Follow in James Bond’s footsteps

published 1 July 2016

travel-main — Indulge your Bond fantasies on Ko Khao Phing Kan in Thailand

Chris Carter looks at four holidays in famous TV and film locations

Ko Khao Phing Kan, Thailand

The Man With The Golden Gun

Thailand hasn't been slow to cash in on its connections to the spy. Boatloads of tourists come to this "speck" of land in Phang Nga Bay to recreate their Bond fantasies, or just admire the view, with its famous limestone outcrops.

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From £2,725 per person for ten nights Carrier.co.uk

Akureyri, Iceland

Hordes of Game of Thrones fans have descended on Iceland, the setting for land north of "The Wall" populated by Wildlings, says Oliver Smith in The Daily Telegraph. Take a tour beginning in the town of Akureyri, on Iceland's north coast. It takes in numerous spots familiar to Game of Thrones buffs, such as the lava fields of Dimmuborgir and the Grjtagj cave, which becomes Jon Snow's love nest. Yet, it's the variety of landscapes that is most impressive. "Just don't expect to meet any Wildlings."

From £950 per person see Regent-Holidays.co.uk

Versailles, France

Viewers have been transfixed by Louis XIV's opulent court portrayed in the ten-part television series Versailles. One of the stars of the show is the palace itself. Be sure to call in on the hall of mirrors, says Hannah Meltzer in The Sunday Telegraph, the setting for the signing of the treaty that ended World War I. October is the best time to visit,when the gardens are much quieter and particularly colourful.

See En.ChateauVersailles.fr

Pembroke, Wales

Me Before You

See StBridesSpaHotel.com

Spain: the new home of Bollywood

That Bollywood is big business hasn't been lost on Spain, which hosted the annual International Indian Film Academy awards last weekend, says The Guardian.

The so-called "Bollywood Oscars" is Madrid's chance to grab a bigger share of India's fast-growing market in tourism. Hrithik Roshan is among those who attended. The actor starred in the coming-of-age film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, the year's highest-grossing Bollywood flick. Spain's tourism agency, which suggested filming locations, regularly visits India to pitch the tax breaks on offer.

The famous Tomatina festival and Pamplona bull run were both featured, helping to nearly double the number of Indian visitors the following year.

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

You can follow Chris on Instagram.