To Thai for
Swap full moon parties for full-on glamour as you explore the backpacking capital of the world
Bikinis and SPF30 definitely required. Copy of The Beach? Not so much - unless you're still 19... Head to the beaches of Phuket but skip the hostels for a luxe Katathani beachside villa at The Shore (Theshore.katathani.com). Each villa has a private infinity pool overlooking the sea. Bliss. If you can tear yourself away, ease away any tension with a traditional Thai massage, £53, at the Serenity Spa.
Return to your backpacker roots, kinda, with glamping at Elephant Hills in Khao
Sok National Park. Delight in the stunning views as you canoe down the
Sok river and feed the cute elephants that live there. After a night under
canvas (but with a double bed and en suite) in the rainforest, it's a bus,
then boat ride to the immense Cheow Larn Lake. Here, luxury tents are
pitched on a flotilla on the lake, and you even get your own personal kayak.
You'll never forget the cute elephants, and water-view!
An hour's flight away, there's serious shopping to be done in Bangkok. Head to the MBK Centre and pick up a pair of Diesel Jeans - tailored to fit - from just £25 at Southern Star. For drinks with a view, head to the rooftop Sirocco bar at The Lebua Hotel (Lebua.com). Then rest your shopped-out feet at The Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel (Royalorchidsheraton.com).
Sirocco: a bar with serious altitude
Three nights B&B in a pool villa at The Shore in Phuket, plus two nights full board at the three-star Elephant Hills beach and rainforest safari and two nights B&B at the five-star Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, including flights with Thai Airways from Heathrow via Bangkok and transfers in resort, costs from £1,795 per person based on two sharing with Kuoni (Kuoni.co.uk). To book, quote: FE9944.
Euro flash
InterRailing ain't just for 17 year olds - all aboard!
Grab yourself an InterRail card (Interrailnet.com) to enjoy 10 days travel over 22 days for £335 (£513 for first class). It covers most of Europe, except, annoyingly, your crossing to France, but at least Eurostar has advance return fares to Paris from £69! Drop your stuff in a dorm at Oops hostel (Oops-paris.com) for just £20 per night B&B. There's a metro stop right outside to take you to the ace National History Museum (Mnhn.fr).
Have your own renaissance in Florence and right, chill out Barcelona-style
Lisbon Lounge does what it says on the tin and right, Paris is le grand fromage
Next stop, Portugal. A bed in a shared cabin on the Sud Express costs
around £27. After a backpacker's commute you'll be thankful for a room at
the spesh Lisbon Lounge (Lisbonloungehostel.com).
Twins cost from £23 per room per night. Drink and eat in the Bairro Alto
area from 11pm. Locals love Restaurante Príncipe do Calhariz for bargain
Portuguese food such as espetada de gambas (garlic prawns) - but you'll need
to queue!
Head to Barcelona, via Madrid. It only takes around 14 hours and a bed on the train costs £35. Check into the Basic Born Hotel (Chicandbasic.com), with single rooms from £63, then make your way to fairy forest bar, Bosc de les Fades, and sup drinks in an enchanted forest.
Board the Salvador Dalí night train to explore historical Florence (it leaves at 7.25pm). Make sure you crash at the Hotel Andrea (Hotelandrea.it), a former palace with views over the Tuscan countryside - from £46 per night per room, B&B. Climb the gothic Duomo (cathedral), then take the 9pm train to London via Paris. You'll be back in Blighty in time for a full English brekkie.
Close encounters: the UK
Bliss out rather than binge your way around Blighty and all its home-from-home delights
Start in London by checking into the cheap and totally cheerful easyHotel (Easyhotel.com) in Paddington. At a bargain £35 a night for a double, you'll have plenty of pennies left for sundowner cocktails in the sky. Head to the very top of the Centrepoint tower (Paramount.uk.net) for a 360-degree view of the capital. It's a private members club, so call ahead to get your name on the guest list. Once you're back on solid ground again, go to the classically cool Covent Garden and check out the tasty Real Food Market, which runs Thursday-Sunday on the East Piazza. Then relax with a Deep Cleansing Facial, just £18, at the London College of Beauty Therapy (Lcbt.co.uk).
Drink in the view at London's Centrepoint and right, Citizen M in Glasgow: not second class
Continue to Brit-up by catching the sleeper train to Glasgow (from £26
for a single, Scotrail.co.uk).
Stay at the swish Citizen M Hotel (Citizenmglasgow.com),
from £59 per room. You can tailor your stay with the in-room MoodPad, which
controls everything from the coloured lighting to the blinds. As night
falls, stroll across Kelvingrove Park to buzzy Ubiquitous Chip (Ubiquitouschip.co.uk),
with its epic wine list.
Your new monochrome home in Liverpool
Next stop Northern Ireland, with flights to Belfast from £28 with Flybe
(Flybe.com). Check in to
Robbie Williams' fave, The Culloden Estate And Spa (Hastingshotel.com)
and bed down for £95 per person. Take that.
Make your way down to the docks to cruise over to Liverpool with Stena Line Ferries (Stenaline.co.uk), from £30.50 a crossing. The hip RopeWalks quarter is home to the Base2Stay Hotel (Base2stay.com) - just £49 for a single. Fill your tummy in Chinatown, before getting down like the Beatles at The Cavern Club (Cavernclub.org). Rock and roll.
