About Somewhere by Design

Travel Planning, Designed Around You

Somewhere by Design helps you turn travel ideas into a practical, considered journey, without spending countless hours piecing everything together yourself.

Your destinations, interests, pace, priorities and budget shape the plan. From the route and accommodation locations to transport, activities and booking priorities, each decision is considered as part of the whole trip.

There are no pre-built packages or one-size-fits-all itineraries. The aim is a journey that makes sense for you, with enough structure to travel confidently and enough flexibility to enjoy it.

Meet Lachie

I’m Lachie, the founder of Somewhere by Design. My travels have taken me to 18 countries (so far), including a three-month solo journey through Europe and road trips around New Zealand’s South Island.

Those experiences have shaped how I approach planning. A destination might look perfect on its own, but the timing, connections and pace between places matter just as much.

I started Somewhere by Design to help people bring those pieces together. When you get in touch, you’ll work directly with me, from our first conversation through to your finished plan.

How I Approach Planning

A good itinerary should fit the way you want to travel. You might enjoy busy sightseeing days, prefer slow mornings and long lunches, or want a balance of both. Understanding that comes before building the route.

I look at how the journey will work in practice: realistic travel times, convenient places to stay, manageable connections and room to spend time on what interests you. Recommendations are chosen for how they suit your preferences, budget and the wider trip.

You receive a clear plan that explains how the different parts fit together, rather than a long list of options to sort through yourself. You can book it yourself or choose additional booking support.

Choosing where to start

When planning a trip that included Vietnam and Japan, I found that flying into and out of Vietnam was substantially cheaper than flying into and out of Japan. Vietnam became the starting and finishing point, with Japan included in the route. It’s an example of how the way a trip fits together can make a difference to the budget.

Start Somewhere

You don’t need a finished itinerary before getting in touch. A destination, a rough idea or a trip you’ve been meaning to organise is enough to start the conversation.

Tell me what you have in mind, and we’ll work out whether Somewhere by Design is the right fit.