Lisa Snowdon: 'Unsurprisingly, I'm not a fan of Ryanair'

As a rule, I travel at least once a month

I’m lucky I have friends all over the world to visit, but often it’s just within the UK. This year, of course, it has been different, but I was in Vietnam in January for This Morning (minus my fiancé, George).

Growing up I remember lots of road trips to Spain

They involved my two younger sisters, grandparents and my Swiss cousin. It was a long journey, but we stayed for a month before running our cousin back to Switzerland.

Vietnam is exhilarating

You have to be assertive when crossing the roads in Ho Chi Minh because the mopeds seem like they’re coming right at you, then they suddenly weave around you. Even though I only had pit stops in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay I immersed myself as much as I could. The food was delicious.

I am in love with Japan

The affair began when I was 19 and I went there to model. I’ve been back 10 times since. I love the food, the history, the culture and how polite, respectful and punctual they are. They take such pride in what they do, and they take the time to do it well, rather than cutting corners. It’s a huge, diverse country; there’s much more I want to explore.

I’ve been to the edge of the world

Spurn Point in Yorkshire certainly feels like it, anyway. It’s quite remote, so there are not many people around, and you’re engulfed by a nature reserve. When George and I were last there, we went on a long bracing walk with the wind whipping up.

I usually look for adventure

We don’t have children, so our schedules are more flexible and when we travel we make a point of avoiding the school holidays. The prices are better and it’s not as busy. My main criteria for destinations? I look for adventure, culture and good food. Spain and Italy are regulars.

Bucharest was our first holiday together as a couple

Friends wondered why we’d chosen Romania, but neither of us had ever been. It was fantastic, especially if you’re a history buff. The architecture was mesmerising, and the streets beautiful and wide; very European. I would go there again in a heartbeat.

Tokyo is special

It was the first place I went to in Japan and it will always have a special place in my heart. I always start my Japanese trips there. Mishima is another highlight – 42 minutes away on the Shinkansen (bullet train), from which you can see Mount Fuji. Eel is a local speciality there.

Scotland is stunning

We went to the Fife Arms last year for my birthday, in Braemar, near the Queen’s Balmoral estate. The drive from Aberdeen through the Cairngorms was stunning. It started snowing on the drive back, which was just magical.

I head to Thailand to unwind

Koh Samui is my go-to spot when I need some me-time. I stay in Kamalaya, a luxury spa and resort. I go by myself with my own agenda: stretching and reading.

I hate that there’s Wi-Fi on planes now

It’s supposed to be the one time where you can really be uncontactable, floating above the clouds. I’m not a fan of Ryanair, unsurprisingly, but I do love JAL, Air New Zealand, British Airways, Emirates and Qatar.

I had a holiday conversion

I used to be more of a beach girl, whereas George was more into city breaks, so it’s fair to say that we had very different travelling styles when we first got together. However, he’s since converted me. Now I get just as much R&R from exploring and adventuring.

We had to cancel our wedding this year because of coronavirus

We’d hoped to get married in Japan later this year, but now we don’t even really discuss it. We are going to leave it until next year. There’s no point in planning anything when it is all so uncertain.

Now I’m hooked on Scandinavia

We went night fishing in the Bergen fjords at 1am and caught 10 fish between us, which we cooked the next day on the boat. Scandinavia is now my new favourite. I love Oslo, the food scene there is incredible. Overall though, Norway was pretty expensive.

I love travelling with friends

Last year, we spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles before rendezvousing with 17 friends at the wellness resort of Aro Ha in New Zealand for a birthday surprise. We went on hikes together, ate vegan food, tried all these different rituals and didn’t even drink the whole time. I had the most amazing time. Right now, travelling with a group of friends is top of my wishlist.

Our next big trip will be to Rwanda

It looks like the most phenomenal place. We want to see the gorillas, and I think that’s one of the best places to do it.

Interview by Sarah Ewing

Working with the Japan National Tourism Organisation, Lisa Snowdon is encouraging travellers to explore the country widely and adopt healthy Japanese habits: japan.travel/en/uk