Take a Look Inside Maggie Q’s Passport

Actor Maggie Q radiates poised strength, whether fighting crime on-screen, fighting for animal rights—or watching lions casually saunter by. “I hit advocacy on every level. I’m living my dream, being able to give on my own terms.” She plays the title role in the upcoming Prime Video show Ballard, as a homicide detective for the LAPD. What did she learn during filming? “High-level patience is a form of wisdom.” Off-screen, she continues her environmental missions, traveling to destinations where humans and animals successfully coexist. “I was fascinated by Jane Goodall and Jacques Cousteau, people who present the natural world and make you want to protect it.”

Vienna / Photo: Adobe Stock

Vienna

“I live in Los Angeles and hate traffic. I’m adverse to sitting in cars, so a vacation for me isn’t fun if you’re getting around by car. I love that Vienna is such a walkable city. It’s so civilized with dogs everywhere and beautiful churches. It’s full of parks, good food, and museums—so many museums. I stayed at the Rosewood Vienna and appreciated how central it was. For me, it’s always location, location, location.”

Galápagos Islands / Photo: Adobe Stock

Galápagos Islands

“It’s the only place I’ve been in the world where people give way to nature, not the other way around. You can rent Ecuadorian sea cabins or travel around by boat—there’s so much to see. It’s a marine reserve where all the animals are protected. I love the unexplained, like how the giant tortoises got there—still nobody knows!”

Kenya / Photo: Courtesy of Maggie

Kenya

“For years, I’ve gone to Kenya to spend time with elephants and am close to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The Sheldricks are the only family who have the privilege of living in a national park. I was at their house drinking wine on their patio, and looked over and gasped—a lion casually passed by. Their main objective is to repopulate elephants into the wild. I’ve never felt more peace in my life than with these elephants in Tsavo Park. You can stay in its eco-lodges, and all the money goes back to Kenya Wildlife Service. There are beautiful hotels, of course, but here your money goes directly to the animals.”

Bhutan / Photo: Getty Images

Bhutan

“The country is predominantly Buddhist, the vibe there is chill, and the people are very balanced. Stray dogs came up to me and let me pet them. I’ve never been to a country where the street animals weren’t afraid. I started bawling because no one is unkind to them. Everyone gives them water, takes care of them, and opens their homes to them. The animals move freely and without fear. There’s so much joy that can happen when you don’t express anger or abuse. Bhutan was the epitome of this, not just person to person, but person to animal.”