If you were to conjure up a mental image of paradise, chances are you’d think of an island with beautiful white sand beaches and alluring turquoise water. While Barbados meets this criterion, there is more than meets the eye to one of the Caribbean’s most captivating countries.

In fact, a holiday in Barbados is perfect for those wanting a sporty retreat away from the daily routine. Regardless of whether you’re interested in watching or participating, there is sure to be a pursuit that suits your tastes.

In between this excitement, you can relax without a care in the world due to the island’s laid-back lifestyle and mild yearlong climate.

But what are the most prominent and popular sports among tourists in Barbados?

Golf

Along with superb weather conditions, golfers also have the pleasure of playing on some world-class courses in Barbados. But even if you’re not confident or competent enough to tackle such challenging holes, most clubs will offer professional tuition.

If you’d prefer to watch from the side-lines, Barbados hosts a number of tournaments throughout the year, with participants coming from all over the world to play on these balmy shores.

Surfing

Seeing as the ocean surrounds Barbados, it is no surprise that watersports are an ever-present activity here. Although visitors have the chance to water-ski, snorkel, scuba dive or kayak, the shoreline’s impressive waves make it ideal for surfing.

You’ll be pleased to hear that surfing can be enjoyed on any given day of the year. Barbados is a coral island, which means that no matter where a swell approaches, there will be an opportunity to make the most of it.

Horse riding

To experience Barbados in a more gentle and unique way, consider going on a horse-riding excursion. These tours take advantage of the island’s numerous trails and will enable you to marvel at countless picturesque views of the ocean.

What’s more, tour groups are usually small and the pace tends to be slow, which means you don’t need any horse riding experience to enjoy this particular pursuit.

Polo

If watching sport is more your kind of thing, consider taking in a game of polo. You might be surprised to hear that the first horse polo match in Barbados took place in 1884, as it was well suited to wealthy plantation owners that had their own stables.

Today, it remains an admired sport among scores of locals, with international teams coming here to challenge the well-supported national side.

Along with these sports, other options include cricket, tennis, fishing, hiking and paragliding. Therefore, in between chilling out on the beach with the sea at your feet, it is possible to observe or partake in any number of sporty pursuits on your holidays in Barbados.

[Images by Ben Ramirez and Rufus]