Istanbul wakeboarding holidays give plenty of varied opportunities to get on the water. The city lies on the Bosphorus Strait, which connects the Black Sea to the south with the Marmara Sea to the north. On the western side of the strait, Istanbul is European. On the eastern side, it is Asian. This exciting, beguiling city makes a wonderful backdrop to a wakeboarding adventure.
Wakeboarding was brought to the attention of the city’s people in 2012 with an incredible Istanbul wakeboard adventure. Two of the world’s best wakeboarders, Frederic Von Osten and Dominik Guhrs, wakeboarded underground among the columns of the Basilica Cistern, a 1500 year old palace. Most wakeboarders in Istanbul have to make do with the beach, but the event certainly caught the imagination…
Istanbul’s city beaches can get busy, and many of them are private. There are a few watersports operators around, but for wakeboarding, it’s best to head out of the city. A little south of Istanbul is Izmit, a vibrant seaside city lying on a protected bay. It is home to a cable wakeboard park which has hosted international competitions. There is another wakeboard park a little further afield in Alanya, on the Mediterranean coast.
Travelling further afield from Istanbul many of Turkey’s popular beach resorts will have wakeboarding operators on hand to hire out gear and give lessons. Alacati, near the city of Izmir, is a hub for watersports of all kinds, including wakeboarding. Kemer, in Antalya, is too.
Travel along Turkey’s long coastline and it won’t take long for you to find someone willing to take you out on a wakeboard. The country has great conditions for the sport, with calm seas and plenty of beaches. Take an Istanbul wakeboarding trip and explore the beaches and the sea near the city and then beyond into the rest of Turkey.
