Travel Essentials Issue 1 September/October 2015

TRAVEL ISSUE 1 - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Bangkok nights

Finding calm amid chaos in Thailand’s frenetic capital

Shooting star

TV girl’s stunning photos

Special places Famous names reveal their retreats

Escape to

what seems a

million miles away Your luxury QLodge break awaits Do you dream of swapping the hustle and bustle of life for some peace and tranquility?

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Welcome

The Essentials

ISSUE 1 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

04 Med to measure

23

Bubbly popping whilst yachting

08 A Grand design Star-gazing on the Grand Canal

10 Close to home Great getaways on the doorstep

14 Hidden gems Six of the (lesser-known) best

18 Bali lessons Focusing on Bali’s Mulia resort

20 Bangkok nights A haven amidst Thailand’s chaos

Your passport to inspiration

23 Behind the lens Trai Anfield’s amazing images

Luxe delights in firing your imagination, and we’re confident this travel supplement will do just that.

It’s jam-packed with tips and suggestions to reinvigorate your wanderlust. From setting sail with the Champagne set or living on the edge in bustling Bangkok to dreamy destinations a short drive away, you’re certain to find something to inspire you. Be sure to check out the amazing photographs taken by former TV weather girl Trai Anfield on her travels – big, bold landscapes and dazzlingly intimate wildlife portraits. And we’re certain you will enjoy our feature, over five pages, in which many of the region’s movers and shakers reveal their favourite holiday destinations – you’ll be surprised by some of their choices. Happy holidays!

27 Pearl Harbour

Kathryn Armstrong, editor

Movers and shakers’ top spots

Le Taha’a – home of black pearls

28 Big adventures Thrilling ideas for all the family

30 Star choices

Contributors Laura Millar • Ken Oxley

If you wish to advertise with us please contact our sales team: Lisa Anderson: lisa@remembermedia.co.uk / 07734 560565 or Debi Coldwell: debi@remembermedia.co.uk / 07910 918366

Remember Media Ltd, e-volve Business Centre, Cygnet Way, Rainton Bridge South Business Park DH4 5QY remembermedia.co.uk All contents copyright ©2015 RememberMedia Ltd. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print, September 2015. Travel Essentials is published annually by Remember Media Ltd.

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TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials

Med to measure This isn’t cruising, it’s yachting French-style with serious chic at every turn. Kathryn Armstrong sets sail Limitless funds, fabulous friends and a 50th birthday to celebrate? Obviously the urge is to pop a couple of hundred pals on board a chic French yacht and sail away along Croatia’s luscious Mediterranean coastline.

Yes, I’d do that. And it’s exactly what was happening on Le Lyrial once we’d finished our too-brief time on its inaugural journey on the Mediterranean.

The temptation to stow away and then make friends with the birthday boy was huge. We’d only spent three nights on board and really

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

didn’t want to succumb to dry land. We wanted to join that birthday party.

Whatever your perception of the word ‘cruise’, Le Lyrial will shoot it to bits. This is definitely more of a floating boutique hotel.

One where stylish people elegantly waft, where there’s the soft burr of French accents, the sound of champagne corks popping and where you glide with ease through light, airy corridors with shimmering azure blue and white interiors, pretending you too own the vessel.

You won’t need to throw an ‘it’s mine’ towel on

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a sun lounger because there are always plenty of both available.

No need to queue for lunch or dinner, everything seamlessly slips into place and your fellow guests are very well behaved.

Oh, and there’s always a glass of chilled Veuve Clicquot with your name on it, that’s the ‘house’ champagne. And just when you need something to accompany your coup, an iced bowl of oysters will make its presence known.

Le Lyrial is the newest of the Ponant sailing fleet, a French sailing company that specialises

Travel Essentials

THERE’S ALWAYS A GLASS OF CHILLED VEUVE CLICQUOT WITH YOUR NAME ON IT

in small ships and bespoke destinations, journeys and expeditions.

They have state-of-the-art vessels that can cope with the rigours of the Antarctic and the North West Passage, taking passengers on journeys of a lifetime.

Itineraries are worldwide, depending on your need for sun, speed, culture or thrills with a breath-taking array of destinations and a collection of experts and speakers who accompany specialist journeys.

The style is as you’d expect of a French

company – sleek and unshowy, elegant and pared-back luxury.

We joined Ponant’s Le Lyrial in Venice, which is about as good as it gets in terms of a sail-away journey.

Suggestion one: book a water taxi to take you from the airport into Venice. It’s a George Clooney VIP moment to be relished. The approach to this stunning city is one to behold and the splashy thrill of zipping up towards that domed isle is one to remember.

Suggestion two: grab a glass of champagne as

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you take in the Venice views when you sail out of the city.

The ship is neat enough to have better access than the huge cruise ships so you have great views for those all-important photographic memories – but they are definitely made special with a chilled glass of champagne to toast your journey – and in our case, Le Lyrial’s first.

You get a magical vista of Venice, one you don’t see on foot as the busy central area gives way to the more urban side of the city and its unexpectedly green waterside walkways and >>

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials parks. The speed is gentle, the waters easy and the early evening light magical. From the start of the journey you can’t fail to be lulled into your new-found passion for sailing.

At this point I took off my watch and hadn’t much of a clue of time for the next few days.

It was time to relax, as simple as that.

It was also time to explore Le Lyrial and our cabin, a twin with balcony.

Furnishings were crisp blue and soft white reflecting the nautical theme.

Toiletries were the lovely French brand L’Occitane.

A daily ship’s bulletin signposted the ‘things to do’ throughout the day and into the night.

You do as you please.

If you’re not a ‘joiner’ then sit back where you like and relax.

If you are then there are quizzes, destination talks and activities to choose from.

Once you get your bearings make it a mission to try every lounge and bar (yes, taxing stuff).

We went big on reading and lounging, being workaholics on dry land. It was the ultimate in R&R. The first night was a fine dining gourmet night, with exceptional food and paired wine.

We followed it up by a trip to the entertainment – a bit cheesy to be frank with crew-led dancing straight out of the 80s.

The following night this took a different turn

altogether when a group of 40-something Belgians brought their own sounds and turned the dancefloor into a house music session.

The third night our entertainment consisted of a bit of carousing by a contingent of Australian paediatricians marking the last night of a conference they were holding on board.

All proving that this indeed can be your own party palace.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

The beautiful island of Hvar was one of the many highlights of Croatia’s coastline

On day one we sailed and stopped at the Croatian port of Hvar, a slick harbour lined with smart cafes and with its own stylish vibe.

Le Lyrial’s size means it can sail to smaller ports.

From Hvar’s harbour you can walk to craggy coves and swim in crystal clear waters or just take in the history of the unspoilt town.

We found a rock and dipped our toes.

The following day we sailed to Rovinj where

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Le Lyrial berthed overnight. The small town is picture postcard pretty and you must take a walk to the characterful old town with its landmark church and dazzling views along the coastline.

Much less glitzy than Hvar, Rovinj dances to a laid-back waterside beat with some local shops and markets.

That holiday pastime of sitting with a drink watching the world go by goes down particularly well here.

At Rovinj we ate at the restaurant on Le Lyrial’s pool deck, surrounded by the town’s gentle scenery.

On deck, chef cooked us prawns and steak on the griddle and we chose from a stylishly seasonal salad and starters buffet.

It was impressive and memorable, especially when Le Lyrial played host to a dazzling sunset.

I have only been on a cruise ship once before.

What I loved best about being at sea was the awareness of the changes in the day that you don’t notice so much on dry land.

The sun shines as you wake then when you get to early evening it shifts to chillout-mode.

Watching the sun start to set sitting on the pool deck with Veuve in hand is well-being at its finest.

Granted, this ship was brand new so it was going to be as sharp and shiny as they come

but the impression is one of space, calm and ‘do-as-you-please’.

There are just 122 staterooms and suites so that’s about 250 guests on board at any time, on what is a vast space.

Le Lyrial is the last in a series of four latestgeneration sisterships, which, because of their size and design, is unique in the cruise world.

There are two indoor bars, an outdoor bar, relaxation area on the pool deck, lounges, gym and spa, a theatre for talks, films and shows, a library, an Internet space, a games area with Wii consoles, as well as cosy spaces for gathering and relaxing.

On our last day we woke very early to see the sun rise as we sailed back into Venice.

We felt privileged to watch the city wake up as we glided on languid waters and prepared to pass on our all-too-brief holiday palace to the party people.

Croatia’s glitzy fans

Le Lyrial isn’t the only yacht making its presence felt in the Med’s Croatian hotspots.

The coastline with its miles of hidden coves is popular with the sailing crowd and places like glitzy Hvar have celebrity fans returning time and again for the culture, unspoilt towns and relaxed way of life.

The Croatian coast has become known and

famous as a beach party destination, as well as a romantic and private sanctuary – and a place to stop.

Hvar, where Le Lyrial stops, has featured in Lonely Planet’s top ten towns and regions to be visited, largely because of its reputation for great beach parties.

The Sunday Times Travel Magazine also included Hvar on the list of 25 best islands in the world.

Indeed, celebrities have been a common sight on Hvar’s shores.

• Tom Cruise fled to Hvar after the announcement of his divorce from Katie Holmes.

He sailed to the island on a magnificent yacht where he patiently gave out his autograph and was photographed with numerous fans.

• Tina Turner sailed up on the Lady Marina, one of the 100 largest yachts in the world, a 64 metre-long vessel with its own heliport.

• The biggest yacht in the world has visited Croatian waters, the 170m Eclipse, owned by Chelsea boss, Roman Abramovich.

• And finally, this might float your boat – or not – the beauty of Hvar delighted the famous rapper MC Hammer.

He wrote on his Twitter: “I feel the energy everywhere. Night life in Hvar is fantastic. The sea is so blue that I cannot believe it’s real.”

Factbox Departing from Newcastle on 24 May 2016, a 7-night Adriatic cruise aboard Le Lyrial on an all-inclusive basis costs from £3,999 per person sharing a deluxe stateroom, including return flights via Heathrow to Venice and private water taxi transfers.

For more information or to book call Travel Bureau on 0191 285 9321, email cruise@travelb.co.uk or pop in and speak to one of their cruise experts at 69 High Street, Gosforth.

