Clive Anderson
broadcaster

I'd unashamedly recommend Riemann P20, a once-a-day sun filter perfect for people with my pale complexion - a 'peely wally' as they call it in my native Scotland.

I cottoned on to it doing TV work in hot countries, because you don't want slimy stuff all over you when you face the camera. Now it has caught on. Put it on once before breakfast and it protects you all day.

It somehow binds with your skin, though God knows what it does to you later in life.

Jilly Cooper
author

Avoid going on holiday with people who are much richer than you (you worry the whole time about spending too much), or much poorer than you (you spend all your time grumbling about their meanness).

The Barefoot Doctor
OM columnist

The night before going on holiday, I always hold a brief meeting with myself (and all of my sub-personalities) and explain to myself that it's now time to let go of the adrenaline addiction of London, work and all the razzle-dazzle and let myself go into irresponsible mode for however long I'll be away. This is important, because I've found without gaining this basic agreement from myself, it would waste half the holiday trying to unwind. With agreement, it happens instantaneously.

I always take a bottle of lavender oil, which is brilliant as a natural antiseptic and helps to heal burns, including sunburn. It is relaxing and encourages sleep when rubbed on temples, and smells nice.

But to be really honest, I'd never travel anywhere without a bottle of my own brand perfume (Barefoot Doctor's Chi/Qi - Private Mix) because there's not a scent to touch it for downright sexiness, or Barefoot Doctor's Portable Magic which cools you down a treat if rubbed on the temples, especially if you are suffering from sunstroke. That's not a cheap plug: I made the stuff for myself originally and it was marketed because it's so damn good.

Finally, I try to take a Tom Robbins novel. For me he's the ultimate don. I especially liked Jitterbug Perfume.

Tim Moore
travel writer

Insecticide, earplugs, Tabasco, laser pointer. Earplugs in case the nightlife is a little bit too exciting; a laser pointer in case it isn't.

Barbara Ellen
Observer columnist

Being an anti-sun fanatic, the first thing I do is stockpile the highest factor sun cream I can find. Usually it's a factor 60, criminally expensive, and to be found in the baby and child section, with a teddy bear drawing on the front. Smear it on and you look like you're coated in goose fat and about to swim the Channel for your school, but at least you will remain pale and (alas) uninteresting.

The other essentials anti-sunnies should buy before they leave are an adequately attractive sun hat (the ones you find on beaches seem to be designed for Mexicans sleeping in doorways), and - for those times when everyone else is cavorting about - a stack of books. Try taking war histories, murder mysteries and sad celebrity biographies, the most ghostly and ghastly the writing the better.

David Blunkett
Home Secretary

My best travel tip is to always have a small bottle of still water with you.

When I am on my tandem - or simply walking in the Derbyshire Peak District - a mouthful of water is essential and the equivalent for me of Tony Benn's huge mug of tea (try carrying a mug of tea on a tandem.)

I am also slightly paranoid about jet lag so drinking lots of water is essential to surviving international travel, as well as repairing the self harm that those of us who like a glass of wine inflict upon ourselves.

Becci Field
beauty editor, Glamour magazine

I always pack some scented candles for my hotel room. They make me feel more at home. Space.NK sells some great fig-scented ones by Diptyque.

I never fly without my Donna Karan cashmere neck pillow and Brora cashmere socks. They make the journey so much more comfortable.

I cram my vanity case with all the latest products to try out on the plane. Prescriptives does a fabulous facial spritzer called Flight Mist and Dr Harris Crystal Eye Gel is great for puffy eyes.

Sir Richard Branson
Virgin Atlantic chairman

I try always to go on holiday with our family, and I use the wait in the Virgin Upper Class lounge to get my hair cut. Once we have arrived at our destination, I have to be in touch with my business colleagues. So if we are not going to Necker [his own island] in the Caribbean, I have to take a mobile or satellite phone and my ever-essential note and address books. Apart from that we travel light!

Patricia Yates
editor of Holiday Which?

My holiday planning is so disorganised that the suitcase tends to contain what was clean at the time I pack. I do try to take sunglasses, the only designer item I own, in a futile attempt to look cool. I also take plasters because I always end up buying new shoes just before I travel and Earl Grey teabags if self-catering, which must proclaim me as 'a woman of a certain age'.

My favourite things to take away are my two sons, and once their clobber is packed there is no room for mine anyway.

