Ampersand Travel

At Ampersand Travel we specialise in tailor-made travel to the Indian Subcontinent, the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. We have always believed that luxury is in the experience. We love working with people who love travelling and who enjoy life to the full. Real luxury is being able to do what you want, when you want to. For us, this involves leaving behind the crowds, finding somewhere beautiful and meeting people who inspire or move us through their way of life.

We can recommend the perfect hotel to suit you, be it one of our five star favourites or a home-stay where you dine with charming hosts at their table. Personally, we feel that the perfect luxury holiday is a combination of both. Every journey is tailored to our clients’ requirements - whatever their idea of fun or relaxation may be and we understand that not everyone wants the same thing. Let us take care of the details while you sit back and enjoy the ride.

The Ampersand Team has a shared quality: we love travelling in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. All of us have lived, worked or travelled there and we return as often as we can, partly for research and partly because we love it.

Named as one of the Top 10 Super Agents by Financial Times
Voted best travel agent by Wallpaper*
"James Grace-Jayasundera, the boss of Ampersand Travel, is awfully well-connected and his tours are testiment to his ruby-encrusted contacts book." - The Sunday Times Travel Magazine
To see a selection of quotes and tips from people who have travelled with Ampersand, please take a look at our Client Feedback.

Mark Wright - Senior Southeast Asia Specialist

Mark grew up between ‘The Garden of England’ – Kent – and Berlin, learning about different cultures from a young age. His breakthrough travelling experience was a trip to Tibet & China at the age of 17, where he trekked to the base camp of Mt. Everest and along the Great Wall of China. Ever since, he has continued to explore many countries and learn their customs, with Cambodia topping his list so far. After studying German at the University of Bristol, he travelled extensively around Southeast Asia for 4 months, falling in love with the Vietnamese cuisine, Cambodian people & passion and the Balinese hospitality. “During my time in Vietnam I must have put on an extra few kilos thanks to the wildly varied and delicious street food on offer – definitely a reason for a return visit!” Mark has had a busy few years of travelling. He has taken two trips to Rajasthan – where his favourite hotel was Mihir Garh – embarked on a two-week journey across Southeast Asia, and in 2011 he has already visited two very intriguing and beautiful up-and-coming destinations: Bhutan and Burma. His one piece of travel advice is: “If in doubt, say yes! You never know what you may experience.”

Quick Q&A with Mark

The most spectacular property I have stayed in…
Sandoway Resort on Ngapali Beach in Burma – I was pleasantly ‘wowed’ by the quality and cleanliness of Ngapali Beach, and the Beach Front Villa’s at Sandoway are heavenly.
My most memorable dining experience…
A privately organised al fresco dinner in Ubud, Bali. We organised a feast of Bebek Bengil (crispy Balinese duck) outside our villa with the help of our guide, who could not have been more helpful. The wind kept blowing the candles out, but it did not detract from the delicious duck.
The most adventurous thing I have done…
Whilst in Dalat, Vietnam, we went abseiling down a number of waterfalls. It was quite a task to concentrate on the abseiling aspect whilst having gallon upon gallon of water pounding against you and it being very slippery under foot. Great fun though and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
The spot I go back to again and again…
The office :-) or… Udaipur, the romantic city in southern Rajasthan to eat at Ambrai, part of Amet Haveli. The menu is extremely good and the combined view of the lake & city palaces is even better.
For a romantic trip, I would recommend…
I would combine Alila Villas Soori & Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali – they are a great escape from the world & über-sexy to boot! Alternatively, for the more adventurous/nature-loving romantic couple, I would recommend staying in one of the 2 hill-top tents at Chhatra Sagar in Rajasthan.
For a family holiday, I would recommend…
Vietnam – it has spectacular beaches, mouth-watering street food and landscape, history & sights to keep all the family interested.
If money were no object, I would head for…
The Amankora lodges in Bhutan… I absolutely love them. It is a fascinating country and the Amankora lodges add so much to the experience: from learning the art of archery from your guide (who very quickly becomes your best friend) to being pampered with hot-water bottles and having Bhutanese picnics in the valleys whilst travelling between the lodges (go for the Bhutanese Chilli Cheese dish!)
One place I want to see before I die…
The moon - call me to find out why!

