Take a surf lesson

Can you hang ten?
Talk of the town: Sydney's Manly Beach played host to the first Australian Open of Surfing in February 2012.

Popular plate: Fuel-up before your lesson with a traditional Aussie meat pie from The Corso Bakehouse in Manly.
With dozens of world-class surfing beaches on its doorstep, Sydney is the perfect place to take your first surf lesson. It may sound daunting, but lessons are held using foam boards to prevent injury, and by law, all instructors must hold government-regulated qualifications - so you're in safe hands.

During a two-hour lesson you'll learn how to handle yourself and your board in the ocean. Requiring balance, agility and a healthy dose of confidence, surfing isn't easy, so don't be discouraged if you don't catch a wave during your first lesson. Once you master it, nothing beats the thrill.

Skip busy Bondi for the longer, less crowded beach at Manly - the fewer obstacles you have to contend with, the better.