First up comes protection, but it’s not only those with a pasty pallor that need shielding from the sun. Coming from a country where we very rarely have to deal with the full force of its rays, it’s imperative you use a sufficient sun cream to stop your skin from burning – none of these factor 8 oils that were deemed suitable back in the 60s. As a rule, factor 30 should be your number one choice as it means that you can stay in the sun 30 times longer than you could without any protection. Oh, and it’s a total myth that wearing a high factor sun cream will prevent you from tanning, it just might take a little longer to reach that golden brown.

If you’ve come under fire from the ball of fire beating down on the beach, it’s a good idea to arm yourself with some cover-up clothing. Hats are a must, especially for children, but they also go some way on saving you from that unattractive pink scalp. Body-wise, sarongs are a winner all round, but men- if you don’t fancy doing a Beckham, just pop a t-shirt in your bag to give those shoulders a rest from the rays.

Squinting speeds up wrinkles so if you haven’t invested in a pair of sunnies before your beach break we advise getting some, pronto. They also shade your eyes from the sun and you can have a sneaky sleep whilst you’re wearing them too! Just remember to take them off before you wade into the sea.

Beach life can be hard work, just ask the locals, so make sure you pack plenty of bottles of water before you settle down on the sands, as dehydration can lead to headaches that can sometimes be worse that a hangover from the night before. In some resorts such as Greece and Spain, fruit sellers will also pitch up on the beach selling thirst-quenching treats including juicy watermelon and pineapple. Not to be used as an alternative to water, but the perfect addition to a mid-morning snack.

One for the women – if you just can’t bear leaving your apartment without any make-up, use a tinted moisturiser with SPF already included, a slick of the genius invention we know and love as waterproof mascara and a dab of tinted lip balm. While it might not sound like a lot, once you’ve started to get that holiday glow, you might even feel brave enough to bare all.

Last, but not least, when you’re protected, hydrated and looking the part, you need a good book or a glossy mag to complete the look. They’re great to hide behind too!

Unfortunately, though, we’re not all as nifty as David Bailey when it comes to precision camerawork, and while we might be able to master a decent landscape shot, underwater pics and twilight settings don’t always reflect the beauty of the subject itself. So rather than a ‘shoot and snap’ approach, follow our top tips for perfecting your pictures and you’ll be creating works of art in no time at all…

1. If you’re taking a people pic when the sun is shining, position your subject in the shade, that way they won’t be squinting and you avoid creating looming dark silhouettes.

2. Try taking your pictures in new positions. No we don’t mean standing on one leg, but why not crouch down and take shots looking upwards, or vice versa and shoot looking downwards. They both create new and interesting perspectives.

3. Cloudy days don’t mean crappy pictures. They can add an element of moodiness and mystery and they’ll also make bright colours pop.

4. Don’t centre your subject, it will look unnatural. You can generate a much more atmospheric and powerful picture by positioning them just off-centre. This way you’ll be able to capture the scenery surrounding them as well.

5. Before you take your picture, divide it up into thirds to make sure each fraction has a focus (especially if it’s a scenery shot) eg sky, stately home, gardens / clouds, boat, water.

6. Always make sure you’ve fully charged your camera or that you carry some spare batteries with you. When you return home, make back-up copies of all your images too, just in case you lose the memory card or something happens to your computer.

7. Never be afraid to experiment. Succeeding in photography is a learning curve, but as with everything, practise makes perfect and it won’t take you long to develop from amateur to expert if you follow our guidelines.

Known for its outlandish clubbing events, the white isle’s closing parties are renowned the world over for attracting socialites, the glitterati and some of the most prestigious DJ’s that have walked this planet. Expect to see headliners including Paul van Dyk, Sasha, David Guetta and Erick Morillo grace the decks at the infamous Pacha, Amnesia, Cream and Privilege, amongst a whole host of others. But the parties aren’t just restricted to the four walls of a club; beach bashes and boat trips pumping out the tunes while the sun goes down are another great way to celebrate the end of the season in true Ibiza style.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a clubber but you’ll be on the Ibiza shores at the time of the closing parties, you should definitely have a gander. Most of the action takes place in and around San Antonio where you’ll find plenty of transport links to take you right to the heart of the action. With such a feel-good vibe and everyone in high spirits, we bet you’ll be tempted onto the dancefloor at some point.

