Our expert travel insiders share their favourite places in the world
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For the special July/August issue of Condé Nast Traveller, with the theme of Under One Sky, we reached out to our network of incredible travel insiders, asking them to share their favourite places and addresses to help reignite our untrammelled curiosity once the world started moving again. The idea was that by shining a light we would help to support those at every level of the travel community.
One in 10 people around the globe earns a living from tourism, making it a delicate ecosystem with roots that spread out through the multitude of cities, islands and wildernesses, to those roadside crab shacks, small hotels, shops, galleries and nightlife spots whose survival depends on visitors – all of whom have been affected, in some way, by the planet-wide Covid crisis. To the villager in Bali, for example, whose homestay aids social enterprises, or the urban guide who tells street stories in Nairobi. The best sort of travel, after all, is that which enables encounters and connections with different cultures and experiences. Here are just a few on-the-ground voices with a local point of view.
Jonesia 'Kazawadi' Dominic
Member of the Haya people and a guide at Dunia Camp, the only female-run safari lodge in Africa
Where do you go to be alone?
‘I work in the Serengeti National Park and spend most of my time here, but if I need a moment of real solitude I drive all the way to the north-east end of the Moru Kopjes to the Gong Rocks. I climb up and sit on top, enjoying the view of Tanzania and listening to the sound of birdlife. I love this place because you can see far over the plain, watching elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, wildebeest and zebras if it’s migration time, when the kopjes, or small hills, seem like islands in the sea. It clears my mind.’A place you fell in love?
‘Zanzibar’s Prison Island. It was Easter, and I went with my best friend for four days; it was there that I met Gian. He walked into my heart and is now the love of my life. Prison Island is incredible in itself, with giant tortoises more than 150 years old and beautiful beaches. We like to go back there to watch the rise and fall of the tide and swim in the ocean.’- Vijchika Udomsrianan
MOOK ATTAKANWONG
Bangkok-born curator whose gallery, ATT19, in the city’s creative district places the focus on emerging talent by showcasing young Thai artists
Your favourite place to stay?
‘Into the Forest in Samut Prakan. It’s just 40 minutes from the inner city but, as the name suggests, makes you feel much further away. It’s filled with greenery and has a large lake with cabana-style bedrooms all around. I wake up to the sounds of birds chirping, which I don’t hear in the capital.’Is there a film you’d recommend?
‘This isn’t a film but I watch a lot of Li Ziqi’s content on YouTube, where she shares her life in Pingwu County in China’s Sichuan region. Her cinematography and depiction of this small town and the traditional techniques used there really amazes me – it shows how sustainable and in touch with culture one can be in this day and age.’The best shop?
‘Shone Puipia’s studio, Soi Sa:m, in Bangkok where his womenswear collections using Thai silk are displayed. He is someone I regard as the future of fashion.’An under-the-radar culture hit?
‘Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in the Grand Palace is very underrated – it seems most people don’t know it exists. It’s always quiet and no pictures can be taken inside, so you’re not always bumping into people looking for a photo opportunity. I love to study Thai materials here and appreciate the way the royal worked with French couturists such as Pierre Balmain, fusing together South-east Asian heritage and western silhouettes and details.’Where would you go for a special feast?
‘At FV, a cafe in Bangkok's Chinatown, the menu helps local farmers by putting a spotlight on Thai produce. My favourite dish is sommanat, a coconut meringue which I buy in jars to take home.' Matei Adryan Myculescu
Rewilding guide and bison expert with the European Safari Company in Romania
Where do you go to be by yourself?
‘Our lookout in the Bison Hillock; it’s a good place to spend time reflecting. There’s the forest at your back and the Tarcu Mountains in front. I go camping nearby – watching the light fading over the valley is incredible. I grew up here in Armeniș, and the rewilding project gave me a chance to stay in the village and help the local economy. During the Covid crisis I was still able to monitor the bison: we used the time to find better trails for our guests when they come back.’A place for a feast?
‘Pensiunea Ecaterina in the village of Berzasca on the Danube shore. The one thing everyone should order is papanași – it’s a sort of doughnut with blueberry jam, sour cream and honey.’Charlotte Glover
Librarian turned owner of Parnassus Books, a local gathering point in Ketchikan, Alaska
The best spot for food?
‘So, a summer without cruise ships (though we’ve had some very expensive yachts in town, and Learjets at the airport – people are going to remote fishing camps) means my favourite place, the Fish House, is not open. I miss it terribly. But New York Café is really on a roll right now. Great food with Middle Eastern flair. A very friendly crew. I just had a delicious schnitzel here with mushroom gravy, and a beef burrito with the tastiest steak I’ve ever eaten in Ketchikan.’And for a staycation?