Visit www.travelb.co.uk for more cruise inspiration.

Travel specialists from the Ponant team will be joining The Travel Bureau’s Cruise Show at The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, on Sunday October 4th.

They will be on hand to discuss all the Ponant specialist cruise itineraries. www.travelb.co.uk

er ’s ak vel nt pe ra de t s T on es ph sp er.

Gu ra rre ch leg co Ar Te ise ne u a cr J

Join Travel Bureau and our luxury cruise partners at...

The Cruise Show 2015 Sunday 4th October, from 11am until 3pm The Biscuit Room, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle Discover what’s new in the world of luxury river and ocean cruising. Come and meet our experts and hear about the inspirational cruise itineraries on offer around the globe.

Admission is free but please reserve your place: email victoria@travelb.co.uk or call 0191 272 6023.

For more information visit www.travelb.co.uk/events

69 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4AT 0191 285 9321 cruises@travelb.co.uk www.travelb.co.uk

*See www.travelb.co.uk or full prize draw terms and conditions.

@travelb

Partners attending on the day include: Seabourn Silversea Holland America Hurtigruten Azamara SeaDream

AMAWaterways Crystal Cruises eWaterways Authentic Asia Belmond Trains & River Cruises

PONANT Swan Hellenic Hebridean Island Cruises Regent Seven Seas

Enter our prize draw on the day to win a cruise courtesy of luxury yacht specialists PONANT plus lots more prizes.* You’ll also benefit from a range of exclusive offers from all cruise partners attending.

Travel Essentials

Top six Venice Grand Canal

Take in the fairy-tale atmosphere from a Number 1 or 2 vaporetti (or waterbus) which are a fun way to cruise the canal.

Concert

A Grand design A stylish hotel on Venice’s Grand Canal is perfect for star gazing When in Venice, Daniel Craig has been spotted at the bar of the Bauer Hotel. And Sting.

And Al Pacino.

If that’s not reason enough to make a booking then simply having your cocktail stirred at this hotel’s glamorous bar notches up the style. The city is romantic, glamorous and rarely inexpensive.

But you’re buying into one unique place – and for every eyewateringly expensive Bellini there’s a small gelateria offering the best ice cream in the world for just a couple of euro.

The Bauer location is unrivalled with its Grand Canal frontage.

Breakfast comes with a dazzling view and a gondola at your feet.

We’d arrived after a daybreak early start after our cruise ship docked, so the terrace by the side of the hotel was an ideal place to

take the same route twice – tricky when you want to re-visit that lovely little hand-printed stationery shop. So buy as you see.

Off the touristy streets you’ll find little cafes and bars with loads of character and a perfectly chilled prosecco for around 3 euros.

And to rest your street-pounding feet, the Bauer’s sister hotel across the canal, Il Palladio, has full 18th-century character for a taste of Venetian palazzo living.

Chill out in smart gardens and lounge in the spa. All very grown-up. The Spa & Wellness Centre is accessible from the main building but it’s tucked away as an oasis of complete tranquility.

There are eight luxury treatment rooms including a private couples ‘You and Me’ spa suite complete with a king-size jacuzzi bath, two inviting massage beds and a soothing flaming wood fire.

Then take a sip of the must-try Aperol spritz and soak up the city.

re-charge following a little doze to the sounds of lapping waters. The hotel is worthy of a moochabout history lesson of its own. Though traditional Venetian in style outside and in the bedrooms, the feel of the public areas is a homage to the glamour of the Art Deco period.

The central staircase is dazzling and those creative cocktails and live music make the Bbar a buzzy alternative to Venice’s otherwise mellow nightlife scene.

And the property is within walking distance of Venice’s monuments and cultural highlights.

Opposite the hotel’s marble entrance are the shopping delights of Prada, Miu Miu, Armani ….the list goes on. It’s Victoria Beckham’s shopping playground.

The beauty of Venice is being able to wander the canals and never

www.bauervenezia.com

Interpreti Veneziani play mainly baroque works – including regular renditions of The Four Seasons, something of a Venetian ‘must’. www.interpretiveneziani.com

Art

Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a must-visit. Her remarkable portfolio of modernist and surrealist art includes major works by Picasso, Magritte, Giacometti and Jackson Pollock.

The gardens are lovely and the nice bar/café has canal views.

St Mark’s

Go when it’s empty. If you’re staying at The Bauer, that’s easy as it’s virtually next door. Early morning and late evening, before the day-trippers arrive or after they’ve left.

Lift Me Up

For a view that includes both the basilica and the piazza, buy a ticket for the short elevator ride to the top of the Campanile, or bell-tower in front of the church.

Foodie Moments

Food markets anywhere are a good cultural barometer of a place. At the famous Rialto market see how real Venetians get their food supplies. It’s a fish market, but there’s plenty of fresh veggies and fruit for sale as well.

www.bauervenezia.com

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

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The luxe ESSENTIALS

Be part of a

year WEDDINGS >> FOOD >> TRAVEL >> CARS >> FESTIVE >> Advertise your business in a series of essential high-quality guides delivered as separate publications within Luxe magazine. The publications will be read by our affluent readership base of more than 50,000 people. Additional copies will be printed and supplied to advertisers for their own relevant promotion

WEDD i NGS FOOD TRA iL

DR i VE

TRAVEL

Love Fest Wedding fun

Nice Merc...

Bangkok nights

ISSUE 1 - MARCH/APRIL 2015

essentials

ISSUE 1 • MAY/JUNE 2015

Hippy Vibe Pop star

in a field of dreams

ste Ta

nal food, marke Seaso ts &

Picnic

Fill your baskets

fest iva ls

Dine

Feasts for summer

essentials

ISSUE 1 • JULY/AUGUST 2015

if you can get it! But is it worth £100K?

ISSUE 1 - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Finding calm amid chaos in Thailand’s frenetic capital

Great rides Thank Evans

Thrilling country drives

Top Gear’s new driver

sparkle & a lush garden party

FEST i VE ISSUE 1 - NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Festive things to do Your guide to a cultured christmas

Shooting star

TV girl’s stunning photos

Special places

Retro Mix

Famous names reveal their retreats

Back-in-time brides rock bouffants and big skirts

Good gifting

Luxey ideas they’ll love

Light up

Glow for it fashion

WEDDING FOOD TRAIL >> DRIVE TRAVEL FESTIVE Take a summer food journey ESSENTIALS >> with us: Showcase your ESSENTIALS >> ESSENTIALS >> ESSENTIALS >> Big days, beautiful moments, stylish surroundings.

Showcase your stunning venue, off-beat attraction or unique wedding-day service to a readership that loves a ‘wow’ wedding.

Let glamorous dresses take centre stage in our ultimate gown gallery.

Publication date: Mar/Apr issue.

restaurant, chef, hotel, artisan food produce, festival, farmers’ market, cookery courses or gourmet destination. Tips, recipes and food inspiration.

Publication date: May/Jun issue.

Cars, speed and ‘look at me’ motors make luxe readers smile. They love nothing more than delectable drives, savage speed thrills and the odd foot-down fantasy.

Drive Essentials will showcase the newest top marque models to an avid readership with the spending power to make their motoring dreams come true.

Luxe readers are a getaway bunch who love their travels.

Our Travel Essentials is a ‘local to global’ journey showcasing luxe destinations from the region, smart travels and chic bedtimes as well as essential travel kit and holiday fashion.

Publication date: Sep/Oct issue.

Publication date: Jul/Aug issue.

If you wish to advertise with us please contact our sales team: Debi Coldwell: debi@remembermedia.co.uk - 07910 918366.

Pile on the glamour for a luxe-filled party season. Luxe party people want to hear about the best place to celebrate in Champagne style.

This is the place to show off glamorous destinations, fine feasts, dazzling gifts, and the ultimate must-go places. With ideas for hosting the perfect party, decorations to delight and perfect food. In short, tell our readers where and how to get their seasonal kicks.

Publication date: Nov/Dec issue.

Travel Essentials

Close to home

From ‘glamping’ in a countryside pod to a luxey relax in a heated outdoor pool, Kate Metcalf finds getaway hotspots for a weekend stay

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

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Travel Essentials

The Little Hide, a grown-up getaway in York; right, the Hobbit home; below right, the Feversham Arms

A cheeky hideaway

THE LITTLE HIDE, YORK One for wellies and walks. The Little Hide is just a few minutes’ away from the hustle and bustle of York city centre. A grown-up getaway in a child-free camping site with eight camping pods with electricity, beds, heaters and sofas.

On site find a farm shop and café. For a foodie stop-off in York check out The Blue Bicycle which specialises in fish dishes. Rustique is an authentic French restaurant with traditional décor. If you have a sweet tooth, Crumbs

Cupcakery is a sweet stop for homemade cakes.

www.thelittlehide.co.uk

A salty seadog spot

THE SAIL LOFT, BERWICK A charming room (well, half a house!) in No1 Sallyport, a sea merchant’s 17th Century grade 2 listed town house in Berwick’s Old Town right by the characterful waterfront and old dock – and at the beginning of the brand new The Sandstone Way cycle route. The cobbled lane called Sallyport was once painted by L.S.Lowry

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and this part of town is steeped in nautical history as the room names suggest. The Sail Loft has its own private staircase and bespoke, contemporary furnishings.

It occupies the whole upper level of the west wing.

Close by, eat at Deyn’s Deli for Holy Island crab sandwiches and luxury ice-creams or all-day breakfasts.

Audela is popular for fresh fish and el Taperio, a Morrocan restaurant opposite Sallyport.

www.sallyport.co.uk >>

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials

Subtle and stylish Askham Hall, left, serves outstanding food, above. Thorphinsty Barn, right, is packed with character whilst Ox Pasture Hall, far right, is a luxurious hotel with a rustic vibe

along a picturesque pier near rock pools, limestone cliffs and wooded headland.

www.lakeland-cottage-company.co.uk

Stay put

HART BARN An artistic Cumbrian barn conversion oozing sleek style, Starck fittings and a home cinema make this an anytime-of-the year destination.

A spiral staircase of polished oak railway sleepers and stainless steel leads to a living room and a window seat for mountain and lake views. A hand-blown glass chandelier cascades from the raftered ceiling. We think this is the ultimate winter weekend bolthole.