1. Become a book worm. OK so it still involves lying relatively still, and yes the sun will still be in the sky, but reserve yourself a sun lounger, whack up the umbrella for a refreshing spot of shade and get lost in a good book. The perfect place to catch up on all that reading you’ve been meaning to do, whether it’s a large dose of chick-lit, a John Grisham-style paperback or the latest HP (Harry Potter – do keep up), you’ll be transported so far into your own little world, you’ll forget you’re even on the beach.
2. Bat and ball. Even the laziest amongst us can conjure up the energy for a game of bat and ball. Cheap as chips and a great way to burn off all the calories from those numerous ice creams, you might even find the pit-pat of the ball on the wooden bat rather relaxing. And remember, the best place to pitch up and start playing is in the shallow waters. A double whammy you get to cool off and have a laugh at the same time.
3. Build a sandcastle. Yes we know you’re probably over the age of five, but we’re all young at heart really, and building a sandcastle is a sure fire way to re-kindle that love with the beach. Choose from ready-made plastic buckets or try your hand at a bit of grown-up sand-sculpting, you never know, you might even get some Euros thrown at your feet in return for your handiwork. Oh, and don’t forget to accessorise with any shells you find, we hear they’re all the rage on the sandcastle circuit right now.
4. People watch. This can be taken two ways. One, watch the world go by, admire young families having fun in the sun and absorb the local way of life, or two, grab some mirrored sunglasses or a sunhat to shield your eyes and keep tabs on all the hot tottie that passes you by. It may very well be innocent my friend, but subtlety is the key here – you have been warned.
5. Stay for the sunset. Just when the sun starts to go down, around 5pm is when the beach is probably at its prettiest. Way past the hottest time of the day there’s no overbearing heat to deal with, but it’s still warm enough to swim in the sea and makes it much easier to relax as the crowds have usually diminished by then too. Why not make an evening of it, take a picnic along with you and watch the sunset while you indulge in some supper?

In a bid to re-jog your memory and educate those who haven’t been fortunate enough to sample these signature snifters, welcome to our menu of must-try tipples from around the world…

Tequila

From: Mexico
Tastes like: Made from the Agave plant, Tequila has a strong, unique flavour that is very much an acquired taste. Premium brands provide a riche, drinkable liquor, while cheap alternatives need the addition of the lime and salt to make it quaffable.
Drink it: Fast! While locals in Mexico drink it straight, the most common way to consume Tequila outside South America is via the ‘slammer’. Served with a dash of salt (which you lick off the back of your hand), followed by a shot of Tequila, and finished off with a suck on a slice of lime!

Ouzo

From: Greece
Tastes like: Liquorice, or strong anise. A pungent concoction, most Ouzo is produced on the Greek island of Lesbos and is considered a substitute to absinth which fell out of favour in the early 20^th century when the wormwood plant was made illegal.
Drink it: Often served as an aperitif, Greeks often drink Ouzo undiluted and sup on it to wash down meze (Greek-style tapas). It can also be mixed with water, and some westerners have also taken to adding coke as a mixer.

Grappa

From: Italy
Tastes like: Fiery flowers. Made from fermented skins and seeds of grapes that are left over from winemaking, everything is mashed together to produce Grappa. Like wine, its flavour can vary on the quality and type of grape used in the production.
Drink it: Considered by Italians as an after-dinner drink, it can be drunk alone or added to espresso coffee for a heady hit. With a high alcohol percentage (over 40%), it can also be blended with fruit juices.

Sake

From: Japan
Tastes like: A combination of wine and sherry – probably because it’s a rice wine with an underlying hint of sweetness. There are various qualities and variations of Sake and each has different tastes but usually they are all quite pleasing to the palate.
Drink it: Presented in small saucer-like cups, rather than a traditional glass, Sake can be served chilled, at room temperature or hot as it often depends on the drinker’s preference, the season and the quality of the Sake.

Sangria

From: Spain
Tastes like: Fruity red wine – primarily because that’s exactly what it is. Also referred to as wine punch, red wine is blended together with chunks of chopped fruit (orange, lemon, apple, peach etc), lemonade or Champagne, a splash of spirit (Cointreau, brandy etc) and mountains of ice.
Drink it: Anywhere, anytime. Sangria can be served with canapés, a three-course meal or enjoyed on its own. Because it has similarities to punch, in Spain it is a popular choice for parties and large social gatherings too.

