What Is Volcano Surfing?

Volcano surfing or volcano boarding is a sport performed on the slopes of a volcano. One of the most popular places for the activity is the Cerro Negro near Leon in western Nicaragua. Riders hike up the volcano and slide down, sitting or standing, on a thin plywood or metal board.

Can you surf on lava?

Volcano surfing can be an extreme sport. Potential dangers include falling and getting cut by the rough volcanic ash, breathing poisonous gasses, contracting histoplasmosis (otherwise known as "caver's disease"), or being hit by flying molten lava. Protective gear, including jumpsuits and goggles, is often used.

How was volcano surfing invented?

Volcano surfing is a sport that was derived from sandboarding, in which, athletes ride downhill on slopes that are covered with volcano ash, using a surfboard. The sport, also commonly known as ash boarding, was invented by an adventurer journalist named Zoltan Istvan, while on a trip to Vanuatu Islands in 2002.