Mariella Frostrup
Observer columnist

I never travel without a shawl. My husband, Jason, says I look like a Greek grandma on a plane. My friend, Penny Smith, has a picture of me in an airline blanket and a shawl (I own three, including a pashmina). I always get freezing on planes.

I always travel with a CD Walkman thing to get rid of bothersome strangers. I bring my own ear plugs and an eye mask because airlines don't give them out much these days, especially in economy class.

Clarins Beauty Flash is essential for the end of a long flight and so that children don't cry when they see your face when you get to the terminal. It's really good after late nights and hangovers. It's the original and best thing.

If I go trekking or do something rough, I like to take a head torch, like a miner's, so I don't scrabble round when looking for things. And I always take a big bag of prunes, for obvious reasons.

Boy George
musician

I never leave home without my sense of humour, because most practical things like travel clogs, cute brushes, etc can be found in the most far-flung places. If, however, you end up in the jungle and are forced to wipe your bottom with a banana leaf, you will find that the ability to laugh about it is essential.

My first trip to India springs to mind, when I think of sanitation. I managed to find what I was told was one of the best curry houses in Kerala, but after the delicious curry had done its duty my belly started to do its duty. I was directed to the loo which was outside and housed in a dodgy wooden frame.

Inside, there was the hole in the mud, a tap, a bucket and a soiled flannel that was probably why it was first hung there... I suddenly became very prissy and my desire to get down and dirty on my Indian trail suddenly felt like folly. The mixture of swelter ing heat, the flies and the stench turned me into Mrs Bucket. Once I'd got it over and done with, I found it hugely amusing and it prepared me for what lay ahead.

Joanne O'Connor
Observer Travel Deputy Editor

As an allergic, insomniac, hayfever sufferer prone to seasickness (not to mention a healthy dose of hypochondria), I never go anywhere without my fix of Phenergan. It's available over the counter from chemists and is the best tablet I've found for preventing motion sickness.

One of the main side-effects is that it makes you drowsy: perfect if you find it hard to get to sleep in a strange hotel room or if jet lag has thrown your body clock out of synch.

But what really takes it into the wonder drug league is that it also acts as an antihistamine: so if your idea of fun is being dragged through a winter forest by a team of Siberian huskies or riding across the pampas with your favourite gaucho (and that is my idea of fun) this is the perfect solution.

A Swiss Army Knife is vital. I still haven't worked out what most of the tools are for, but the corkscrew has helped me out of many a tight spot, and it's the only way a girl can get away with packing tweezers and nail scissors on a hardcore wilderness trip without losing all credibility. Few things in life are more satisfying than watching your fellow campers trying to open a tin of peaches with a fork before smoothly flipping open your integrated can opener and asking, smugly, 'Would you like a hand with that?'

Alain de Botton
author and philosopher

I've recently got a new Sony Ericsson phone which enables you to check emails at any time at any place in the world. This is an exceptionally useful gadget. What's also good about it is that if you don't want to be 'in', no one suspects that you can access your emails from a mobile phone, so you can safely ignore them.

Alastair Sawday
publisher of the Special Places to Stay guide books

Don't forget the nine Ps: plasters, paracetamol, passport photocopies, plastic bags, plugs for ears, plugs for basins, pillow, poetry and propolis.

Those last three need explanations. I am setting myself up for decades of teasing by admitting this, but I can't sleep without a decent pillow and will travel with my own when going to uncomfortable countries. (Is that a tenth P, 'pathetic'?).

Poetry is instant access to distilled wisdom, beauty, despair, hope and entertainment. A small anthology packs more punch than a pile of heavy novels - and weighs less.

As for propolis, I confess to a recent conversion. This greenish-brown stuff is made by bees and cures most ills, apparently; anyway squillions of bees can't be wrong.

Not everything useful starts with a P. So: teabags, a wallet that has all your vital docu ments and hangs round your neck, silk shirts, a karabiner for dangling miscellany from your rucksack, a small bottle of whiskey and a stash of spare money cunningly hidden and which your partner knows nothing about.

My last trick, useful for a cyclist in the UK let alone a foreign traveller, is to take a flannel, a small towel and small bar of soap. With such things you can wash all over anywhere.

Finally, cross your fingers and hope. I've just recovered from typhoid, caught in India, but am no wiser about how to travel.

