Colette Cooper

My expertise

South East Asia
Sri Lanka
Thailand

I'm based in

South East London

Available for new enquiries

It's Nice To Meet You

Hi, I’m Colette — your local Travel Counsellor in Dulwich.

I’ve lived and worked in this brilliant part of London for over 20 years, but my real qualifications were earned elsewhere — usually with a backpack, a questionable plan, and a very strong sense of curiosity.

I’ve been travelling for over 40 years, long before travel became filtered, airbrushed, and reduced to “top ten must-sees”. My career began in a Greek campsite, peeling potatoes to pay my way — which may not sound glamorous, but it was the moment I fell headfirst into a life of travel.

I’ve always travelled properly.
And occasionally… bravely.

Like in St Anton, where my enthusiastic-but-terrible learner skier self-misjudged a mountain and ended up hitching a ride down on the back of an Olympic skier. Not recommended. Unforgettable.

In the Caribbean, I’ve lived the rhythm — salsa dancing under the stars, street dancing during Jump Up in Castries, St Lucia, and learning to roll cigars on my (then younger, thinner, sun-kissed) thighs in Cuba. Research, obviously.

I’ve crossed the USA coast to coast on a Greyhound bus, watching the scenery shift from neon city lights to vast, wide-open plains — proof that sometimes the journey really is the point.

Asia is where it all really comes alive.

In Cambodia, I’ve explored ancient temples, rattled through villages in tuk-tuks, stayed in homestays, and hopped between restaurants and hidden bars on the back of a motorcycle — the best seat in the house.

In India, it’s been forts and palaces, ancient history and colourful mayhem — a sensory overload of incense, spices, chaos and beauty, all somehow working in perfect harmony.

I’ve surrendered to wellness retreats in Bali and Thailand, floated through the tranquil backwaters of Kerala, and perfected the art of doing absolutely nothing on the beaches of Malaysia, Goa and the Andaman Ocean.

This isn’t tick-box travel - this is lived, breathed, slightly chaotic, joy-filled experience.

So why travel with me?

Because I don’t sell holidays — I design them, using decades of real-world experience and a very good understanding of what makes a trip unforgettable for you.

What you get that the internet can’t:

• A real human who actually listens
• Honest advice (no algorithms, no upselling)
• Tailor-made trips — never off-the-shelf
• One calm, capable point of contact before, during and after you travel

Online booking won’t help you when flights change, seats disappear or plans wobble. I will. I’m available evenings, weekends — even holidays — because travel rarely behaves itself.

Whether it’s a simple hotel stay, a family escape, a solo adventure, or something wonderfully different — like a village homestay, a food-focused itinerary, or a wellness hideaway tucked into Bali’s foothills — I’ll craft it around your style, your pace and your budget.

Everything you book with me is 100% financially protected through the Travel Counsellors financial trust — so you can relax and enjoy the fun bits.

No bots.
No hold music.
No “please listen carefully”.
Just thoughtful, personal service — with experience, humour, and a healthy sense of adventure.

Let’s turn your travel dreams into plans.
I’m ready when you are.

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Explore my guides and blogs

Lisbon & Coastal Zen: Sun, Sangria & a Side of Bougie

Lisbon & Coastal Zen: Sun, Sangria & a Side of Bougie

From pastel tiles to poolside cushioned sunbeds – a whirlwind of boutique bliss, birthday antics, and the kind of seafood that makes you weep (in a good way). I took off from Heathrow T2 with TAP Air Portugal — fully braced for a knee-crushing short-haul. Instead? Spacious cabin, actual legroom, and a screen in the seatback. For a 2h40 flight, that’s basically first class. Even with 23kg of lugga

05 Oct 2025 5   min read

Kamalaya Calm: The Cult Retreat That Rewrites the Meaning of Wellness

Kamalaya Calm: The Cult Retreat That Rewrites the Meaning of Wellness

It all started in the mystical highlands of Ubud, where I first dipped my toes into the world of wellness sanctuaries. Como Shambhala—the kind of place whispered about among the wellness elite—was my gateway drug to the art of switching off. I was hooked. Phone off, sarong on, worries slipping away like incense smoke into the jungle air. But there was another name that kept echoing through the sp

