When holidaying with my family I have learned the hard way, that it makes life a lot easier to book all-inclusive. Wanting an action-packed beach holiday to keep my two energetic sons busy whilst at the same time needing great value for money and facilities for grown ups was a tall order, but we got it right when we booked our holiday at Almond Beach Village in Barbados.

It is situated on an old sugar plantation and spread over 32 acres of landscaped gardens. Seeing the beautiful white sand beach for the first time was breathtaking and as for activities there was a separate children’s area and no less than ten pools around the property. There were also four floodlit tennis courts.

As a real foodie I was pleased to discover that there was a great selection of dining. Unlike so many all-inclusive resorts the food was not all buffet and the cocktails were strong! Being a bona-fide beach-loving family, the beach BBQ was a definite highlight, with fantastic food whilst watching the sunset go down.

The water sports were fantastic as well and all free. We would especially recommend the reef fishing, although this does get quite busy so would recommend booking it shortly after arriving.

My husband and I had researched the island before choosing Barbados and what sold it to us was the warm climate, combined with cooling trade winds - the perfect weather for children to play outside. We also chose our holiday dates to coincide with the Barbados Sports Camp. The first of its kind for 2007, it offered coaching for children aged 9 – 17 from international sports men and women, absolutely free of charge.

The Barbados sports camp offers a unique opportunity for both local and visiting children to learn from sporting legends and to ask to questions about their incredible careers. The emphasis is firmly on fun, playing sport and making new friends and my two boys aged nine and eleven couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed themselves.

Located at University of the West Indies sports ground just outside Bridgetown, the camp offers football, netball and cricket lessons on weekdays and places are available to book for up to a week per child. Again, book early as there are a limited number of places available per day. It’s hard to believe that children can attend the camp for free! The sports stars offer their time in aid of SPARKS, a charity which supports medical research into children’s diseases.

With international sportsmen and women like Mike Gatting, Alan Hanson and Sir Geoff Hurst amongst others all participating in the Barbados Sports Camp 2008 runnning from August 5–29, my family already knows where we’re heading this summer!

Visit the Barbados Sports Camp website for more information.