Water Sports

Keep up with the kids and return a youthful lease of life to your body on an action-packed family holiday that guarantees fun for the whole family. From surfing in Morocco, to snorkelling in the Maldives and sailing in Lake Garda, get ready to be inspired with 10 of the best activity and sporting holidays for all the family.

Going on holiday doesn’t have to mean lounging by the pool all week and watching all of your hard training back at home go to waste. There are so many fun and effective ways to keep entertained and boost your fitness on holiday; from joining in with a variety of fitness classes to rediscover your favourite sport and stretching your legs on a trek, as you explore your surroundings. With our tailor-made fitness holidays allowing you to mix and match your favourite activities, depending on what you fancy each day, we’ve rounded up a little inspiration with our top 10 ways to boost fitness on holiday.

If you’re looking for a new way to boost your fitness levels and tone up, hit the waves and learn to surf in destinations from Morocco to Costa Rica. A fun-filled way to lose weight; burn as many as 400 calories in an hour on the water, whilst simultaneously improving your balance, co-ordination and body strength for a fitness holiday with a difference.

Swap the Easter bunny for an activity packed family holiday and create memories that will last long after the chocolate has gone. Whether horse riding in Portugal or surfing in Morocco, burn off youthful energy as we share 5 great healthy Easter holiday guaranteed to return the whole family home wreathed in smiles.

Travel the world in health and wellness whilst making a positive impact on the environment, with our 5 best eco-friendly holiday destinations for green conscious travellers. With a choice of luxury wellness retreats, proud of their eco-design and green-friendly awards, travel abroad happy in the knowledge that our hand-select wellness retreats actively support sustainable tourism.

Dive beneath the surface of some of the world’s most beautiful oceans on a luxury scuba diving holiday, as you discover vibrant coral reefs and come face-to-face with a rich array of marine life. Set sail for the white sandy beaches and dazzling waters of the Maldives, where marine encounters include diving with whale sharks and manta rays, or holiday in Jamaica, to experience a real taste of the Caribbean and discover turtles, sting-rays and seahorses. 

With a range of luxury diving holidays in stunning destinations world-wide you can hand-pick your healthy holiday through our tailor-made programmes. Unwind in luxurious surroundings with indulgent spa treatments and well-being activities, from yoga and Pilates to cycling and personal training. Find your dream escape with our hand-picked selection of the world’s best scuba diving holidays to feel inspired to delve beneath the surface and discover something new.

Parrot Cay: COMO Parrot Cay

Explore the colourful reefs at COMO Parrot Cay

Seek adventure in tropical climes as you discover a variety of exotic marine life at this luxury wellness retreat in Parrot Cay. Ease into the new day with sunrise yoga and transfer the calming breathing practices processes into your diving training as you explore the underwater world with a professional divers. After coming face-to-face with rich coral reefs and beautiful fish, unwind with an evening of sunset meditation and calming breathing practices. A beautiful destination for relaxing spa holiday, rejuvenate with holistic spa treatments before waking early the next morning for a sunrise paddleboard.

More information: view COMO Parrot Cay

Maldives: COMO Maalifushi

Dive with an array of marine life at COMO Maalifushi

Discover the beauty of Thaa Atoll and delve into this world-renowned diving destination on a healthy holiday perfect for water enthusiasts. Surrounded by soft, white sands and sparkling azure waters, whale sharks Manta Rays and beautiful schools of colourful fish can be seen around the retreat’s island on your daily diving trips. Ideal for a yoga holiday, take part in yoga classes to calm both body and mind before delving into the awe-inspiring underwater world of the Maldives. Return to the surface and make a splash with a surfing before unwinding in luxurious spa facilities.

More information: View COMO Maalifushi

St Lucia: BodyHoliday (All-inclusive) at BodyHoliday

Discover the underwater world at BodyHoliday (All-inclusive) at BodyHoliday

Whisk yourself away to this stunning secluded retreat on St Lucia's crescent, rounded coastline for an incredible variety of water-sports. Explore the beauty of this underwater world whilst diving through the depths of the Caribbean to spot sting-rays, turtles, blue marlin and seahorses. A great destination for a water sports holiday, keep active in the water with everything from water skiing to windsurfing and kayaking, before ending the day with a sunset cruise and candle-lit dinner under the stars. Work up a sweat back on dry land with group fitness classes, from salsa dancing to yoga and bootcamp to HIIT.

More information: View BodyHoliday (All-inclusive) at BodyHoliday

Bali: Wellness Tours - Bali

Dive as a group at Wellness Tours - Bali

Escape to the Bali’s coastline to immerse yourself on a wellness tour that offers opportunities perfect for diving enthusiasts and beginners alike. Benefit from expert training with diving instructors in some of Bali’s top diving sites and easy access to an impressive house reef. Explore the coral reefs and wreck dive spots of these tropical waters and discover the rich array of marine life, including lion fish, barracudas and large grouper. A beautiful destination for a spa holiday, rejuvenate after an active day with a Balinese massage, before tantalising your taste-buds with a delicious fusion of Indonesian and international dishes.

