From Surfing in the Maldives to Kite-surfing in Paros

A little less sedate than being crewed around the Mediterranean, we can also recommend the best places to surf, from the beginner's paradise of the Costa Vicentina Natural Park in Southern Portugal to reef breaks in the Maldives. Then there's kite-surfing, the fastest growing watersport on the planet, and one of those excellent pastimes that isn't as difficult as it looks. We know the places to learn, such as Paros in the Greek Islands, and the places where the kiting cognoscenti can expect near all-year round wind and waves.

Snorkelling meets Boogie-boarding in Brazil

Surfing aside there are watersports galore to enjoy in the four corners of the globe, such as kayaking through the mangroves of Ibo Island in Mozambique or the extraordinary planasub on the beautiful island of Fernando de Noronha in Brazil - a combination of snorkelling and boogie-boarding where a boat drags you along by a cord attached to your Perspex board. You wear a mask and snorkel to see the amazing marine life, and when you tip the front you dive beneath the waves. Truly original.