28 Jun 2025 5   min read

Walking, eating & drinking in Porto city

Walking, eating & drinking in Porto city

She buzzes during the day with an army of pavement-pounding wanderers, clicking furiously with their phones at the gorgeous baroque architecture, intertwining cobbled streets, and stunning hillside views of the Douro River. Porto is a city that sits comfortably within its confines. There’s no need to shout from the rooftops; she knows her worth. This magnetic European bolthole makes the perfect b

15 Oct 2023 5   min read

Como Shambhala - Unique Holistic Healing In Bali

Como Shambhala - Unique Holistic Healing In Bali

A chance to return to Como Shambhala Estate has always remained high on my bucket list, after a life changing visit back in 2007. Since then, the wellness industry has boomed, so I was curious to discover if their offering is still up there with the big hitters of today, and oh boy, they certainly did not disappoint. As soon as we disembarked from the plane, our friendly VIP escort with the wide

18 Feb 2023 5   min read

Siem Reap, Cambodia – Mighty Angkor Wat, Hikes, Phare Circus & Vespa Street Tours (Part 2)

Siem Reap, Cambodia – Mighty Angkor Wat, Hikes, Phare Circus & Vespa Street Tours (Part 2)

Angkor Wat and Kbal Spean The following morning it was an early start to beat the crowds at the mighty Angor Wat, which for many, is one of the major highlights in Southeast Asia. The sheer magnitude and intricate workmanship put into the construction of this fascinating city, which in the early 12th century took over 37 years to build, undoubtedly blows everyone’s mind. Suryavarman II was t

30 Aug 2017 5   min read

Cambodia Village Homestay, Countryside Bike Rides & On the Road to Phnom Penh (Part 3)

Cambodia Village Homestay, Countryside Bike Rides & On the Road to Phnom Penh (Part 3)

Bantaey Chhmar Village and Temple BBQ Once our touring of Siem Reap came to an end, I found myself still craving further adventure in this vibrant city awash with French colonial architecture, galleries, lakes, rivers and the friendliest of locals, but sadly it was time to hit the road to our next stop of Bantaey Chhmar village and temple complex. Our digs for the night would be in a local vill

30 Aug 2017 5   min read

Cambodia’s Captivating Countryside, Sleepy Riverside and Coastal Towns (Part 5)

Cambodia’s Captivating Countryside, Sleepy Riverside and Coastal Towns (Part 5)

Otres Beach, Sihanoukville After reluctant goodbyes with staff and management of super Song Saa, we headed back to port and towards Otres Beach which swoops around a massive bay. It’s dotted with several small boutique hotels, with low key restaurant and bars, overlooking the beach and nearby neighbouring islands which are soon to see luxury retreats from the Six Senses and Alila hotel groups.

30 Aug 2017 5   min read

Cambodian Southern Coastline and Untouched Islands (Part 4)

Cambodian Southern Coastline and Untouched Islands (Part 4)

Cardamom Mountain Range & Sihanoukville Depending how much time you have, one can either fly within 2.5 hours from Phnom Penh to the main costal region of Sihanoukville or drive, as we did for approx. 4.5 – 5 hours where you’ll be rewarded with beautiful scenery and the mutterings of WOW at every given turn. Cambodia’s southern provinces offer dramatic contrasts to the flat central regions

22 Aug 2017 5   min read

Siem Reap, Cambodia – Boutique Retreats, Temples and Gondolas (Part 1)

Siem Reap, Cambodia – Boutique Retreats, Temples and Gondolas (Part 1)

Cambodia, tightly sandwiched in-between the ever-popular Thailand and Vietnam, is a region sadly overlooked by many of today’s travellers. This wonderful country is full of the gentlest of people wearing the biggest of smiles, beautiful landscapes and undiscovered southern islands like those of Thailand 20 years ago, and certainly has more to shout about than just the spellbinding temples of Angko

22 Aug 2017 5   min read

What my customers say

Colette was excellent - she always replied promptly, and totally understood what our priorities were.