From £595 per week (sleeps 2).

www.sawdays.co.uk

Pool perfect

Not-so-shabby chic

ASKHAM HALL – CUMBRIA This grand house in Cumbria envelops you in un-shouty chic. In a picturesque village, it is subtly stylish with dashing furnishings, cool art and a very laid-back vibe. Lots of loungeabout loveliness in wandering gardens in the Eden Valley, a lovely part of the world. Eat breakfast in the garden or dine on seasonal menus from an impressive kitchen, sourced from the grounds and gardens. Special mention for an outdoor heated pool and sauna. It is part of the Lowther Estate and worthy of a visit is the nearby George and Dragon pub, a restored 18th century coaching inn with a rustic-gastro thing going on.

www.askhamhall.co.uk

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Hole up

THORPHINSTY BARN – LAKE DISTRICT Thorphinsty Barn is a gathering place away from the maddening crowds with its own air of calm. Near Cartmel in Cumbria (where the famous sticky toffee pudding hails from), scenery takes in fells and beachy bays. A lavish converted 15th century barn packed with character but bountiful 21st century offerings. Linger beneath original oak beams, arched roof and stone floors. A beautiful open fireplace that makes this a great place for a winter stay. The luxurious master bedroom features a claw-foot roll top bath.

It’s not far from the Arnside Morecambe Bay Walk, a secluded and secret bay walk

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FEVERSHAM ARMS Take the plunge. Soothe the need for an outdoor swimming fix – we’ve swum in here when there’s been snow on the ground. Just keep the bathrobe close by.

In probably one of the most pretty, picturesque villages in North Yorkshire, Feversham Arms is a cool hideaway for luxe-seeking guests.

Perfect if you fancy a shoot – or they can offer your own moorland shooting party as well as archery, fell walking and climbing, quad biking and gliding from Sutton Bank.

Good food here and in the village if you need to pack a picnic.

Or plump for the ‘Do Not Disturb’ menu and dine in private whilst making the most of the incredible movie library on offer.

www.fevershamarmshotel.com

Coastal country house

OX PASTURE HALL – SCARBOROUGH Yorkshire at its finest; picturesque scenery in a luxurious hotel with the rustic vibe of

Travel Essentials

a converted country house, surrounded by barns and out-buildings.

Pick from three different types of rooms; a beautiful, cosy, country chic, a wisteria-clad garden courtyard or a spacious cottage suite.

On your doorstep, the traditional seaside pull of Scarborough and some fine coastal walking trails. www.oxpasturehallhotel.com

Hobbit home

BILBO MOMENTS IN NORTH YORKSHIRE Fans of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit can now experience a bit of the hobbit’s homeland, The Shire in the North York Moors.

Potts Corner would have done Bilbo Baggins proud with its green round porthole-like

door, stained glass windows and grass roof.

It aims to ‘out-hobbit’ other holiday homes in the UK that have adopted the name of Tolkien’s mythical residences.

Not-so-Hobbit are the roll-top free-standing bath and luxury organic wool mattresses!

www.northshire.co.uk

Up and coming destinations that may force you to invest in a bigger ‘bucket list’

Six of the (lesser-known) best

Travel Essentials

Fancy a city break that offers something out of the ordinary? With so many destination options available from the region’s airports, it’s easy to overlook some of the less obvious choices in favour of those that are tried and tested. So here’s our guide to six locations that might not feature on your current ‘bucket list’ – but are well worth considering.

Stavanger

For many, the idea of jetting off for a long weekend in Norway’s oil and gas capital might seem odd… but there’s a whole lot more to this town than industry.

Forget what you think you know, because this charming port city on a peninsular on the country’s south-west coast is brimming with understated charm, chic boutiques and trendy bars and restaurants.

You’ll feel instantly relaxed wandering the cobbled streets – interspersed with open spaces – in the traffic-free city centre.

It’s a fashionista’s paradise too… although prices, as you’d expect in one of the world’s most expensive countries, are on the steep side.

MUST DO Once you’ve explored the city

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

centre, plan an excursion to world-famous Preikestolen, aka Pulpit Rock. Located 604 metres above sea level, Lonely Planet named it the number one most breathtaking viewing platform. After a spectacular two-hour hike you’ll be rewarded with a magnificent view of the fjord.

A similar attraction, Kjerag, is even higher at 1,110 metres above sea level, and is famous for a huge boulder that is wedged between two rocks which visitors stand on to have their pictures taken.

If that doesn’t take your fancy, then take a relaxing cruise on one of the fjords, regularly rated among the most beautiful places in the world.

The pick of the bunch is the magnificent 42-kilometre fjord in the Lysefjord region.

In Stavanger itself, a weird but charming Canning Museum is surprisingly entertaining. Visitors study the art of old canning labels and try their hand at stuffing fish into tins!

HOT HOTELS Scandic Stavanger Park is a modern, stylish hotel with spacious rooms, located close to the bus and train station and only a few minutes walk from the centre.

Meanwhile, close to the city centre

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and the Canning Museum, The Clarion has excellent facilities including restaurants, bar, sauna and hot tub.

For a unique boutique hotel , check out Myhregaarden, which is close to the city’s shops and restaurants.

Rooms are a combination of classic elegance and modern design, many with chandeliers.

Copenhagen

Stunning architecture, uber-trendy bars and shops, and no fewer than 14 Michelin stars shared between its restaurants – no wonder they call it wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen.

The city certainly has it all for food-lovers – including Noma, voted the world’s best restaurant in 2010 and 2011. There’s plenty to see and do too, all crammed into a compact centre full of historic landmarks. The picturesque Nyhavn canal area is a lovely place to unwind whilst the Meatpacking District is where the in-crowd hang out. Nørrebro is another very hip area to explore – especially for those seeking designer shops – and is only minutes away from the city centre. And for those wishing to discover some really amazing world-class architecture, a trip to Ørestaden, a new part of the city, is a must.

Travel Essentials Bethel Seaman’s Home. It’s located in the heart of the city, alongside the canal in the hugely popular Nyhavn area and close to many major attractions.

Valencia

Magnificent Montenegro, above, is a sparkling jewel in the Adriatic Sea whilst Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock, below, is one of Stavanger’s highlights

Think of a city break in Spain and it’s only natural that Madrid and Barcelona spring to mind.

However, it would be a terrible oversight to discount the country’s third-largest city.

Valencia is a thriving port city with well established cultural, eating and nightlife scenes. It boasts strikingly futuristic buildings, fabulous museums and an old quarter bursting with character. It’s surrounded by fertile farmland so you can expect the fruit and vegetables to be second to none and, of course, it is also famous for being the home of paella.

MUST DO You really can’t do Copenhagen without seeing its world-famous Little Mermaid statue. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless fairytale, this gift to the city from the Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen celebrated its centenary in 2013.

For brave souls who fancy experiencing something truly out of the ordinary, a trip to Freetown Christiania is a real eye-opener.

Established in 1971 as a hippy commune, it is a green and car-free neighbourhood that lives largely by its own rules. It’s an eclectic mix of homemade houses, workshops, art galleries, music venues, cheap and organic eateries, and beautiful nature – a society within a society.

It’s easy to see why Tivoli Gardens amusement park became a firm favourite of both Hans Christian

MUST DO You don’t need a religious bone in your body to appreciate the sheer beauty and magnificence of Valencia’s cathedral. You’ll be blown away by the stunning architecture and attention to detail.

There are beautiful frescoes above the altarpiece and a couple of paintings by Goya for good measure in the Chapel of San Francisco de Borja. However, the real star of the show – and the one thing most people want to see – is the Capilla del Santo Cáliz, said to be the Holy Grail, the chalice from which Christ was said to have sipped during the Last Supper.

The best way to escape the bustle of the city for a few hours is to visit the Jardines del Turia – a park located on land that once had the River Turia flowing through it.

The river used to flood regularly and after a particularly bad flood in 1957 a plan was devised to divert the river away from the city centre.

Now the 7km long stretch is a mixture of playing fields, cycling and walkways, gardens and a children’s adventure play area.

It would be criminal not to visit Torres de Quart, undoubtedly Spain’s most magnificent city gate.

Built during the 14th and 15th centuries, the monument has had

Andersen and Walt Disney – it really is a national treasure and a must for visitors young and old.

HOT HOTELS For all-out luxury, the legendary Hotel d’Angleterre takes some beating. It was extensively renovated and re-opened in 2013 to an extremely high standard.

Classically styled, with a modern twist, it has 90 rooms, including 60 suites, all individually decorated.

The small and quirky Nimb Hotel has a string of accolades to its name. It has been voted “Traveller’s Choice - Best Hotel” for five consecutive years between 2011 and 2015 on TripAdvisor and featured on the “Condé Nast Traveller – The Gold List” in 2011. If you want value for money but refuse to slum it, check out the excellent Hotel

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several uses over the years and was once even a women’s prison.

And, if you get up close, you’ll be able to spot pockmarks caused by French cannonballs during the 19th-century Napoleonic invasion.

HOT HOTELS For out-and-out luxury check into the Westin Valencia, housed in one of the city’s most impressive Modernist buildings.

It includes a large spa, airconditioned Art Deco rooms, a therapy pool, Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, and fitness centre.

There’s a reason why the stunning Hotel Balneario Las Arenas is listed on the Leading Hotels of The World website…it’s breathtakingly beautiful and elegant.

And, what’s more, it occupies an exceptional seaside location, making it a great choice for families and sun worshippers.

For something a touch quirky but no less luxurious, the 5-star Hospes Palau de la Mar is an exclusive boutique hotel located near the centre of the city with individual flair and an excellent reputation.

Hvar, Croatia

There’s no denying the beauty of Dubrovnik or the understated charm of Split, but for many visitors to Croatia Hvar isn’t even on their radar.

Perhaps the idea of continuing the journey to an island after touching down on the mainland puts them off…but it really is worth the effort.

The island can be reached by ferry, taking just over an hour-and-a-half from Split. It is one of the Europe’s most beautiful and unspoilt islands and its hub, Hvar Town, attracts 20,000 people a day in high season.

MUST DO Relax and watch the world go by in St Stephen’s Square in the centre of town – the largest old squares in Dalmatia. Here you’ll find chilled bars, fabulous restaurants and, of course, the square’s namesake – the beautiful St Stephen’s Cathedral.

