OUR STORY

Born out of a deep wish to curate special journeys to Bhutan, Amala Destinations’ philosophy of exemplary service and comfort was inherited from Amala Villa’s ethos of delivering real experiences, authenticity, as well as personalised and heartfelt service. Many years ago, in lush rice paddies of the untouched Bali landscape, our founders realised a dream. They would build a tropical sanctuary in which they could be close to nature; befriend local artisans who shared their passion for craft; and welcome loved ones in need of a soothing escape. Amala was born, so named after the Sanskrit word for ‘purity.’ What started as a holiday home evolved into a more inquisitive way of traveling: not just for leisure, but for learning as well. Soon, a growing community of friends and family set about discovering the world, forging meaningful connections with places, cultures, and people—and in turn, rediscovered themselves. Our founder’s legacy of destinations discovered, trails blazed, and relationships formed all over the world lives on with us. The pure and profound ways in which they journeyed are not lost, but passed on to a new generation of travelers seeking experiences that both enrich and enlighten.

Bhutan - Eastern

Who We Are

Amala Destinations is a small group of seasoned travel experts that design profound journeys for the new generation of world travelers. Our founder’s legacy of destinations discovered, trails blazed, and relationships formed all over the world lives on with us. The pure and profound ways in which they journeyed are not lost, but passed on to a new generation of travelers seeking experiences that both enrich and enlighten.

our FounderS

OUR Family

Anand Pereira

Managing Director

Elgin Xiao

Chief Destinations Planner

Matthew Tow

Chief Destination Planner 

Isaballe De Braux

Content & Communications Chief

Jean Teo

Administrative Assistant

Amanda Chua

Senior Destinations Planner

Mei Yun Cheong

Senior Destinations Planner

Bayu Wikara

Executive Assistant

Eunike Kristina

Executive Assistant

Mani Dorji

Hiking & Cultural Guide

Karma Yangchen

Admin Assistant

Nima Dorji

Bhutan Driver/Guide

Phub Dorji

Founder
Born in the village of Dopshari, in Paro, Bhutan, Phub Dorji was a farmer before an interest in hospitality had motivated him to become a guide to travellers looking for extraordinary experiences in the Kingdom.

Before co-founding Amala Destinations, Dorji spent eight years working with esteemed luxury chain Aman Resorts at Amankora. With more than 20 years' experience as a cultural and trekking guide in Bhutan, Dorji is listed by the Tourism Council of Bhutan as a Senior Cultural & Trekking Guide; he is also licensed to take people on the world's most difficult trek, The Snowman's Trek.

Dorji relishes learning and sharing stories about Bhutan. Constantly collecting snippets of information, he loves to share folklore with his guests and to entertain them with local humour. He firmly believes that sharing anecdotes on everyday activities and experiences is the best way for guides to help guests form an authentic connection with the Kingdom.

Much like his co-founder Ee-Cheng, Dorji pays much attention to detail, and has a strong relationship with his carefully selected team of dedicated guides, drivers and hospitality partners.

Anand Pereira

Managing Director

I've always been fascinated with the world; since young, encyclopaedias, articles about cultures, old copies of National Geographic and wildlife documentaries have always managed to capture my imagination. All that time spent absorbing all that information is most probably the reason why I'm so passionate about travel and because I believe in doing something that I am truly passionate about, I am now here in this industry, lucky enough to be creating and sharing these amazing travel experiences with everyone.

But the six years spent in this industry has opened my eyes to less wonderful things—I do see a need for change. The focus on the luxury aspects of travel has to switch to something more experience based because travel is one of the best ways to understand not only diverse cultures but one's self as well. After recognising that its beliefs are very much aligned with my own, it wasn't hard to resist the opportunity to return to Amala. Apart from that, Amala is very much like a family and we put much care into making sure every trip experience is a special one.

My dream here at Amala is to reintroduce the places, cultures and peoples of our destinations to everyone, the way they should be appreciated—for their differences as well as their similarities, to ultimately build experiences that are immersive, educational and enriching.

Elgin Xiao

Chief Destinations Planner
(Europe)

Aerophobia’ and ‘avid traveller’ would generally not go well together, but the irresistible wanderlust always manages to take my feet off the ground—having flown into the frozen lands of Arctic Lapland, fluttered in propeller planes to the remote island of Sumba, floated in a hot air balloon over the plains of Sigiriya and hovered up 3000 metres in a helicopter towards a glacier in the Swiss Alps.

With all that done, the best flight I took is from banking more than 7 years ago to pursue this passion in travel and I have never looked back, always exploring new destinations and embarking on paths less-travelled.

Matt with Elephants

Matthew Tow

Chief Destinations Planner
(Africa)

Since moving to Singapore over 20 years ago, my thirst for adventure and new experiences has led me from the Indonesian rainforests in search of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan to exploring the legendary Galapagos Islands, but it is the unique and diverse experiences of Africa, immersive and authentic, that have truly captivated me and which pull me back time after time; returning to nature and rediscovering parts of ourselves away from the constant chatter that is ubiquitous in our busy city lives.

