While sunning yourself on an overseas beach can often be just the ticket, discerning travellers increasingly want to get away from the tourist trail and sample some real culture.

Phuket is famed for its azure seas and white sands, and the Por Tor Hungry Ghost Festival offers holidaymakers the chance to experience a slice of something completely different.

Also known as the “turtle festival,” Por Tor happens in the seventh lunar month of each year and draws on the island’s Chinese Hokkien history

The turtle is a symbol of long life in Chinese culture, and during the festivities families prepare artfully arranged flower designs, candles, foods and fruits to offer at the altar to the ancestors.

This festival takes place from August 21 to September 6 this year and virtually all of the island’s Oriental shrines will participate in the celebrations.

Intrepid travellers can flight out from Heathrow or Gatwick airport and should make their first port of call the market on Ranong Road.

There they’ll get a chance to see lion dances, magic shows, live concerts, cabaret entertainment and learn to expect the unexpected.

Since Ranong Road is close to the market, visitors can try and wide variety of culinary treats prepared for the Por Tor.

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People planning a trip to Florida for their summer holidays this year may want to think about hopping on a bus and travelling around the state to see what’s on offer, tourism official have said.

While families may be looking for a restful break, particularly after a long journey involving airport transfers, a tourism agency for Polk Country said travellers should explore Florida’s wild side.

According to the agency, Polk County, which is located in the geographical heart of Florida between Orlando and Tampa, is a secret haven for visitors looking to explore further. Some of the attractions on offer include the Safari Wilderness Ranch.

The ranch, which opened for guided tours earlier this year, should be a hit with animal lovers as it is home to a number of unusual species. These include the scimitar-horned oryx, which is extinct in the wild.

A new water park at Legoland Florida also opened in May and should provide families with hours of fun.

The water park features 50 rides, shows, and a botanic garden, as well as other top family attractions. For those interested in nature, the region also hosts the Polk NatureFest, which will feature airboat eco-tours, nature talks and other activities.

And for sports and outdoor lovers, central Florida offers a number of options including watersports, fishing and birdwatching.

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The declining strength of the Indian Rupee is attracting an influx of tourists to India as an increasing number of holidaymakers look to stretch the value of their currency, according to media sources.

India’s popularity as a holiday destination has skyrocketed since the rupee started to weaken and interested tourists have made the former British protectorate the most widely searched for holiday destination online.

Sources suggested that people who had previously visited India in the cheaper off-season were now enquiring about the availability of more expensive rooms during the peak season, traditionally between October and February.

The claims were mirrored by the fact that subcontinent queries with one well-known internet travel agent revealed a 50% rise in enquiries, which included religious tours, during the peak season.

Industry experts claim that the majority of the enquires have been coming from neighbouring countries in South-East Asia and England, suggesting that the 2012/13 peak season could see foreign tourist arrivals go through the roof.

As well as the numbers of mid-level foreign holidaymakers searching for cheap flights to India on the internet, the rupee’s decline has also seen the outbound Indian tourist looking for value-for-money domestic trips as a cheaper alternative, with economical internal flights and budget hotels the flavour of the month.

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Travellers yearning for a taste of the exotic this summer could find their dream holiday within reach, according to Caribbean tour operators.

Airlines keen to boost demand for flights to the region, together with hoteliers ready to lower off-peak rates, means that prices over the next few weeks could fall to remarkably low levels. Virgin and British Airways are just two of the airlines that have been running special promotions, and many of the package deals include airport transfers once you arrive at your destination.

“We’re seeing particularly good deals through all operators to the Caribbean over the next six weeks,” said Paula Whitehead, managing director at Elite Island Resorts.

“As European destinations hit peak prices during July and August, the Caribbean can be terrific value at this time, with prices significantly lower than they are in the British winter months.”

She added: “Many resorts – including St James’s Club and The Verandah in Antigua – are doing more to attract families this summer, with child-friendly menus, storytelling workshops, cookery classes and bigger children’s clubs.”

Examples of offers already available include a seven-night all-inclusive stay at the four-star Almond Beach Club & Spa in Barbados, departing from Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic, for £995; and a similar deal at the four-star Smugglers Cove in St Lucia at the end of August for £899. Both offers are available from Hayes & Jarvis.

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Holidaymakers who do not buy their foreign currency before they set off are being warned that they could lose a lot of money by using bureaux de change in hotels abroad.

Hotels in Spain can offer particularly bad value, with some offering as little as 0.82 euros to the pound compared to a typical tourist rate of around 1.20 euros, according to a survey by foreign exchange company Travelex.

Britons who are going on holiday to the Canary Islands, Corfu, Florida or Turkey might also be advised to buy their foreign currency before they board their airport transfers, as the poll highlighted poor exchange rates in hotels at those destinations too.

Buying holiday money on arrival at all-inclusive holiday resorts can be an especially risky business, the research showed, as such hotels can offer some of the worst foreign exchange rates of all.

Elvin Eldic of Travelex acknowledged that all-inclusive holidays appeal to people because they can represent “the carefree option” and can also make it easier for tourists to budget ahead for a holiday.

“However, not considering their travel money before leaving could prove costly and those withdrawing money to fund activities outside their all-inclusive deals are being badly stung by hotel exchange bureaux charging high commission or offering extremely poor exchange rates,” he added.

A glamorous beachclub brand is spreading its wings to an emerging the Black Sea tourist hotspot after making a name for itself with clubbers at the more established Black Sea sun destinations.

Puro Black Sea is heading to the Romanian resort of Mamaia, where it will be aiming to attract the upmarket party set and stylish clubbers to its restaurant and bar, pool with poolside salon, and its own private beach.

