Byron Bay

Your trip to Byron Bay starts here! Discover unique things to do in Byron Bay that no one knows about. Inspiring travel curation by Jessica Van Der Leahy.

Unique things to do in Byron Bay | Exceptional ALIEN

‘I live a little bit out of town, so I spend a lot of time up in the hills and try to get a bit of distance between me and town day-to-day. I love to have a coffee up at Doma. That’s where I like to spend my mornings.’

Food & Drink

Federal Doma Cafe

‘Byron has a big emphasis on fitness. I love Counterpunch. It’s definitely a mecca for me. There’s nothing better than hitting a bag every day to get a bit of excess energy out, and perhaps take out a bit of frustration and imagine a few people’s faces on the bag.’

Wellness

Counterpunch Boxing

‘I don’t want to sound cliché, but you’ve got to have a drink at Raes in the afternoon, especially when it’s sunny and the wind is not battering that side of the coast. I’m a gin drinker, and there’s just so many great gins in Byron. A martini would probably be my go-to.’

Raes on Wategos Cellar Bar

‘I love Yeah Nice Gallery in the industrial area. Probably one of the best shows I’ve seen was Anna Karina’s ceramic show. She’s an amazing artist.’

Culture

Yeah Nice Gallery

‘Even on an average day it remains one of the best beaches on the entire planet.’

Nature

Wategos Beach

Listen

Jessica Van Der Leahy shares her travel gems on where to visit when in Byron Bay.

Jessica Van Der Leahy - Travel Playbooks | Exceptional ALIEN

Byron Bay with Jessica Van Der Leahy

With a childhood shared between Sydney and Papua New Guinea, model and writer Jessica Vander Leahy is no stranger to travel.

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Trullo

Sunday

Gail Smith Flowers

Saddler's Wells Barbershop

Saddler's Wells Theatre

London

London has long garnered its reputation as a global mecca for creative inspiration and leans proudly into its bent as a diverse melting pot of vibrant cultures.

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Mariano Vivanco shares his gems on where to visit in London.

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London afternoons with a fashion industry icon

Lima-born Mariano Vivanco grew up in New Zealand before settling in London. See more from Mariano about his work and his travel gems for London.

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‘Coming to London peeled me like an onion.’

We chat with Patricia about finding purpose within dance, why she loves the creative expression of Londoners, and her top places to eat and drink in the city.

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‘You can do whatever you want in London, and it's celebrated.’

From Mexico City to LA and London, we chat to Ali Alvarez about being inspired by human insight and personal connections. Discover her Travel Gems for London.

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‘When you can't travel the world, you are inspired by the little things on your street.’

We caught up with Louise Markey to talk about her Travel Playbook for exploring East London’s thriving food and drink scene.

Louise Markey - Stories | Exceptional ALIEN

‘Travel, where I am, and location, definitely influence my creative thinking.’

We chat with Tom about Groove Armada’s global travels and his top gems to visit when in London.

Groove Armada's Tom Findlay shares his journey making music on the road.

‘Travel is an amazing way to fire your creative juices and stop life from feeling humdrum.’

A creative journey from Johannesburg to Chernobyl, Kazakhstan and London with Nadav Kander.

Iconic photographic artist Nadav Kander has lived almost 50 years with a camera.

‘There has to be a new way. And it is coming.’

Discover the Hong Kong-born creative's take on culture and fashion in London.

Johanna Ho is bridging East and West cultures with fashion platform PHVLO.

‘My dream is to bring the West and East closer together.’

The Parisian born artist speaks about inside tips for life in London and new adventures.

The travels of renowned artist Malika Favre and a global language of creativity.

‘London works based on what your potential is and how ambitious your ideas are.’

A pioneering voice sharing Africa’s diverse creativity, we spoke with Alassane about how London inspires him and where he recommends his friends visit when in town.

Filmmaker Alassane Sy celebrates the uniqueness of West African creators.

‘London is the kind of place that allows you to rethink and rewire who you are.’

Always on the crest of emerging cultural trends, Anita shares her London Travel Playbook of inside tips.

Anita Chhiba is on a mission to uplift South Asian culture and creativity.

‘London is really enriching — there are just so many people that want to support the community.’

We chat to Oksana about her creative journey from Lithuania to London, and her personal recomendations of top things to experience.

How creativity takes artist and creative director Oksana Valentelis to new places.

‘London is punch-drunk. It's always slightly too much, but it's also never enough.’

Pichaya Soontornyanakij shares her pick of the best places to eat, hang out with other local chefs, and shop for ingredients in her Bangkok Travel Playbook.

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‘Bangkok has a very vibrant culture. Everywhere you go, 24/7, there's food around the corner.‘

Perth

There’s a creative revolution afoot in Perth, with savvy talent from hospitality to fashion flocking to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle and unbeatable landscapes.

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Michael Spiccia shares his travel gems on where to eat, drink and play in Perth.

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Perth with Michael Spiccia

We speak with Michael Spiccia about growing up in Perth, a filmmaking career that’s taken him around the world, and reconnecting with his home town.

Michael Spiccia - Stories | Exceptional ALIEN

‘I feel a real sense of expansion and creative flow in Perth’

We chat to creative director Ken Leung about leaving behind the glitz of New York to reconnect with the land and the culture in his home city of Perth.

Ken Leung - Stories | Exceptional ALIEN

‘I’m rediscovering my home. It’s such a luxury to have all of this vast space and beauty around us.’

Kuala Lumpur

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Bono Stellar shares her travel gems on where to visit when in Kuala Lumpur.

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Kuala Lumpur with Bono Stellar

Annice Lyn shares her travel gems on where to visit when in Kuala Lumpur.

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Kuala Lumpur with Annice Lyn

Ibiza

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Ibiza's best beaches, restaurants and clubs - By Vintage Culture

Ibiza with Vintage Culture

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‘In Ibiza, both sides of my personality live harmoniously, equally satiated.’

Seku Bi

Selebe Yoon Gallery

La Pointe des Almadies

Plage des Mamelles

Le Lagon 1

The African Renaissance Monument

Dakar

Perched on the western-most tip of continental Africa, Dakar puts Senegalese creativity on the map, with a thrumming fashion, music and arts scene.

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Sarah Diouf shares her travel gems on where to visit when in Dakar.

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Dakar with Sarah Diouf

We chat with fashion entrepreneur and founder Sarah Diouf, on the creative community, African culture and her Dakar Travel Playbook.

People

Jessica VAN DER LEAHY

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About Jessica VAN DER LEAHY

Travel Playbooks and Stories