Tim Atkin
Observer wine writer

The growing acceptance of screw-cap bottles has made it easier to be a travelling wino, but most bottles are still stoppered with a cork, plastic or natural.

That's why I always carry a corkscrew. I've had three confiscated at airports (hard to see someone hijacking a plane with a waiter's friend, but there you go), so nowadays I make sure the thing is tucked away in my suitcase.

If I could be bothered to carry glasses around with me, I would, because too many wines are served in inadequate glasses (the Paris goblet is still the verre de choix in most restaurants). But there is sad and very sad, and taking your own glasses on holiday merits the latter description.

Tara Palmer-Tompkinson
It-girl

I always travel in a Juicy Couture tracksuit, because it's the most comfortable thing to fly in.

Lynn Barber
Observer writer

If you are claustrophobic like me, Luton is almost the only bearable London airport. It has an outdoor beer garden - admittedly squalid - through the pub in the departures lounge where you can get fresh air. Luton is best for parking and, incidentally, for watching rabbits.

Never board a plane when dying for a drink - wherever you sit, the drinks trolley will take at least two hours to arrive. Never buy the wine on Ryanair. On second thoughts, never buy anything on Ryanair.

Use cheap, standard luggage but paint your initials on it with nail varnish to make it identifiable.

Remember that the weather everywhere is now completely unpredictable and planes are always freezing.

Take more books than you think you can possibly need - and save at least one for the airport delay coming home.

Bez
musician from Happy Mondays

Five things: 1) king-size blue Rizla, 2) laptop, 3) fistful of local currency, 4) toothpaste and toothbrush, 5) pair of maracas.

Julie Brunt
British Airways long-haul flight attendant

I always wrap any bottles such as lotions and shampoos in bags as I have had them explode and ruin my clothes. It's good to have a pack in your hand baggage with such things such as moisturiser and lip salve to make the flight pleasanter. I always take a bottle of water, something to read and a little bag of crisps and sweets. You need to drink water throughout the flight. Since I began flying, I have noticed changes to my skin and hair. Drink as much as you can, as regularly as you can.

I take a personal medical bag with such things as headache tablets. If passengers ask us for medicine on the flight we have to fill in a form. Often people pack their medicine in their hold luggage. Diabetics should carry medicine with them - it is easy to keep insulin at room temperature for 24-48 hours.

In case your luggage gets lost, it is handy to have underwear and a change of clothes in your hand luggage so you can go to the hotel and freshen up while you wait for the rest of your bags.

Trying to get to sleep on a flight can be difficult. Make sure you don't nod off just before flying. Take ear plugs and eye shades.

As for getting an upgrade, the mysteries of check-in are just that to me.

Neasa MacErlean
Observer Cash writer

Buy travel insurance. You are particularly vulnerable when you go abroad and, sooner or later, you will probably need to claim. Take your policy documents with you so you know exactly what to do. Some people lose out because, for instance, they do not report details of a theft to the local police within a day of the crime.

Consider annual travel cover if you go away two or three times a year. Insurance bought through a travel agent is usually very expensive. It's best avoided, particularly if you have time to buy cover on the internet or from a broker or bank. Which? magazine listed Direct Travel, James Hampden and Leading Edge among its best buys, often costing only a third of the premium you might pay at Thomas Cook.

Look at the policy exclusions and make sure you declare any medical conditions you have. People suffering from asthma, for example, may be unable to claim if they do not declare the problem beforehand.

Make sure you have an E111 form with you to make it easier for you to have the equivalent of NHS treatment in other European Union countries. It's available free from post offices. Take a mixture of cash, travellers cheques, credit cards and other plastic. You can easily withdraw money from cash machines in most of the frequently-visited locations but there can be difficulties in other countries. Be sure to use hotel security boxes to keep your money and expensive items safe.

Tell your credit-card issuer if you are going abroad. Barclaycard has just set up a special number for this. Otherwise, the firms' anti-fraud teams may spot transactions that seem out of your usual pattern (buying a diamond ring in New York, perhaps) and you may not be able to use your card.

Be careful when using cards abroad. France tops the list of places where UK travellers are ripped off. Anti-fraud measures for cards issued in France are more sophis ticated than with UK ones, so French fraud gangs focus on the British. Don't let other people get too close when withdrawing cash from machines and don't let your credit card out of your sight.