Sacha Smith-Laing - PR & Marketing

Sacha is a travel marketeer and tropics lover. She grew up in Singapore – where she lived for 16 years and still goes back twice a year – and has lived in Taiwan and Hong Kong. With these as her launchpad, she has taken full advantage of the fabulous travel opportunities across the region, regularly visiting Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, and also finding time to explore Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, China, the Philippines and Cambodia. “I think I have the warm Indian Ocean in my veins – I’ve tried to love skiing, but invariably I end up in a heap of skis, boots, goggles and gloves, wishing I was in a bikini in Thailand!” She officially caught the travel bug aged 14 on a school trip to Ladakh, Northern India and has been on a trajectory towards working in the travel trade since then. She started her career in travel journalism and has meandered into travel PR, marketing and websites, working for luxury tour operators both in London and Asia. She is deliriously passionate about travel and sees it as her mission to inspire others to enjoy the travel treasures that Asia has to offer.

Quick Q&A with Sacha

The most spectacular property I have stayed in...
My number one for India is the Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur - after staying there you wonder whether you dreamt the whole thing up. For Sri Lanka it would have to be the Amangalla for a taste of colonial era Galle. It's a tie between those two!
My most memorable dining experience...
The home-cooked but incredibly elegant food served at Ceylon Tea Trails' Castlereagh bungalow in Sri Lanka's hilly middle. Their high tea of scones and clotted cream, and breakfast looking out over the lake are sublime but I especially like that the chef chats to you during the day so that he can prepare your perfect tailor-made dinner - a lovely, homely touch.
The most adventurous thing I have done...
Climbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, trekking to 5,000 metres in Ladakh, bungee jumping in Phuket and ziplining over Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.
The spot I go back to again and again...
Singapore, to visit my family and to eat at my all time favourite restaurants, Samys curry house in Dempsey Hill and Min Jiang in Rochester Park (email me for more eating, drinking and sleeping recommendations at sacha@ampersandtravel.com)
For a romantic trip, I would recommend...
Combining a few days of understated elegance at the Amanpuri, Phuket with a couple of days of back-to-nature luxury at the Six Senses Yao Noi, a beautiful speed boat journey away past the James Bond Islands.
For a family holiday, I would recommend...
Indonesia is the perfect family destination - mix up culture, adventure and beautiful natural scenery for a trip which will enrich all ages.
If money were no object, I would head for...
Every single Aman property on the planet - I've never had a less than perfect Aman experience and I would love to see them all... one can dream!
One place you must see before you die...
The Himalayas - be it Nepal, Bhutan or India - for a spiritual experience which will remind you why it is so important to travel.

Robin Smith - Senior South/Southeast Asia Specialist

Robin first travelled to India on a family holiday at the age of seven and he has been visiting Asia ever since. After school he taught English in a remote village in Nepal, taking time during the school holidays to drink lots of sweet masala chai and trek and raft in some of the countries' most remote regions. Following this he set off to explore India, the country that had excited him at such an early age. "India is so diverse and so exciting that, despite having spent over 2 years in total travelling the country, I still feel I've only just begun".

Robin loves getting to the world's remote regions and some of his most memorable travel experiences include trekking in hidden valleys in Kashmir, scuba diving in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, hiking in the Sumatran rainforest, almost dropping off the edge of the world's most dangerous road on a bus in Bolivia (not recommended for his clients!), diving with hundreds of Manta Rays in the Maldives, learning to speak Tibetan in Kathmandu (Tashi Delek!) and discovering empty beaches in The Algarve, Portugal (which he insists is both possible and totally amazing!). His travels in Asia have taken him to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, The Maldives, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia. His other great passion is photography and his dream is to work as a travel photographer. He's already had a few double page spreads in some national travel publications including the Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, so look out for his work (under the name Robin Heber).

