Yvonne van Dongen  has been a travel editor and writer for over 20 years. She's edited the travel section of the largest newspaper in New Zealand as well as the country's first dedicated glossy travel magazine. She's worked at Conde Nast Traveler in New York. Yvonne has won numerous travel writing awards including a fellowship to study travel writing at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.

Other awards include: Dulux Junior Feature Writer of the Year (1983); Young Reporter of the Year (1983); Qantas best newspaper tourism/transport feature (1994); Cathay Pacific Travel Writer of the Year (1995); Qantas Best newspaper health/medicine feature (1997); Avis Awards - best article about the travel industry (in 1995,1998 and 2000); Commonwealth Media Awards - winner tourism & transport (in 1997 and 1998); Qantas award for best government, diplomacy & foreign affairs feature (2000); Qantas Travel Journalist Award (2004); MPA Lifestyle Journalist of the Year (2004); Qantas Media Awards Winner Best Tourism & Travel Column (2007).

Yvonne has a BA in English & Religious Studies, as well as a post-graduate diploma of Journalism from the University of Canterbury. She also teaches travel writing at the University of Auckland, and lives in Auckland City.