If you love sports, you’ll love Barbados. For a small, tropical island, it is bursting with sporting activities that you can take part in or simply enjoy as a spectator. From a leisurely round of golf to the thrill of the motor racing circuit, there is something to suit everyone’s passion. Here we look at some of the best sports that you can enjoy in Barbados.
Cricket
As part of the West Indies, it’s no surprise that cricket takes pride of place in Barbados sports. This is the country of Windies legends, Garfield Sobers, Clyde Walcott, Frank Worrell and Everton Weekes, all knighted for their achievements on the pitch and national heroes. If you’re a fan, the cricket season lasts from May to December and you can watch many local games taking part across the island or see international matches at the Kensington Oval, near Bridgetown. If you want to get to the crease yourself, you can enrol at one of the summer schools run by the local cricket academies.
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Golf
If you like nothing better than striding down the fairway, you might find Barbados becoming your favourite holiday destination. With six championship-class golf courses to choose from, you’ll be truly spoilt for choice. One golf club you should certainly pay a visit to is Royal Westmoreland. Here you’ll find the sublime 72-par, Robert Trent Jones Jnr. designed course with stunning views over the Caribbean coastline. Of course, it also has all the amenities you’d expect, including changing rooms, a pro shop, club and buggy hire, driving ranges, practice greens and, if you need to improve your swing, professionally taught lessons. Afterwards, you can relax at its fabulous, colonial-style Club House.
Polo
Most people rarely get to see a game of polo, let alone take part. However, this exhilarating sport is quite popular in Barbados and there are four excellent polo clubs, The Barbados, Apes Hill, Segway and Bellevue. Sometimes these will host international teams and going to watch is a special occasion. Like going to the races, a polo match combines the thrill of the game with the social events taking place on the sidelines.
If you’re a polo player or want to learn, some venues will let you hire the horses, equipment and facilities and provide polo lessons.
Jogging
Whether you prefer the challenge of hilly terrain or the flatness of the beach with the sea air to cool you down, Barbados has every option for joggers. And wherever you go, you’ll get to see the natural beauty of the island, from its glorious beaches to its lush, tropical interiors. Remember to go jogging early in the day, when it’s cooler, and always take water for hydration and your phone in case you lose track of where you are.
Water Sports
As Barbados is an island, you are literally surrounded by water sports activities. The calm waters on the west coast are ideal for kayaking, paddle boarding, jet-skiing and parasailing and you’ll find an abundance of operators providing equipment and lessons. The waves get a little bigger towards the south and here you’ll find the best spots for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Professional surfing takes place at the Soup Bowl near Bathsheba on the east coast, where large Atlantic waves make landfall. If you want to go watch people surfing the giant rollers, this is the place to go. It’s a beautiful part of the island, but not a safe place for swimming.
Motorsports
For those who love the squeal of rubber on tarmac, seat-of-your-pants thrills are to be had at the Bushy Park driving circuit, near the south coast. Here you can enjoy a Radical Drive Experience where you can take a genuine racing car for a spin around the track. The experience includes professional instruction, during which you’ll do several accompanied practice laps to make sure you know the circuit and can control these high-powered race cars.
Where to stay
For premium accommodation, on a private, gated, west coast luxury Barbados resort, with easy access to all Barbados’ sporting activities, check out Royal Westmoreland. Boasting 250 superb villas, apartments, townhouses and golf cottages, it is located on a private 750-acre estate with stunning views of the west coast.
Guests have exclusive use of the resort’s world-class amenities, including a housekeeper, private chefs, a championship standard golf course, floodlit tennis courts and a state-of-the-art gym. For food and drink, there’s the Club House, Halfway House, Rum Shak and nearby Beach Club at Mullins Beach. When it comes to sporting and other activities, Royal Westmoreland’s excellent concierge will provide the best recommendations and can make bookings and travel arrangements for you.
