Recreation

Venezuela is truly a paradise for the sports lover with the wide variety of sporting events that are on offer. Venezuela also has a lot of activities on offer for the adventure-loving tourist. The country boasts of 42 National Parks and 20 nature reserves, which are all wonderful places for trekking and hiking.

Baseball is an immensely popular sport in the country and Venezuela has produced world-renowned players of the stature of Luis Aparicio, who has even found a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. Football is also a game that has gained immense popularity in the country, with many youngsters taking an active interest in the sport. The national football team of Venezuela has also received numerous laurels in the international arena.

Another sport that is preferred by both tourists and natives is horseback riding on the Paramo grasslands that are located at a high altitude. Western Venezuela with its waterfalls, mountains and landscapes is a magnificent place to go riding as the natural beauty of the place keeps a rider spellbound all along the track. It is however advisable for riders to wear a rugged pair of jeans and shoes for the ride. Nature lovers should take their cameras along to capture the picturesque landscape in print.

Paragliding in the Andean area of Western Venezuela is an incredible experience. Unlike bungee jumping, which is a more terrifying experience, the take off in paragliding is a gripping and elating experience for individuals, which turns to tranquility on being airborne. The sound of the wind rushing by as well as the breath taking view of the mountain, sky, valley and the river below are indescribable and the thrill of this adventure sport has to be experienced to be understood.

Mountain biking is an excellent sport that can be undertaken in Mochima National Park, The Gran Sabana, Canaima and Merida areas. Mountain biking can also be clubbed with other sporting activities in these areas like hiking, trekking and cycling. It is possible for tourists to go on long walks in the geographical vastness of the country. There are various trails having signs posted on them, to enable tourists looking for an adventure, to decide their path. Gran Sabana, with Venezuela's unique tepuis land feature is a favorite destination for hikers. For the more adventurous, it is possible to explore the vastness of the Amazonian jungles. Sierra Nevada de Merida is one of the most popular areas for mountain trekking and rock climbing.

Venezuela has the largest coastline and there are avenues for all kinds of water-sports. Kayaking is a major sport in the country because of the superb coastline. Kayaks are small boats that one uses to meander through the waterways. Dolphins are found aplenty in the waters surrounding Venezuela and can be observed quite easily on venturing into the waters. Overnight camping is generally allowed in many uninhabited offshore islands.

Canyoning is an adventure sport that is pursued by many an enthusiast and Merida in Venezuela is the ideal place for it. It is a sport that lends excitement and a rush of adrenaline to participants. It is great fun to abseil from a high waterfall or jump into narrow currents using super fast natural slides. It is a sport that is recommended for those who like to take pleasure in the natural exquisiteness of the Andes ranges.

Diving and snorkelling are sports that are suitable to undertake in the waters of Mochima. This is an excellent spot for this water sport as the rich waters that are fed by Orinoco are full of different kinds of fish. Fishing is also a popular sport in both fresh and salt-water. Bonefish and pelagic fish are found aplenty in the tropical waters while peacock-bass as well as large catfish are found in the river waters. Windsurfing and kite surfing have also developed as world-class sports in the region of Margarita and Los Roques due to the consistent flow of wind in the place all year around. Sailing is another popular sport in the area as the emerald waters along with fairly reliable winds of the region make it ideal. It is possible to charter yachts and boats for sailing in all these places.