Best Places To Stand Up Paddle Board

Stand up paddleboarding (or SUP) is a really popular watersport in places with tons of sun! This is especially true for Australia with its gorgeous beaches, waterways, and estuaries throughout the country. But what exactly is stand up paddleboarding?

Simply put, it is exactly as it sounds: standing up on a board and paddling through the water. This exciting sport is often associated with surfing, however, they are quite different.

Stand up paddleboarding stands on its own (pun intended!) because its board is quite different than a surfboard. Paddleboards tend to be quite larger and thicker because their intentions are to hold up someone standing on it.

Both surfing and stand up paddleboarding are great watersports and both require some physical fitness, also keep in mind that bodyboarding is quite easy to learn too

SUP definitely requires this because there is balancing and paddling to think about. While the board is quite sturdy, the balance still needs to right. Moreover, the paddling propels the person and its board through the water.

Those things combined really make for an exceptional stand-up paddleboard experience. Even though being physically fit is recommended, just about anyone can take up SUP!

In fact, lots of places offer lessons for beginners or even pros wanting to learn some helpful hints. Around the beaches and waterways of Australia, this exciting watersport is cherished and embraced!

Lots of the places around Australia that are great for SUP have those lessons. The lessons not only serve as a way to learn about the watersport but also for people to show their passion for it as well!

With such an exciting watersport to explore, it is important to know where to go for the best stand up paddleboarding. Australia is such a beautiful place with all its wilderness and seascape backdrops.

With so many beaches and waterways, SUP is around every corner. However, there are some key spots to consider for hitting the waters.

The best waters to consider are calmer ones, however, more experienced paddleboarders may choose waters with a little more wave to them. The calmer the water, the easy it is to balance!

Best Places to Stand Up Paddle Board

It’s pretty common knowledge that Australia is home to over 10,000 beaches. However, that doesn’t mean that they are all appropriate to go stand up paddleboarding. As expressed before, the best places to stand up paddleboard include places with calmer waters.

Some waters around Australia have stronger tides and aren’t suitable. However, there are plenty of places to head out with a paddleboard around Australia! Below are some of the best locations in Australia for the ultimate SUP experience!

Malabar Beach, Syndey Australia

This location is great for beginners because it’s an exclusive and quiet area. Tucked away a short distance from Maroubra Beach, it has beautiful calm waters, perfect for stand up paddleboarding.

Beginners will find this location ideal due to its seclusion. Lessons are available here from a company named “Let’s Go Surfing“. With such an exclusive, learning is virtually distraction-free and a great way to spend a day in the sun!

Byron Bay, New South Wales Australia

“Let’s Go Surfing” offers lessons at this location as well. With almost 3 hours of one-on-one group training, stand up paddleboarding basics can be learned! This experience goes beyond just paddleboarding though, as the scenery is considered to be one of the best NSW.

This is due to the pure breath-taking seascape as well as the various marine life that can be witnessed while paddleboarding. From turtles to dolphins and everything in between, there is plenty to see at Byron Bay!

Mount Martha, Melbourne Australia

This crystal clear, shallow beach is such an iconic place for paddleboarding. Those who are more seasoned at the sport will find this oasis quite pleasurable. Located in Melbourne off of the Mornington Peninsula, this 2km beach is the perfect stretch of ocean for stand up paddleboarding.

Melbourne is packed with various spots to paddleboard, however, this is one of the most favoured spots!

Lord Howe Island 600 km East of Port Macquarie

Lord Howe Island is famous for its amazing landscape scenery and wildlife. It is a truly exclusive experience to even be on the island itself. However, SUP in this region is another grand reason to visit the idyllic island.

This SUP experience will take guests on a guided tour around the around while paddleboarding, making for a unique adventure. Seeing the island up close is nice but there’s something unspeakable about its jutting landscape view while paddleboarding.

Noosa River, Noosa Heads Queensland

Noosa River is one of the best places in Queensland to consider paddleboarding. This is mainly because the river runs quite far-stretching even into the famous Great Sandy National Park area.

With so much to explore, this particular location gives way to many sights to see as well as being appropriate for any skill level. There is plenty to sight-see while paddling through this area for those looking for a leisurely stroll atop the water.

There are countless other Noosa Beaches to paddle an afternoon away, however, these are the key spots! What makes them so memorable and such great locations is because of their combination of scenery, experience, and lessons provided!

Is Standing Up on a Paddle Board Hard?

While stand up paddleboarding does require a little bit of fitness, it is not hard to stand up on the board. In fact, since most Australian beaches or waterways have lessons readily available, the process can be taught within a few hours time.

These lessons specifically instruct how to stand up on the boards to ensure the right balance is used. Balance is truly the key to a successful day doing SUP.

Perhaps one of the strangest feelings of stand up paddleboarding is the idea that you’re floating on water on the board while standing up. Instinctively, we want to walk or move around while standing.

While standing on a paddleboard may not be difficult, there are some helpful tips to make the experience better! Below are the biggest tips to think about while getting on a paddleboard!

Helpful Tips for SUP

• Always aim for calm waters! – Even pros who enjoy a little current find calmer waters more enjoyable for stand up paddleboarding. The ride simply goes smoother!
• Always ensure the board is clear of debris! – Shallow waters are great for SUP, however, they can also create roadblocks if they get weighed down with debris from under the water like sand, etc.
• Check the weather! – Try checking the weather before heading out. Rain isn’t really optimal weather for SUP and neither is too much wind. Too much wind could make it hard to stay on the board or keep a consistent rhythm with paddling.

These tips will help any day out on the water a little more enjoyable!

How Should a Beginner Stand Up on a Paddle Board?

Stand up paddle boarding is for just about anyone! However, beginners to the watersport should think about how to stand up on their boards. This is so important because, well…the whole idea is to “stand up” and paddle away!

Knowing how to stand up on the board is the first step into enjoying this watersport. Well, the first step should also be having the correct sized board. The board should be broad enough to encompass people standing shoulder-width apart. This is why paddleboards are generally bigger.

Beginners should take close notice on the proper way to stand. Below are the steps for beginners to stand up on their boards!

Beginner Steps for Standing on a paddleboard

• Get onto the board and position yourself in a kneeling position.
• Using your hands to push up, slowly start standing up with one foot at a time.
• Always keep your feet shoulder-width apart, while standing up and standing.
• Keep yourself centered on the board, while kneeling and standing.
• Once each knee has been bent to bring each foot up to a standing position, stay steady!

These tips are great for beginners to start out their paddleboarding adventure. Australia has so much to offer and stand up paddleboarding should be something everyone wants to try out!

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