A trip into the movies!
Let your TV and film favourites inspire your next holiday
The Man With the Golden Gun
JAMES BOND ISLAND (KHAO PHING KAN), THAILAND
Roger Moore fans will be in 007 heaven on a visit to James Bond Island in Thailand. Its actual name is Khao Phing Kan, but it gained its nickname in 1974 when Christopher Lee’s Scaramanga used the island to store his weaponry. The island is now protected, meaning that unfortunately you can’t set foot on it, but you can get great views by exploring Phang Nga Bay by boat. Base yourself in Phuket and take a day trip to pay your respects to the late, great Sir Roger. Stay at Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel, which is very affordable but still boasts a swimming pool and is great for exploring the town.
Rooms from £44 per night. Call 0066 76 219 019 or visit www.casablancaphuket.com
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
GLENFINNAN VIADUCT, INVERNESS-SHIRE, SCOTLAND
All aboard the Hogwarts Express! Take the majestic Jacobite steam train on Scotland’s West Highland Line from Glasgow, and travel over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, which you might remember from the films. The round-trip takes roughly two hours each way, with almost two hours to explore the pretty port town of Mallaig at the halfway point. You’ll be rewarded with glorious views.
Adult day return ticket £35, children £20. For times, dates and to book, call 0844 850 4685 or visit www. westcoastrailways.co.uk/ jacobite/jacobite-steamtrain-details.cfm
Dirty Dancing
FIREFLY COVE, LAKE LURE, NORTH CAROLINA, USA
“Nobody puts Baby in the corner,” but they did put her in a lake to practise that infamous lift. If you know all the words to Hungry Eyes, then why not book a trip to the picturesque Firefly Cove in North Carolina, where Baby and Johnny honed their moves? Super-fans should time their visit to coincide with the annual Dirty Dancing Festival (this year August 18-19), which includes watermelon games, dance competitions and – of course – a film screening. And that’s not the area’s only claim to fame. Other films made there include Hunger Games and Last of the Mohicans. Rest your head at the Lodge on Lake Lure – a homely hotel with lake views and free amenities, including paddleboards, kayaks and canoes.
Rooms from $160 (around £125) per night including breakfast. Call +1 800 733 2785 or visit www.lodgeonlakelure.com For more information on the festival visit www.dirtydancingfestival.com