Fancy getting away from the crowds? Take an off-the-beatentrack tour to discover Secret >>

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Travel Essentials Stunning Hvar, left, is one of Croatia’s understated gems; Valencia, below, is a vibrant port city, and Fiji, also below, is an unspoilt paradise in the Pacific

Hvar, which takes in hidden beauties of the island’s interior, including abandoned villages, scenic canyons, ancient stone huts and the island’s tallest peak, Sveti Nikola (626m).

Trek up to the citadel northwest of St Stephen’s Square and enjoy stunning views over the harbour.

HOT HOTELS Describing itself as “the only heritage boutique hotel in Hvar”, Hotel Park Hvar is as impressive as it looks. Located near the heart of the town, the 16th century building was originally the baroque palace of the island’s Ivanić family.

One enthusiastic reviewer actually described Hotel Podstine as “Hvarvellous”. We’re not entirely sure what that means, but rest assured that this elegant little gem in a beautiful bay with its own private beach does not disappoint.

The highly-rated Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel is located right on the harbour and boasts stunning views across the bay from its rooftop bar.

Fiji

White sand beaches lined with palm trees, cloudless skies and locals who seem to have permanent smiles on their faces…what’s not to like about Fiji?

And if you enjoy diving – or even just snorkelling – then you’re in the right place because the underwater action here is among the best the Pacific has to offer.

But you don’t have to be an all-action hero to get the most out of a holiday here. It’s also a place where you can turn relaxation into an art form amidst islands that have formed the backdrop to

hit movies, including Cast Away and Blue Lagoon.

MUST DO As lovely as the beaches are, it’s worth venturing further afield – and Navala is by far Fiji’s most picturesque village. You must pay a small fee (around £10) to enter, but it’s money well spent and helps to preserve its natural heritage.

If you are fortunate enough to visit during the South Indian firewalking festival (usually July or August) then this incredible cultural ritual should definitely be on your itinerary.

Visit the three waterfalls that make up the Tavoro Waterfalls, all of which have natural swimming pools beneath them. Reaching two of them is not for the faint-hearted given the terrain, but there are terrific views en route.

Montenegro

Small but perfectly formed Montenegro punches above its weight as a tourist destination, and was recently declared one of the best in the world by respected travel guide publishers Lonely Planet. Located on the Balkan Peninsular, its picturesque coastline faces the Adriatic Sea. But whilst it boasts picture-perfect ice blue seas and sandy coves set into the mountains, it’s much more than a sun worshipper’s paradise, with a rich cultural heritage, more monasteries than you can shake a stick at and lovely historic towns.

HOT HOTELS With its jaw-droppingly beautiful setting, the Likuliku Lagoon Resort has a strong claim to be among the most romantic hotels in the world. Guests stay in overwater bures – wooden cabins with thatched roofs – that resemble dwellings in a traditional Fijian village.

Yanuca Island, just off mainland Fiji, is home to what many regard as one of the region’s best hotels – Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, featuring elegant, spacious rooms and incredible panoramic views.

A relatively new hotel, the Nanuku Auberge Resort is nevertheless garnering rave reviews. Located on Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu, it’s a sanctuary for relaxation.

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MUST DO Wander the meandering streets of the old city of Kotor. Built between the 12th and 14th century, its medieval architecture and numerous monuments of cultural heritage have made Kotor a UNESCO listed “World Natural and Historical Heritage Site”.

Soak up the amazing atmosphere in Porto Montenegro in Tivat with its lively marina full of top-of-therange yachts. This up-and-coming area has been sensitively developed to respect its rich heritage – and with its trendy bars and

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restaurants, it’s the perfect place to relax and people watch!

Escape from the crowds to the tranquillity of Durmitor National Park in the north west of the country. Here you will find high mountain peaks, gorgeous forests, and the unique Tara Canyon.

HOT HOTELS Located in the heart of the county’s super yacht haven, the Hotel Regent Porto Montenegro only opened in August 2014 but has quickly established itself on the back of excellent reviews.

This spectacular waterfront property has it all – fabulous sea views, amazing food, outdoor and indoor pools, a spa and fitness centre and even a water garden.

In the old village of Donja Lastva, Eco Hotel Carrubba is set right next to the sea with all rooms overlooking Tivat Bay. The 19th century building has been tastefully upgraded using advanced ‘green’ technologies such as solar panels, modern waste-water treatment and geothermal heating.

Forza Mare is a luxury, five-star boutique hotel in Dobrota, overlooking the Bay of Kotor. It’s renowned for its outstanding customer service.

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Travel Essentials

Bali lessons

For a luxury hotel which combines class and character, you can’t do better than The Mulia, in Nusa Dua, Bali. Laura Millar checks in Be prepared for an extreme reaction when you arrive at The Mulia resort hotel: it’s the kind of place you’re not quite sure how to take at first. Is it a film set?

Everywhere you look, there are ranks of huge, white, female stone statues, guarding the three pristine swimming pools like ancient handmaidens, making you feel like you’re in some kind of Cecil B De Mille epic. Or is it just one of the most quietly luxurious properties you’ll ever have the pleasure of staying in, boasting tasteful and stylish interiors, attentive staff, and Michelin-standard food? The answer is a bit of both – a touch of theatre, against a backdrop of efficiency and expertise.

The Mulia opened in early 2013, immediately making its five-star neighbours (which include the St

Regis and the Westin) feel a bit shabby. It’s already been garlanded with awards, including winner of Conde Nast Traveller USA’s reader’s choice. Its location, Nusa Dua, lies at the southernmost tip of the Indonesian island – a small, rarified enclave away from the popular backpacker hangouts of Kuta and Seminyak. Divided into three areas, it comprises a boutique hotel, which has 111 upscale suites; nearby is a more family-oriented resort, with 526 rooms; and a clutch of 108 villas is scattered across the hillside, which sleep between two and 12 people.

Hotel and villa guests have access to the resort’s restaurants and facilities (though not vice versa).

The villas, understatedly decorated in palest pastels, and set away from the main resort so you get a

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complete feeling of seclusion, feature a private pool and outdoor shower. Suites in the boutique hotel boast a fine view over the main pool (and onto some of the giant statues), a hot tub on the vast

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balcony – and a loo whose lid rises automatically when you enter, with a pre-warmed seat awaiting your regal behind. The décor is oligarch chic, all metallic cushions here and directional lighting there,

Travel Essentials a choice of fillets including black cod, seabream and snapper.

Table8, whose witty décor and authentic food could give Alan Yau a run for his money, specialises in Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine and does daily dim sum at lunch.

And Soleil, the resort’s Mediterranean restaurant, holds a Sunday brunch so sumptuous, people come from far and wide.

There are veritable cornucopias of oysters, lobster tails and tiger prawns, whole roast suckling pigs, and a dessert station that looks like an explosion in a sugar and rainbow factory.

The resort also boasts a spacious and ultramodern spa, featuring sci-fi touches such as an ice chamber (good for the circulation, apparently), aromatherapy shower, and colour-therapy hammam.

The fantastically well-equipped gym has a daily programme of classes including tennis, yoga, circuit training and more. And if you can tear yourself away from all that, you can head to the beach, all translucent, turquoise sea fringed by white, fine, sugar-soft sand.

There’s a danger you could never

Getting There

Flights to Bali via Java with Garuda Airlines start from £597 for a return flight from London. For more information, visit www.garuda-indonesia.com.

The Mulia Hotel has suites available from £475 per room per night based on two adults sharing, including breakfast and afternoon tea.

Mulia Villas are available from £624 per night per villa including breakfast and afternoon tea.

For further information and bookings, visit www.themulia.com or email reservation@themulia.com

IT’S THE FOOD WHERE THE MULIA COMES INTO ITS OWN and hung with specially commissioned local art. Afternoon tea is served in the lobby restaurant where you can nibble on home-made macarons, Balinese snacks and proper British sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

In fact, it’s the food where The Mulia really comes into its own.

With eight restaurants and bars to choose from, you won’t go hungry.

A particular favourite was The Café, the buffet located in the family resort. These things are so often tired, reheated, limp affairs, but this is the Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner of hotel buffets. There are dozens of fresh food stations, where chefs cook to order, using only the best ingredients – a principle which runs throughout the resort. If you like sushi, head to Edogin, for sashimi so fresh you can almost see its gills move, and

leave, but not to explore your surroundings would be criminal.

Bali has put its decades of oppressive Dutch colonial rule behind it, and offers up beautiful, ornate temples, lush green rice terraces, and even the odd monkey sanctuary. The hotel can help arrange a variety of excursions; well worth doing is a trip to Uluwatu Temple, an ancient, crumbling edifice on a dramatic clifftop, where you can also experience a traditional Kecak dance, featuring impossibly elegant, long-nailed women, and very bendy men. Just outside the cultural capital, Ubud is the best place to see rice paddies. Men and women in peaked, straw coolie hats still tend crops by hand, as they have for centuries. This is the real Bali – but it’s lovely to go back to the film set, nonetheless.

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Travel Essentials

Bangkok really is that typical, clichéd ‘assault on the senses’ you’ve probably read about before. From the journey into the city centre from the airport – miles upon miles of backed up, furiously honking traffic, which can turn a 35-minute journey into over an hour – to the noisy, skyscraper-lined streets teeming with harried commuters, entreating stallholders, irate tuk tuk drivers and more, you’re plunged into a massive, sprawling metropolis which somehow manages to sustain a population of over eight million

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people. In short, it’s busy. But it has plenty to offer sight-seers, particularly if you’re using this as a stopover en route to some of the country’s beautiful islands, and a couple of days here is plenty to get a sense of its historic and traditional past – palaces, temples, markets – as well as sampling its often futuristic present (rooftop bars, shopping malls and more).

The one thing you will be thankful for is staying somewhere that feels like a complete haven from the constant commotion outside, and your prayers

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Travel Essentials

Or two, or three – when you’re visiting Thailand’s frenzied capital city, staying at the Banyan Tree is a peaceful little bit of heaven in amongst the crowds, as Laura Millar discovers are well and truly answered by Bangkok’s Banyan Tree hotel.