‘I love going to Petersburg but it gets really small, really fast. Still, what a wonderful town to spend a couple of days in. I went last summer to eat at The Salty Pantry and take a glacier tour. Just a delight. But in south-east Alaska the best place, hands down, is Sitka. The most gorgeous little city with great shops, restaurants and all those cultural hits: the Russian Bishop’s House, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Fortress of the Bear… There’s also a lighthouse you can rent.’Which books and films show the true Alaska?
‘Our fiction is all over the place and none of it can really capture how BIG our state is and how varied the experiences are. One favourite is To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey, based on the 1885 expedition of Henry Tureman Allen who mapped the rivers of the interior. Ivey riffed on that concept and told the entire story in letters and through bits of historical ephemera. Alone in the Wilderness is a documentary following Richard Proenneke’s journey into remote Alaska in the 1960s. He built a cabin and all the tools he needed to survive from materials taken from the land, and lived there by himself until he was in his eighties.’Mabel Sageus
Horse-wrangling pro at the Awasi Atacama lodge in northern Chile
Your favourite place in the wilderness?
‘Pujsa Salt Flat, on the high plateau in the middle of the Andes. It’s this beautiful, colourful space where you can see flamingos, foxes and vicuñas jumping around against the blue sky.’Best area to visit in your homeland?
‘Cauquenes Province in Chile’s wine country. Every day I dream about riding my horses through the mountains until I reach the coast and drink a glass of Carménère under the stars.’WARENA BURGESS
The Aboriginal General-Manager Intern at Wukalina Walk, an indigenous-owned hiking experience in Tasmania
Where to go for a feast?
‘I'd travel to Pyengana, near St Helens in north-east Tasmania, and go to the Pyengana Dairy Farm Gate Cafe. I’d ask to take part in a cheese tasting, and order the lemon-myrtle ice cream. They have their own herd of cows – you can watch them using a rotating massager on the animals while you eat.’A favourite shop?
‘Smitten Merino is a family-run business in Hobart for amazing clothing and accessories. I would buy a beautiful hat and jacket to keep myself warm throughout the Tassie winter.’A place you always return to?
‘The Krakani Lumi, a standing camp in Wukalina (Mount William National Park), because of its spectacular views, peace and quiet, and its cultural significance. I always feel calm and collected when I’m here, with a heightened connection to the land. From the summit I can see Cape Barren, the island I grew up on.’
- Yacoub Chakarji
ALINKA
Ukraine-born, Chicago-raised DJ who is now based in Berlin’s buzzing Neukolln district
Your go-to LGBTQ+ hangout?
‘Berghain and its Panorama Bar. It’s my favourite club in the world and my weekend ritual when I’m in town. There’s an energy that’s hard to explain but it’s pretty magical. Sometimes I go here on Sunday afternoons, just for a coffee and to watch the dancers – there’s always so much happening visually.’The best shops?
‘Trendy Army Store, and Overkill for sneakers and streetwear.’Where do you go to be by yourself?
‘I spend a lot of time at Treptower Park and the Soviet War Memorial, which is massive and beautiful and a good place to come and just enjoy the silence. I biked here weekly during lockdown and it kept me sane.’Salah Hussein
Proprietor of a small shop in front of the Medinet Habu temple in Luxor, Egypt
A favourite local spot?
‘The place I like best is the Assasif Tombs. Not many foreigners go there. One tomb, Kheruef, not far from Hatshepsut’s temple, is small but very wonderful because you can see bellydancers carved on the wall, men on one side, women with long hair on the other. I love it for the beauty of the art and for its energy.’Where’s best to eat?
‘If I have guests, I take them to Sofra restaurant for salads, ta’amiya (falafel) and things like that. But if it’s just me, I go to Oum Hashim behind the Emilio Hotel. The kofta is very, very good.’Any good shops?
‘My own Salah Shop, of course! We closed in March when lockdown started, but we are ready to open as soon as we have visitors. We have handcrafted bowls and pots, some things made from the doum palm, pottery created by Nubians and big shawls from Nagada in Cairo. Come and visit – you are welcome.’ ELIZABETH PEARCE
New Orleans drinks historian with the intel on the real-deal neighbourhood hangouts
Your favourite culture hit?
‘Lots of people know New Orleans as a great place for music, but the theatre scene here is also dynamic. The NOLA Project, Goat in the Road, See ‘Em On Stage…. all of these are “homeless” companies that perform at various venues around the city. And Café Istanbul is a brilliant spot. I was supposed to host a cabaret here that I wrote, called Dry: The Songs of Prohibition, back in May. I’ve missed watching shows and am ready to do so again.’Which bar would you recommend?
‘Something we do really well is bars and my local is Bud Rip’s, just two blocks from my house. It’s been around since the 1930s. Savana and Dickie are both talented bartenders who can make a mean Manhattan. What I like most about Bud Rip’s is that the crowd spans the age spectrum, from folks in their twenties to those in their seventies. For all the divisions we talk about in the USA, the one that doesn’t seem to get much ink is that between the generations.’An escape from the city?
