Travel article: Five Playgrounds in the Caribbean

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For the water sports aficionados, the Caribbean offers endless possibilities. Perhaps you’re longing for fly-fishing. If yes, then the Bahamas is just right for you. No wonder, hordes of fly-fishing enthusiasts arrive at Long Island, about 160 miles south of Nassau every year.

When it comes to sailing, it would be impossible to narrow down the Caribbean to a single spot. But if you need to strike a balance between sport and leisure, Antigua might just be the perfect choice. Thousands of yachters arrive on the island between late April and early May every year, and for the Stanford Antigua Sailing Week. This is the second-largest regatta in the Caribbean. The event sees more than 200 boats racing in eight different classes, from chartered sloops to billion-dollar yachts. In the end, Antigua Distillery pours out the award-winning rums. Most of the festivities take place at the Falmouth Harbor.

Puerto Rico has enough options to keep you busy for months! From mountain biking to hiking and snorkeling to scuba diving, the island destination is known for its multiple sporting facilities. But its reputation for surfing is unmatched in the Caribbean. With a 310 mile coastline, Puerto Rico takes the center stage for most ISA surfing events. From October through April, Rincon, with its consistent wave breaks, is a hub of surfing activities.

If exploring the swaying coral reefs and watching sea horses and schools of sergeant majors or blue tangs is your passion, then Bonaire is where you should be. The waters around this flat island offer 80-plus-foot visibility! With eighty-nine registered dive sites and 500 species of fish within the Bonaire National Marine Park, this is enviably the best scuba diving venue in the Caribbean.

With steady trade winds, strong currents and over 30 islands located miles apart, the British Virgin Islands would be an ideal place to kayak. Kayaking is the single most popular sport that draws visitors to the islands.

There are several routes to take on this sport. The level of fun and difficulty vary across these routes. Maneuver your boat through wide chunks of coral growths or check out the offshore shipwrecks. On the clam inner-reef waters, you’ll steer your boat along the shoreline and squeeze in through the lean inlets to anchor in the salt ponds. These are habitats for island wildlife.

Besides sports, each of these destinations is blessed with lush vegetation, miles of unspoiled beaches, and hidden coves. On a calm day, you can stretch out on a hammock and relax! On another day, set out on another expedition, be it fishing, sailing, surfing, scuba diving or kayaking.

About the author of Five Playgrounds in the Caribbean

Manoj Borah is a Senior Writer & Journalist working with CheapoAir.com, one of the top travel sites online. Manoj writes and reviews articles with special focus on the airlines industry, vacations, and road trips, besides sharing tips and nuggets on booking cheapest plane tickets,hotels and tour packages