The fourth property to be established by the eco-conscious hotel group, it opened in 2002 and is located on a central, main road in a district populated largely by embassies. Inside the spacious marble lobby, all is calm and quiet, and you are given the warmest welcome. If you choose a Club Room, you will have access to the comfortable and opulent 19th floor Club Lounge, which has a range of fantastic benefits: access to

buffet breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapés and a range of beverages including alcohol.

The Kingsize Club Rooms have magnificent views over the city; situated upwards of the 30th floor, this becomes particularly impressive at night, when everything lights up. With a capacious bed, separate living area and a bathroom boasting a bath big enough for two, it’s got everything you need.

Special touches include the daily signature scented oil in a burner, and a >>

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Travel Essentials

SHARPEN YOUR APPETITE WITH A COCKTAIL ON THE ROOFTOP

gift of his and hers toiletry bags. Guests also have use of the well-equipped gym, and the rooftop pool on the 21st floor, where you can swim laps surrounded by towering buildings.

Featuring eight restaurants (one of which is on a boat, which you can book for a beautiful and atmospheric dinner cruise), we loved Saffron, which serves sumptuously made traditional Thai food such as pork spring rolls, warm duck salad and massaman curry (beware: ask for it medium or a little spicy, otherwise you will get a mouthful of fire!). Sharpen your appetite with a pre-dinner cocktail at the hotel’s rooftop Moon Bar, on the 61st floor – try a signature Vertigo Sunset, with fresh fruit juices and Malibu as you watch the sun go down and the city’s lights twinkle into life on what feels like the top of the world.

Exploring beyond the hotel, however, is well worth doing. Taxis are plentiful and incredibly cheap (most central journeys cost under £3), and two of the must-see sights include the Grand Palace and famous Buddhist temple, Wat Pho. The Palace was built in 1782 and remained home to the Thai royal family for

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over 150 years; its ornate, carved roofs, manicured grounds, and distinctive golden spires are usually thronged with visitors so try to get there early (and obey the strict dress code: women must be covered, which means long trousers or skirts and tops with sleeves, as well as covered shoes).

A mere five minutes’ walk away is the imposing temple of Wat Pho, which houses the country’s largest reclining Buddha statue, at 46m long and 15m high. The statue is gilded, and his huge feet are decorated with artistic spiral patterns in mother of pearl. If you would like a little good luck, we recommend purchasing a bowl of coins at the entrance of the hall which you can drop in the 108 bronze bowls which line the length of the walls. Dropping the small pennies in makes a nice ringing sound and even if your wishes don’t come true, the money goes towards helping the monks renovate and preserve Wat Pho. If shopping is more your thing, don’t miss MBK, a modern, eight-storey mall filled with more than 2,000 stores selling everything from fashion accessories to handbags and technology.

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Nearby Siam Paragon is where to go for luxury brands, high street labels, and even an Aston Martin or a Ferrari! If you fancy the authentic Thai market experience, don’t miss the weekend Chatuchak market; 35 acres of market stalls selling colourful souvenirs, clothes, handicrafts, even pets. Bargaining is a must, and when you get tired you can stop off at one of the street food stalls or cafes for a tasty, and cheap, Pad Thai. And when you’ve had enough of the madness, jump straight into a cab back to Banyan Tree…

Getting There

Flights to Bangkok start from £494 return from London with Thai Airways, www.thaiairways.com.

Prices at Banyan Tree Bangkok start from approx £88 per night in a Deluxe Room.

A Club Room King starts from around £150 per night.

For reservations and enquiries, please visit www.banyantree.com, e-mail bangkok@ banyantree.com or call +66 (0) 2679 1200.

Travel Essentials

Image courtesy of BBC

Forecast good for life behind a lens Image courtesy of Stevie Bainbridge

For our travel special Luxe tracked down continenthopping filmmaker and photographer Trai Anfield… and tried to keep up!

It’s safe to say Trai Anfield’s been busy in the last three years. Since leaving the BBC’s Look North team in 2012, Trai has set up her own media production company, Enlightened Media, worked for all the UK’s major broadcasters and filled up yet another passport travelling to some of the most exciting destinations around the globe. But what prompted her to leave a seemingly dream job for the risky business of going it alone?

“I know,” she smiles. “Most people thought I was nuts giving up a dream job as a BBC presenter and forecaster… and they may well yet be proved right! But I’ve always had an incurable wanderlust, so it’s amazing that I managed to stay settled for so long. I did metaphorically travel within my job, though, making journeys from forecasting and presenting into producing, directing, filming and editing. And when I began to enjoy all those roles more than being on screen it was time to move on. Now I create films and photography about the things I’m interested in, and that fit with my ethics about life and business.

“Before I left Look North I was also starting to get offers that I couldn’t say no to in broadcasting, so I was fortunate to jump straight into a presenting role on Living World (BBC Radio 4’s longest running

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natural history programme) for four years. Working with the BBC’s Natural History Unit in Bristol was a long-held ambition of mine, ever since I stood in for Sir David Attenborough on the Blue Planet Live tour, and something I’m looking forward to continuing.”

So what are her days like now, compared to life as the North East’s favourite weather girl? “Unpredictable!” she laughs. “Which is a bit ironic, seeing as I used to spend every working minute trying to predict and forecast the weather and its effects. I love that work is so diverse now. Last week I was in the States photographing bears in Yellowstone, this week I’m flying drones and doing aerial filming for an environmental art installation; and next week I’ll be training up-and-coming film makers at Channel 4’s Talent Unit. Then I’m off to Africa leading a couple of photo safaris – in South Africa and then up to Rwanda to photograph mountain gorillas. It’s a simple equation for me: Travel plus photography equals bliss!”

Cameras seem to be the common thread through all of Trai’s work, but does she ever regret the move from onscreen to behind the lens?

“No, not for a minute. I still work in the media, and it’s true that being in front of a camera opens doors for me.

But being behind a camera has opened up the whole >>

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Travel Essentials

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Travel Essentials

Images © Trai Anfield/Enlightened Media

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Travel Essentials world! Travel, wildlife and creative imaging are the three things that keep me happiest workwise, so combining them all on photosafaris around the world is pretty incredible.”

So where is she most excited about heading off to in the near future?

“I love contrasts, so I’m really excited about a couple of new photography safaris I’m setting up for the coming year. The first is a cruise to Svalbard in the Arctic, in search of polar bears.

“I’ve had the honour of being appointed Brand Ambassador for Travel Bureau Gosforth (http:// www.travelbureaugosforth.com), one of the UK’s most exclusive travel agencies, and they have put together a really exciting opportunity for just 10 clients to take the cruise, with me on board as their private professional photography tutor.

It’ll be a great trip for partners of photographers to come on too, as they will experience all the

Image courtesy of Jonathan Bradley wonderful destinations, facilities, cuisine and entertainment of one of the world’s most elegant six-star expedition cruise lines.

“Of course the photographers will have all that too, but for them it’s going to be extra magical – for a start there will be 24 hours of amazing light at that time of year, and we’ll be in the midst of majestic glacial scenery populated by polar bears, whales, walruses and a host of unique flora and fauna.

“I know only too well what it’s like trying to satisfy an obsession with photography while meeting your partner’s need for a ‘proper’ holiday too, so I’m keen to provide partnercompatible trips that meet the needs of keen photographers. I’m also very aware of wanting to create a really positive female-friendly and beginner-friendly atmosphere, and of not buying into the whole boys club of ‘my lens is bigger than yours’ wildlife photography.

“Those are the things that make my photosafaris stand out, along with a commitment to get actively involved in conservation wherever

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possible, and support local people, communities and culture. For me there is so much more to safaris than wildlife.

“I’ll also definitely be returning to Africa as I just can’t keep away. Next year I’ll be running my Video Pioneers workshops on a new reserve especially developed with photographers in mind. They are week-long workshops on wildlife film making as well as photography – so if you fancy yourself as a natural history film maker this is the one for you! I’m always keen to add new destinations to my safari portfolio, so I’m working on plans for India, Iceland and Botswana in the next year too.”

With a dizzying travel itinerary, what’s been her favourite place to photograph?

“Oooh that’s tricky – if I couldn’t find interesting things to photograph wherever I went I’d feel like I’d failed to experience it properly. But Iceland has a special place in my heart. There is such a range of raw geological splendour, plus rich cultural interest and of course the Northern Lights as well. I was so taken with Iceland while working there that I chose to get married over there too. The Northern Lights are incredibly special. I’ve helped people photograph them in Finland, but to take a photographic group to Iceland to capture the lights is one of my top priorities.”

And where has been the most difficult for photography?

“A lot of the places I visit are tricky, for varying reasons – politically, geographically and climate-wise. One of the biggest physical challenges I’ve faced was staying out all night in Finland to photograph the Northern Lights as temperatures fell to -43C. It was frighteningly cold, but with the right equipment and good advice both my camera kit and I survived…well mostly, one of my tripod heads sheared clean in two as the metal got so brittle in the cold!

“And of course when it’s hot and dusty, or soaking wet, there are other problems for me and my kit.”

As we finish up our tea and scones a couple stop and ask Trai what on earth she’s done to the weather this summer. It seems like she knows them, but as they leave she says not. “No, but it’s lovely that Look North viewers still feel a familiarity and relationship with me even after three years away from the programme. People still ask me about the weather all the time, and to some I’ll probably always be Trai the weather girl. That’s ok, I’ll always take an interest in the weather, but I’m happy there’s a lot more going on these days too.” And with a smile she’s off, heading towards the next adventure.

Details of all Trai’s photography safaris, her commercial film and photography work, and her blog can be found on the Enlightened Media website www.enlightenedmedia.net

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Trai’s Travel Photography Tips for Extreme Climates Cold

Batteries won’t last long in extreme cold, so keep spares inside your clothing, in pockets as close to your body as possible, not in your bag.

To avoid dreaded condensation in your camera and lenses, place your camera bag outside or by an open window, if possible, for half an hour to reach ambient temperature before you start shooting. Then pack your kit into a waterproof bag when your shoot is over, and leave it to acclimatise to the indoor environment again for a couple of hours before opening it up.

Heat

When it’s hot it’s often also dusty or sandy.

I find that a blusher brush is better than anything else for removing pesky particles from all the nooks and crannies of my camera kit.

Beware that air conditioning causes condensation too – acclimatise your kit in the same way during hot weather as you would during cold.