‘Crescent Park runs along the Mississippi from Poland Avenue to the edge of the French Quarter. There’s always something growing in this area. I often send visitors here as a reminder of how important the river has been in shaping the character of New Orleans. When the stay-at-home orders were sent out, I was even more grateful for its proximity. NB: Nothing will show your hand faster than to call our city The Big Easy. That’s a Hollywood creation.’VEDRAN MODRUSAN
Croatian skipper-for-hire with a keen eye for local history
Favourite places to point your boat to?
‘For the old town, Hvar. For the beauty of sailing between many, many islands, then the Kornati archipelago. For calm and nature, I steer my boat to Mljet or Dugi Otok. But my favourite near Rovinj is Cres and Mali Losinj. The two islands are joined by a very small bridge. Cres is wilder. Just a handful of little villages. Mali Losinj has an actual town. But you will find beautiful, empty bays on both, for jumping into the sea. And from Mali, you can take your speed-boat hopping over to the little islets of Ilovik, Unije and Susak – these are the true escapes on my sea chart, with only a few people living on them, and little taverns for Istrian wine.’Harshvardhan Tanwar
Mumbai-based co-founder of travel outfit No Footprints, pioneer of India’s first lGBTQ+ tour
The film whose location blew you away?
‘Tumbbad, an independent movie that came out in 2018. The way
it shows rural Maharashtra in the first 20 minutes is surreal. I know the countryside is lovely in monsoons, but this film makes me want to go on a long drive as soon as the rains hits. When I was a child, my dad would take us here in his off-white Daewoo with his favourite Seventies music playing on a loop – we’d go to Pune and the hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala. The mist in the air, piping-hot tea, corn on the cob and vada pav are the things I remember.’A place for a feast?
‘I like hole-in-the-wall spots such as Aslam Chicken amid the chaotic lanes of Old Delhi. It serves butter chicken and chicken seekh kebab. The first dish is barbecued, with a ton of butter, curd and a secret masala – it’s then vigorously shaken and out comes the tastiest meat ever. You can smell the melted butter from a long way off.’Bon Pham
A grabbike taxi driver who has been riding the streets of Hanoi for years
A street-food tip?
‘The stalls on Ta Hien Street are usually crowded at night, but that doesn’t stop me going and getting my fix of nem chua ran – fried fermented pork rolls!’- Jack Johns & Owen Tozer
WAYAN SUARTANA
Balinese villager near Ubud who holds cooking classes at his homestay and funds teaching and recycling projects
Where do you head to eat?
‘Warung Mina for ikan asam manis – sweet-and-sour fish – and stir-fried water spinach. For rendang sapi, go to Warung Padang Simpang Tigo. But also the night markets for nasi campur.’Any local favourites?
'My special spots include Tegalalang Rice Terrace, which has been here for centuries, and Campuhan Ridge, known as the Hill of Love, where people like to trek. Also the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.’Rashid Johar Al Alyani
Adventure-sports devotee in charge of the ToroVerde Ras Al Khaimah zipwire in the UAE
A place to eat?
‘Al Fanar, which means lighthouse in Arabic, is a restaurant in Ras Al Khaimah that resembles an Emirati family home from the 1960s, and is a good place to try traditional recipes. The setting and scents of freshly burnt bukhoor (a wood chip fired up in an incense burner known as a mabkhara) and sweet, smoky oud bring a hit of nostalgia for locals. I usually order the machboos laham, made with lamb, rice and spices.’A favourite destination for the view?
‘Jebel Jais is the highest peak in the UAE so has the best vantage point, but I also head to the beach. There’s 40ft of coastline in Ras, and Al Rams is a personal favourite. Unspoilt, with a great view towards Oman’s Hajar Mountains.’
- Bernardino Almanzar (bhurnal)
Crislaine Medina
Sommelier who was born in Cape Verde, grew up in the USA and now lives in Paris
The books to read?
‘The one that inspired me to pick up and move to Paris was Janet McDonald’s Project Girl. Reading it as an adolescent really had a huge impact on my decision to head to France at a time when I felt I had failed at rising above my circumstances. And the poem that made me want to travel was A Journey by Nikki Giovanni. In just a few words she summed up my feelings in a way that was both comforting and motivating.’Music for the holidays?
‘Luis Morais’s album Boas Festas is an instrumental that he composed in 1961 which has since become THE soundtrack played by all Cape Verdeans throughout the holidays. Tune!’The place for a French staycation?
‘I like nature but have to be true to myself and say that I also need to have a vibing neighbourhood not too far away. This is why I love Marseille. I can take a day trip to the Calanques or a vineyard and still be back in time to pull an all-nighter over some nice bottles of wine and seafood in the heart of the city. I really dig how the smarter quarters of Marseille are located on the outskirts while the soul and ruckus remains right in the centre; you cannot escape it.’Favourite spot for wine?
