I have just returned from a holiday in the tranquil village of Kalkan in Turkey where temperatures last week reached a 40-year high of 60 degrees in the shade. That's 60 degrees centigrade, not farenheit. It wasn't like being in an oven; it was an oven. The breeze became a blow torch across the face. The Turkish government called a two-day national holiday for all office workers. Five million chickens fried to death and 10 people died - both old and young - through heat exhaustion and heart attacks.

And what did the Brits in my hotel do? On the day it reached 60C (140 degrees farenheit), they lay on their sunbeds and soaked up the rays. They ignored the advice of the hotel staff, who looked on in amazement. 'These English,' said our hotel manager. 'Not even dogs would do this. Not even mad ones.'

'We get so little sun in this country,' says Keith Betton, of Abta, 'that when we're on holiday we are looking for guaranteed sun and guaranteed tan and want to make the most of the time. We don't want to be couped up in an air-conditioned - or worse still un-air-conditioned - room when the sun is out. We spend too much time indoors at home as it is.'

Although our British summer doesn't seemed to have blossomed so far this year, when the sun has come out the temperatures - in the 80s - have reached Mediterranean highs. With the impact of the greenhouse effect, are more extreme temperatures something holiday makers must expect in years to come? And what should they do to make the best of their holiday when the temperatures reach boiling point and above? Here are 10 tips to ensure that, whatever the weather, you get the most from your holidays.

1. Air conditioned?

Make sure your hotel or villa is air-conditioned. Make this one of your key questions when you book your holiday. It is worth paying extra, and brochures should advise whether hotels or rooms are air-conditioned. Plus check if 'air-conditioned' means proper air-conditioning or just the availability of ceiling fans, which are not as effective in temperatures this high. You won't be able to sleep in conditions this hot if you don't have a properly air-conditioned room - and lack of sleep combined with dehydration bodes for an unhappy holiday. And don't think opening the windows at night will help either: think of the mosquitoes.

2. And baby comes, too?

For the first time, I didn't take my son, Tom (now 20-months old) with me on holiday. He would have spent the whole trip in the hotel creche and seen little of the pretty village and beautiful country. Extreme conditions of heat and cold should be avoided if you have very young children or babies. If you have a young family choose destinations where the climate is temperate. France and Italy tend not to be as hot - year on year - than Greece and Turkey during the summer months of July and August. For the latter destinations choose seasons when the climate is cool and not humid - in the spring or autumn. May, June and September are lovely in Turkey and Greece, for example. There is no optimum temperature for travel with infants but if you need further information contact the British Airways Travel Clinic Hotline on 01276 685040).

3. Protection, protection, protection

Protect yourself. Sounds obvious but we still don't. If you must go out to the shops or out in the sun, protect yourself. Take a sunhat - one that covers your head and the back of your neck.

I have watched parents meticulously protect their children only to go out without any protection themselves. As for suncream, don't think of anything less than a Factor 10, even if you tan well. (Remember that just because you are not burning doesn't mean you are not seriously dehydrating.) For the nose and boney bits (if you have any) that stick out, use Factor 25.

4. Salt and water

Drink lots of water. Don't drink coke or any drink with caffeine in it. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means you will pee more. Drink still, cool water or do as the locals do and drink the local teas. In Turkey, for example, apple tea - hot or cold - is very popular, cheap, offered in markets and shops, and quenches the thirst. You will also lose a lot of salt and iron. So take salt tablets.

Those with low blood pressure are more prone to fainting in temperatures this high - as I am. In hot climates, you may not want to eat during the day but make sure you eat in the afternoon. In hot countries you will find the food more highly salted any way and you will need it. If you feel faint or dizzy get indoors to a cool area, preferably air-conditioned. Sit down. Ask for a glass of cool water with salt in it, and while you are waiting put your head between your legs.

5. Ask the localsS

Ask for the day to day forecasts in the hotel. Most receptions will let you know if it is due to be an extra-hot day. And prepare for the day accordingly. Stay close to the hotel. Don't travel to a beach which has little or no shade. Book an excursion where the coaches are air-conditioned or visit local caves. And make sure you have drinking water with you and salt tablets at all times.

6. Doctor in the house

I went with Tapestry Holidays (020 8235 7777), which I found to be an excellent tour operator. Most of their accommodation is air-conditioned and all the company's coaches were air-conditioned. Their brochure advises of the nearest doctors to each hotel and resort and most of their accommodation has doctors on call. This is important whether you have children or not. My hotel had a doctor in the house, and he was very busy the week I visited Turkey with Brits feeling faint in the heat.

Most large hotels have doctors on call and smaller resorts have the addresses of doctors should you get heat stroke. Ask when you book your holiday at the travel agent about this service. It will prove invaluable and add peace of mind.

7. Have aircon will travel

Taking excursions to get out of the heat is a good idea only if you have air-conditioned transport.

What goes for air-conditioned rooms is doubly important while travelling. Choose a hire car with air-conditioning. Companies such as Holiday Autos (0870 5300400) offer this service. If the tour operator is offering excursions, make sure the coach is air-conditioned, and if you are travelling a long way make sure taxis are air-conditioned as well.

8. Forget the shade

Holidaymakers believe if they stay under a sunshade they won't get heatstroke. Wrong. They will. You can get sunstroke if you are in the shade or not. When temperatures are this high, avoid being in the sun between 12noon and 4pm altogether. Have a long lunch and stay indoors.

9. How to have fun in the very hot sun

What to do then when you're living in an oven? Staying in your room watching satellite TV is no option. When the going got tough in Turkey I booked a day out on a gulet where the sea breezes and temperatures were cooler. Not forgeting sunhat and sun tan cream. Day-long excursions that involve being in an air-conditioned coach and seeing the sites and avoiding the sun between noon and 4pm is a good idea. Any excursion that goes 'underground' (caves) is also good.

10. Pet hates

Don't forget pets. If you are taking your ani mals overseas, don't leave them to bake in cars, or outdoors for too long. They can't take the heat either.

• Sarah Tucker presents the Jazz Fm Travel Guide which starts on Thursday 3 August from 7-8pm on 102.2 fm and 100.4fm. She is author of 'Have Baby Will Travel' (£12.99) which offers advice on how to deal with hot climates if you have a baby. She will be presenting reports from some very hot destinations in the next series of Dream Tickets on LWT next year