Relax on the beautiful island of Barbados

There are plenty of educational holidays to choose from these days that teach you to cook, paint, play golf or even to fly, but to learn the art of relaxation you really can't beat Barbados. So when my wife announced a break in Barbados I groaned - then started planning an itinerary with the help of a guidebook.

During a day in Bridgetown, the capital, with its National Heroes Square and statue of Nelson, we'd take a stroll down Broad Street to browse around its duty-free shops. We'd visit the Mount Gay Rum distillery where the island's famous tipple is made and we'd experience a real slice of local life at the Friday night fish fry in Oistins on the south coast of the island, trying local specialities such as fried flying fish and macaroni pie at ramshackle bars with names like Crazy Eddie's.

We'd definitely try a Jeep safari on the unspoilt east coast to see Atlantic waves crashing in. A spot of snorkelling and scuba diving, a swim with the turtles off Mount Standfast and maybe I could even squeeze in a round of golf on an expensive course like Royal Westmoreland. There would be scarcely a moment to spare in our seven days. Yet somehow, from the moment we sipped our first rum punch on the wooden deck of the Colony Club hotel, gazing out over the Caribbean - every bit as blue as pictures in the brochures - it seemed simpler to do nothing
at all. A delicious laziness seeped through my bones, helped there by the incredibly laidback atmosphere of the Bajans. It's hard to be the only person in a hurry on an island of 60,000 souls. Admittedly the heat - and humidity - were key factors. After chilly autumnal Britain, heavily moist high-20s temperatures take a bit of getting used to. Barbados has an average temperature of 26C, which changes little through the year. January to June, the dry season, is most popular with European tourists escaping bad weather at home, so it's also the most expensive time.
Summer is quieter. The June-October period is hurricane season, with more rainfall (July is the wettest month) and a higher chance of storms (though Barbados hasn't been hit directly by a hurricane since 1955). Humidity stays high, especially in summer.

On day one, full of good intentions, we strolled down for breakfast. Some time later, after a freshly cooked mushroom omelette, a couple of croissants and fresh fruit, we staggered over to the sun loungers to 'let it settle' before embarking on outing number one.  And that was that. Why traipse the island in the heat when we could lie on an incredibly comfy sunbed overlooking the sea, a strategically placed brolly protecting us from the sun, while charming waiters brought fresh fruit and cold beers?

Our days fell in to a comfortable pattern. After breakfast and a token conversation about how to spend the day ('Shall we go to Bridgetown today?' 'Hmmm, maybe tomorrow…'), we'd have a stroll along the beach (all beaches in Barbados are open to the public), ogling houses of the rich and famous, imagining who the owners might be (Cliff Richard? Anthony Bamford? Judi Dench?).
Then we'd bag a lounger (plenty to go round, no German-style towel hogging required), for a morning of reading, swimming, snoozing and, if we felt energetic, a quick snorkel. We didn't even have to move for a light spot of shopping - a stream of beach sellers work the beach, selling local crafts such as paintings, shell necklaces, wooden carvings and baskets woven from palm leaves.

This part of the west coast seems to have the island's highest concentration of good restaurants, so if you fancy a change from hotel menus you can wander into Holetown, a mere 10 minutes away. It's the oldest town on the island and saw its first English settlers in 1627. Its shopping malls include a branch of the island's biggest department store Cave Shepherd for some duty-free shopping, and a few craft shops. And it has Cocomos, a lively beachfront bar that sells some of the biggest, juiciest shrimp in the world and does a fine line in cocktails (the house cocktail, Baileys, rum and coconut, is a winner). For finer dining try Olives Bar & Bistro - which gives Mediterranean food a Bajan twist - the Mews and Angry Annie's, known for its curries, lobster and steak. Further afield by taxi is Lone Star, an achingly hip converted petrol station and boutique hotel on the beach, with minimalist decor and eye-wateringly expensive seafood. It's apparently a big celebrity hangout, though they were hiding when we called in. Let's face it, choosing where to eat is tiring enough, so why add to the burden?

So, after seven days my grand itinerary remained untouched, the guidebook unopened. I'd spent my time lounging and swimming, snoozing and basking in the sun, working my way through a pile of books and eating fabulous food.

TRAVEL FACTS
There are many travel operators offering holidays to Barbados. Here are just a few useful links to start you off:
www.kuoni.co.uk
www.baholidays.com
www.virginholidays.co.uk
www.expedia.co.uk
www.travelocity.co.uk
www.thomsonworldwide.co.uk

Official local currency is Barbadian dollars, but everywhere accepts US dollars (each one worth roughly two Barbadian dollars).