When visiting Austria, you don’t have to go to the sea when looking for somewhere to visit with your SUP. There are so many stunning locations worth exploring!
Whether you prefer an idyllic mountain lake or a quiet, crystal clear alpine brook, these are my top 5 picks for the most beautiful SUP spots in Austria.
Achensee
Without doubt one of my favourite places to enjoy with my SUP. The region around the Achensee offers direct access to the lake, meaning you only have to carry your board a mere few meters from the car park to shore. And if you don’t have your own SUP yet, you can easily rent one here too.
The water of this stunning lake is so turquoise and crystal clear, you’ll almost feel like you’re in the Caribbean! You can paddle the entire lake with your SUP and enjoy magnificent views all round. It’s also pretty peaceful too – but can get a little hectic with paddlers, swimmers and all sorts during busy times of the year.
Plansee
Just as beautiful as the Achensee, this lake’s crystal clear waters are a sight to behold. It’s so calm, it’s almost as if it were destined to be explored by SUP. You may run into a few ships during your paddle sessions here, but they’re a pretty rare sight.
The Plansee is the perfect spot for lengthy SUP tours and tranquil paddling. And taking a slight detour to the back bay is definitely worth a look!
Ödsee
The Ödsee is slightly trickier to get to, but the views when you finally access the lake make it all worthwhile. It lies at the end of the Almtal valley, right at the foot of the Tote mountains.
However, it’s important to note the time needed to get here. It takes much longer to access the Ödsee than many of Austria’s other lakes, so bear that in mind if choosing to take a trip. But provided you’re happy to carry your board and make the effort, you’ll definitely reap the rewards with the stunning views.
I also wouldn’t necessarily recommend this spot if you want to be super active as the Ödsee is quite small. But if relaxing with a quiet SUP yoga session is your thing, this is the perfect spot.
Wolfgangsee
If you love nothing more than a busy action-packed SUP session, the Wolfgangsee is definitely worth a visit. You’ll paddle next to steep rock faces hundreds of metres high, as well as having direct access to some of the most beautiful places only reachable via the water.
And like the Achensee, you can easily rent a SUP from numerous rental stations if you don’t have one of your own.
Klaus Reservoir
Yet another place you can rent a SUP, the Klaus Reservoir is super impressive! It’s just a few metres away from a convenient parking spot, and you’ll experience expansive canyon views with overhanging rock walls and deep emerald green water.
Taking a trip up the river Steyr is definitely worthwhile too. But the water is always pretty cold, so try to avoid falling in if you can!
Provided you’re content with chilly water, Austria has a bunch of stunning SUP spots to try. And even if you don’t own your own SUP, you can still have fun and get out on the water with a rented board.
A Big Bluefin Thank You!
Thanks to Sabine (@herbackcountrylife) for this Blog Post. If you want to contribute to our Paddler Blog then email us here.