Tastemakers' Travels

Five gurus from the worlds of fashion, design, wine and food reveal where they love to go on holiday

The Model: Nadya Hutagalung

Kenya

The wildlife campaigner and supermodel Nadya Hutagalung fell head over heels for this African country. “Visiting Kenya really changed my life, the incredible beauty and the sense I was somehow going home to the land of origins was almost overwhelming. Being able to see so many wild animals, especially the elephants was deeply moving,” says Hutagalung. And she’s not the only member of the family who enjoyed the trip. “The kids loved hearing the sound of lions when they went to sleep at night and watching the elephants stroll past their bedroom in the morning. But the best moment was having the kids meet the last of the big bull elephants called Tim. You need to take your loved ones to see these endangered animals now before you can’t,” she adds.

The Architect: Bill Bensley

Cambodia

Award-winning architect and designer Bill Bensley may have his company headquarters in Bangkok, but his heart is in Cambodia. It’s here that he launched the Shinta Mani Angkor Bensley Collection hotel and the Shinta Mani School of Hospitality. Here his team train underprivileged students and help graduates find employment free of charge. Apart from staying at the Shinta Mani hotel, Bill Bensley recommends that you get out and explore the neighbourhood. “Vibe Café is an amazing vegan restaurant in the hipster neighbourhood of Kandal Village.” A little later in the day, Bensley recommends stopping for cocktails at Miss Wong. “Always a great mix of locals and tourists. An artistic crowd.” But there is one thing you should do before you leave says Bensley. “Watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat.”

The Winemaker: Eddie McDougall

Italy

Australian TV presenter and winemaker Eddit McDougall flies all over the world to find the perfect vine or film for his TV show. But there's one place he says that he would travel to time and time again. "The island of Elba off the coast of Italy may be famous for being the home of Napoleon Bonaparte when he was in exile, but it's also the home of gob-smackingly delicious sweet wines," he says. "A great way to see the area is to hire a vintage car, take the top down and cruise around with the sun blazing on you. It's a stunning island and the views that you will be treated to are breathtaking."

The Chef: Kiran Jethwa

Mozambique

Kenyan born celebrity chef Kiran Jethwa says that a trip to this island off the coast of Africa is hard to beat. “The fact that Quirimba Archipelago in Mozambique is one of the most beautiful archipelagos on the East African coast, is reason enough to visit. But it’s also worth visiting this island as it’s where you’ll find dogtooth tuna.” The only way to catch these fish, says the adventurous TV chef, is to spear them while free diving. "It’s extremely challenging, but when you enter this underwater paradise and are eventually successful it is incredibly rewarding," says Jethwa. "Then you have the fish itself, the flesh light pink in colour, the same texture as tuna but a far more delicate flavour. It’s fantastic and worth the effort.”

The Fashion Designer: Matthew Williamson

Mallorca

British fashion designer first flew to Mallorca to design a suite for the Belmond La Residencia hotel. But from the moment he landed on the Spanish island he was hooked — so much so, he bought a house there. “I fell in love with Deià from the moment I first visited: it’s charming, simple and relatively underdeveloped,” says Williamson. When the designer isn’t working he likes to get out and explore. “On my day off I will take a walk up the hillside to an old, derelict monastery with my dog, Mr Plum,” he says. But if you visit, he also has a few recommendations: “Visit the Gaudi cathedral, then get lost in the narrow streets of the old town. If you keep walking you’re sure to see one off the many hidden squares with original buildings, stores and cafēs."