Daniel Illescas (Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, 1993) is a photographer, model, diver, and one of Spain’s most successful travel influencers, with over three million followers across Instagram and TikTok, who are hooked on his urban, wilderness, and—often—underwater getaways. He’s also a familiar face on television: after appearing on *MasterChef Celebrity*, he won *El Desafío 6*, where he broke the static apnea record by staying underwater for 4:47 minutes.
How good are you at surfing?
I’ve been very lucky to go on some incredible boat trips; I really love it, and I always try to take at least one big boat trip every year, just as I always try to go diving and see wild marine life. It’s something that’s just a part of who I am: I was very young when I got my diving certification—at age eight.
Does the sea still fill you with awe?
It’s true that it’s really impressive when you’re out on the open sea and you turn your head and see nothing around you, or you look down and see the darkness of the depths. I feel a sense of awe, but I try not to dwell on it, to enjoy the experience, to trust that everything will be all right, and to focus on what we encounter along the way.
What was the most impressive journey you can remember?
Seeing the humpback whales in South Africa was spectacular, but I think the trip I’m about to take might top that… I’m heading to the Arctic—we’re going to get almost to the North Pole. We’ll be traveling on an icebreaker for ten days of pure, unadulterated expedition, among glaciers and wild animals like polar bears.
And when it comes to dives, which one has been your favorite?
I couldn’t pick just one. I’ve been incredibly lucky to dive at the best spots in the world, although there are still a few places I haven’t visited yet, and I always say that at every location I’ve had a magical encounter that made it special: with whales, sharks, shipwrecks…
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW IN ISSUE 7 OF NAUTIK, NOW ON SALE.
