Watersports Guide for Monaco

As you might expect, there are plenty of canoe and pedalo rentals in Monaco, a perfect way to get a closer look at the yachts and explore the rocky coastline.

Monaco’s not exactly known for its snorkelling, but you can have a lot of fun exploring the rocky headlands and looking out for fish. It’s not subtropical so don’t expect brightly coloured fish, and while there is red coral coverage in parts it’s not extensive. But it’s certainly a pleasant way to explore the crystal clear waters, surfacing now and then to look up at the cliffs and grand hotels and pinching yourself that you’re snorkelling in Monte Carlo.

There are two dive schools in Monaco. The rules say you’ll need a medical certificate dated within three months - the same applies for French diving schools.

• L’Ecole Bleue is a dive school operating out of Larvotto Beach, with many experienced guides and gear for rental. This school teaches children right up to advanced divers. (The site in English - Centre de Sauvetage Aquatique de Monaco).
• The Club d'Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco (Underwater Exploration Club) is a very active local dive club which also takes visitors out and has a good range of gear for rental. This club does a lot of deep water diving, particularly off Cap Ferrat.

You can also rent seabobs – a kind of handheld underwater jetski-and check out the world beneath the surface. You could also use a seabob with scuba gear if you don’t want to keep coming back up to the surface.

The new craze in motorised watersports is the flyboard, or jetpack, where you strap on a jetpack connected to a jetski, which provides propulsion for you to fly 15m in the air or 2.5m below the water’s surface. This new sport is hugely popular with the superyacht set - expect to see footballers and celebrities shooting up out of the water everywhere.

You need a license to operate a jetski, or you can ride with someone already qualified. You can gain your jetski license in Monaco through the RYA, but it takes a day. If you already have your license, you will need to wear a life-jacket and follow all local speed limits and regulations - the water police really are cracking down after some recent accidents so be aware.

Get a bird’s eye view of the yachts, beaches and towering cliffs with parasailing. You can parasail solo or with a friend with Ski Vol or Monte Carlo Beach Club.

Sailing
The yacht club in Monaco is probably the most glamorous on earth. The patron is no less than His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, and the huge club building was designed by renowned architect Norman Foster (in the shape of a boat, of course). Where better to learn to sail or spend a day on the water than at this extraordinary club?

Rowing
Each Saturday morning people of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join rowing classes at the excellent Société Nautique de Monaco (Aviron Monaco) under the tutelage of experienced teachers.

Yacht charters
Monaco is one of the most glamorous yachting ports on earth, so again, where better to charter a yacht for a week? From Monaco port you can either head to starboard and cruise along the French Riviera to Saint Tropez, or turn to port and cross into Italy along the Ligurian coastline, taking in the famous Cinque Terre and the heartbreakingly pretty Portofino.

Daily boat charters and excursions
There aren’t all that many day boat hire options in Monaco. The nearby French port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer is your best bet for day boat charters- and deep sea fishing operators also operate out of this port. However, there are a couple of options in Monaco proper for a day exploring the wonderful coastline of Monaco and nearby beaches.

Dolphin-watching trips
For those wanting to see dolphins and perhaps even whales, Méditerranée online operates boat trips out of Monaco. Acti Loisirs operates four-hour trips out of nearby Villefranche, and many of the deep sea fishing operators along the coast also offer whale and dolphin watching trips.

Unfortunately there aren’t any waterparks in Monaco, you’ll have to head down to Marine Land at Antibes or further down the coast to the Aquasplash centres in the Var near Saint Tropez if your kids fancy a day on the waterslides.

Remember, the best time for these sports is early in the morning before the sea breezes pick up and ruffle the water. You can arrange waterskiing and wakeboarding activities at Larvotto Beach, Meridien Beach Plaza and Monte Carlo Beach Hotel.

The waters around Monaco get incredibly busy, so whatever watersport you’re doing, keep an eye out for others in the water, as well as yacht tenders which are zipping around like crazy between the yachts and shore in the high summer.

The cliffs of Monaco aren’t considered an ideal spot for windsports; your closest spot is at Saint Laurent du Var just east of Nice.

For very good conditions, head further east to the Var coast; Almanarre is considered one of the best spots and, unlike most Riviera beaches, there are no restrictions on windsports there in the summer months.

Donuts, flying carpet, sonar, torpedo, flying fish - no matter how you like being pulled behind a speedboat, Monaco has all the latest in inflatable fun.