Proudly South African, I was born and raised in Johannesburg, where family vacations revolved around self-drive holidays across southern Africa, exploring wildlife reserves and rugged mountainous regions, with a particularly memorable trip along the desolate Namibian coastline. Perhaps this is where my passion for all things nature and travel began, and though an arduous path of jobs across various industries served as a lengthy roadblock, I think it is no mere coincidence that I found a way to come back full circle to the travel industry, finding purpose in what I do and with an opportunity to share this passion with others.

Isabelle de Braux

Content & Communications Chief

"One of the best parts of travel is being miles away, somewhere new and undiscovered, and finding an instant connection to something. Whether it's with a person or a place, that one connection remains ours alone. The more I travel, the more I realise that we are all as alike as we are different.

We all have wants, needs and beliefs—things that mould over time and form the beauty that is a unique culture. So I try to inspire that same sense of wonder in every destination. Every person is unique and every journey should be."


Jean Teo

Administrative Executive

My friends tell me that I become free and easy when I travel. I somehow find the courage to challenge myself in ways I would never do back home. But my fondest memories of a place are usually made at the local markets.

I love picking out special ingredients to recreate my favourite dishes when I'm back home—this is the way I love to learn about new cultures.



Amanda Chua

Senior Destinations Planner

The few years spent working with our late founder played a big part in shaping how I perceive travel; it is not about planning the longest or the most jam-packed journeys but more about planning journeys that allow our guests to experience something that they have not before and to learn something more about themselves—this is how I have found meaning in what I do.

I believe that every experience, good or bad, is positive in a sense that they do come to shape our selves. We build our own characters through our lived experiences and that is why I try to travel as much as possible, near or far. I love exploring new destinations and I absolutely love revisiting familiar ones—from adventurous boat rides to just sipping tea (or homemade wine) with the locals; from conversations with strangers to tasting strange flavours—every experience counts!

Besides being able to go on these wonderful journeys myself, one of my own personal joys is being able to plan unforgettable trips for guests and knowing how much they enjoy and love journeying with us. This is purely why I have found so little in my time spent with F&B and real estate; I have found so much more here at Amala—but then again, every experience counts.

Mei Yun Cheong

Senior Destinations Planner

Some of the best memories I will treasure for life are from the times when I traveled with my families and friends. I believe that to do justice to the life we have, we have to see and experience what this world has to offer. Travelling allows me to meet people from all over the world, to learn about the different cultures and the history, taste the different cuisines, and take in all the beauty and wonder of all the countries. I also love to share my experiences so more people can enjoy and experience the countries I have visited and create memories for themselves. Some of my favourite travel moments are when I drive myself in a road trip, stopping as and when for little surprises along the way - be it a wild koala resting up at the treetop, a short walk to a secret waterfall or a quiet spot by the beach with no tourists around. I look forward to many more years of exploring new destinations to create more memories and revisiting the countries I've been to to relive the old ones!

Bayu Wikara

Executive Assistant

I was born and raised in North Bali, Singaraja, and spent the majority of my childhood with my family learning about our culture and its traditions. Bali, as everyone knows, is an island with a thousand temples and that’s true! As culture is a huge part of my life, the cultural traditions of other countries interest me the most—the chance to experience local tradition and culture is the best gift from travelling and I think that is why Amala suits me perfectly.




Eunike Kristina

Executive Assistant

Traveling first wasn't my passion in life until I moved from my hometown to live in Bali. I fell in love with the culture and couldn’t wait to explore more of the island. Something had shifted, and I started to travel to other countries more and more. My curiosity had been awakened. I search to find answers to simple questions like "what’s the water like here?" or "are these the same ants as in my hometown?". When I do travel, it’s usually alone, not only because it gives me time to myself, but also because my connections feel deeper this way. I have the space to absorb the environment and make friends with locals. My experience with Amala has helped me plan the best solo adventures! It’s why I love being a part of it.

Mani Dorji

Hiking & Cultural Guide (Bhutan)

Ask anyone and they will tell you that I believe in fate. From young, I knew I wanted to work in an industry that connects people, where you can run, laugh and tell stories as a part of your job. So I believe that each turn of events has led me here. I am grateful to Amala’s late founder, Aum Ee Cheng, for giving me an opportunity to grow, learn, and meet people from around the world. I love to share the history, culture and spirit of Bhutan while trekking through lesser known trails, then sitting for a cup of Suja (butter tea) overlooking the beautiful Gangtey valley.

Karma Yangchen

Admin Assistant (Bhutan)

There’s nothing like getting off a plane, train or bus, and seeing the natural beauty of a new place for the first time. I feel most alive when I’m exploring, when I am both engaged in discovery whilst also losing myself in the mystery of somewhere foreign. My favourite memories are on the two wheels of my bicycle, cycling valley to valley, getting lost in the mountains and forest trails—not to mention Bhutan’s famous Tour of the Dragon, which is my biggest challenge yet. This is my passion because it involves seeing the world and being a part of something bigger. That is where I find joy. Just like being a part of the Amala team.

Nima Dorji

Bhutan Driver/Guide

I was born and raised in the small and beautiful Sha valley. I spent my childhood learning Buddhist literature at a Monastic School before serving in the Royal Bhutanese Army in military operations. What these experiences gave me was a love for and understanding of my country. I’m lucky because I get to share this with curious travellers who come to visit—people from all around the world, and they get to share their culture with me. I learn from them as they learn from me.