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By Stéphanie Vermillion
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I didn’t expect to swallow my weight in the salt water on a trip to sumptuous Necker Island and yet here I am, racing along the paradisiacal coastline on the most practical of underwater scooters, my laughter growing with every wave hit. The device, a cross between a miniature jet ski and a bobsleigh, propels racers above and below the water at about 12 miles per hour. Between gliding underwater like a mermaid and laughing as I surf the waves on the surface, the scooter makes me burst into childlike joy.
As a lifelong thrill seeker, I’m like a kid in a candy shop here on Île Necker, full of action. Sir Richard Branson’s personal getaway to the British Virgin Islands would arguably be known for its luxury, as well as its slew of celebrities. Visitors. . . However, as I learned during my five-day visit, that’s only part of the appeal. The other? Adventure sports. The 74-acre getaway offers kitesurfing, e-foiling, sailing, beach Olympics, scuba diving, biking and underwater scootering, and several of those activities on the same day.
A view of Necker Island.
Focusing on adventures like this is rarely something new to me; However, in recent years, my need for speed (or, really, any jolt beyond the convenience zone of staying home during the pandemic) has become excessive. I’ve built my s around action and, in some cases, excessive sports, such as windsurfing on Bonaire, bungee jumping over Victoria Falls, deep diving in a Key Biscayne wreck, and camping on the Greenland ice sheet. As the rise of post-pandemic adventures demonstrates, I’m not the only one looking for adrenaline and wonder in front of nature.
Interest in extreme sports, also known as “challenging adventures,” has skyrocketed in the years since 2020. The industry is expected to continue to grow and could double by the end of the decade. “A lot of our consumers miss the ordinary,” says Jimmy Carroll, co-founder of luxury adventure brand PelorusPelorus. “They’re looking for anything absolutely out of the ordinary that throws them into demanding situations. “
Some have found inspiration in adventure documentary series like HBO’s surf-centric Hundred Foot Wave, released in 2021. The addition of new games to the Tokyo 2021 Summer Olympics, adding surfing, skateboarding and climbing games, only adds to the intrigue. With the arrival of new action games, such as kitesurfing, at the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer, interest in adventure games may increase even more, and resorts and clothing stores are ready.
Surf sheet on Necker Island.
Let’s take kitesurfing as an example. This activity, also known as kitesurfing, consists of harnessing wind energy through a manually controlled kite to move along the surface of the sea. It has been delighting thrill-seekers since around the 1970s, but has been making waves in recent years, especially considering the celebrity enthusiasm for the sport, especially when Richard Branson and Barack Obama were kitesurfing off the coast of Necker Island. James Basson, general manager of Necker Island, says many users of the assets now come looking for similar adventures. to say that the island brings out a bit of the active adventurer in all of us; It’s actually a must-have component that makes it special.
Surfing has also seen a slight surge in popularity post-pandemic, with data suggesting its global market will grow by at least $1. 4 billion by the end of the decade. Coastal getaways around the world are increasingly associating experienced and amateur surfers with the most productive waves. Among the most recent to do so is the palm-fringed Silvestre Nosara wellness center, which opened in February 2024 on Costa Rica’s Playa Guiones. It’s just a short walk from one of the most consistent surf spots in the world, with around 330 days. of good waves every year. Guests can contact the hotel’s surf concierge for lessons with local experts, tips on where and when to ride, and traditional surfboards to make the most of their stay.
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A hike to the Malanoche Waterfall in Silvestre Nosara in Costa Rica.
Freediving is another fast-growing adventure game. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors has noticed a roughly 20% increase in freediving certifications since 2021, according to Julie Andersen, PADI’s senior brand director worldwide. Some enthusiasts are even pushing for the game to sign up for the Summer Olympics in the long run. The activity consists of diving deeply with a single breath, regularly for several minutes. Travelers can be informed how to go scuba diving through dive destinations such as Deep Dive Dubai, which set the record for the world’s innermost dive pool at 197 feet when it opened in 2021.
Although freediving is an adventurous activity and a chance to push your own limits, its benefits go much deeper. “I know firsthand the healing powers this game provides,” says Andersen, a veteran PADI freediver and marine conservation advocate. This includes calmness, expanding lung capacity and strength, and connecting with nature, he says. “At a time when everyone is looking to slow down and have meaningful interactions, it’s humbling with a manta ray, dancing with whale sharks, or going toe-to-toe with an oceanic whitetip shark. “
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As freediving shows, adventure sports are much more than adrenaline, says Susan Houge Mackenzie, an associate professor in the Department of Tourism at the University of Otago based in New Zealand. Much of her work focuses on nature-based adventure and wellness. The most interesting interviews have been with base jumpers, who talk about this deep connection with nature,” he says.
In fact, Houge Mackenzie found that change is one of the most difficult outcomes of participating in adventure sports. “Immersing yourself in the natural environment and doing activities with those intense kinesthetic experiences, like surfing a river or falling out of a plane. “And moving through the air, as well as connecting with others and the plant world, can take you out of your intellectual area and away from your problems.
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Perhaps it’s this shift in perspective, and the lightness that comes with it, that makes me laugh and scream (and accidentally swallow piles of salt water through my big smile) as I cruise the waters of Necker Island. Underwater scooter rides, like many of my favorite adventure sports, offer uninterrupted time in nature. I don’t think about paint deadlines or this growing to-do list. I’m focused on the waves, amazed under the turquoise sea and brimming with childlike vertigo as my frame floats weightlessly through it all.
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