Wakeboarding
If water skiing, windsurfing, kayaking and co all sound a tad too passé, may we suggest wakeboarding? You might well ask: “What is wakeboarding”? The answer is that this relatively new sport (originally called ‘skurfing’) is probably best described as combination of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing. Now focus: once in the water with the wakeboard (not dissimilar to a snowboard) strapped to your feet, hold onto the rope handle (that’s attached to the motorboat) with straight arms between bent legs and let the boat’s movement pull you up out of the water to a standing position before surfing the waves – or riding the wake if you want to get technical about it. Don’t expect to be pulling off stunts such as tantrumming, blind judging and whirly birding straight away but stick with it: wakeboarding is fantastic fun.

Kiteboarding
However in order to ensure full holiday bragging rights, be sure to give kiteboarding – the latest extreme sport to hit the shores – a go. Confused as to what kiteboarding actually is? Let us enlighten you….Kite boarding is a combination of a water based board plus a kite, to catch the breeze and send you skimming across the surface of the water. Sounds simple, right? It’s anything but. Nonetheless don’t be deterred for even if kiteboarding isn’t exactly easy, it is enjoyable not to mention energetic – making it a great way to work off all those cocktails you’ve consumed.

Dive right in
Wrap up your holiday by getting really wet.  As enjoyable as activities above the water are what lies beneath can be even more thrilling. If you have never dived before and would prefer to test the water before committing yourself (and your wallet) to a full diving course, a short course such as Discover Scuba is probably your best option and will give you a taste of the underwater world. All equipment is provided and a dive guide is on hand to ensure your safety and gently introduce you to a whole new world. If children are in tow there are two courses designed for budding water babies – the PADI Bubble maker and the PADI Seal Team.

So you’ve surfed, glided and dived …. now comes the easy bit; booking your air ticket.

The most famous fake is Ocean Dome in Japan. The size of six football pitches, it can cater for up to 10,000 tourists, and that’s lying down underneath the artificial palm-trees and swimming in the pretend sea rather than everyone being packed in like sardines. The bizarre thing…there’s a real beach just 300 metres away but because of the salt-free waters, surfer-size waves and lush forestry without any bugs or bites, the majority of beach bums congregate here instead!

But it’s not just in the Far East that the concept has taken off. Monaco, Paris and Toronto have also taken on the trend, although rather than keeping them encased in a dome, they’ve relied on their own climate to provide the warmth. In Toronto’s HtO park, the sand runs parallel with the concrete promenade and comes complete with chairs and parasols, while Paris’ version is a temporary beach that appears every year and runs for two miles along the bank of the River Seine. Following the premise, if locals won’t go to the beach, the beach must come to them, it seems to be working well so far, then again we just can’t see people swapping Spanish package holidays for them just yet.

That said, as the recent case of Jamie Neal (the British backpacker who got lost in the Australian bush for nearly a fortnight) proves; travelling abroad isn’t a walk in the park. We’re not aiming to scare (99.9 per cent of all overseas travellers do make it home safely) – rather to make you aware that safety is a major issue when travelling.

Here are 10 tips to help you make your trip, a safe one…

1. Photocopy your passport, travellers’ cheques and insurance details and leave one set with family and friends at home in case you lose them. Boring but important.
2. Make sure your passport is up to date and ensure you have all the necessary visas.
3. Find out in advance whether you need any vaccinations, as some jabs aren’t effective immediately.
4. If you’re heading to any areas of potential unrest, check the latest situation with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
5. Leave a copy of your itinerary with friends/family giving details of dates, locations and possible points of contact.
6. Take out travel insurance – the last thing you think about but the first thing you need if anything goes wrong. It’s definitely worth it.
7. Avoid arriving into a country late at night and book ahead for your first few nights’ accommodation so that you don’t find yourself without a bed when you first arrive in a foreign country.
8. Take a credit card. You can access your money worldwide and won’t be caught short if you run out of cash.
9. When in Rome…don’t forget to abide by a country’s code. This may mean not sunbathing topless or wearing skimpy clothes and in Muslim countries, covering your head. By showing respect, you’ll be more readily welcomed by the locals.
10. Carry a business card from your hotel or hostel. It means that the locals will be able to point you in the right direction should you find yourself lost.