Anti-mosquito DEET will attack the exterior surfaces of your kit – wipe your hands after applying in the field and you should be fine.

Wet

I’ve given up on tiny, silly little lens cloths and replaced them with my trusty travel towel – a bath-sized expanse of nonscratch super-absorbent micofibre that dries really quickly too.

I also don’t buy expensive, bulky rain covers any more, as they take up too much room in my camera bag. Cheap and cheery plastic ones are light, take up minimal room, and get me through short sharp showers nicely.

TOP TIP: Don’t shy away from shooting in any extreme conditions – these are the times when you invariably get the most interesting light and subject matter.

Just look after yourself and your kit, and you’ll reap rich photographic rewards.

Travel Essentials

Pearl Harbour

The exotic French Polynesian resort of Le Taha’a is the perfect desert island hideaway. Laura Millar romances the isles Forget Bora Bora – if you truly want a romantic destination where you can gaze into each other’s eyes without bumping into hundreds of other couples all doing the same, book into the compact, but unbearably beautiful, Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa. Yes, it’s a fact that Tahiti – shorthand for the archipelago of 118 islands which are scattered over an expanse of more than 1200 miles in the South Pacific – is a long, long way away (an eleven-hour flight to LA, followed by another eight to the capital, Papeete). But if you’re seeking out seclusion, exclusivity and that far-flung, desert island feel, head onwards northeast from the island of Tahiti itself to Taha’a.

Taha’a is one of the most important in the sub-archipelago known as the Society Islands (a small group which includes Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora). Reached by a 30-minute flight from Papeete to its neighbour, Raiatea, followed by a 45-minute boat journey, Taha’a is the main producer of Tahitian vanilla, and also Tahitian cultured black pearls.

But just another five minutes away from Taha’a is the charming islet of Motu Tautau, on which is situated five-star Relais & Chateaux property, Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa. So small you could walk around it in less than half an hour, it features 45 overwater villas, which will fulfill all your Robinson Crusoe fantasies, and 12 other villas, which fringe the beach. There are no prizes for guessing which type of villa you should ask for; going to sleep lulled by the sound of the South Pacific ocean lapping around your deck is one of the most delightful experiences in the world.

The overwater villas all have the same layout and charming Polynesian décor, featuring thatched grass, shiny bamboo wood, decorative tapa (bark) cloth, numerous sliding doors and a private deck, but there is a choice of views – to Bora Bora, to the sunset, or to Taha’a – all, in

TAHA’A PRODUCES TAHITIAN VANILLA AND BLACK PEARLS our opinion, are equally magnificent. The resort is set amid spacious grounds, amongst mature trees and ringed by a sandy beach, which is equipped with the occasional hammock, perfect for drifting off in. There is superb snorkeling to be had in a protected coral reef-garden close by, and a small spa offers Polynesian massages and rituals, plus there’s a fitness centre, tennis court, pool and watersports. Past celebrity guests include Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise and Natalie Portman, so you never know who’ll be sitting next to you at breakfast in the main La Vanille restaurant, set upstairs amongst treetops.

La Vanille is also open for dinner, and serves exquisite cuisine using local ingredients; vanilla really is something the locals are proud of here, so try dishes like baked mahi mahi fish with a subtle vanilla sauce. For a laid-back lunch, La

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Plage restaurant next to the pool offers classics like fresh fish-burgers and local speciality, ‘poisson cru’ – essentially a huge dish of fresh tuna tartare, mixed with coconut milk, lime juice, tomato and cucumber.

You could just cut yourself off from everything and everyone and never leave your villa, but a day trip to Taha’a, and a guided tour of the island, is a must.

Taha’a is nicknamed ‘Vanilla Island’ because of the dozens of plantations here, which scent the entire area. French Polynesian vanilla is exported all over the world, and is reckoned by top chefs to be the best to use.

A trip round one of the plantations will show you the process from planting the vines which produce the pods, to drying them, to turning them into extract, or selling them whole. It’s fascinating stuff., Another must is a visit to a black pearl farm; Tahitian cultured black pearls are some of the most expensive and sought-after in the world, and many farms will let you see how they’re cultivated. Again, you can’t leave here without buying a perfect, spherical specimen in silver, gunmetal grey or pearlescent black. But you’re here for romance, so if your partner knows what’s good for him, he’ll already have bought one for you…

Getting There

Rooms at Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa start from £528 per night, based on two sharing; to book, visit www.letahaa.com Economy fares with Air Tahiti Nui from London to Papeete, Tahiti via LAX start from £1,450 including taxes. For further information and reservations contact +44(0) 844 482 1675 or visit www.airtahitinui.co.uk For more info, visit www.tahiti-tourisme.co.uk

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials

Big adventures with small people

Go Wild

CLAYOQUOT, CANADA You want wilderness with a capital W? Head for the Pacific coast of Vancouver Island where you’re surrounded by waters full of fat fish and big brown bears padding around in meadows.

Little ones can play real life Jessie and Woody and be scooped up by cowgirls on horseback racing across rushing rivers. Motorboats chase whales in splashy adventures and urban kids will love paddleboarding, zip-lining, kayaking and tree-climbing.

Accommodation is cool frontierstyle but with proper bathrooms, chefs who dish up feasts and masseurs for grown-ups’ achey bones.

www.wildretreat.com

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

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Travel Essentials super-chic safari house where you wouldn’t be surprised to find a James Bond movie crew doing their thing.

Listen to lions as you drift off to sleep or spot a hippo on the lawn.

Children over seven are welcome at this striking bush home with loads of lounge room and a pool and a sun deck. There are rods and a speedboat for fishing, kayaks to explore channels in the Zambezi and bush teeming with game, which can be viewed by boat or safari vehicle.

Ideas for travels with the family… from beautiful beaches to very big cats

www.expertafrica.com

Puglia perfect

BORGO EGNAZIA, ITALY Puglia, on the heel of Italy, has a distinct flavour, landscape and character. Majestic masserias are estate properties filled with activities but retaining a cool vibe that suits grown-ups and small people. Surrounded by olive groves, Borgo Egnazia is arranged like a village around a square, with a

handful of restaurants and indoor and outdoor pools. It’s cool and chic. All ages will be happy – there’s a kids’ club for eight months to 16 years whilst grandparents can embark on cultural tours to see the region’s unique hobbit-like trulli houses. Stay in two or threebedroom townhouses with linen curtains and cool fittings.

www.borgoegnazia.com

Sail on

HIRE A GULET AND CRUISE THE BODRUM PENINSULA Heaps of fun for families and all-age groups, hire a gulet and cruise from the Bodrum peninsula to Kos, Tilos and Symi. One of the best gulets for families with older children is the Cevri Hassan V (sleeping 12), which comes with canoes, windsurf boards, a Zodiac boat for waterskiing and a Laser sailing dinghy. It’s all fully-catered and splashing times are guaranteed.

www.daydreams-travel.com

All aboard for fun: from watersports like sailing and windsurfing to up-close encounters with animals, the possibilities are endless

Beach it

THE PELIGONI CLUB, GREECE Untouched coastline in north Zakynthos. Crystal-clear waters, tick. Sports tuition, tick. Cool staff, tick. Top spot for adrenalinseeking, sports-mad teens. Grab a villa or one near the club itself so older children can come and go as they please. This is a boho kind of a place. Reception is a whitewashed wooden hut and there are a series of platforms clinging to the rocks for sunbathing. The beach is rocky but there’s a pool with loungers under the trees. Sailing and windsurfing lessons, ringo-ing and waterskiing are available. The kids’ club offers ping-pong tournaments and mocktail making. Send older ones off for a parent-free boat trip.

www.peligoni.com

Surf sweet

REBALI RIADS ESSAOUIRA, MOROCCO Pale sands and a touch of the exotic. Rebali Riads bring soft sand, pale beaches and quirky culture in parent-friendly ‘boutique’ style.

This hotel near Essaouira has spacious rooms in villas with surfing, kiteboarding and windsurfing nearby. Camel rides are available. Home-cooked meals can be delivered directly to your poolside terrace and there’s a white-domed hammam near the day-beds. Bliss.

www.rebaliriads.com

Movie set

CHONGWE RIVER HOUSE This is the stuff of movies.

Chongwe is your very own

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TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials

Ski resort La Plagne is a favourite haunt of Kim Inglis. Meanwhile, Tom Hedley loves Sardinia, right, and Pam Royle, inset with family, loves Isola

My favourite destination Where do the region’s big hitters go to get away from it all? Ken Oxley persuaded them to fess up Jeff Brown

BBC Look North sports presenter Jeff Brown reckons you can’t beat Italy as a holiday destination – and Tuscany in particular.

He says: “It’s perfect if you like food, wine… and clothes! A short hop by plane to Pisa from Newcastle, pick up a hire car, and you’re off.

“Countless family holidays have been spent in various villas around what is undoubtedly the most gorgeous part of that country. Along the way we’ve seen the famous Palio horse race around the stunning Piazza del Campo in Siena; caught the open-air opera at the annual Puccini Festival in Torra del Lago, and even watched Inter Milan play a pre-season friendly!

“One of the most memorable seafood stews came from a small bistro in the hill-top town of Volterra, and the blue linen suit picked up from the Reo Galante store in Lucca remains one of my all-time favourite outfits.

“Then there’s the sunshine, and the Chianti Classico from next door’s vineyard.

“We usually try to book a villa with a tennis court. But I’m also partial to the Hotel Molino

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

d’Era just outside Volterra. There’s no pool, but it’s just a lovely, friendly, family-run hotel with a fabulous restaurant.”

Cherylle Millard-Dawe

Cherylle Millard-Dawe, Managing Director of Propology, a boutique property consultancy business in Alnwick, lists Pico island in the Azores, part of Portugal, as one of her favourite destinations.

She says: “It’s a lost paradise in the middle of the Atlantic and is fantastic for nature lovers with its volcanoes and cetaceans – whales and dolphins. It’s not uncommon to see 26 species in one day… seriously. I have had eight years of repeat visits, including four month-stints when I was a marine biologist.

“It’s for those who love raw nature, the ocean and rustic living – it’s really a bit of a secret and very mystical, but because it’s in Europe it’s easily accessible.

“I also love Ischia in Italy for a bit of bling bling.