Making dodgy insurance claims may seem tempting, but don't do it. Insurers pay out £250 million a year on travel policies, and they look closely for fraudulent or exaggerated claims. The most common type of fraud is overstating the value of a lost or stolen camera, watch or other item. You could face some unpleasant questioning if you try it.

Dr Peter Barrett
medical director, Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (Masta)

Travellers' most common medical problem is diarrhoea. My tip is always to carry ciprofloxacin, which is an effective antibiotic. You will need a prescription but lots of doctors are happy to give one.

If you just take a single dose it is very positive in reducing diarrhoea. If you have spent a fortune on going to Mexico, the last thing you want is to spend three or four days on the toilet. If you do get diarrhoea, the most important thing is to stay hydrated.

Unless you are sure about the water, don't drink it. Bottled water is widely available and you should use it to brush your teeth too. If you can't get this, boil tap water or sterilise it.

Get advice about vaccinations six to eight weeks before you go to a developing country. You will need several shots.

I would discourage people from taking medical kits that have snake bite anti-venom unless someone with you has medical training. They are dangerous to use. You might like to carry a sterilised needle if you are going to a developing country.

You need to know if you are at above-normal risk of DVT, for example if you are pregnant, obese or a smoker. If so, you should seek the advice of your doctor. On the plane, try not to stay motionless in your seat for hours. Get up and walk around every hour or, if that's not possible, do some exercises in your seat. Stay hydrated, and don't drink too much booze. You can wear properly fitting below the knee compression socks.

A few wacky treatments do work: to help pull out sea anemone spines, which can be painful to the feet, drip warm wax from a candle on them, and leave it to dry for a while. The wax sticks to the spines and you can pull them out. If you step on a venomous fish, be aware that their toxins are destroyed by heat. Plunge your foot into a bucket of water so hot you can only just bear it.

You can get more advice from the Masta helpline, on 0906 8224100; or at www. masta.org. Calls cost 60p a minute; a health brief on the web costs £4.99.

Newby Hands
health and beauty director, Harpers & Queen

I used to catch a cold every time I flew until I packed an aromatherapy spray. Now I think this is the most important thing to take on a plane. Lavender or tea tree oil are best. They are antiseptic so you can spray the air around you and the seat. It really does make a difference and it smells nice.

Cleansing face wipes are great. Everyone does them these days but Sheiseido are the best. You don't have to rinse them off - it's just like a wet wipe but it's a cleanser. It takes off all your make up and doesn't leave your skin dry.

Face sprays are quite good and refreshing, but it is better to drink lots of water. If you are doing more than a few hours' flying you are better off cleansing your skin and moisturising it with two layers of cream, really massaging it in.

A businesswoman gave me a tip for easing jet lag: if there is any daylight when you get to your destination, don't put your sunglasses on for a while. The sun can have an effect on your brain and the melatonin levels, helping you to adjust to the lag.

You can get 'travel-size' in all the beauty ranges but it's a good idea to stock up on samples before you go away by going round the beauty counters, and asking nicely. If you are going away for two weeks, you have the luxury of time for face and hair masks, which come in handy sachets.

I think the best sun cream comes from the L'Oréal group. Make sure you put it on naked so you don't burn around your bikini lines. Remember, you don't have to burn before you tan. As you are not going to tan for a few days, I recommend you get a fake tan so you aren't conscious of being the pasty person on the beach. The proper St Tropez tan does last. Lancôme does a great after-sun cream which has a bit of fake tan in it, enough to build up colour but not enough to make a huge mistake. Dermatologists say after-sun products have all the anti-oxidants needed to repair some of the damage.

Go for sheer make-up products which look great, particularly on older skin. Clinique has a fantastic cheek tint, called Gel Blush, which you can use on the lips too. Remember, when people tan, their lipstick looks paler, so go for the sheer glosses. Big, cloggy lashes look awful on holiday so be careful with mascara - Shu Uemura has a good drawing mascara with a little brush. Remember, the whole glitter thing is out, although lots of people don't seem to know it yet.

Kathryn Flett
Observer TV critic

There are two 'must have' items. I always travel with a tube of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream. It is fantastic for moisturising, cuts, bites, grazes, sunburn and as a lip salve. It can do all sorts of different, unexpected things.

Bizarrely, although the drug rules are usually so much stricter over the pond than in Britain, melatonin can be bought at airports in the United States, but you need a prescription for it in Britain. It's a fantastic knock-you-out herbal sleep enforcer, wonderful for jet lag, or for sleeping on the jet.