Hannah was born in the UK but moved to Macau as a child where she lived for the next ten years. After finishing school, she got a job at a retired racehorse stable where she trained ex racehorses and taught local children how to ride. Living in Asia gave Hannah a fantastic opportunity to explore surrounding countries, including numerous trips to Thailand, where she fell in love with the people and the culture.
After returning to the UK, Hannah joined Audley, where she worked in the Southeast Asia team for a number of years before helping with the development of Audley Travel US and was based out of the Boston office for a few months. On returning from Boston, Hannah joined the Hidden Beaches team where she could enjoy exploring new exotic destinations and stunning beaches around the globe, while still being able share her passion for Southeast Asia.
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Koh Tao is one of my favourite little hideaway islands in Thailand. It has stunning beaches, beautiful scenic walks and plenty of great places to have some local Thai food.
Many day trips can also be arranged to neighbouring islands where you can enjoy snorkelling or scuba diving in the national marine parks. Alternatively, you can just laze on the beach all day, enjoying the sunshine.
Denis Island Lodge was a truly magical experience for me, the staff are so accommodating and the beaches are just stunning.
With just 25 bungalows dotted around the island, it is never crowded. The food is mostly organically grown on the island, and the chefs create amazing daily menus for their guests; the sushi night is fantastic.
During certain times of the year, you can also help with the turtle hatchlings on the beach, making sure they get the best possible start in life on their beach run down to the Indian Ocean.
Our beach itineraries in Zanzibar are often paired with a safari experience in the Nyerere National Park in Tanzania, and it was here that I was fortunate enough to experience their game drives first hand.
One such trip was out on the Rufiji River. It was such an interesting tour to witness the wildlife in and around the river, but nothing quite prepared me for the jumping fish that hit me in the face while taking photographs of the hippos. Getting slapped by a fish on safari was definitely a memorable experience.
