Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card (Representative 53.3% APR Variable, Annual fee applies, 18+, Subject to status, terms and conditions apply)

It's not that I don't like reading a book on a sun-lounger by the pool, lazing in a beachside hammock, or getting pampered at a hotel spa - I love all of those things - but I only like doing them once I've filled the day with some adrenaline-charged activity first.

Whether you're rafting, surfing or mountain biking, adventure travel gets you out into nature and out of your comfort zone - it makes your holiday more memorable, and your relaxation time feel so much sweeter.

I can't think of the last holiday I went on that didn't involve some kind of outdoor or ocean-based adventure. Maybe it was in early childhood when my parents tried to take me around their choice of city-based museums a few times before realising we'd all have a far more relaxing trip if we chose holidays centred around the beach, where I would spend all day playing in the waves.

I still love being in the sea, and surfing is one of my favourite pastimes. There are so many incredible places around the world for wave riding - from Sydney's iconic Bondi beach (where I visited as a youthful backpacker), to Seminyak, a beach resort area at the southern end of Bali - that it can be difficult to choose one destination when you're booking a holiday.

Seminyak is a popular destination for surfers of all ability levels. Stay at the Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort, a vibrant hotel just a short walk from the beach and a stone's throw from some of Bali's finest bars and restaurants. Alternatively, Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Cardmembers can accumulate 6 points for every £1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, so you could use your Card to dine at the hotel's restaurant, savouring local and international flavours - ideal for those who have built an appetite after a busy day in the surf. And with two points for every £1 spent elsewhere, using your Marriott Bonvoy® Amex® Card means that whatever you spend can also help towards your next surfing trip.

And there are other activities aside from surfing. Guests can try their hand at kitesurfing or wakeboarding lessons, or even travel to the island's tropical jungle-rich interior for a mountain bike trip, including a descent down a volcano.

In fact research has found that biking and hiking are the most popular activities for adventure-seeking holidaymakers. And for me, it's easy to see why. When I was younger, my most memorable travel experiences were mountain biking on boulder-strewn trails in South Africa's Western Cape and through black lava fields beneath Bali's Mount Batur, hiking amid wonderful canyons in Chiapas, Mexico, and the jagged peaks of Poland's Tatra mountains.

If you are after a more leisurely cycling holiday, albeit still one filled with adventures, head to Copenhagen, one of the world's most bike-friendly capitals. Explore this outdoorsy city on two-wheels, taking in its beaches, its famed harbour baths, and traditional Danish fare, such as open-faced rye sandwiches, all while collecting Marriott Bonvoy® points as you go - which you can redeem for future stays, experiences and more.

Whether you choose to stay at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy, such as Residence Inn Copenhagen Nordhavn (you can rent bikes at reception) on the waterfront, or the Nobis Hotel Copenhagen, a Member of Design Hotels, housed in an historic building that once served as the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card will help elevate your stay. All Cardmembers automatically start with Silver Elite status, which includes perks such as Priority Late Checkout (subject to availability) And after all that cycling, your legs might thank you for a later start. You can upgrade to Gold Elite status with even more benefits when you spend £15,000 in a year as a Marriott Bonvoy Amex Cardmember.

I am fortunate in that my children (aged 12 and 14) and husband are as hungry for adventure as I am. Our highlight trips have included a surf and safari adventure in Sri Lanka and climbing via ferratas in the French Alps. This summer, we're planning to go rafting and on an overnight bivouac hike in the French Pyrenees.

And it appears, with our thirst for adventure, we're not alone. More holidaymakers than ever are looking to book trips which include unique and immersive thrill-seeking activities, and that trend is set to accelerate over the next decade, according to research. And if you're having so much fun on your holiday that you're reluctant to go home, Marriott Bonvoy American Express Cardmembers can also benefit from a Free Night Award - creating extra time for more adventures.

Representative 53.3% APR Variable, Annual fee applies, 18+, Subject to status, terms and conditions apply.

Hiking, biking and surfing: my life as a holiday thrill seeker