You don't need a beach to play beach volleyball. Just a lot of sand.
Beach Volleyball has been played for about 80 years, but since the eighties it has become an international phenomenon. It is an Olympic sport since the year 1996. The rules of beach volleyball are prone to change.
Beach volleyball is played on a field of sand measuring 8 x 16 meters. The height of the net is the same as normal indoor volleyball.
Main differences between indoor volleyball and beach volleyball:
- A team consists of two players.
- Sets go to 21 points with a 2-point difference using the Rally Point System.
- There are no fixed player positions, both players can attack and defend.
- The centerline can be crossed as long as the opponents are not disturbed.
- Hold balls, when two opponents try to push the ball over the net, are allowed.
- When the ball is intentionally set in the opponents court with 'soft' contact it is a foul, except when the player contacts the ball with two hands above his shoulders and sets it directly forward or backward with relation to his body.
- After blocking only two more contacts are allowed in stead of three.
- It is much more difficult and more fun!
Sources:
http://www.usavolleyball.org/
http://www.volleybal.nl/ (dutch)
Please correct my spelling mistakes :-p