Valentine’s Day is traditionally not kind to single people.
All those relentlessly lovey-dovey couples block-booking restaurants and clearing out the flower shops is enough to tip even the most stable singleton over the edge.
There is a way out, however. Start plotting your escape now and you could be sitting on a beach in the ‘consciously uncoupled’ Ibiza, or testing yourself to the limit on a snowy mountainside in Austria.
Here are the best Valentine’s Day escapes for single travellers.
Ayers Rock – the Australian package is only for the adventurous.Aussie adventure alone
A great way to avoid both Valentine’s Day hype and the single supplement is to stay in hostels.
Australia is the world expert at providing budget accommodation that rivals many hotels.
Sydney boasts the Railway Square YHA hostel, which incorporates a disused rail platform and has dorms in replica train carriages with four to eight beds.
There’s a spa pool and air-conditioning. Beds go from €21 a night.
Emirates has flights to Sydney for around €1,383 during February but maximise the fun by making the capital your jumping-off point for an Aussie adventure that takes in diving the Barrier Reef in Cairns, trekking Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) and delving into the rainforest in Kakadu National Park.
That has to beat a table for two at the same old restaurant.
Spend the day at the beach in a consciously uncoupled Ibiza.Put the I in Ibiza
San Antonio and Playa d’en Bossa are best known for their Pacevillesque antics, so they are a good choice for lone holidaymakers looking to blend into the crowd and unafraid of tequila shooters at dawn.
The Hostal Marino has a pool and games terrace in San Antonio and is just a short walk from four beaches. With single rooms going for €22.50 on www.booking.com, it’s a great deal.
If a throbbing nightlife isn’t your scene, the north of the island is calmer and the beaches are wild and empty.
Try Cala Llentrisca where you can sit in splendid isolation on the jetty and survey the fishing boats, or Es Portixol, a spectacular natural cove popular with fishermen. The Apartments del Rey (€33 per night www.priceline.com) is within driving distance of both beaches.
How about a gorgeously pampering time in Thailand?Thai, myself and I
One thing you really don’t need company for is a fitness and well-being holiday.
Website www.golearnto.com offers just that in Koh Samui, Thailand.
The nine-day programme at an exclusive island spa resort costs from €1,406 plus a single supplement of €367.
A tailored programme will be created just for you, consisting of workouts, massage, treatments and healthy food.
There is an infinity pool, space to relax and stretch in gorgeous grounds and the beaches are just 10 minutes away.
No prior workout experience is necessary – so there’s really no excuse not to go.
Skiing comes withapres-ski activities that are perfect for singletons.Ski and me
Skiing is a great singles activity; you’re out in the mountains for most of the day and in the evening, you can hang out with the crowd in your chalet if you want to.
www.skiworld.co.uk offers a seven-night holiday for one at Chalet Karl Riml, Solden, Austria.
That includes flights from London Gatwick and accommodation in a catered chalet that fits 24 people – which is a nice number for making friends.
The chalet is just 350m away from the Giggijoch Gondola which gives you access to all of the mountain runs.
A trip for one costs around €1,135 for a seven-night departure today, including flights, transfers, all meals, tea and cake and unlimited house wine.
A more exotic celebration awaits on Komodo island.A dragon boat for one
Travel website www.fredolsencruises.com has got decent single prices on their Temples, Dragons and Islands Tour to Japan.
This exotic cruise leaves from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, sailing the Java Sea to Indonesia, where you’ll make three stops.
There’ll be a chance to take in the stunning Borobudur temple, which is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments.
The ship will also stop at Komodo Island to see the infamous dragons that live here.
During your day in the Philippines, you could visit a fortune-teller at the Taoist temple before you hit Naha in Okinawa, the first Japanese port.
Visit traditional markets and the ancient Shuri Castle before sailing to your final destination, Tokyo.
A single cabin costs from €3,336 for a 15-night cruise departing on Saturday. Cruises are a great way to travel alone, offering anonymity if you want it, but access to lots of fellow travellers when you feel like some company.