Super model, mum and TV presenter Nadya Hutagalung talks about her favourite hideaways, her new TV show Wondernesia and the phrase she relies on the most when she’s travelling…
My happy place is…

I love Nepal and India as they are the destinations I usually go to for a pilgrimage. Taking time out to centre myself when my life gets super busy brings me a deeper happiness and helps me manage all the work/family juggling that needs to happen to keep everything and everyone functioning.

I’ve just flown back from…

I have spent the last four months travelling all over Indonesia and experiencing all its incredible beauty for new travel show Wondernesia on Discovery TLC. I am currently in Australia for a family holiday.

The city that I love…

New York City would be one of my favourites, but only for a couple of weeks so I can satisfy my love of food.

You’ll usually find me heading to…

It would be Indonesia for work and India or Nepal for pilgrimage.

The most glamorous hotel I’ve visited…

I would have to say that staying in the Coco Chanel suite at the Ritz in Paris would have to win the title of most glamorous. Staying in the room where Coco Chanel lived in Paris was really such an incredible privilege.

Our best family holiday…

Kenya… Visiting Kenya really changed my life, the incredible beauty and the sense that 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 really deeply moving. The kids loved hearing the sound of lions when they went to sleep at night and being able to see the elephants stroll past their bedroom in the morning. But the best moment was having the kids meet the last of the great big bull elephants called Tim. It was lovely to see the children get so close to him and experience his magic. You need to take your families and loves ones to see these endangered animal now before you can’t.

My favourite childhood holiday…

Driving up the Australian coast with my mum.

My biggest holiday disaster…

Packing, planning, and arriving at the airport with the whole family only to realise we didn’t have the appropriate visas. We ended up going to Bali after much deliberation and hesitation on my side. That trip however did end up changing our lives as it was on this trip that we learned more about the Green School in Bali of which I am now a board member.

When abroad I recommend that you…

Try everything! That’s the best advice I could possibly give.

When I want to chill out on holiday…

If I was in Africa then I would be out on game drives for most of the day or riding horses.

The country I’ll never go back to…

Never say never… I can’t think of any country that has left such an impact.

The most interesting person I have met on my travels…

A man named Richard Bonham of the Big Life Foundation in Kenya. A true conservation hero who is working to save the lives of elephants, rhino, lions and other game in the region and doing so with great success. Really someone who lives and breathes his passion for conservation.

The souvenir I will always come home with…

I don’t usually buy holiday souvenirs except for textiles which are always beautiful.

My top five Asian countries…

Indonesia for its natural beauty and culture; Singapore for the fact it is a well-run city and it’s easy to get all that you need; Nepal for its deep religious history; India for its colour, heart and a fantastic level of organised chaos thrown in; and Myanmar for its beautful people, food and Buddhist sites.

My go-to phrase when travelling…

“Where is your favourite place to eat?”

Suggested Itineraries

Beach, Food, & Art Summer Holiday

Greece Cyclades: Mykonos & Santorini Barcelona Madrid Spain Europe

  • Explore Athens on a private guided tour, including a trip to the Acropolis
  • Visit the sacred site of Delphi, home of the oracle of Apollo
  • Enjoy beautiful beaches and fun activities in Mykonos
  • Get a taste of Spain on a tapas tour of the Spanish capital, Madrid
  • Discover the world of Gaudi in the avant-garde city of Barcelona
ideal length 14 nights

Classic China

Chengdu Beijing & Northern China Xian Shanghai & Surrounds China Asia

  • Travel in a sidecar through the hutongs of Beijing

  • Discover the Xi’an Terracotta Warriors

  • See pandas at the Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu

  • Take in the sights on a walking tour of Shanghai

  • Cycle around the narrow cobbled streets of Suzhou

ideal length 10 nights

Winter in Hokkaido

Hokkaido

  • Enjoy a sightseeing tour from an Ice Breaker

  • Go on a Drift Ice Walking tour

  • Cruise around the coast of Shiretoko spotting birds and animals

  • Trek the walking trails around Akan National Park, Japan

  • Go dog sledding through the wintery landscape

ideal length 11 nights
Choose Lightfoot Travel
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  • Peace of Mind