SportsCover Direct has revealed the top countries for those looking to enjoy extreme sporting experiences and adventure holidays – with Egypt ranking in at second place.
Following the easing of pandemic restrictions, travel enthusiasts eager to explore have been surging back – bringing with them an increased demand for extreme sports.
The adventure tourism market is expected to grow to generate US $1,169 billion by 2028.
Best countries for water sports
Rank | Country | Surfing/ windsurfing & kitesurfing | Scuba/ snorkelling | River rafting | Waterskiing |
1 | United States | 130 | 282 | 185 | 61 |
2 | Egypt | 31 | 597 | 199 | 97 |
3 | Spain | 64 | 114 | 18 | 80 |
4 | Canada | 94 | 86 | 39 | 52 |
5 | Indonesia | 32 | 112 | 223 | 64 |
For avid snorkeling fans, Egypt ranks in as having the most spots with 597 destinations, including Hurghada’s Sea Memories or Dahab’s Scuba Seekers.
The US meanwhile has the the most number of water sports per category, while Spain comes in third with 14 scuba diving and snorkelling activities, as well as 80 waterskiing locations.
Indonesia has the most river rafting experiences globally, overtaking the US in this category with 223 activities.
The top 10 best countries for adventure holidays
The US ranked as the best country to visit for adrenaline seekers, either by snorkelling at the Crystal River in Florida or taking on the many mountain biking trails – with many other exciting opportunities ranging from ziplining to waterskiing across 12,613 activities.
The UK ranked second, with up to 4,408 activities to try out, including the Gower in Swansea for surfing enthusiats.
Spain once again comes in third with 3,618 activities, including surfing on the Grand Canaria or Parasailing in Menorca.
Best countries for extreme activities
Rank | Country | Ziplining | Parasailing | Biking | Climbing |
1 | United States | 66 | 337 | 1,452 | 98 |
2 | Spain | 11 | 231 | 117 | 97 |
3 | Italy | 11 | 133 | 450 | 62 |
4 | Indonesia | 18 | 285 | 22 | 223 |
5 | Mexico | 264 | 101 | 18 | 60 |
For cycling fans, in particular, the US takes the wheel with over 1,452 biking trails.
For parasailing enthusiasts or first-timers, Indonesia is the best location with 285 adrenaline rush experiences and 223 climbing activities.
And Mexico is the place to go for ziplining, as it offers 264 activities compared to Europe, Indonesia, and the US, which all have 106 ziplining activities combined.
For those interested in avoid crowds, SportsCover has you covered. Using TripAdvisor to determine the number of adrenaline-seeking activities under the ‘avoid crowds filter’, they’ve highlighted the best countries that are least crowded.
Morocco is the best location for those not fond of crowds, with 1,406 activities appealing to those who prefer their solitude.
Followed in second place is Egypt with 1,235 options to choose from.
According to the Marketing Manager from SportsCover Direct, Sean Walsh: “There is a world full of exciting adventures waiting to be experienced, whether it be your first time trying watersports or you’re an enthusiast of extreme sports, it’s exciting to know that there are a huge number of opportunities available across the globe”
“Adventure-sports companies have also revealed a huge surge in demand following the pandemic with 42 thousand google searches worldwide for ‘extreme sports’ per month.”
Photo credit: Hollie Hines