Ashley, Southeast Asia Specialist

After graduating North Carolina State University with a mechanical engineering degree, the only thing I knew was that I didn't want to be an engineer. A six month stint living in Europe seemed like to best way to figure things out. After adding a year in New Zealand and another in Australia, a career in the travel industry seemed like the perfect fit.

Starting out as a tour guide, I spent eight years leading trips around North America. During the off seasons I visited Southeast Asia and fell in love with the people and culture and eventually decided to move there. For nearly three years I lived in Myanmar, developing tours for clients from all over the world.

Upon returning to the USA, I joined Audley as a specialist working on two countries I love: Indonesia and Thailand. When not on the road, I can be found trekking, kayaking or visiting the historical sights of Boston.

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Indonesia

I recommend visiting - The Gili Islands

A trio of tiny islands with no cars, an abundance of seafood restaurants and the bluest water ever, the Gilis in Indonesia offer the dreamy white sands and swaying palms of your imagination. The islands are world renowned for their diving but also offer great snorkeling, kayaking, and the newest water activity, subwinging (being towed underwater while holding a 'wing'). The only way to get around is walking, cycling or by horse and carriage and the blissful views and laid-back pace of island life make the Gilis a heavenly spot to end any trip.

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Thailand

I recommend staying at - The Float House

Set in the middle of the River Kwai in Thailand and surrounded by its tranquil waters, The Float House is a very special place to stay. The floating villas here can only be reached by boat and are set on a dramatic stretch of the river with jungle-covered mountains on either side. Each room has a private deck with a swinging chair to fully enjoy the serene beauty of the area, there's a restaurant and bar and plenty of local activities such as kayaking, hiking, rafting and birdwatching.

When living in Myanmar, I often spent long weekends visiting Thailand. Once, on the hunt for wild elephants in Khao Yai National Park, I spent two days trekking but only saw a monitor lizard and a handful of monkeys. On our last day, we hiked deep into the jungle but after nearly ten hours of walking, we headed back unsuccessful. Just as we were about to hop in the jeep and return to Bangkok, two elephants and a calf trundled out of the jungle as the sun began to set behind them. We got a dramatic photo and the perfect end to our weekend.