Similar to snowboarding, sandboarding is a recreational board sport activity conducted on large sand dunes instead of snow-capped mountains. This sport is popular the world over, and is an especially sought-after activity in desert or coastal regions with many towering sand dunes. The sport requires participants to ride across and down a large dune, whilst standing with two feet locked onto a thin tensile. However, some sandboarders choose to use boards that come without any bindings attached to them.

The sport is somewhat less popular than snowboarding, which is largely due to the fact that is often extremely difficult to construct a mechanised ski lift atop of a sand dune, leaving sandboarders to walk fairly long distances back to the top. Alternatively participants might ride dune buggies or all-terrain vehicles back to the dune summit.

Professional sandboarding champion, Josh Tenge, currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records entry for the longest-distance sandboarding backflip at 13.6 metres. Tenge has won four world Sandboarding championships and boasts three world records.

The sandboard base is much firmer than that of a snowboard, and is constructed mostly out of formica or laminex with distinct base materials that are now being created for this activity. To aid the board in gliding through the sand, the bottom of it is typically waxed with a paraffin-based specialised sandboard wax before being taken out on a ride. Most terrain sandboards are made of hardwood ply, whilst fully-sized sandboards are composed of wood, fibre glass and plastic.

Racing down a towering sand dune at break-neck speeds on a narrow plank of wood might not typically be everyone’s idea of a fun activity. However, there is a developing group of adrenaline-seeking adventurers who love the idea of spending hours on end hiking up enormous sand dunes and then gliding down on specialised sandboards at remarkable speeds. In South Africa, sandboarding is quickly growing into a mainstream sport. The fantastic beaches that the country has to offer are not only exquisitely beautiful, but also boast challenging dunes for sandboarders.

After some practice, and more than likely a mouthful of sand, you will soon find yourself elegantly sliding down or carving arcs down a sand dune. In the process, you might even have the chance to learn a jumping trick or two! The sport is very open to beginners, as it is incredibly simple to learn and fantastically fun to experience. There are a variety of splendid areas in which to enjoy the art of sandboarding in South Africa.

In Cape Town, Sunscene Outdoor Adventures offers sandboarding day tours, a combination of surfing and sandboarding, and even children’s sandboarding parties. If you select the day tour, guides will be available to provide you with the best instructions on correct dune usage, as well as the basic techniques of the sport. Their venues cater for anyone from beginner to expert sandboarders, and guarantee an unforgettable day for all.

No matter which sun-kissed, golden beach in South Africa you decide on, the act of conquering these incredible dunes with nothing but a sandboard is one of the greatest travelling experiences available. If fun, excitement, exhilaration and adrenaline are things that you enjoy, then sandboarding in South Africa is a must!

Please visit the following website for sandboarding in Cape Town.