Take the Family Paddleboarding in Some of the World’s Most Beautiful Destinations

Whether by lake or river, paddleboarding is making a splash as a way to enjoy some serene landscapes while working on your core strength. So why not bring your “core” team and learn something new on vacation? Be a good sport and give these resorts and spas a try.

Misty Ireland’s not exactly synonymous with outdoor sports, but at Ashford Castle, there’s a magnificent backdrop to this modern pastime. Set against woodlands, lake, river and mountains, country sports like horseback riding, fly-fishing and golf are now complemented by paddleboarding on Lake Corrib. Ashford Bay and Lough Corrib offers sheltered inlets, providing a unique environment to explore. Work off the gourmet cuisine on 350 acres of land on the shores of Corrib.

Paddleboarding © Ashford Castle

The view of the Alps may distract you, but it’s well worth it at the Baur au Lac hotel, surrounded by it own park on Lake Zurich. You’re still in the middle of Switzerland’s bustling cultural capital, but the hustle of the city seems worlds away as you serenely paddle the calm waters at this six-generation, family-owned luxury property.

There’s no end to the outdoor delights at Soneva Kiri in Thailand, which sits on the country’s fourth-largest but least-populated island, Koh Kood. Sanctuary awaits an hour by private plane from Bangkok, with private butler service where 36 pools all overlook the Gulf of Thailand and dining includes a Treepod experience; guests are seated in a bamboo pod and hoisted high up into the tropical foliage of Koh Kood’s ancient rainforest. Work it all off by paddleboarding surrounded by the serene seas of Koh Kood. There’s also journeys to Klong Chao waterfall and the island’s mangrove forest.

It’s not an yet Olympic sport, but if Lido Seaside Hotel in Greece had its way, paddleboarding would be. Use of the boards is free at this resort in the Peloponnese, and lessons are available for €35 an hour. There’s equipment for all ages and tutelage for all ability levels. (The hotel also offers diving lessons.)

Want to learn a new sport with some of your nearest and dearest? Take your mom or your girlfriends on an AdventureWomen trip, an adventure travel company for women run by a mother-daughter team. Their camping and wellness retreat in Baja can be reserved independently and customized, or you can join an Oct. 28 departure. Take a 90-minute boat ride to secluded shores for beach glamping, and be treated to daily yoga, swimming with sea lions, snorkeling, kayaking and, of course, stand-up paddle boarding.

Overlooking the Aegan Sea, Sani Resort complex is a collection of five different properties all within walking distance of each other: fun Sani Beach, refined Sani Club, the elegant Porto Sani, intimate Sani Asterias and grown-ups-only Sani Dunes. What they do all have in common is free paddleboard yoga. Complimentary lessons include exercises good for the core, back and arms, and reflection floating on the waters of the Greek sea.