IT was another stunning morning in the Caribbean, and former Olympic windsurfer O’Neal Marshall had a spring in his step.

“Barbados, my home!” he proclaimed, holding his arms in the air like he had just won another competition. The two of us were out for an early jog along Maxwell Beach and the sight of the sun rising above Freights Bay gave me renewed energy.

After spending a week on the island of Barbados, it’s easy to see why Bajans like O’Neal are so full of life. Not only did I get to relax in what is undoubtably one of the world’s most picturesque locations, I also sampled some Barbadian experiences that can turn a beach holiday into the trip of a lifetime.

The island’s tourist industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, but there are green shoots of recovery. Travelling to Barbados is now easier than it has been for a while. Aer Lingus have introduced a new direct service from Manchester to join the existing Virgin Atlantic schedule, while Virgin are running a new direct flight from Edinburgh. Meanwhile, the arrival PCR-pending quarantine has been scrapped for arriving double-jabbed tourists, so you only need to take a ‘fit-to-fly’ PCR 48 hours before departure.

Getting around Barbados is easy. The notoriously fun Reggae Buses are plentiful, while taxis are reasonably priced - Esline from Prestige Tours picked me up from Grantley Adams Airport to Sea Breeze Beach House. The all-inclusive resort in the Christ Church area on the south coast is considered one of the best on the island, and I woke up to views of blindingly white sandy beaches and “you have to see it to believe it” turquoise water.

Sea Breeze has three swimming pools, watersports facilities, a kids’ club, four restaurants and six bars, from the Rum Shop and Tipsy on the Beach where you can sit in swimwear and enjoy a cooling cocktail, or the Aqua Terra clifftop restaurant with succulent seafood and steaks, the international-focused Cerulean, and Mahogany Lounge, which serves Barbados cuisine with a twist.

I was booked in for an in-room Body Harmony massage with Ahfeeyah from Reflections Spa - just the job to cure my aches and pains following my workout with O’Neal. Sea Breeze’s sister hotel, the newly renovated, chic O2 Beach Club & Spa is a 10-minute stroll past Maxwell Beach, and well worth a visit. Although both hotels are ideal for long lazy days on the beach, you’re missing out if you don’t experience other island gems. A highlight of my trip was a round of golf at Barbados Golf Club in Durants, where you can hire clubs and a buggy to tackle the not-too-testing par-72 course, designed by legendary architect Ron Kirby. My playing partner was Dubliner Darragh Everard, now based in Barbados.

Before the round I had a good chat with the club’s owner, former tour pro Roddy Carr, who’s working on a spectacular new golf resort, Apes Hill, opening in 2022. Later in the week I met another island residents, Mahmood Patel, who owns and runs Coco Hills, an unspoilt area of tranquillity in St Joseph in the centre of Barbados. During a walk, Mood explained what he’s doing with the place - replanting trees, plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs and creating a holistic environment where visitors can enjoy a calming forest bath.

The adventure didn’t end there, as I also got in the saddle for mountain bike ride organised by former triathlete Monique Hinds from Bike Caribbean. She showed me around the Hill View area and after a challenging ride through dirt paths and sugar cane fields to Gall Hill, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the east coast from St John’s Parish Church and Cemetery.

Speaking of sugar canes, you can’t visit Barbados without trying some of its most famous produce. There are reportedly 12,000 rum shops scattered across the island. The Mount Gay Visitors’ Centre in Bridgetown runs entertaining tasting sessions and tours explaining how Barbados became the birthplace of rum.

Arguably the island’s most famous tourist hotspot is the Friday night fish fry at Oistins. Although the food is the main draw - I had delicious fried marlin, with rice, salad and sweet potato - there’s also a great atmosphere as the locals (including Rihanna when she’s home) enjoy live entertainment.

Partly thanks to his exploits at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, O’Neal is a local celebrity, and these days makes a living teaching watersports. He showed me around some of the island’s main surfing spots including South Point and Silver Sands, before we drove up to Surfer’s Point for a lesson. “You’re a surfer dude now, Richard!” he said with a smile, as we walked back up the cliff steps with the boards under our arms. I think that might be a stretch, but as O’Neal implied, everything seems more enjoyable, whether it be running, golfing, biking, or riding the waves, in this Caribbean paradise.

*Virgin Holidays offer seven nights at Sea Breeze Beach House in Barbados from £1691 per person based on two sharing a Classic Poolside Garden Room on an all-inclusive basis, including direct flights with Virgin Atlantic from Manchester to Bridgetown and transfers. Visit virginholidays.co.uk or call 0344 557 3859.

You can also fly direct to Barbados from Manchester three times per week with Aer Lingus from £451 return. See aerlingus.com

For more on Sea Breeze Beach House and O2 Beach Club & Spa go to oceanhotelsbarbados.com or visitbarbados.org