Sandboarding has emerged as an exhilarating alternative to snowboarding, allowing adventure enthusiasts to experience the thrill of gliding down steep sandy slopes. This unique sport combines snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding elements but requires only sand and gravity—making it accessible in places where snow never falls.
Here is a list of 20 incredible destinations around the world where you can experience the thrill of sandboarding on remarkable dunes, from coastal wonders to desert landscapes.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado, USA
The tallest dunes in North America, rising over 750 feet, create an unexpected playground in the heart of Colorado. These massive sand formations offer runs that last much longer than most sandboarding destinations.
The contrast between the sandy terrain and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains in the background creates a surreal sandboarding experience unlike anywhere else.
Huacachina Oasis, Peru
This desert oasis surrounded by towering dunes has become the sandboarding capital of South America. Local operators offer combined dune buggy and sandboarding tours, which take adventurers racing across the desert before boarding down dunes over 500 feet high.
The small lagoon town provides a striking green contrast to the golden sands that stretch as far as the eye can see.
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Cerro Negro, Nicaragua
This active volcano offers a truly unique twist on traditional sandboarding. Instead of sand, boarders slide down the steep black volcanic slopes on specially designed boards.
The dark volcanic gravel creates a faster surface than traditional sand, allowing riders to reach impressive speeds as they descend the 2,388-foot summit, which offers views of the surrounding landscape.
Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, Australia
Located just outside Newcastle in New South Wales, these dunes form the largest moving coastal sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere. Stretching for 20 miles and reaching heights of over 100 feet, they provide excellent conditions for beginners and experienced sand boarders.
The coastal location also adds refreshing ocean breezes to cool riders during Australia’s warm summer.
Dune du Pilat, France
Europe’s tallest dune rises dramatically between the Atlantic Ocean and pine forests near Bordeaux. At approximately 350 feet high and nearly two miles long, this natural wonder offers thrilling runs with spectacular forest and sea views.
The constantly shifting winds reshape the dune continuously, creating new lines and challenges for return visitors.
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Monte Kaolino, Germany
This unusual sandboarding spot consists entirely of quartz sand, a byproduct of nearby mining operations. The artificial dune reaches a height of 390 feet and hosts the annual Sandboarding World Championships.
A permanent lift system—rare in the sandboarding world—carries riders to the top, allowing for maximum downhill time without the typical uphill hiking effort.
Namib Desert, Namibia
This desert landscape near Swakopmund is home to some of the world’s oldest and tallest dunes. The massive star-shaped dunes, which reach over 1,000 feet and feature distinctive red-orange sand, deliver an unforgettable sandboarding experience.
Tour operators provide equipment and transport adventurers deep into this otherworldly environment for runs that can reach 50 miles per hour.
Joaquina Beach Dunes, Brazil
The coastal dunes near Florianópolis combine beautiful beach scenery with excellent sandboarding conditions. Rising to heights of about 200 feet, these accessible dunes attract both tourists and locals seeking thrills away from the surf.
The consistent trade winds help maintain the dunes’ shapes while providing a cooling effect during Brazil’s hot summer months.
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Atacama Desert, Chile
Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley), the driest non-polar desert on earth, offers otherworldly sandboarding opportunities near San Pedro de Atacama. The Valley features dramatic dunes surrounded by volcanic landscapes and salt flats.
The remarkably clear skies and lack of light pollution make evening sandboarding sessions particularly magical under star-filled desert skies.
White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA
Unlike most sandboarding locations, the dunes here consist of pure white gypsum crystals rather than traditional sand. This creates a surreal landscape of brilliant white that remains cool to the touch even in hot desert temperatures.
The dunes aren’t tall but offer gentle slopes perfect for beginners and families trying the sport for the first time.
Kangaroo Island, Australia
This wildlife-rich island’s Little Sahara dune system provides an unexpected sandboarding haven. Covering approximately 2 square miles, these inland dunes reach about 230 feet above sea level.
The island’s setting allows boarders to combine their sand adventures with wildlife encounters, including the island’s namesake kangaroos and other native Australian species.
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Dragon’s Breath Dunes, Botswana
Located in the remote Makgadikgadi Salt Pans region, these isolated dunes offer a true wilderness sandboarding experience. Far from tourist crowds, adventurers can board down pristine slopes surrounded by one of Africa’s most unique landscapes.
The journey to reach these dunes is challenging but rewards visitors with untouched sands and spectacular desert sunsets.
Imperial Sand Dunes, California, USA
Locals often call this massive dune system Glamis. It spans over 40 miles and features dunes rising to 300 feet. Featured in numerous films, including Star Wars, these impressive formations provide diverse terrain for all skill levels.
The vast open space allows sand boarders to find uncrowded areas even during popular weekends when off-road enthusiasts flock to other parts of the dunes.
Viana Desert, Brazil
This emerging sandboarding destination in northeastern Brazil features an unusual phenomenon—the dunes are actively encroaching on the nearby town of Viana. Some dunes have already engulfed buildings, creating a strange urban desert interface.
Sandboarders enjoy the sport’s thrill and the unique experience of riding through a slowly disappearing landscape.
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Desert of Maine, USA
This geological curiosity near Freeport offers a surprising 40-acre desert surrounded by Maine’s lush forests. Poor farming practices exposed glacial silt, creating this miniature desert with gentle slopes for novice sandboarders.
The bizarre contrast between pine forests and sand makes it one of the most unusual sandboarding locations in the world.
Médanos de Coro, Venezuela
This national park features extensive coastal dune fields that stretch for miles along Venezuela’s Caribbean coast. Rising to nearly 130 feet, these windswept dunes create an ever-changing landscape for sandboarders.
The coastal location means riders can easily combine a morning of sandboarding with an afternoon of swimming in the warm Caribbean waters.
Mui Ne Dunes, Vietnam
Just a few hours from Ho Chi Minh City, these distinctive red and white dune fields have become a popular stop on Vietnam’s tourist trail. While not as massive as desert dunes, they offer accessible sandboarding with rental boards available from local vendors.
The sunrise and sunset transform the dunes with dramatic lighting, making early morning and late afternoon the prime times for photography and sandboarding.
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Erg Chebbi, Morocco
These classic Saharan dunes rise dramatically from the surrounding stone desert near Merzouga. Reaching heights of up to 500 feet, their distinctive orange-gold color intensifies at sunrise and sunset.
Many desert camps nestled among the dunes offer sandboarding as part of overnight experiences, allowing visitors to board at multiple times of day as the changing light transforms the landscape.
Te Paki Sand Dunes, New Zealand
Located at the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, these impressive coastal dunes create a striking contrast against the nearby blue waters. Rising steeply from the surrounding landscape, they provide excellent slopes for sandboarding and the local tradition of sand sledding using boogie boards.
The remote location offers uncrowded conditions even during peak tourist seasons.
Bryce Canyon Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Utah, USA
These distinctive pink-hued dunes derive their unique color from eroded Navajo sandstone. They create a perfect sandboarding stop on a greater Southwest Parks tour near Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.
The dunes reach heights of about 100 feet and cover over 3,700 acres, providing plenty of space for sandboarders to explore this colorful desert landscape.
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Beyond the Boards: The Growing Global Phenomenon
Sandboarding continues to gain popularity as adventure seekers discover these remarkable landscapes that transform with shifting winds and changing light. From volcanic ash to pink coral sand, each destination offers a unique experience that connects riders directly with nature’s most dramatic and dynamic environments.
The next time you’re planning an adventure trip, consider swapping snow for sand and discovering one of these extraordinary dune destinations.
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