It’s not as showy as Capri but excels in geothermal spas and luxury, and for a bit of

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rough Naples is not too far. It’s a heavenly place and I love La Mortella, the beautiful botanical gardens of William and Suzanne Walton.

“I also love Auvergne in France. It’s great for mountains, Volvic water, hiking, rock climbing, outdoor pursuits... and amazing markets.”

Duncan Young

Managing Director of one of the region’s most influential estate agents, Duncan Young, of Sanderson Young, regards Corfu as his second home.

He says: “The north east coast of Corfu from Agni to St Stephanos is my favourite place in the world and we are lucky to have family and property out there. I’ve been travelling there for over 40 years – it’s a home from home.

“The stunning scenery, the simple life and the beautiful bays with welcoming tavernas make this place very special. Freshly caught fish, fabulous salads and tomatoes like nowhere else in the world complement the easy-to-drink wines with local lamb and Greek specialities.

“I’ve been a fan of Greece for many years and even though I have been lucky to travel around the world I keep coming back here for the most relaxing holiday.

“Last year I celebrated my 50th birthday and over 200 English and Greek friends made it the best party ever on a beach at Kerasia... perfect!”

Travel Essentials

Anna Foster

South Shields-born BBC 5 Live presenter Anna Foster says the Far East is ‘magical’. Anna, married to BBC Tees presenter, John Foster, says: “We went to Hong Kong on honeymoon – it mixes little pockets of calm with towering skyscrapers and neon energy.

“We took a trip on the Star Ferry, and the wind blows through your hair as it weaves in and out of the crowd of boats.

“When it gets dark the skyline is lit up by a rainbow light show. We watched it with cocktails then had dinner at the top of the famous Peninsula hotel.

“I love the way it all feels so exotic and different, right down to the outdoor escalators that climb the mountainside and the jumble of tiny shops in Kowloon that sell everything you can think of. It’s a wonderful, vibrant place to go.”

Iain Gibbons

After three weeks in Las Vegas in April, Iain Gibbons, Customer Proposition Director at Virgin Money, was ready for a change of pace.

boat, it’s been an idyllic and restful break filled with fun and quality family time. And it’s that which is most important in a holiday for me.

“I love The States, Spain and Crete, but there’s something special about Scotland… despite the midges and the occasional shower!”

Kim Inglis

Freelance television presenter and journalist Kim Inglis loves Cumbria, where she lives, but also enjoys skiing and holidays in sunny Corfu.

She says: “Travel for me is about visiting different places so I’m afraid I can’t pick an overall favourite! My best holiday week of the year is spent skiing. I can speak French and Italian so I usually go somewhere like Cervinia or La Plagne.

“The Northern Lake District is my home and favourite place in the world to be. My ‘go to’ place for an overnight treat occasionally is currently the Cottage in the Wood at Whinlatter – amazing food.

“And foreign-wise, Corfu is fantastic. I love the Merchant’s House, a small boutique hotel in Old Perithia – it’s magic. It is quiet, romantic, elegant and right at the top of a hill.”

Northumberland. I go there to relax, take time out and, basically, because it’s gorgeous.

“The beaches are wonderful. I can play golf at Bamburgh and Alnmouth, followed by good old fish and chips!

“It’s a real haven and one we’re lucky to have in the North East!”

Pam Royle

For Tyne Tees presenter Pam Royle, the perfect holiday involves clean mountain air, stunning views and lots of snow.

She says: “I love Isola, a small French ski resort in the Alps-Maritimes. It’s not a very well-known destination, which is one of the reasons we love it! There’s no queuing for lifts… so why am I telling you about it?

“It is about an hour-and-a-half drive from Nice.

At times that’s very challenging and at times scary winding up the mountains, especially the last 20 miles to the 2,000 metres-high resort.

“There is little in the way of nightlife, so we make our own entertainment in one of the bars or restaurants or back at our apartment.

“It’s the location of the accommodation which sells it to us year after year. We usually stay in an apartment right on the slopes. It belongs to a French man who has become a good friend over the years. We can ski/board right from the front door. And the view from the balcony is fabulous.

“Also, if you fancy a day out you can drive to the sister resort of Auron half an hour away.”

Geoff Thompson

We caught up with him during a break in Scotland and he told us: “I am sat on my balcony overlooking the beautiful Loch Tay in Perthshire, our first trip to the Highlands.

“After Las Vegas and LA we chose to take a summer break in the UK and took advantage of our Diamond Resorts membership to stay at The Kenmore Club, near Aberfeldy.

“I have got to admit we were all a bit sceptical, especially my 12 and 15-year-old kids, but we have all been stunned by the array of activities, quality of food and simple beauty of the Highlands. Not to mention the amazing selection of whiskies everywhere you go!

“From white water rafting, horse riding, Highland safaris and lazy days on the loch in the

James Close

Top chef James Close has garnered a Michelin star three years in a row at his Raby Hunt Restaurant near Darlington, so you’d expect him to demand only the best when he takes precious time away from the kitchen.

However, he is a man of simple pleasures. He reveals: “As I am obsessed with food and travelling you might think I’m about to list a plethora of Michelin-starred restaurants and ‘hip’ places around Europe where I’ve been lucky enough to visit the last few years.

“But, if I’m honest, since I was a tiny boy my parents have had a static caravan in Beadnell,

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For Geoff Thompson, Chief Executive of energy and utilities consultancy Utilitywise, the lure of familiarity and sunshine make Barbados the perfect destination.

He says: “My wife Andrea and I normally go there in January to get a bit of sun when you’ve got dark nights and cold, wet weather back home.

“It’s a former British colony, so that’s part of the appeal. They drive on the left hand side of the road and have the old-style English phone boxes.

“Lots of English people go there too and it’s not unusual to bump into someone you know…it’s like a tiny bit of England in the sun. We mainly go for the climate and the golf. Andrea and I both play and the courses are very well kept.

“We stay on the west coast, usually at a hotel >>

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials

Helen Barbour enjoys Palma de Mallorca, above left, whilst Lake Placid in America, right, floats Warwick Brindle’s boat. Inset below, Wendy Gibson

called Sandy Lane which has two excellent golf courses attached to it.

“The area has stunning beaches and excellent restaurants. Our favourite is The Cliff – great food and a wonderful ambience. If we’re in the mood for something more lively we head down to Holetown on a Sunday for the karaoke night.

“Andrea does a good version of These Boots Are Made For Walking and, after a few rum punches, I might sing Elvis’s The Wonder of You… badly!”

Wendy Gibson

Journalist and TV presenter Wendy Gibson has happy memories as a child camping and caravanning in Europe with her parents, and her experiences sparked her love of speaking French, German and Italian.

To this day, France and Italy remain favourites... even when things don’t go as planned.

She recalls: “Many years ago, after getting divorced, I bravely took a holiday alone to Capri – which had always been top of my bucket list.

What could go wrong? Well, how about the world’s roughest sea crossing from Naples followed by my luggage being lost for six days.

“And, the icing on the cake, as a single traveller I was given the hotel’s worst room – facing a wall!

With only the clothes I stood up in, I came downstairs, to see couples enjoying romantic dinners together – with violin players! And yet it was magical and produced some of the best memories of my life. The Capri Palace in Anacapri, is to die for. An exercise in beauty and style, an oasis from the heat and

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

madness of Capri town. Who cares that my luggage had gone astray, or I didn’t have a room with a view. I was in one of the coolest five-star hotels in Italy – with an enormous pool, cosmopolitan visitors, a world-class spa, and ‘Leg School’, used by Demi Moore, Maria Carey, and Katy Perry among others… and waiters who could charm the birds off the trees.

“With my luggage still missing I headed to the local market for a bikini and wrap, Prada for a bag and shoes, and Acqua di Parma for smellies, and I was set! I felt like Audrey Hepburn. Being on my own, I made so many new friends, and I got to experience the island, when the trippers weren’t there and it was back to its peaceful, beautiful, seductive best! Ti amo Capri!

“My other favourite Italian destinations include Rome, Positano, Sardinia, and Ravello – perched high up on the Amalfi coast.

“And, most recently, I’m in love with the old school charm and service at the Grand Hotel Ambasciatori in Sorrento – a tad too busy for my liking, but a great staging post for trips to Naples, Capri, Ravello, and of course Pompei and Herculaneum.

“As a final whistle-stop round-up of some of my top holiday locations – St Tropez for the buzz; Bermuda for its pink sand and Britishness; The Caribbean for its beautiful beaches and the sparkliest of waters; and finally Canada for back country camping, braving bears, and getting away from it all.”

Ben Quigley

Ben Quigley, CEO of Newcastle-based creative agency Different, discovered his dream destination at a work-related event…but now it’s a place he enjoys visiting with his family.

He says: “For me, it has to be St Paul de Vence, in the south of France. It’s one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera,

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and is well known for its modern art museums and galleries.

“Its ancient streets and squares are so atmospheric with incredible views into the bay of Cannes. For special occasions I stay at the Hotel St Paul within the town and I dine at the always-amazing Colombe D’Or, as frequented by film stars and artists new and old like Picasso – it’s actually lined with real Picasso paintings! I also enjoy playing boules in the tree-lined square with a crafty cognac.

“I first found St Paul de Vence through the Cannes advertising festival, and now it’s a family favourite too.”

Anna Yuill

Anna Yuill, founder of Hartlepool-based MadLo & Co Beachwear, fell in love with Miami when she visited it a few years ago.

She says: “I love the sun, the beaches and the shops and this place never disappoints. Having a brother who lives there is also a great reason to keep returning!

“Having stayed at a number of the hotels here I have to say my all-time favourite is the Ritz Carlton on South Beach. It’s a great location as it’s so near to the beach and right in the hub of Miami. I was recently here visiting the annual Miami Swimshow as research for my online swimwear boutique MadLo&Co and got to go to some great places. It’s full of inspiration for a swimwear boutique owner which makes it an ideal place for me to go to and disguise it as a working holiday!

“When it comes to eating out, there’s so much choice. I like to enjoy the sights when I visit so often go to rooftop restaurant Juvia on Lincoln Road. It has amazing views of the whole of Miami and is a great place to eat and see the sunset with a cocktail. I recently visited the new Edition hotel that has opened on Collins

Travel Essentials

Iain Gibbons delights in the beauty of Loch Tay, Perthshire, above left, whilst Craig Iley is a Washington DC fan, right, and below with son Josh.