E Rigby

East Sussex

As with every trip we have booked with Colette, her understanding of the brief is second to none. We're so excited for our trip to Thailand, Colette really is your expert for trips for all occasions. ✨️

Lucy Brindle

London

Colette has booked several trips for me over the last few years. From the very beginning Colette’s approach is 5 Stars. She always provides plenty of options on location, accommodation & travel. I’ve had a full package & accommodation only I can never fault her service. Colette will always find the best for you no matter what your budget. I booked a trip to Thailand with my husband. At the time we were still living apart overseas but Colette managed to book flights from London to Thailand and return to Australia. Even if that was a challenge she never said and the package put together was amazing. My last trip booked with Colette was to Bruges in Belgium for Christmas Markets & our wedding anniversary. The trip was great, our hotel was boutique & lovely. I’m so looking forward to booking my next trip with Colette. As I said at the start 5 Stars !

Paula Tropeano

London

Colette has gone above and beyond my expectations with booking our holiday to multiple countries. I had met her while she was on holidays and kept her business in mind for my next trip as I was feeling overwhelmed with doing it myself. We changed a number of things and each time it was of no trouble for her. Even though we both live in opposite sides of the world, I felt like she was always available at any moment with the mountain of queries that I had. She is very professional and has a very pleasant and helpful nature. I would highly recommend Colette and will be happy to book with her again.

Karen B

Melbourne

Colette has just been amazing organising my trip to Thailand from Australia. She has gone above and beyond, always on top of everything and looking for solutions when necessary. Prompt replies and requests, couldnt of asked for anyone better.

Elizabeth Hannagan

Australia

Huge thanks to Colette for all her help with our recent holiday to Greece! We had amazing weather, fun entertainment, and found the perfect spot to unwind with cocktails by the beach. Highly recommend – we’re already looking forward to booking our next trip with her. She’s a star!

P Meade

London

Colette is highly proactive and consistently communicates clearly and effectively. She always goes the extra mile to find the best deals for me and works hard to meet my needs. 5 stars ??

J Pethig

East Sussex

Colette has been amazing. Her professionalism and efficiency in achieving everything we wanted as a group of eight travellers was perfect. I would certainly recommend her to family and colleagues and have already done so.

K Rice

Surrey

Colette did a fantastic job with my holiday search. I couldn't have asked for more.

P Turner

London

Colette was extremely helpful and efficient. We will definitely be using her services again as a family and will happily recommend her to others.

C Weatherald

London

Colette is meticulous, and listen's to your every needs. She always provides a good choice of options, along with some wildcard's. Great communication throughout the booking process, and has managed to find our dream holiday once again.

P Hitchcock

London

We had such a wonderful, brilliant holiday in South Africa that has created memories that will stay with us forever. Thank you, Colette for all that you did to make it such a special occasion, we appreciate you so much.

M Harris

Kent

Colette’s been fabulous from the beginning in helping find and book our family summer holiday.

G Stokes

London

Colette has been amazing, helping us to plan, organise and book our holiday to South Africa. I would have no hesitation to recommend her Fantastic service.

K Harris

Kent

Colette provides a 5 star service. Spot on with requests and includes everything on your wishlist, if not more than expected. Will definitely be using her service in the future!

P Hitchcock

South London

Colette, treated us like we were family. Answered all my queries immediately, no problem too little for Colette. Hope the holiday is as good.

A Morley

Scotland

Colette is a wealth of knowledge, from the very beginning she asks all the right questions so the options you receive from her are perfect. So looking forward to our trip! x

L Brindle

Kent

Always amazing service from quoting through to booking right up until we arrive home... Colette is always there for us and we use her for EVERY trip we book. Thank you Colette!

D Smith

London

We have always used Colette to book our holidays and she has always gone above and beyond our expectations in finding the 'perfect' holiday for us. We have told family and friends about her and they are now booking their holidays with her too. Always helpful, polite and listening to what we require and she always exceeds our expectations. Makes booking a holiday a truly stress-free experience. Highly recommend Colette.

H Harris

Kent

Best travel advice and arrangements. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Colette to everyone. Super service

E Clarke

London

Great service all round from Colette.

D Brown

London

Excellent service from Colette . Always prompt, friendly and efficient and nailed our varied tour exactly inline with our brief.

S Collins

London

Colette provided a great service throughout, with several options in a couple of locations which met in line with our requirements. Her service was very attentive and thorough, so would not hesitate to recommend her to my family and friends.

B Ayton

London

Brilliant service from Colette, who was able to source a magnificent period building, for our large group of family and friends.