More information: View Wellness Tours - Bali

Portugal: Galo Resort

Let the PADI instructors take you to secret destinations at Galo Resort 

For an unforgettable diving experience within Europe, retreat to the sun soaked coastline of Madeira. Swim alongside barracudas, manta rays, and the occasional inquisitive seal with professional PADI dive instructors who will guide you through the protected house reef, with perfect year round diving conditions. After a day spent discovering the depths of the ocean, explore your surroundings on land with a range of activities, from triathlon training to mountain biking and trail running to golf lessons. A great destination for a fitness holiday, break a sweat with group fitness classes, including spinning and Pilates, before reviving with a holistic Ayurveda spa treatment.

More information: View Galo Resort

Talk to one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 397 8891 or contact us here to discuss tailor-making your perfect diving holiday.

Dive beneath the surface of some of the world’s most beautiful oceans on a luxury scuba diving holiday, as you discover vibrant coral reefs and come face-to-face with a rich array of marine life. Set sail for the white sandy beaches and dazzling waters of the Maldives, where marine encounters include diving with whale sharks and manta rays, or holiday in Jamaica, to experience a real taste of the Caribbean and discover turtles, sting-rays and seahorses. 

Stand-up paddle boarding has many fitness benefits, and there is no better place to practice than in the turquoise tropical waters of a beautiful warm destination. Integrate SUP with fun surfing activities and rejuvenating and rebalancing yoga to create the perfect wellness holiday.

In our modern-day environments stress, anxiety and poor health are having increasingly damaging effects on our lives. For a drastic change in lifestyle and complete boost in vitality, a surfing holiday is one of the best things you can do for your body, mind and soul. With an enriching and calming effect, surfing de-stresses, clears minds, and promotes feelings of peace and a sense of awareness with the world and your surroundings.

In our modern-day environments stress, anxiety and poor health are having increasingly damaging effects on our lives. For a drastic change in lifestyle and complete boost in vitality, a surfing holiday is one of the best things you can do for your body, mind and soul. With an enriching and calming effect, surfing de-stresses, clears minds, and promotes feelings of peace and a sense of awareness with the world and your surroundings.

Surfing is on many people’s bucket list, as it’s one of the most wonderful ways to relax, meet great people, and work out. This beautiful sport, however, isn’t something people just “pick up”, but a challenge. There’s a lot of preparation to do and things to learn in order to familiarize yourself with the surfing board. A beginner is expected to put in some work and stay motivated, because your first attempts will literally be just attempts. Nobody ever jumped on a surfboard and succeeded at riding a big wave.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding or SUP is the ultimate water sport activity for beginners and is steadily rising in popularity. It is a fun, family-friendly means of exercise that is far easier to pick up than other types of board sport but can also be the perfect pre-cursor to a water sports holiday As a form of transport, it can take you to incredible locations that you’d never be able to access otherwise. The hidden coves that are too narrow for boats, the mysterious islands too far away to reach by swimming suddenly become accessible to those who travel by SUP boards. You’ll even get a full body work out from your adventures on the board. Your shoulders and arms drive you forward as your core and legs stabilise the deck.

In the swing of hectic daily life it’s rare to find a moment where the whole family is together, let alone all getting along. Too often a family holiday can leave parents more exhausted than when they left. Once you have finished with all the lead up planning, the airport madness and the stressful task of keeping the kids safe and occupied all day, it’s no wonder there’s no time left for you to relax.

Discover the answer to all of your family holiday woes with our inspiring guide to our healthy family holidays, which combine the perfect combination of quality family time, fun for the kids and rejuvenating relaxation for the parents. From learning healthier lifestyle habits as a family, to showing the kids new corners of the world on a cultural wellness holiday, let us guide you through a new kind of family holiday.

Learn Healthy Habits as a Family

Learn to Kayak as a family at Porto Elounda

With Ipad’s and T.V leaving more children inactive and out of shape, the importance of parental influence on the younger generations health is more vital than ever. Revamp your stagnant family holidays lounging by the pool with a healthy change of pace by getting the kids active whilst soaking up the sun.

From ocean kayaking to hiking, set a good example for the kids and get active together with a host of fun-filled outdoor activities on a family activity holiday. Cycle and Zumba on a family fitness holiday or help the kids discover a new hobby with football academy training and tennis programmes on a family sports holiday.

With a selection of family friendly restaurants that offer healthier cuisine, remain confident that your family are eating nutritiously rich and healthy dishes.