Finally it’s worth remembering that no matter how much planning and preparation work you do, things won’t go entirely to plan. But any ‘incidents’ will make for the most amusing travel tales when you return home. Bon Voyage!

While these glittering mega malls pull in the punters at any time of year, they’re particularly attractive during the summer months owing to the annual extravaganza that is Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS). This shopping festival, which this year runs until August 14, has done wonders to lure in tourists in what was traditionally a lean time. During DSS, shoppers can expect discounts galore in every outlet, plus a myriad of entertainment options including live music, dance performances and other fun filled activities. Presiding over all the action is the popular yellow mascot, Modesh – which means ‘amazing’ in Arabic. For more information visit www.mydsf.com.

Best for boutiques:
What: The Village
Why: Instead of the usual ‘chain gang’ offerings, you’ll find chi chi boutiques like Luxecouture, S*uce (girlie heaven) and the excellent, Ayesha Depala. There’s also a gem of a spa in SensAsia. The downside? Unless you have a thin frame and a fat wallet, keep walking.

Best for beating the crowds:
What: Dubai Festival City
Why: This new kid on the block is not only lighter and brighter than its rivals, but it’s also mercifully free of the human traffic that plagues MOE, and unlike the Burjuman parking here is plentiful – and free.

Best for surrealism:
What: Mall of the Emirates
Why: Where else in the world, save Dubai, can you shop and ski under one roof in the desert?! Yes, that’s right: when you’re saturated with shops such as Harvey Nichols, slalom down the slopes at Ski Dubai. All equipment is included in the price.

Best for children:
What: Ibn Battuta
Why: Ibn Battuta – inspired by the adventures of the intrepid traveller – is best described as a mall cum theme park. Staff wander around the six courts (Andalusian, Chinese, Egyptian, Indian, Persian and Tunisian) clad in cartoon character style costumes. There’s also interactive displays designed to reveal the region’s history, and the UAE’s only IMAX cinema.

Best for the chain gang:
What: Deira City Centre
Why: Once the jewel in Dubai’s shopping crown, Deira City Centre has had to work hard to fight off stiff competition from the new kids on the shopping block. It’s putting up a good fight, and having introduced a whole flood of new titles to its portfolio including Club Monaco, H&M, New Look, Bebe and Banana Republic, is still a shopping heavyweight. A word of warning; taxi queues here are legendary and will remind you of queuing to get into a nightclub in your teens.

Best for bargains:
What: Lamcy Plaza
Why: Seemingly abandoned in a time warp, Lamcy certainly doesn’t keep up with other malls’ obsession with cutting-edge modernity: the interior is dated, there’s a tacky replica of Tower Bridge and an unrealistic-looking waterfall. But if you’re looking for bargains, this might just be the perfect mall for you. Stock up on cut-price clothes from Fashion Factory and handy knick-knacks at Japanese discount store, Daiso. Before you go, grab a cheap curry at Thai Express.

Best for designer labels:
What: BurJuman Centre
Why: Much improved following an expensive extension, BurJuman is a subdued, chic mall with plenty of designer barns, including Burberry, Donna Karan, Christian Lacroix, Calvin Klein and Tiffany & Co. The main draw card however is Saks Fifth Avenue. In between a splurge, there are plenty of upmarket cafes to rest wear feet at.

Ask most UK citizens and the one thing they love about holidaying abroad is…the weather. A guaranteed seven days of sun is never going to surface here, and with all the will in the world, cowering on Torquay beach in wellies and cagoules just isn’t funny two weeks in a row. So the decision has been made and my passport is positively excited to be getting an airing after being kept hostage at the bottom of my drawer for the past twelve months. The only thing I have to do now is decide where on earth I’ll make my stomping ground next summer.

A sucker for resorts that are somewhat off-the-beaten track, Cape Verde has been mentioned to me on several occasions. Here you can play at being castaway, top up your tan and take in the local culture without so much as stumbling upon an egg and chips cafe or trusty Irish bar. Morocco is also on the ‘must-visit’ list. But let’s not go kidding myself; I’m not exactly super-flush, so when it does come to booking my 2010 break, price is going to play a big part too. Luckily, holiday companies are practically bending over backwards to get sun-seekers to sign-up to a fortnight abroad, so for once, I’ve got the pick of the pack. From all-inclusive offers to five-star hotels at three-star prices, the forecast for next year’s summer holiday looks a whole lot brighter than this year’s Butlins-esque break!