J Brindle

London

What a fantastic booking experience with Colette who was always on hand to give advice, or to make any last minute changes with our holiday search.

B Banner-Eve

London

Colette went above and beyond to manage our trip to Vietnam and Thailand. Changing the itinerary on various occasions due to the Covid-19 situation. All transfers were seamless, and she also managed to find a last-minute flight home to ensure we were not stranded. Excellent service. Cannot praise her enough... thank you!

R CLARKE

LONDON

Colette couldn’t have been more helpful and provided us with so many options as we had no idea what kind of holiday we wanted. When we had any questions, Colette was always extremely quick to reply and nothing was too much trouble when it came to changes or additions to our itinerary. We now have our wonderful trip booked and won't hesitate to recommend Colette to all my family and friends.

D Coleman

London

Colette is amazing!! She has looked after us so well over the years and can not recommend her services highly enough - her research and service is second to none.

D Smith

London

Colette was amazing and could not have been more helpful. The options she presented were 100% what I was looking for and made it very easy to decide. I will be going to her for all my future travel requirements.

C Gower

London

Fabulous communication from Colette from start to booking. A very personal approach to our trip needs. Excellent service, makes me feel very special..

E Clarke

London

Excellent advice and service. Colette listened to my needs/wants and found me the perfect holiday. She was always readily available during evenings and weekends to provide answers to any of my niggling questions, which is a rarity in the world of travel. I will certainly recommend her to all my family and friends.

P Holmes

London

Really excellent and professional services! Colette is a lovely person who puts in lots of effort to help me to plan my trip with the budget I had. She replied very promptly to my emaiils and has a great personality! I would recommend her any time. Thank you Colette!

U Theobald

London

Colette was a pleasure to deal with and kept us informed of progress throughout our search for the perfect holiday. She sourced a variety of options and we are now really looking forward to our trip.

S Kermode

London

Colette understood both requests completely and was delightful to deal with.

G Giddings

London

In my whole life I have never before dealt with anyone that is so helpful and insightful regarding what I wanted. There were a lot of offers each containing exactly what I wanted. Colette also went above and beyond to advise me of everything surrounding the place where I’m going to stay. My son also got all that he asked for. There is no point to try and book it yourself as there is no better agent than Colette.

Maria O'Looney

London

Colette from Travel Counsellors was recommended to me from a friend. I was not disappointed. From the very start of the holiday booking, Colette was fantastic. Very kind, friendly and genuine. Colette went over and above to the lead up, informing of Weather conditions etc. Colette was always available and responded to any quieries/ questions in a Good timely mannor. I really liked the payment system, really easy and flexible. I would reccomend Travel Counsellors and i will certainly use again! Thank you!

Anna J

East London

Colette provided a very efficient and charming service throughout and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to my family and friends.

C Djema

London

Hello from the USA! I was looking for someone to act as a "trip consultant" for a family of 4 trip to the London and the Cotswolds. I randomly found Colette through an internet search. I wanted someone who lived in London and would give us an insider's view. After the initial shock of a random American calling her on the phone wore off, we worked together on what became an outstanding trip. Colette really took the time to get to know us; what we liked, were interested in, more importantly, what we weren't interested in, and worked very hard to put together an itinerary that was well thought-out, clear and easily digestible. Colette put a lot of time into understanding our needs - and I truly feel she was invested in ensuring we had the most wonderful time during the trip. She provided excellent tips, her research was much better than the standard "TripAdvisor" fare, and frankly, that's why one works with these folks. I can access the internet. What I can't access is the institutional knowledge and the ability to cut through the BS. Fast forward to the trip - documents waiting at the hotel and a gift from her for the kids. Just the nicest touch. Never an issue, never a problem. If you're looking to work with someone who truly cares about your needs, I wholeheartedly recommend Colette Cooper. Regards, Joe

Joe Miller

Windham, NH USA

I'd like to thank Colette for all of her help and guidance and would definitely recommend her services to friends and family.

