By Lucy Stretch

It is hard to avoid the glamorous holiday destinations plastered all over our social media feeds by celebs, whilst we can’t escape the never-ending cycle of studying and revision. And although the end of term and exams seems impossibly far away, surely it can’t hurt to dream about endless sandy beaches, warm blue seas and tropical weather?

With cheap flights more readily available, and a three-month long summer, travelling further afield than Europe is much more of a reality than a daydream. According to recent FCO data, 30% of 18-24 year olds are influenced by celebrities when deciding where to go on holiday. Of course, all we see are the filtered glamourous beach shots on Instagram, when in reality there is a lot to consider when going abroad, so make sure you visit the Travel Aware page to avoid getting into trouble abroad.

Okay, so there is a lot about Alessandra Ambrosio’s life that we could be envious about, but her recent trip to the idyllic Caribbean beaches of The Bahamas is definitely at the top of the list. Visiting the Caribbean is most certainly on my bucket list, but there are rules and regulations that need to be considered when visiting the tropical islands. For example, in many Caribbean countries, such as Barbados, St. Vincent, and St. Lucia, the wearing of camouflage clothing, including by children, is banned. Check out the local laws and customs. page to find out more.

The Kardashians have pretty much made it their lives’ work to flaunt their glamourous lifestyles on our social media, which included a trip to Japan last month. Whilst they mainly posted photos of the food they ate – which did look incredible – I wonder if they knew the local customs of Japan.  For example, the use or possession of some medicines such as Vicks inhalers or painkillers containing codeine is banned in Japan and can result in detention and  deportation.

Trips to the United Arab Emirates have become more and more popular amongst celebrities, with Lucy Mecklenburgh documenting her many trips to the exotic city of Dubai on her Instagram page.  The FCO have highlighted that trips to the UAE by Brits are up by more than a sixth this year, making it essential you check out the local laws and customs of the country if you are planning on venturing here and experiencing a taste of a celebrity lifestyle.

The laws and customs of the UAE are very different to those in the UK, so make sure you are clued up as to what is acceptable and what isn’t so you don’t get into trouble and can enjoy your trip stress-free. For example, photography of certain government buildings and military installations isn’t allowed, so be careful where you point your camera. Hobbies, such as bird watching and plane spotting can be misconstrued, as in February 2015 when three British nationals were arrested whilst plane spotting at UAE airports. They were detained for 2 months.

Consuming alcohol is possible in licensed hotels and clubs in the UAE, but it is a punishable offence to drink or to be under the influence of alcohol in public, so be sure to read the FCO’s Travel Aware page to know exactly what is allowed.

Wherever you are planning to visit this summer, whether it is a one-hour or fifteen-hour plane journey away, make sure you know and understand the local laws and customs, so you can achieve that picture-perfect Instagram post from your balcony, and not from behind bars.