One of the perks of being a world-famous athlete is that they get to travel to some of the most exotic locations around the globe not only during their off-season but often during work commitments. Their professional commitments means that athletes fly off to many different countries and cities in the world when playing for their country, club or when they are on tour as is the case with tennis stars. When the season is done and dusted, sports persons again embark on a travel sojourn to recover both physically and mentally after a grueling schedule throughout the calendar year.
2018 was no different and various athletes packed up their bags and went out on a mission to explore, visiting various different parts of the world. Here we list down a few places, which were a firm favourite among the athletes as travel destinations.
Necker Islands
The beautiful Necker Islands was visited by tennis stars like Maria Sharapova and Genie Bouchard.
The Necker Islands in the British Virgin Islands near the Caribbean Coast was a highly popular travel destination for the athletes, especially among the tennis stars. The island was graced by the presence of two high-profile tennis beauties, Maria Sharapova and Genie Bouchard. The island is privately owned by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, founder of the head honcho of the Virgin Group and has some of the most stunning beach location sights around the globe. The experience though comes at a very hefty price and can only be afforded by the rich and the famous. Renting out the island for the night will set your wallet back by a whopping $77,500.
The island is spread across 78 acres and has some of the best amenities required for a relaxing vacation. The main attraction of the island is a big guest room which has 11 bedrooms in it. The guest house has been designed in Balinese-style. Each and every bedroom in the guest house has a private balcony which provides some of the most scenic views of the island. The guest house can accommodate up to 34 guests and 6 children.
One of the prime reasons why tourists often prefer beaches as their destination of choice is surfing, boating and relaxing by the beach along with boating. Necker Islands has all the facilities, which makes it the perfect island destination.
Maldives
Maldives was a favourite tourism destination for Zaheer Khan and his wife Sagarika.
Another popular destination among the athletes was the popular Asian country lying on the coast of the Arabian Sea, the Maldives. Many cricketers and tennis stars paid a visit to the island to enjoy the serene beaches which the country has to offer.
The destination was especially a favorite go-to location for former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan and his wife Sagarika Ghatge who had also decided to spend their honeymoon in the country.
Former tennis World No.1 and three-time Grand Slam champion, Andy Murray also recently paid a visit to the Maldives on his road to recovery from a serious hip injury.
He spent the time there with his family. He was also spotted playing tennis on the beaches with his brother Jamie who too is one of the best doubles players in the world. Murray decided to spend his time on the island at Jumeirah Vittaveli resort, one of the most luxurious hospitality destinations on the island. Murray also spent his time surfing on the waves and also took some time out to participate in a game of golf.
Another high-profile tennis star to pay a visit to the Maldives was women’s World No.2 and Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber. The German after a demanding schedule on the tour immediately flew off to the Maldives for her off-season vacations. Kerber’s destination of choice in the country was the resort island of Amilla Fushi.
Miami
Genie Bouchard spent some quality time with her friends in Miami.
Another beach location featuring on the list is the US coastal city of Miami in the state of Florida. The city has few of the most popular beaches in the world, including the Miami beach in the plush downtown location of the city. Millions of visitors pay a visit to the resort location during the year and it was also a popular destination among sporting superstars.
Some of the athletes paying a visit to Miami included tennis icon Rafael Nadal and Canadian beauty Eugenie Bouchard. While Nadal travelled to the city along with his family after calling an early end to his season due to an injury, Bouchard was seen having fun in the city along with her friends.
Football superstar David Beckham also spent some time in the city which he will soon call home in the near future. Beckham recently announced the launch of his own MLS franchise based in the coastal city of Florida called Inter Miami CF, which will start competing in the American soccer league from the year 2020.
Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo was seen getting cozy with his girlfriend in Ibiza.
The European country of Spain is regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the world and provides tourists with a variety of different locations and a unique culture and cuisine to explore. Some of the most popular destinations like Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Ibiza, San Sebastian and Granada are located in Spain and see millions of visitors every year.
Many rich and famous athletes decided to visit the country in 2018. Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly was recently seen in Barcelona, spending Christmas vacation with his family.
Ibiza in Spain was also a popular destination, especially among the footballers. Cristiano Ronaldo was seen enjoying the luscious locations, which the island offers, with his girlfriend Georgina. The pair got quite cozy on the islands and their PDA made the headlines in many tabloid newspapers throughout the globe.
Ronaldo’s eternal rival Lionel Messi was also seen partying in Ibiza along with tennis superstar Rafael Nadal after the wrap-up of the FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon.
