Tara embarked on her first international holiday at just 3 years of age - she spent most of that trip on her Father's shoulders, but she can still clearly remember swimming in the pool at the Candi Beach Resort, watching the Barong Dance Show and visiting the Art Markets of Kuta. She has travelled to over 55 countries since and has loved every minute of her adventures. Born to a Topdeck adventurer Mother and a Father with rich Sri Lankan and Malay heritage, she was born to be an explorer.
Starting her career with a youth travel agency, Tara became an expert at booking backpackers on their bucketlist adventures and first-time travellers on their first international sojourn. She has diversified her career over the years, sending a wide array of travellers to a large variety of destinations, including the Cayman Islands, Antarctica, Bali, Burkina Faso, and everywhere in between. Her clients travel in a variety of styles, from rail to road, via Cruise or Contiki, and staying in savvy hostels or the finest hotels.
Throughout her own travels, Tara has explored much of the world in depth, visiting over 30 countries in Europe, many of the highlights of Asia and both sides of the USA (be sure to ask her about her four weeks in Hawaii living like a local). Tara's favourite destination so far - "No country I have visited has had the same effect on me as Cambodia - it has the most welcoming locals who have been through so much, Angkor Wat is simply breathtaking and Koh Rong's Long Beach is the most stunning stretch of coastline I've ever seen".
Tara likes to incorporate a local experience into her adventures and recommends adding a taste of the local flavour into your trip - "I embarked on a walking food tour in Little Italy in the Bronx in New York with a local guide from Urban Adventures, visiting the first pizza joint to open in New York, and witnessing the incredible cheese and salami chandeliers lining the delicatessens along Arthur Avenue, a unique NYC experience!" Quite the foodie, Tara has also enjoyed getting a unique food experience in each place she visits, from Rainbow Bagels in Brooklyn, to an 8 Layer Soft Serve cone in Tokyo, and the sugary-sweet Trdelnik in Prague.
Known for her infectious enthusiasm and permanent smile, Tara invests her energy into every travel experience she is a part of.
"Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing my travellers enjoying their adventures, and I'm so lucky to be able to offer my expertise and experiences to ensure your holiday meets your expectations and your memories last a lifetime.
Testimonials
I have booked some truly epic trips with Tara including a 2-month journey visiting over 10 countries and 16 flights, and not one thing went astray. She has fantastic attention to detail, and no amount of changes to my bookings has ever phased her. Tara also brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. You won't find a more positive or friendlier travel advisor out there.
From our first sitting with Tara, we knew we had the right person to guide us on the finer points of our planned travel experiences. Tara’s interpersonal skills won us over very quickly, from the beautiful, light-up-the-world smile, and listening to what we wanted out of our planned journey. Her knowledge of the places we wanted to experience plus her fingertip contacts had us at ease. It goes without saying that we will seek her counsel again with regards to the complexities of travel planning.
Tara...the professional in travel, went above and beyond to ensure my recent travels to Malta and Spain were met to my expectations. Tara has amazing travel experience which she brings into making your holiday the best for you. Her bubbly, happy and caring nature makes it an absolute pleasure and leaves you walking away so excited about your travel plans.
Tara Thillainath has been helping myself and my husband with our recent trip to Japan which was booked 4 years ago and due to Covid restrictions was postponed until recently ,
Even though we booked it with an independent company Tara was there to help us in every step we took ,even communicating with us during our trip to make sure everything is going smoothly .
She is leading in her field and exceptionally reliable with communications and answering any questions that we had . We always know that we will be getting the best possible flights and advice from her ,
Thank you so much Tara you are amazing .
Tara was amazing with helping to book a recent Contiki trip to the USA! Her bubbly personality and enthusiasm made coming in for our appointment loads of fun. She was really accommodating of last minute changes (including a spontaneous extra week in Singapore) and managed to help arrange us onto new flights just a week before we flew out. She also gave us lots of great recommendations for accommodation and activities across both the USA and Singapore. It was my first time using a Travel Advisor and I’m so glad I did!
