Abandoning his best intentions, Phil Derbyshire succumbs to the lazy lifestyle of a beach holiday in 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.

I'm not normally a fan of 'relaxing' holidays. I've always loathed the idea of spending precious time off on the beach, and scoffed at those whose idea of heaven is lounging by a pool for hours on end. I'd rather be wandering round an ancient town, walking in the countryside or perusing restaurant menus for my next meal.

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 around 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.

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.

The sales patter can get tiresome, but they leave you alone if you say a firm no.

The Colony Club, a former gentleman's club with 98 rooms and suites, is one of a small chain of luxury hotels in Barbados owned by Elegant Hotels, and its cool, airy interior makes it easy to wind down.

It's near Holetown on the island's Platinum Coast, where sandy white beaches meet the millpond-calm sea. Transfer from the airport takes about 50 minutes.

Most rooms have a sea view and spacious balcony, and if you're not relaxed enough by the sun, sea and sand, a salon offers massages and beauty treatments.

Lunch on the beachfront deck is casual, with lots of favourites like burgers and club sandwiches besides a few Bajan dishes like salt fish cakes and chicken curry with roti, a flat bread.

For dinner you can choose between two good restaurants. Our favourite, the Laguna, offered a bit of an Asian twist: tempura shrimp with mango salsa, fabulous seared tuna with wasabi and plenty of local fish.

This part of the west coast seems to have the island's highest concentration of good restaurants, so if you fancy a change you can wander into Holetown, a mere ten 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. 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.

And 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.

My idea of holiday hell - and I'm already planning the return trip.

TRAVEL FACTS

Phil Derbyshire travelled with Kuoni Travel, which offers seven night all-inclusive stays in Barbados - three at The Colony Club and four at Turtle Beach Resort - from £1,388 in 2007. If you travel longhaul with BA, domestic flights from Glasgow/Manchester are free. Otherwise these flights into London start at £178 per person.

Kuoni reservations: 01306-747-008 or www.kuoni.co.uk