Looking for some cool water sports to try out while you’re in Bali? Whether you’re looking for a relaxing underwater experience or some heart-pumping action on the surface, Bali will surprise and delight you.
Here are the coolest water sports that you must try in Bali:
1. Flyboarding
Flyboarding is one of the newest forms of adventures to have become incredibly popular. A powerful water spray attached to your boots propels you in the air, lets you dive into the water and fly right back up. If you ever wanted to dive like a dolphin, this is your chance.
If you want to take the experience a notch higher, try doing backflips, 360-degree loops, and whatever else catches your fancy. It’s 20 minutes of pure adrenaline rushing through your veins.
Cost: Rs 2,800/ US$ 44
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
2. Subwing
The newest extreme adventure on the block, Subwing lets you experience the underwater world in a whole new way.
You dive into the water and hold on to a carbon-fibre wing which is dragged by a speedboat. This lets you cut through the water like a dolphin. Tilting the wing lets you control the direction and the depth. Once you get a hang of it, you can spin, twist and do all sorts of acrobatics underwater. Isn’t this the coolest thing you have heard in a while? Just remember to come up for air once in a while.
Cost: Rs 1,700/ US$ 27
Best Done At: Gili Air/ Gili Trawangan
3. Sea Walking
Experience the underwater world by walking on the sea floor surrounded by corals, with a school of fish swimming around you. Strapped with a helmet which lets you breathe underwater, you plunge to a depth of 20-25 metres to experience the ocean’s natural wonders. Sometimes morsels of food are let loose to attract the fishes and you can even feed them by hand.
Cost: Rs 1,600/US$ 25
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
4. Rafting
Experience the thrill of rafting in the roaring waters of the Ayung and Telaga Rivers, an activity which became popular after the Julia Roberts movie, Eat, Pray, Love.
The rapids are wild and the rivers have thrilling drops that are sure to have you screaming. The course flows around lush green jungles and the views en route are so beautiful that you will forget that you are in the middle of an adventure.
Cost: Rs 1,850/ US$ 30
Best Done At: Ubud
5. Parasailing
Parasailing is one of the most exhilarating experiences out there. Soar in the sky over the ocean while being secured to a parachute. Feel the cool ocean breeze as you zoom over the sea while being pulled by a speedboat.
Cost: Rs 700/ US$ 11
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
6. Flying Fish
Flying fish is one of the newest and coolest forms of water sports in Bali. Here, you are secured to an inflatable rubber boat and pulled by a speedboat.
As the boat picks up speed and the sea breeze kicks in, you are suddenly pulled into the air and you become airborne. As the boat moves around, you fly over the ocean at breakneck speeds. It makes for a thrilling experience.
Cost: Rs 950/ US$ 15
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
7. Scuba Diving With An Underwater Scooter
Want a scuba experience with a difference? The underwater scooter in Bali is one of the most unique ways of exploring the depths of the oceans.
It’s like your very own submarine with handlebars just like in a bike to navigate underwater. Just move the handlebar in the direction you want to go to, and press the buttons to go deeper or move faster. The headgear you put on has high visibility so that when you reach the shallow reefs, you can see everything clearly.
The scooter can travel up to speeds of 2km/hour and access depths of 20 metres. It’s an adventure unlike any other, and would make for a cool display picture. Do you need any more reasons to try it?
Cost: Rs 4,169/ US$ 65
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
8. Jet Skiing & Water Skiing
Skiing is one of the most popular watersports in Bali – it gives you a chance to ride the waves at breakneck speed. All you need to do is sit on a motorised jet ski and move it around like a bike.
If you want a more thrilling version of it, try water skiing. Stand on a ski board and get dragged around by a speedboat. Hold the cord tightly, while the speedboat tows you around the ocean. If you’re tired of holding the chord, let go of it once in a while and enjoy a cool splash in the ocean.
Cost: Rs 1,250/ US$ 20
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
9. Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding is like skiing on a surfboard, but you don’t need to be a professional to enjoy this sport. At the Bali Wake Park, you can just strap on a life jacket and a helmet and get started in a manmade lagoon.
Hold on to a cord and balance yourself on a board, while a speedboat takes you on a whirlwind tour of the lake. You can take this exciting adventure a notch higher by trying stunts on a series of slides and other obstacles around the lake.
Cost: Rs 1,250/ US$ 20
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
10. Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
No trip to Bali is complete without a scuba-diving experience. The waters are unbelievably blue, the corals are beautiful and the marine life is rich. It’s a whole new world out there for you to plunge into. Experience sheer bliss as you glide through the water amid colourful corals and schools of fishes.
It’s certain to be the highlight of your trip. If you don’t want to dive deep, then you can have a similar experience by trying out snorkelling in shallow waters.
Cost: Rs 4,500/ US$ 70
Best Done At: Amed, Gilli Air
11. Surfing
Bali is the best place to ride the waves, regardless of your experience. The Bukit peninsula has world-famous surfing spots, like Balangan, Dreamland, Bingin, Impossibles, Padang-Padang, and Uluwatu in the peninsula’s west. If you are an absolute beginner, you can surf at Kuta beach, where many surf schools have sprung up.
Cost: Surboard Hire per hour is Rs 240/ US$ 4
Best Done At: Kuta Beach
12. Canyon Tubing
Canyon Tubing is like rafting, but without the effort of paddling. It’s a thrilling ride down a narrow stream through a lush green rainforest in your very own inflatable raft. Strapped with a helmet and a life vest, you zoom through the water while watching monkeys jump over treetops and kingfishers swoop into the waters. A few rocky plunges along the course make it all the more exciting.
Cost: Rs 5,760/ US$ 90
Best Done At: Ubud
13. Kitesurfing 
For thrill-seekers who want to soar to new heights, quite literally, kitesurfing is the perfect thing. All it needs is the right gear and a steady breeze over the ocean. Kitesurfing uses a large steerable kite to launch you over the water. The winds decide the speed and, well, how high you go.
Professional kiteboarders can jump to heights of 50 to 60 feet and float in the air for up to 10 seconds when the conditions are right. Sounds incredibly exciting, right? Give it a shot – jumping even a few feet over the water will have you hooked to it.
Cost: Introductory courses start at Rs 4,500/ US$ 70
Best Done At: Tanjung Benoa