Clubbers who are more used to taking their airport transfers to the likes of Mallorca, Marbella and the Algarve might just be tempted to seek out Puro’s new outpost, with live DJ sets, pool parties and dance music beating into the early hours.

Mamaia has emerged as a favourite destination for Eastern Europeans with new affluence, with its luxury hotels, picture-postcard beaches and buzzy nightlife.

Puro may prove a hot ticket for the young jet-setters who are increasingly heading to the resort to enjoy late-night partying in lavish surroundings.

The new beachclub is looking to evoke feelings of luxury resorts in St Tropez or Miami Beach, with well-heeled visitors lounging on sleek white sunbeds by day before dancing into the night.

Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus surround the Black Sea, while the Mediterranean, Aegean Seas and various straits ultimately connect it to the Atlantic.

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Whale lovers looking to escape the soggy English summer should put aside their Free Willy DVDs and book themselves a flight from Gatwick or Heathrow airport to sunny Sydney, where there is still time to catch the last of this year’s whale watching expeditions.

Humpback whales, famed for their song, travel thousands of kilometres between their winter breeding ground to their summer feeding ground along the East Coast of Australia.

Late October is the time of the year when the humpback whales migrate back to icy Antarctic waters, meaning that the chance to see this breathtaking spectacle will vanish for another year.

Most tours operators are so confident that tourists will get the chance to see these majestic creatures in their natural environment that they offer 100% money back guarantees if there is no marine action.

As well as the humpbacks, the seas and oceans around Australia are home to the southern right whale, bottlenose dolphins and the awe-inspiring blue whale – the largest animal on the planet, capable of growing to almost 100ft in length.

Tours head out from the iconic Sydney Harbour, where tourists can climb the 134 metre tall construction and look out across the city and seascape, while their whale watching achievement can be commemorated with a certificate and stunning photographs of these great beasts.

A new study has found that UK holidaymakers will find that their money goes 11.5% further in Europe this summer, with Bulgaria emerging as the best value.

Of the 12 different locations analysed, Bulgaria was the cheapest for sun cream, ice creams, soft drinks and a family meal out, with all the above costing £110.17 on average compared to £121.11 in the next most reasonable place, the Costa del Sol.

The Post Office Travel Money poll also discovered that four in five parents’ budgets are hit by children asking them for extra things like ice creams. The firm’s boss, Andrew Brown, says this may wipe out the summer’s added savings.

“Our beach barometer shows just how much beach extras can add to the family holiday budget,” he said.

“Giving in to kids’ demands is understandable but it can wipe out the extra spending money that holidaymakers will have in their pockets this year, thanks to sterling’s gains against the euro and other European currencies.”

Crete and Ayia Napa were two of the more expensive destinations at £189.15 and £170.89 respectively. Bournemouth was not found to be too pricey with the items listed earlier coming to £147.23 in total.

There were also big differences in the individual items’ prices, with Portugal cheap for many of them. A Coca-Cola in the Algarve cost 86p compared to £2.16 in France, while a chocolate-covered ice cream was £1.29 in Portugal and £2.76 in France.

And a three-course family meal complete with drinks came to only £42.99 in the Algarve in Portugal, which is easily accessible from Stansted, Luton and Gatwick, but an equivalent dinner in Crete would set you back as much as £73.28.

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Newlyweds are being encouraged to consider Kenya as their romantic honeymoon destination by the country’s tourist board.

Officials claim that the East African nation provides an “unforgettable” experience with its combination of 300 miles of beaches and various safari or adventure options on its wildlife-filled plains.

The regional director of the Kenya Tourist Board for the UK and Ireland, Angie Sloan, also picked hot-air balloon rides, seeing the sun set over the Indian Ocean, boat trips at Lake Nakuru and sea-life spotting at the Watamu Marine Reserve as highlights.

She claims that Kenya can be one of the most romantic locations in the world for that first holiday as a married couple, with luxury lodges in national parks, high-end resorts on the coast and boutique hotels in Nairobi all on offer.

The country is being marketed as ideal for nature and wildlife lovers, adventure enthusiasts, outdoor explorers and safari seekers as well as couples who want the rest and relaxation on white sandy beaches that is usually associated with honeymoons.

And with a host of flights available from airports across the UK, including London Heathrow and Gatwick, and a range of deals at different prices, the tourist board is keen to see as many people as possible exploring Kenya on their honeymoon.

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Moves are afoot to make a historic silk mill in Japan the centre of a new World Heritage Site.

The oldest government-run silk mill in the country and related sites in Gunma Prefecture have been recommended by a special government committee for World Heritage site designation.

Japan’s modernisation was driven by the Tomioka Silk Mill, which also made a major contribution to the world’s silk industry, according to the World Cultural Heritage Special Committee of the Cultural Affairs Council.

A conference of relevant government agencies will formalise the recommendation and a provisional letter will be sent to UNESCO by the end of September, with the possibility if all goes to plan that the case will be considered by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in summer 2014.

British tourists who are currently finalising their Japan holiday plans – by booking their travel insurance and carrying out other important tasks such as arranging their airport transfers – may be excited by the latest developments at the important industrial site.

Tomioka was first included in UNESCO’s provisional list of candidates for World Heritage site accreditation in 2007 and the government’s formal proposal is set to be sent in by February 1 next year, after which point a panel of third-party experts review its merits together with UNESCO’S World Heritage Committee.

Among the places of interest within the Tomioka site is the Gunma Prefecture, said to be a model for modern silkworm-raising farmhouses, while the Tomioka Silk Mill itself was the first in Japan to be equipped with French reeling machines.

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