‘Delicatessen Cave, rue Amelot, Paris: manager Mireille Langlois rocks it!’ONIDEH SETH
Front-office agent at Jumby Bay Island Hotel and Antigua Sea Turtle project volunteer
Your favourite place in the world?
‘Shirley Heights Lookout at the most southerly tip of Antigua. Looking for the perfect spot for a late-afternoon picnic Shirley Heights Lookout. Looking for great views? Shirley Heights Lookout. Looking for an amazing base for stargazing? Shirley Height Lookout. Looking for somewhere riddled with historical importance? Shirley Heights Lookout. With one of the best panoramas on the island and a breeze that hugs the soul and conjures relaxation, Shirley Heights is my favourite place in my country and, by extension, the world.’Daniel Mrembe
Urban storyteller in downtown Nairobi who funds community programmes and health initiatives
Your favourite local places?
‘Uptown Nairobi is cleaner but downtown is where you find the real life and soul of the city. I lived on the street for some years as a child, stealing and begging for money to buy food and survive. We call it hassle. I normally show visitors around, but during Covid I’ve been doing this virtually via the I Like Local website. We go to a kibanda for traditional dishes – chapati with red beans and nyama choma, spicy goat or lamb, with a Tusker beer – and to the Kariokor Market, where people handcraft bangles and bracelets and make Maasai shuka fabric and shoes from tyres. I tell the stories of my past life here.’ - Angelika Jakob
Paolo Tagliapietra
Has been fishing for soft-shell crabs, or moeche, in the Venetian lagoon for the past 20 years
A place of quiet?
‘I know the north Venice lagoon like my pockets, so the answer is the waters where I fish with no one around me for miles. In the past few months we’ve seen seaweed, strigo, growing in parts where tourist boats usually go. We need a different kind of tourism here – to educate visitors on how fragile our city is. I’m going to start taking people fishing so they can see how we live. It’s an idea I’m sharing with others.’The best spot for food?
‘I tend to eat my own catch, but one place, on Burano island, is Al Gatto Nero, run by Ruggero Bovo. He really cares about our cooking tradition. His risotto di gò is not only my favourite dish, but one of the most representative of our seafood culture.’ - Ingo Pertramer
CHRISTINA NASR
Owns Vienna’s Alma Gastrotheque, whose fresh vegetable boxes support Austrian farmers
Top spot for cocktails?
‘The best drinks in the city, using in-house fermented ingredients, are served at Bruder bar, run by Hubert Peter and Lucas Steindorfer.’A neighbourhood secret?
‘Viola is a small bakery with the loveliest sweets in Vienna. Pastry chef Viola Bachmayr-Heyda is exceptionally talented and the treats in her café are just beyond – they show that a new take on traditional Viennese baking does make sense.’Your ideal staycation?
‘Always and forever to Burgenland – two hours from the capital and you feel as if you’re in another world. Taubenkobel, from Barbara Eselböck and Alain Weissgerber, is a one-of-a-kind restaurant with tables in the garden and locally sourced produce, plus rooms above for sleeping over. Close to Schützen am Gebirge is Gut Oggau, a vineyard and tavern for tasting a very tight assortment of regional wines – an overnight stay at Pension Drahteselböck in Rust is strongly advised.’A favourite shop?
‘Feinedinge is a store in Vienna’s 4th district, where it is all about the handmade porcelain.’GUILLERMO PIEMONTE
Rainforest-rustling head guide at Argentina's Awasi Iguazu
Tell us about a great little place away from the crowds
There’s a little reserve at the far end of the Iguazu National park in Misiones. Its name is Yacui and it’s the perfect combination of solitude and nature. There are no helicopters flying around, no lines of tourists waiting to take pictures. It's just you and the gallery of sounds that the subtropical rainforest makes. Walking through jungle paths there are surprises every turn – a cluster of red jaborandi flowers, a blue manakin performing a mating dance and singing happily, perhaps the footprints of an ocelot or a tapir. It’s a place for forgetting about the everyday craziness and feeling like a kid again.'Your favourite place in the whole world?
'Patagonia. But I can’t decide between El Chalten and Torres del Paine for its top spots. What draws me in are the incredible massifs, glaciers and lakes – and the warmth of the locals. The day I fell in love with Patagonia was the day that I hiked the Fitz Roy to the Laguna de los Tres. I made it to the lagoon and to get there I had to go up a small moraine. The wind was so strong that day it carried ice shards that hit my face like needles. We had to hide behind the rocks and peek for a brief second or two to see the massif and lagoon. At one point a gust of wind sat me down on the ground like I was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. It made me realise just how omnipotent nature can be.'Like this? Now read:
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