Quick Q&A with Robin

The most spectacular property I have stayed in...
I loved The Governor's Residence in Yangon, Burma. I don't mind simple hotels when I'm in remote places, but in a city like Yangon there's nothing like coming back after a day's exploring, to a fantastic city retreat like 'The Governor's'.
My most memorable dining experience...
In Tibet with home-made Tibetan Momos with fierce chilli sauce, all washed down with locally brewed Chang (millet beer) at an altitude of 4,500 metres and an incredible Himalayan vista. Definitely worth the effort.
The most adventurous thing I have done...
Purchased a second hand Royal Enfield motor-cycle in Dharamsala, India, learnt to ride it in 3 days and then crossed the Himalayas on it (only crashing once).
The spot I would go back to again...
Indonesia (all 18,000 islands). It's a diver's paradise and there's a wealth of varied cultural destinations to keep the most intrepid traveller busy for a life time. And India, Bhutan, Burma, The Maldives and Nepal....sorry, was I only supposed to name one spot...impossible!
For a romantic trip, I would recommend...
Searching for Tigers in a couple of India's National Parks such as Tadoba, Pench or Satpura, followed by a hop, skip and a jump to the Maldives and the Cocoa Island Resort.
For a family holiday, I would recommend...
A relaxed tour of Kerala. Kerala is a beautiful place and the people are some of the warmest I've encountered anywhere in the world. Parents are always worried about taking their children to India, but in fact it's most probably the most child friendly destination in the world. The moment locals see kids, their faces light up and the red carpet is rolled out (for the kids, not the parents!).
If money were no object, I would...
Spend a couple of weeks on the Tiger Blue boat, exploring uninhabited islands and diving unexplored reefs. If time permits, perhaps a stop off at the Misool Eco Resort, Raja Ampat. Doesn't get much better than that!
One place you must see before you die...
Galapagos....and a few other spots.

James Grace-Jayasundera - Founder & Managing Director

James was brought up in Rome, the son of a Sri Lankan diplomat father and an English mother, and has been travelling in style all his life. Although he loves his comfort he is not blinded by 5-star luxuries. It is that indefinable quality that makes something special which he is always on the look-out for; those small details that elevate a travel experience from the ordinary to the unforgettable, which is why his motto is “luxury is in the experience”. Travel has always been his passion. Whilst at school he won a scholarship from the Savoy Hotel in London and went on to university in Scotland to study Hotel and Tourism Management. On graduation he moved to Namibia and was a member of the founding team that launched and ran Wolwedans Safari Camp and later Wolwedans Lodge. He switched career for a stint in the City before founding Ampersand Travel in 2003. James has explored every corner of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia over the last 20 years, and has two clear favourites which he never tires of visiting: the Ahilya Fort in Madhya Pradesh as he feels it captures the essence of India; and the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan for its spirituality and pristine landscapes.

Quick Q&A with James

The most spectacular property I have stayed in…
The Six Senses Hideaway in Ninh Van Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam – I loved the rustic/luxe villas right on the water which are scattered amongst huge sculptural boulders with the deep blue sea directly in front and huge hills directly behind rising almost vertically into the sky.
My most memorable dining experience…
Bhairo, the rooftop restaurant at the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. I was having a romatic dinner and completely forgot that it was Diwali. We had a 6 hour firework display. Surrounded by the lake with the City Palace and fireworks reflected in the dark waters was something straight out of a dream.
The most adventurous thing I have done…
I once drunk rice wine out of a human skull at Taksang Monastery in Paro, Bhutan. We were attending a chanting session and at the end of it the head monk offered us this wine and it seemed rude to refuse!
The spot I go back to again and again…
Mumbai, Colombo & Bangkok – I love the energy in these cities plus they feel like a second home as I have my favourite friends, hotels (the Taj Mahal Palace, the Galle Face Hotel and the Metropolitan) and restaurants (Sea Lounge, The Gallery and Nahm) which I love going back to.
For a romantic trip, I would recommend…
I like to feel as if I am at the edge of the world, therefore I would recommend Nihiwwatu on the island of Sumba, Indonesia, or for something a little different head to Ahilya Fort in Maheshwar which completely non commercial and captures the essence of India.
For a family holiday, I would recommend…
Sri Lanka – it is where I used to holiday as a child with adventurous parents who took me everywhere. Nothing was considered too dangerous or too difficult. We had the most extraordinary adventures including being charged by tuskers in the jungle and swimming in rivers with crocodiles. We all survived and it taught my three sisters and I to be daring and fearless when travelling.
If money were no object, I would head for…
The Himalayas to go heli-skiing.
One place you must see before you die…
Something that takes your breath way and makes you feel lucky to be alive – for me that was the Chateau Plains in Namib Rand Nature Reserve, Namibia.

