Those who follow Chelsea Yamase feel an instant kinship with the Hawaiian travel blogger: with enormous joie de vivre, she takes her followers along to acroyoga sessions or freediving excursions and shows them how a little mindfulness can have a big impact on life and travel.
She is a photographer, model, former journalist, acroyoga instructor and content creator: on her Instagram account the multi-hyphenate from Kauai offers inspiring insights into her life in Hawaii – and her mindful (environmentally conscious) travels around the world.
What drives you to travel?
I’m always looking for unique experiencesand perspectives. Regardless of where I am,I always need to be able to connect with na-ture and find adventures. One of my favour-ite journeys so far was a camping trip in themountains bordering South Africa and Lesotho where a helicopter dropped us off in the middle of nowhere.
Freediving, acroyoga, surfing: does your love of exercise influence your destinations?
Definitely! I 100% go out of my way to plan trips around great diving destinations and to attend or teach at acro conventions. I think movement is the lens through which I get to know a place – but the most important thing is the people I meet along the way.
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How do you manage to travel sustainably?
I stay longer, fly less and try to savor every experience. I also often visit local nonprofit organizations and teach free yoga classes.
What are the most important lessons your travels have taught you so far?
That people are largely kind, helpful and want you to love their country. To have cash because you can’t rely on your credit card everywhere. I’ve learned that you should go back to the same countries to find the coolest spots. And finally, to see things for what they are without trying to change them. There’s beauty in diversity of cultures and comparison is the thief of joy.
Famous for its spectacular animal migrations, this East African country knows how to surprise visitors with its incredible diversity: the East African Rift Valley is as awe-inspiring as the big city of Nairobi, but Kenya’s sandy beaches, savannahs, lakes and deserts as well as its national parks should be on your bucket list as well. A nostalgic highlight: watch the traditional dhow sailing boats flit back and forth between islands in the Indian Ocean.
The Hawaii-native also lived in South Africa for a while, which she appreciates for its mix of millennia-old culture, impressive nature and vibrant city life. While there, she explored the Panorama Route and went on safari in Kruger National Park. In Cape Town, she climbed Table Mountain and discovered the delights of the Winelands. At AfrikaBurn, a spectacular art and performance festival, she partied in the desert.
This country even manages to impress a globe trotter like Chelsea Yamase: in the land of millennia-old culture, you visit a breathtaking mosque one day and marvel at the architecture of a Buddhist stupa the next. The curry here is fantastic, but considerably hotter than most travellers might be able to handle. Festivals such as Holi in March or Ganesh Chaturthi at the end of August showcase the locals’ fervor for life and celebration.
In Hawaii’s “kindred spirit on the other side of the sea”, as Yamase calls the island group, the passionate freediver fell in love with the ocean all over again. She went diving with humpback whales in the waters of the archipelago around Moorea and explored the white and black sand beaches on horseback while on Nuku Hiva. Another stunning feature of the islands: jungle trails that stretch over several kilometres.
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