With their passion for photography and videography, Lola Hubner and her partner Jiripan travel the world, creating memories and sharing moments in hopes of inspiring a little wanderlust in you! HOLR recently got to know Lola a little better in a Q&A about her experiences with her travel and photography.

 

What experience first sparked your passion for travelling?

I went on my first overseas holiday with my partner to Thailand back in February 2017 and something about that trip sparked a little wanderlust in me. Ever since then I’ve had the travel bug. Once we got back from that holiday we worked hard for the full year to save up all our money and we left for our big adventure at the start of 2018 where we planned on backpacking the whole southeast Asia loop.

When did you start capturing your travels in a more stylized way?

I actually have a background in photography so I always had a camera around. From the beginning, we took photos of all our adventures just for memories and posted them to Instagram. It was after a few months that we found our own style we were happy with which at the same time started to gain attention on social media. 

Do you have any tips or tricks for capturing a captivating landscape photo?

The best tip I could give would be to use a wide-angle lens. This allows you to capture everything in the shot. Another tip would be to keep the subject in your shot small so that you can really get a perspective of the epic landscape around them.

What is one of the most memorable places that you’ve been to?

There are so many incredible places out there, but a place that left an impression on me was Vietnam. The landscape was unlike anything I’d ever seen, especially in Ninh Binh. They have incredibly unique cliff formations and rivers that carve through amazing valleys.

How do you decide where to go, eat etc. when you get to a new destination?

My partner and I spend many hours and weeks leading up to our travels planning the best areas to stay and which spots are the most beautiful for us to capture. The best tools for finding great restaurants, hidden gems and planning travel overall is Pinterest and reading other travel blogs. We usually pick a popular tourist area to stay so we know we’ll be near plenty of food and transport options. 

What’s the most off the beaten path spot you’ve been to?

We’ve visited some amazing places off the beaten path, but my all-time favourite is Tiu Kelep Waterfall in Lombok, Indonesia. Lombok isn’t visited by many tourists, so when my partner and I went, it was mainly just locals there. Tiu Kelep is still to this day my absolute favourite waterfall. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I even find it hard to put its beauty into words. 

How did you discover it?

Before my partner and I started travelling, we saw a photo of it online and thought ‘I NEED to see this place one day’. We never thought we would actually get the chance since it was on an island in Indonesia we had never even heard of. By chance, we ended up on the island to hike a volcano and decided to go and check it out. We had a local lead us through the jungle and at the end was this beautiful hidden waterfall.  

What’s a valuable lesson you’ve learned through your travels?

I’ve learnt that you don’t need materialistic things to make you happy! After travelling for so long on a budget and with all I can fit in a suitcase, I realized that you don’t need the newest phone or loads of shoes or clothes to make you happy. The experiences you have while travelling and the memories you create will always last a lifetime and are priceless. 

What places are on your bucket list?

I still have so many places on my bucket list that I need to tick off! My top 3 at the moment would be Egypt, Paris and Alberta.

What culture have you experienced that’s left a lasting impression on you?

The Indian culture definitely left a huge impression on me. Obviously the food was a big factor! Nothing beats a traditional Indian meal. Other things like the crazy chaotic streets and unique architecture are also reasons why it left a big impression on me. I definitely found myself overwhelmed at times from how crazy it was. The Indian culture is hard to put into words and is something people should experience for themselves if they’re up for it! 

Location-Specific Travel Tips:

What’s your favourite spot that you travelled to last year?

My favourite destination of 2019 was a tiny island called Siargao in the Philippines. It’s known for its laid back surfer vibes, beautiful landscapes and an abundance of coconut trees.

If someone had 24- hours there what would you recommend they do?

If you only had 24 hours to visit, I would recommend getting on a scooter and start exploring! There are so many gems on this tiny island and the best way to see them all is to drive yourself.

What area would you stay in?

The best area to stay would be General Luna. This is the main tourist hub and is where you’ll find all the best shops and cafes in a central location.

Where would you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner?

For breakfast, I loved the smoothie bowls from Shaka cafe. They’re the best on the island and also super cheap! Miguels is a great Mexican restaurant that has super affordable and delicious burritos. We often ate here for lunch after a big morning of exploring. For dinner, most people on the island head to the many BBQ restaurants. At night you’ll find almost every restaurant with their outdoor BBQs cooking up a variety of different meats. They’re super delicious! 

What’s a must-see off-the-beaten-path spot?

Since Siargao is so small, it’s hard to find a hidden gem that no one else knows about. There is a really amazing rope swing in the jungle which hangs off a bent palm tree over the crystal clear river! If you visit at the right time, you can have it all to yourself which makes it feel super secluded and magical. We visited the rope swing at sunrise and found it to be perfect. If you plan on visiting, definitely go in the morning!

What’s the best place to grab a drink?

I’m not a huge drinker, but from what I’ve heard, White Banana Beach Club is a popular place to grab a drink on the island.

What’s the best place to have a coffee?

Shaka Cafe not only has amazing smoothie bowls, but they also have great coffee! It’s the perfect place to start your morning.

What activity would you choose to do for fun?

An activity I would do for fun is definitely just hopping on a scooter and seeing all that the island has to offer. I love the freedom of roaming around and seeing what we stumble upon. Another exciting activity which I loved was island hopping to the nearby islands. You spend the whole day out on the water visiting some incredible little islands. They were all so beautiful and you can’t visit Siargao without doing it.

Where’s the coolest photo to take a photo?

It’s so hard to pick just 1 photo spot! There are so many on this island which is why I loved it here so much. If I could only pick 1, I would pick Magpupungko Rock Pools. Not only is the beach there insanely perfect and the definition of paradise, but the rock pools have some of the clearest water on the island. It’s perfect for anyone who wants a leisurely swim in a natural swimming pool.

Follow more of Lola’s adventures from her travel blog Lolapan Travels