5 BEST water activities in Moscow (PHOTOS)

1. SUP (standup paddleboarding)

A woman paddles a SUP board in Serebryany Bor Forest Park.

One of the most popular and accessible water activities that does not require special skill or preparation. Just grabbing a board and a paddle and you can glide along the water surface, taking in picturesque landscapes. In Moscow, you can now go SUP surfing (with or without an instructor) in many places and almost everywhere with big water.

You can try out ‘SUP SPOT’ in the Stroginskaya floodplain (there, you can even do some SUP yoga!) or check out a few SUP points in Serebryany Bor; you’ll also find SUP surfing spots on the Moskva River near the center, as well as at Krylatskoe, Beloye Lake and Borisovskie ponds.

2. Wakeboarding & Wakesurfing

A man wakeboarding on the Moskva River in the Strogino District.

Have you already learned how to distinguish between these two activities? If not, it's time! In wakeboarding your feet are fastened to the board, just like with snowboarding, while, with wakesurfing, you have to get on the board again every time, but it does give you more maneuverability. In both cases, the rider is pulled by a boat.

Today, you can go wakeboarding (and, in some places, also waterskiing) in many places in Moscow. Among them are ‘RiverClubSurf’ near the ‘Alye Parusa’ apartment building complex, ‘Wake People’ near ‘Tushinskaya’ subway station, ‘Wake Club Wakeforia’ near Shchukinskaya subway station, ‘WakeDivision’ in Serebryany Bor, ‘Waketeam’ on Khimki Reservoir or, for example, ‘Wakestyle’ in Krylatskoe District.

3. Flyboarding

A flyboard showon the Grebnoi Canal in Krylatskoye

This is considered one of the most spectacular water activities. When a person takes off over the water surface like Superman and powerful water currents keep them in the air. At the same time, the athlete also makes pirouettes - it is impossible to take your eyes off it. And, it turns out that everyone (who weighs from 40 kg to 120 kg) can master flyboarding.

For a thrill, head to ‘Moswake’ on the Moscow Canal, ‘Flyboard’ in Serebryany Bor, ‘Flyboard Sports and Entertainment Center’ in Strogino or ‘Flyboard School’ at the ‘Royal Bar’ beach club near the Vodny Stadion subway station.

4. Windsurfing

Windsurfing in Strogino district

Riding with a sail on a board does not require expensive equipment such as a yacht or a boat. And it is not so difficult to learn! You just need to catch the breeze, control the sail and you are already sailing on the water surface.

You can try your hand at it at the ‘School of Wind’ in Strogino (there, you can also learn how to kitesurf) and at the water sports center on Beloye Lake.

5. Sailing

Boats sailing on Khimki Reservoir

More and more dreamers want to learn to sail every year, it seems. It is also a great kind of socializing, because you not only learn yachting skills, but also communicate with a team, find new friends and participate in regattas. And you can do it all without leaving Moscow.

Today, there are several sailing schools in the city. For example, the Strogino water sports center, ‘Soho Sailing Style’ in Zhivopisnaya Bay and the ‘Sailing School’ of the ‘Kosinsky Marine Club’ at Beloye Lake.