Those that arrive in November are generally the great-grandchildren of those that left the previous March, given that it takes several generations of butterflies to complete the 4,000km commute. Locals have long hailed the creatures as souls of the dead returning to the sacred mountains, their arrival serendipitously coinciding with the most famous of national festivals, Los Dias de Muertos (The Days of the Dead, on 1 and 2 November). "Ah! Uruapan, si." For residents of the dusty huts of Sierra Chincua, in the central highlands of Mexico, Europe is clearly a million miles away and it matters little that Maria decides I hail from the nearby city of Uruapan as opposed to a faraway continent Her comments reflect the isolation of our location. No." Suddenly a wide smile spreads across her sun-weathered face. Standing in a hazy swirl of smoke by her wooden hut, Maria Domitila pauses from arranging her kaleidoscopically bright rugs and looks pensive "Eu-ro-pa?" she says "Europa. A four-night charter with all meals costs from US$6,000 (£3,750) for two.WHERE CAN I GO WILD?Make for the wonderfully dramatic and remote watery border area between Japan and Russia. Reduced fares are frequently offered for early bookings with full payment. Cunard, for example, quotes two fares on its website: the brochure price and, for most cabins, a Sailaway discounted fare of some 45 per cent less (a serious price differential, given that, say, a full fare Queen's Grill Suite on the Sydney to Dubai sector costs £59,259).

When you call to book, the top discount might no longer be available, but there may be other offers. Conversely, cruise ships do not sail unless they are reasonably full, so late-discount fares are also a possibility, and on some routes there may be attractive last-minute bargains.Yet demand for cruises has become so high that for many cruise companies the most popular sectors of round-the-world routes now have limited capacity for 2006 and tickets are already being sold for 2007. If you can't find what you want direct from cruise companies, you may have more luck with cruise ticket specialists such as Ideal Cruising (0800 050 1093; www.idealcruising.co.uk) and Voyana Cruise (0871 271 5490; www.voyanacruise ). They can also arrange complete packages with flights and hotels on arrival.Clearly, you should shop around before making any commitment. First-time cruisers could visit the website www.choosingcruising.co.uk. This gives details of more than 40 cruise lines, offers impartial advice on how to choose the right cruise for you, and also provides tips on pricing structures and how to book your trip.WHAT ABOUT A SHORTER CRUISE?Head for Mumbai which is a new hub for Star Cruises (020-7591 8225; www.starcruises ).

Since September, the Asia-Pacific cruise specialist has been offering four-, two- and one-night trips from India's powerhouse of industry and film calling in at Goa, Cochin and the Lakshadweep Islands. You travel on board SuperStar Libra, which has capacity for 1,480 passengers and offers much local flavour: you can eat at the Four Seasons European-style restaurant, but it may be more fun to sample the Taj Indian family restaurant or the Saffron vegetarian and Jain buffet - and then drop by the Bollywood karaoke bar and lounge. Wildlife Worldwide (0845 130 69o82; www.wildlifeworldwide ) offers an August expedition cruise through this area, boarding an expedition ship in Japan and disembarking at Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. On this vast and hardly travelled swathe of land you continue the adventure with excursions along the Zhupanova River. The 15-day tour costs from £5,495 per person, including return flights from London via Seattle or Vancouver to Anchorage, in Alaska, onward air travel to Tokyo and return from Petropavlovsk, in Russia, all accommodation (in hotels and on board the expedition ship) and all meals, talks and activities during the ocean voyage.CRUISE AND DIVEOne of the most colourful types of adventure cruise is a "liveaboard", on which scuba divers sail and stay in order to explore remote coral gardens and other underwater sites.Dive Worldwide (0845 130 6980; www.diveworldwide ), for example, offers a nine-night trip in Thai and Burmese waters taking in sites around the Similans, Koh Bon and the Mergui archipelago.The expedition takes place aboard the relatively spacious and comfortable Anggun, which offers seven double cabins with private bathrooms, lounge, outdoor deck for meals, and sun deck.The full 12-day package from London costs from £2,010 per person, including flights to Thailand, all transfers, one night's accommodation with breakfast in Phuket, full-board accommodation on the liveaboard, and tanks, weights and unlimited diving with an experienced instructor.Other dive specialists offering liveaboards in the East include Regaldive (0870 2201 777; www.regal-diving.co.uk) with trips around the Andaman Sea, north-west of Phuket; and Scuba Safaris (01342 851 196; www.scuba-safaris ) offering expeditions in Thailand, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea..