasing demands of Amman and its voracious consumers.

As a San Francisco local, I will admit that I often times resent tourists. Tourism does drive our economy and pump money into the city, but when I am running down the Embarcadero and dodging those said tourists, I admit that I grumble to myself. I think that it can be a natural reaction as a local; to feel a step above tourists because you know the ins and outs of the city you call home.