Catriona Deredas - South Asia Specialist

Catriona has always has a passion for travel, dating back to her first trip abroad to the Caribbean at a young age. Her enthusiasm for travel eventually led her to the University of Surrey where she completed a course in Tourism Management. Whilst at university, her travelling did not stop: she visited the Maldives, Mexico, Europe and the USA, and did volunteering in a remote Kenyan village for a month. After graduating she set off on a 3-month adventure in Asia where she fell in love with Angkor Wat, Cambodia, and to this day does not believe that such a site can be topped. She also indulged (“possibly a bit too much!”) in the exotic cuisine Southeast Asia has to offer and tried every curry under the sun in Northern India. “Snatching every experience possible”, is Catriona’s moto, “be it a place you've never been, or a food that doesn’t look too familiar…. just try it, because chances are you will not regret it!” Top of Catriona's list of where to explore next is Nepal and Burma, though Thailand beckons her back as well!

Quick Q&A with Catriona

My favourite property is…
The spectacular Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.
My most memorable dining experience…
In Cambodia, eating crocodile and kangaroo in Cambodian BBQ Restaurant.
The most adventurous thing I have done…
I climbed to the top of Mount Bromo, Java, and looked into the volcanic crater!
The spot I go back to again and again…
Maya Bay in Phi Phi, Thailand.
For a romantic trip, I would recommend…
The Maldives. In fact, I spent a whole month there... it was bliss!
For a family holiday, I would recommend…
Northern India, exploring Delhi and Agra along with the magical streets of Udaipur.
If money were no object, I would head for…
Chiva Som, Thailand, and have every kind of spa treatment possible.
One place you must see before you die…
Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, be it by foot, hot air balloon or microlight. It is the most beautiful place in the world.

Elizabeth Boulstridge - South Asia Specialist

Ellie took her first long-haul flight aged three months and hasn't stopped
travelling ever since! Having a French mother and globe-trotting parents has
meant being brought up in Russia, Oman, Holland, Turkey and France and
whenever a spare moment has presented itself Ellie has packed her bags and
explored a new corner of the world. While studying Combined Social Sciences
at Durham university Ellie did voluntary work in rural Northern Thailand and studied Spanish in Guatemala and Mexico. In between studying for her MA she
also managed to spend several months living in Cambodia at an NGO in
Battambang. Before starting work Ellie managed to further fuel her passion
for travel by exploring the remainder of South East Asia and parts of
Australia - she especially loved Luang Prabang in Laos and would recommend
it to anyone! She has just returned from an in-depth tour of Rajasthan where
she fell in love with the history and architecture of the region - and
already cannot wait to return. Next on her 'to do' list is The Maldives for
the dream beach holiday.

Quick Q&A with Ellie

My favourite property is...
Sher Bagh, in Ranthambore National Park. Luxury tents and tiger tracking makes for an unbeatable experience.
My most memorable dining experience...
Trying chocolate covered crickets in Nan, Northern Thailand. I am not sure I would recommend them!
The most adventurous thing I have done...
Trekking up an active volcano in Guatemala and toasting marshmallows from the heat of the lava flowing underneath our feet!
The spot I go back to again and again...
Thailand - there is so much to see. Bangkok is the perfect place to send a couple of days between other South East Asia destinations . the energy is so electric.
For a romantic trip, I would recommend...
Amanbagh in Rajasthan. Forget everything and everyone in this amazing desert oasis.
For a family holiday, I would recommend...
Cambodia - there is so much to be discovered. Snorkel off a real desert island - Koh Tonsay - or re-enact Tomb Raider at Angkor Wat.
If money were no object, I would head for...
Lake Palace, Udaipur. I would hire out the entire hotel for friends & family and have a once in a life time rooftop party under the stars. The views of the historical riverbanks by night are unbeatable.
One place you must see before you die...
The Andaman Islands - the best beaches and perfect turquoise waters of anywhere in the world!