A Treat for All Ages

Mother and daughter relax together at Shanti Maurice 

No longer having to choose between family time and relaxation, release stress and revitalise your mind and body with our family friendly spa holidays, where the whole family can indulge in luxury.  With many of our family holidays offering spa treatments specifically designed for children and teens, Mum and daughter can bond over a girly pedicure and massage while Dad and son can play sports together.

Cultural Experience

Kids will love the Kid's club activities at Soneva Kiri

Teach your children about cultural awareness and different traditions around the world as you explore your chosen destination on a family cultural wellness holiday.  Choose from a range of tailor-made activities and excursions from spring roll making in Vietnam and deep-sea fishing in Mexico, to cultural tours in Turkey and mountain biking in Morocco. Special kid’s clubs excursions, including visits to animal parks, dolphin spotting and treasure hunts keep them well entertained.|

Time Out

Enjoy some time for yourselves on a family holiday at Fusion Maia

With professional babysitting services and world-class kids clubs, Mum and Dad can happily opt for some alone time and take the pressure off of entertaining the kids, confident that your children are having fun and learning new skills in a structured and safe environment. Whether making time for a long lunch together, a game of tennis or an indulgent couples spa treatment, our family friendly resorts offer as much for the parents as they do the kids.

Fewer Planning Worries

Enjoying quality family time at The BodyHoliday 

Booking with Health and Fitness Travel means you can relax completely, knowing our meticulous team have organised every aspect of your family holiday and leaving no unwanted surprises.  All our healthy holidays have been hand-picked against a strict criterion to ensure that we offer the most beautiful worldwide destinations that are also family-friendly, safe and easily accessible.

Talk to one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 397 8891 or contact us here to discuss tailor-making your perfectfamily wellness holiday.

Paradis Plage; a 4 star beach resort in Morocco offers a tempting mix of yoga, surfing and spa for a healthy holiday. I booked myself in for a week on the Spa & Yoga programme, along with our Fusion Fitness programme to supplement my week with daily 1-on-1 sessions with the personal trainer; my goals were relaxation, rejuvenation and fitness. Just north of Agadir, Paradis Plage is perfectly situated on the beach west-facing. It’s so close to the sea you can hear the sound of the ocean from whichever accommodation you’re staying in, and in the evenings you can see the most beautiful sunsets.

The daily pressures of work can have a great impact on mood, motivation as well as overall performance in the workplace. In fact, wellness initiatives have been proven toincrease the productivity of individuals by around 12%. So, being able to provide employees with social, active escapes can be the perfect opportunity to bond with the people you work with every day, improve mental and physical well-being and most importantly, have fun together! Here we will go through some of the top sports holidays, perfect for competitive teams or afficionados of particular sporting pursuitsto embark on together as part of an invaluable bonding and team development experience. 

The past several days have brought no shortage of perfect physiques to our screens. The fine form and outstanding achievements of the Olympic athletes are enough to make anyone feel guilty. But don't despair- many of the sports we've seen are easily accessible to everyone and it's never too late to start working on your physique, so why not try getting fit Olympic style?

So you’ve decided to go on a scuba diving holiday, but you still feel like you’re not prepared for it at all? With our ‘how-to’ guide, we can help you explore more of our blue planet’s teeming underwater wonders and ensure you make the most of your tailor-made diving adventure. Every trip offers something different in terms of your skills and how far you can push your limits. But as it’s true for most things, preparation is key. In order to embark on this exhilarating experience, you must take note and learn the necessary steps to optimise this holiday of a lifetime. Witness what dwells underneath our vast oceans and uncover a universe all of its own, with our top tips on how to prepare for a scuba diving holiday.

Not just for the classroom and certainly not just for the children, learning is a rewarding pursuit we can all benefit from throughout our lives. Our learning holidays are ideal for families looking to encourage an active lifestyle and enjoy cultural adventures together. Offering so much more than a stagnant family holiday of hours spent lying on the beach; use your valuable family holiday time to learn new skills as a family. From horse riding in coastal Croatia to yoga classes in tropical St Lucia, discover new passions or develop existing skills on our healthy family holidays.

Keri-Anne Payne

Keri-anne Payne is a British swimmer, specialising in marathon open water swimming, and long-distance freestyle swimming in the pool. She is a two-time World 10 km Open Water champion, an Olympic Silver medalist and the founder of Triscape.

Travel Specialist Samantha spent 48 hours at luxury 5-star hotel, COMO Maalifushi in the Maldives and this is her snapshot review…

When I daydream I imagine COMO Maalifushi, set on a tropical island, surrounded by white sand and stunning aqua blue waters it is easily accessible from Male via a short seaplane flight, which is a bucket list item itself. The resort offers a 44m free-form pool, COMO Shambhala spa, open air yoga pavilion, water sports centre, dive centre, boutique and library. Three restaurants and fruit and vegetables are locally sourced or grown in the onsite gardens and bottled water is recycled. Transport around the island is mainly by bicycle, which guests can collect shortly after arriving.