This is the first in our series of interviews with popular local personalities and keen adventure seekers. We hope their experiences will give you plenty of inspiration for your own travels! 

Larissa Bonaci is a 26-year-old student of Psychology, reading her second year at the University of Malta. When not in the library, she can be found hosting the popular TV programme ‘Illostra’ or rehearsing for one of her upcoming plays. She also teaches drama at the School of Performing Arts.

Which is your favourite destination?
Los Angeles. It’s where every actor wants to be and I had the pleasure of studying at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, which makes it even more special. Whether for friends, the lifestyle or work, it is my home away from home.

What destination do you often return to?
Israel. I travelled there when I was younger, once again just a couple of years back, and it now seems another visit is in the pipeline. The Maltese are very well received in Israel, and I mostly travel there to perform.

Which is your favourite restaurant in the world?
A little Thai place called Kinaree which serves up the best yellow curry you’ll ever taste, if you happen to be in La Brea Boulevard in Hollywood.

Which has been your most memorable meal, ever?
That would have to be at the Tarragon restaurant in St Paul’s Bay. My partner took me there for Christmas Eve and between sharing it with him, the gastronomy, the friendly staff, chef patron Marvic Gauci’s welcome and a great bottle of wine, I class that as the best meal I have ever experienced.

Where do you travel to shop?
That is a privilege I can’t currently afford, but I do pick up items wherever I travel to. Most of what I wear has its own story and I like that. Which is also why I don’t throw anything out, Mum!

Have you had any travel disasters?
I’m a walking disaster locally, so it doesn’t get any prettier in a foreign country with foreign signals and non-English-speaking natives. And it would probably explain why my parents have a confused look on their faces every time I turn up at their doorstep.

Are you a first-class or back-pack kind of person?
Give me a few essentials and wrap them up in a cloth, whilst I grab a stick and figure out which direction I’m going… usually to find the first-class queue.

Which is the one travel memory/moment that stands out most in your mind?
Zandvoort, Holland. A small town that looked enchanted, with cobble roads and cute boutique stores that take you down to a beach. Seeing it for the first time left such an impression on me that I know I have to return.

Which destination is top of your ultimate travel list?
A little place called the Moon. The view must be amazing and with those spacesuits, you can eat whatever you like and not bother to ask ‘does my bum look big in this?’

And next on your list?
Where’s George Clooney at the moment? My sources tell me he’s moved from Lake Como, Italy…

If money were no object, what sort of holiday would you plan?
A long one. How long is a holiday before it becomes a retirement plan?

Which is your dream destination and why?
That island from the movie The Beach, which starred Leonardo Di Caprio. It looked so serene up until the point where everyone started getting shot.

What is your one key travel tip?
Let someone know where you’re going to be at ALL times. If you have learnt that from Discovery’s ‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive’, hopefully you jotted down some survival tips.

What item do you never travel without?
Preferably my father’s credit card but that doesn’t always work out!

Where would you never go?
Mr Debono’s house. My Form 2 report card is horrible, and I’m afraid he’ll judge me on it.