I found this pretty hard as there are just so many incredible places and experiences out there that it’s near impossible to narrow it down to just one answer so I haven’t…

Favourite destination?

Where do I start? Favourite countries would probably be Japan and Cambodia. I love Japan – it’s a fascinating mix of deep tradition, cultural quirkiness and innovative technology with a varied landscape of volcanoes, snowy peaks and tropical beaches thrown into the mix. Take the bullet train and see it all!

Cambodia is my other love. A very moving country – the people are the warmest and friendliest in SE Asia despite their recent horrific history under the Khmer Rouge. It’s a beautiful place in every way. The Angkor Wat temples are magical and as much as I recommend seeing the main sites the real gems are the smaller less visited temples hidden deep in Jurassic Jungle down sandy tracks littered with butterflies.

If I was to identify a specific place then it would be a bay (which will remain a secret!) in the Philippines discovered by some friends that live out there. On the mainland of Luzon and accessible only by boat, this bay is the definition of pristine natural beauty. Ubiquitous powder white sand and jungle obviously but with a peculiar freshwater lake behind heated by black volcanic sand so that your top half is icy cold whilst your bottom is kept toasty. Needless to say a lot of time was spent in water with an intermittent break to practise yoga on the sandbank (cliché I know) and a game of Ultimate Frisbee. I spent a couple of days camping on that beach – a heavenly time.

Favourite hotel (non-client)?

  • Fantastic treehouse high above the jungle canopy (accessed by a long rope bridge) in northern Kerala, India
  • Very rustic cave rooms on the beach just a few meters from the sea in Monastir, Tunisia
  • Bolthole on the bank of a loch in the small village of Shieldaig in the Western Highlands, Scotland
  • For ultimate barefoot luxe then Soneva Fushi in the Maldives – a great jungle island with stunning natural eco design

Most exciting/wonderful travel experience?

For journeys it would be the Indian railways (the people – colour, smells and general craziness); Laos slowboat down the Mekong in the north (majestic natural beauty) and the tribes in the south on the Bolaven Plateau; and village life on the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

Laos slowboat

Bolaven Plateau

Mekong Delta

For experiences it would be when I recently stayed at the celebrated monastery Wat Doi Suthep in Chang Mai to practise meditation which was initially frustrating but then very uplifting.

Worst ever travel experience?

Beyond a doubt an overnight train journey I took in northern Vietnam between Hanoi and Sapa in the mountains near the Chinese border. With no ‘normal’ seats left I sat between two people on a hard bench designed for two at the back of the train next to a leering drunk and a mother with her very precious son whom she insisted had to lie so that throughout the night I was prodded (and coughed over by someone opposite) with another person sleeping at my feet. I was a little stiff and sleepless after those 12hrs of joy.

Sapa

What 5 things do you never travel without?

Eye mask, earplugs, Jetrest (bit of a theme here!), iPod & fan

What city should everyone visit? Top tips from that city?

Bangkok:

  • Massage at Wat Pho temple – Thai Massage school (which I did a course at!)
  • Street food – undoubtedly the best in the world
  • Ultra cool rooftop restaurants/bars

  • Take the Skytrain & river boats – only way to get around at other than walking
  • Lumphini Park for the mass afternoon aerobics classes

  • Chatuchak market (it’s HUGE) & MBK mall for dvd’s
  • Shimmering/sparkling temples at Grand Palace

  • Superb dentist complexes (& eyelash perm at the Take Care chain)
  • Patpong – still must be seen…

Where are you travelling to this year?

Looking into a yoga retreat in Turkey (very affordable retreats) and hopefully revisiting Sicily (if anything just to eat all day long)

What are your tips for the hot place to visit in 2010?

Not really specific to 2010 but a couple of unmissable experiences/sights:

  • Cherry blossom season in Kyoto, Japan

  • Songkran (water festival) in Chang Mai, Thailand

  • Turkish Baths in Winter in Budapest

Where is your dream holiday destination?

I take a lot of inspiration from my father who spent all of his twenties travelling and working abroad. One journey lasted four years and took him overland in a Land Rover throughout the whole of Africa, most of Asia and finally on to Australia.

Apart from seeing Cape Town I have a complete void on Africa and would so love to see it all but then I’m not sure it’s as easy as it was back then. Malawi and Madagascar have always intrigued me so perhaps I’ll start there. Also, Djibouti recently caught my attention as it looks so otherworldly with its salt lakes and lunar landscape.

Latin America is another great gap of mine. Apart from staying in Costa Rica a couple of times (which is quite Americanised though still beautiful and with great eco-tourism initiatives) I’d love to explore this part of the world – the Latino culture is just so alive.

By Angela