Inset below, Jerri Irving and husband John on safari in Africa.

Avenue, Miami Beach – it’s beautiful and the bar is always busy. The Basement club downstairs is a real experience with a bowling alley and ice skating ring!

“Lagniappe House is a New Orleansstyle place with live music and BBQ food for affordable prices. It is located midtown near the Design District and Wynwood, which are up and coming areas and slightly off the tourist map but definitely worth a visit. I’d also recommend Wood Tavern for a drink, a totally chilled-out place without any pretence.

“Besides the busy nightlife and restaurants there are loads of things to do with a family. We like to visit Biscayne Bay and hire paddle boards and boats. And there’s the children’s museum and jungle island.”

Craig Iley

For Craig Iley, Managing Director of North-East-based Atom Bank, the UK’s first fully digital bank, travel is as much about broadening the mind as it is about taking a break.

He says: “History interests me and travel takes us through time as well as space. America is a young country so we don’t immediately rank it alongside the ancient countries of the Middle East or Europe but it has a rich history and some of the most important events of our era took place there or ideas were conceived there.

“Florida or the high-rise metropolis of New York are more obvious destinations for Brits, but Washington DC is a breath of fresh air in comparison; low rise, green, and laid-back. It speaks of colonial days in beautiful Georgetown with lots of good hotels and restaurants and has an abundance of monuments to defining moments and heroes like the abolition of slavery, equality – Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King to name but a few.

“It’s easy to navigate and the open space of the mall is a bonus surrounded by at least a dozen museums of the Smithsonian Institute all of which are free to enter. Spotless shrines to subjects as varied as the Space Race, the American Indians, The conquest of the West, law and order etc.

“And, of course, no visit would be complete without a look at the White House or the instruments of Government on Capitol Hill.”

Hannah Bayman

For Look North’s Hannah Bayman, currently on an attachment with the BBC newsroom in London, the perfect holiday doesn’t have to involve glamorous locations or luxury hotels.

Hannah, who will be back on Look North shortly, enjoys nothing more than camping… and her favourite destination is only a short drive from her Northumberland home.

She says: “There’s a site at a farm near Craster in Northumberland which is in the perfect place to enjoy the sunrise on the summer solstice in June. We usually get there the evening before, pitch our tent and get the camping stove going to make scrambled eggs and a flask of hot chocolate. Then we sleep until about half three in the morning, when the sky is just starting to turn lighter. It’s about a mile’s walk from the campsite down to the beach, through fields of long grass and wild daisies. The sky is usually turning pink by the time we reach the sand.

“Cows are grazing on the headland and you can see Dunstanburgh Castle to the north. Directly

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ahead of us and out to sea, the tip of the midsummer sun appears on the horizon at precisely 4.23am. We paddle in the sparkling water as the rising sun lights up the North Sea.”

Jerri Irving

North East businesswoman Jerri Irving (nee Murtagh) owns Epernay Bridal in Gosforth and Echo23 marketing company. She enjoyed one of her favourite holidays recently…on honeymoon.

She says: “Last summer my husband John and I spent three weeks in Dubai, Tanzania and Zanzibar. We flew from Newcastle and spent time in Dubai, before arriving at Kilimanjaro to start an eight-day Sky Safari with a company called Elewana. It was a fantastic way to see the country, as we flew between each national park on a private plane – at one point I also took over the controls and flew over the Serengeti!

“Our accommodation throughout the week comprised of a coffee lodge, tree house, manor house and tent, which were all completely unique and built in the wilderness, meaning an armed guard was needed to escort you between your room and the dining areas and reception.

“Each resort was different: one day we were staying in a luxury country house and the next a tent. It was the experience of a lifetime. After our safari we flew to Zanzibar for a week of relaxation in a beach hut, which was needed after 5am wake up calls and 12-hour days on the road. I wish I could do it all again!” >>

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

Travel Essentials minutes away on Lake Geneva.

So for me, Morgins is an all-year-round paradise.”

Warwick Brindle

St Stephanos in Corfu is Duncan Young’s favourite place. Inset below, Geoff Hodgson skiing with friend Simon Feather in Switzerland

Geoff Ford

Geoff Ford MBE is the Chairman of the region’s hugely successful technology component makers Ford Aerospace Limited and Ford Component Manufacturing Limited.

When on holiday, Geoff enjoys a bit of comfort but also breathtaking scenery, and one of his most memorable trips was to South Africa.

He says: “One of our favourite holidays was a fly-drive adventure to the Drakensberg Mountains in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.

“The scenery was unbelievable and the people very friendly. The highlight was probably Rourke’s Drift, where the battle on which the film Zulu was based took place – it was a very moving experience.

“Then we ended with four days of luxury at The Oyster Box, Umhlanga Rocks, north of Durban.”

Helen Barbour

Helen Barbour, Vice Chairman of the hugely successful outdoor clothing company Barbour, was torn between her favourite destinations of Palma de Mallorca in Majorca, and Tenerife – and she’s also quite fond of Portugal.

She says: “I have two favourite places that I love to go to on holiday. The first is Palma and I normally go every June with the same two girlfriends who I’ve been going there with for a few years now.

“We stay at a hotel called Portixol. It is a medium-sized boutique style hotel with a fantastic cocktail bar and lovely pool and fabulous breakfast and lunches. When we go we spend our time eating fabulous food, shopping and chilling out by the pool. My favourite place to go out in Palma is quite a hidden secret – a cocktail bar called Abaco. I also love tapas and every time we go we try to find somewhere new.

“Another place I love is Tenerife.

I more or less grew up in a village

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 15

called Los Gigantes. My mum took me there every school holiday throughout my teens as we had an apartment. Every holiday we met up with a big crowd of other kids who used to do a similar thing. It was like a home from home and I absolutely loved my time there. I haven’t been back for a good few years now as it has changed a lot since I went there but I have such happy memories of it. Now I go to Tenerife every Easter with some girlfriends to a beautiful hotel in Las Americas called Villa Cortes.

“Finally, there’s a hotel that my boyfriend and I have discovered which is just outstanding.

It is the Conrad Hilton in Portugal. The service is amazing and the restaurants serve fabulous food, especially the gourmet one which does the most amazing tasting menu.”

Geoff Hodgson

When he’s not helping SMEs achieve their goals, entrepreneur and North East Access to Finance Chairman Geoff Hodgson likes to get away from it all at one of his family homes… in Switzerland.

He says: “As a family we very lucky to own a property in our favourite destination, Morgins.

“It’s a village on the French border, in the Porte de Solais, just over an hour from Geneva airport.

It is one of the oldest ski resorts in the world, but has never been overdeveloped in the way many others have.

“The attraction during the winter is obvious – it’s one of the biggest ski areas in Europe with fantastic mountain restaurants and skiing for all levels. The big secret, however, is the Alps in summer with fantastic walking, mountain biking, tennis, swimming and horse riding.

“You enjoy different restaurants in the summer, normally in pastures full of cows with bells!

“Then there are all the activities and sightseeing 20

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Warwick Brindle, Chairman of Rockliffe Hotel, Spa and Golf Course, loves his place of work so much he doesn’t hesitate to name it as the perfect holiday haven.

However, when pushed he opted for America.

He says: “It goes without saying my favourite destination is Rockliffe Hall, but I if I had to go anywhere else it would be to Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains in the USA. “Staying by a magnificent lake, in an authentic log cabin next to a golf course can’t be beaten for great food and an easy way of life. It’s best to go in the summer.”

Tom Hedley

Tom Hedley, of Newcastlebased Hedley McEwan Creative Communication, and wife Karen own a beautiful beach-side house in Catalunya, Spain, so it takes somewhere very special to lure them away.

However, there is one such place on the northern tip of Sardinia – an impossibly stunning town called Santa Teresa Di Gallura.

Tom says: “Imagine if Stephen Spielberg was given a bottomless budget to build a film set in which to make the most romantic movie ever – this place would be the result.

“Sardinia is justifiably famous for its white crystal beaches stretching to the horizon, framed by turquoise waters and crowned at the end of each day with sunsets from Heaven itself.

“Most head for the commercial south, but the smart money heads north. Here you’ll find anyone’s best realisation of Paradise and Santa Teresa Di Gallura is the shining jewel in a richly festooned crown. Beyond beautiful.”

Bill Ward

Father-of-four Bill Ward, joint owner and managing director of the region’s Volvo dealership Mill Garages, of Newcastle, is a kid at heart when it comes to holidays.

Bill loves the thrills and spills of Orlando’s theme parks and one of his favourite places to stay is the Hard Rock Hotel. He says: “I love music from the 60s and 70s and you get great bands playing all the time at the Hard Rock Hotel.

“But I enjoy family time at the theme parks just as much – we’re all big fans of the Harry Potter stories and Universal Studios is brilliant.”

Away from Florida, Bill enjoys relaxing in pretty Soller on the Spanish island of Majorca. The town, set in a lush valley of orange groves, is just 40 minutes from Palma yet, says Bill, is rarely overrun with tourists.

The Perfect Location Whatever your reason for visiting we can promise you a memorable stay. Relax & enjoy our two championship golf courses, our state-of-the-art spa & our award-winning restaurants.

You may be visiting for business, holding a meeting in one of our many conference or event spaces – but hopefully you’ll still make time to chill out and take advantage of our fabulous facilities.

www.ramsidehallhotel.co.uk Ramside Hall Carrville Durham DH1 1TD t: 0191 386 5282 e: mail@ramsidehallhotel.co.uk

FARNDALE HOLIDAY COTTAGES are located in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park on the Farndale Estate. The Dale is famed for its daffodil walk when each Spring the river banks come alive with the yellow flowers.

Originally a collection of farm buildings they have recently undergone an award winning renovation to provide luxury accommodation in a tranquil rural setting.

There are six cottages to choose from, sleeping from 2 to 12 people all with under floor heating and each with its own unique character.

The cottages provide a superb base for an unforgettable holiday experience in North Yorkshire.

• Free WIFI & Free Sat TVs in every bedroom • Located opposite the local pub • Ideal base for walking & cycling • Dog friendly • Short & weekend breaks available • Award winning restoration • Book online

www.farndalecottages.co.uk