L Jordan

Argyll and Bute

We have just returned from one of the best holidays we've ever had, thanks to Colette! She found us an amazing property in Barbados and really went out of her way to make sure all our needs were met. We were travelling with our two year old and Colette made sure that everything went as easily and smoothly as possible. Any questions I had prior to travelling were answered extremely promptly and efficiently. Thank you so much! We have also used Colette to book weekends away in Europe and she never fails to find something which suits our tastes. She is also brilliant at finding quirky tours, restaurants and bars, which we wouldn't have found if it wasn't for her. I cannot recommend her highly enough. We will never book with anyone else again! x

Vicky Smith

London

Just wanted to say a big thank you for arranging my amazing trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in February. From start to finish Colette found sourced and explained everything needed to make this trip so exciting. I gave her my brief and it was delivered above and beyond my expectation. Can't wait to experience all of it. Many thanks. I highly recommend Travel Counsellors and will definitely be using Colette again.

Susannah Smith

London

I have just returned from a 4 night trip to Montgenevre on the Italy/French border. I can honestly say that of all the ski trips I have been on and I have been on many, this was without a doubt the best trip I have been on. Collette nailed it, 1 hour 10 mins transfer from Turin, seamless transfer on to coaches, lovely rep, apartment was excellent, clean roomy. Good space for ski gear, pool, etc. Ski in Ski out (50 yards from door). The best variety of pistes ever! We were able to ski in Italy one minute and have France the next, no queues at all, great snow. "Apres ski" was great, good choice of food, Italian, International too, we had 6 kids with us and they had a ball and ate very well, swam in the complex outdoor pool. We found some nice bars too with great local atmosphere and lively music. Very affordable too. All in all I could not fault the whole experience. Collette is new to the ski trip game but she took to it like a duck to water, I cannot wait to go back and do the same again, AWESOME!

William Kirby

Kilkenny

Great service and Colette was super helpful.

D Chauhan

London

So lovely dealing with Colette who gave me good advice throughout. I changed my mind quite a few times and she always came back quickly with alternative options. I'll most definitely use Colette for other trips and felt in good hands throughout.

L Brindle

London

Thanks a million Colette for arranging the perfect ski holiday for us. Your attention to detail and the research you undertook has given us a tailor made trip for our group. Your service is second to none!

J Kirby

Kilkenny

Thank you Colette for being our Travel Counsellor and arranging our fantastic honeymoon! I was so pleased that you listened to what we like and put together a fabulous package tailoured to our individual needs. You were patient when we were indecisive and on hand to give expert advice whenever we had any questions. You were so easy to get in contact with and made us feel truly special. I will recommend you to all my friends and family. Top score for a superstar! Thank you .

B Brennan

London

Thank you Colette for listening to our choices and making sure the trip met our requirements. It didn't take you long to arrange the itinerary and the price was very competitive.

Joan Tidmarsh

Kent

Urban Pubs and Bars will definitely be booking next years conference with Colette again. Having given her the task of organising our annual General Managers Conference to the Canary Islands this year, all 17 of us agreed that the flights, hotel and personal service was spot on and all within our budget. Highly recommend!

Portia Bishop

London

Colette went the extra mile to find us our perfect trip to Peru and managed to get in all the places we wanted to visit and within our time frame. This was a feat in itself AND the price was much lower than any other travel companies. I will be recommending her to all of my friends and I look forward to booking with her again.

Janine Pethig

Kent

The service I received from Colette was First Class and she went above and beyond to find me my perfect weekend. Nothing was too much trouble.

Helen Harris

Kent

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Let's plan your dream trip together

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Tailor-made for you

Your holiday isn’t just a trip away. It’s a longed-for escape, time to reconnect with loved ones, or a dream adventure you never thought possible. That’s why I take the time to truly get to know you and understand your hopes and expectations, then use my experience, connections and passion for the destination to create a trip that makes those dreams a reality.

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Personalised service. Always

When you plan a holiday with me, you’ll be given my personal mobile number from the very first call. I’ll listen to your thoughts and ideas like I would a friend and arrange accommodation, activities, and flights that are all personalised to you. And I’ll share my personal tips and recommendations, so you can experience the true beauty of each destination.

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Stress-free travel, and more time
for what matters most

I believe your time away should be stress-free, easy, and seamless from start to finish. So, I take care of all the details for you - from ATOL protection, insurance, and flexible payments to access to the myTC app, which keeps everything in one place.

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Support when it matters most

If the unexpected happens, you can rest easy, knowing that I’ll handle any last-minute changes, flight cancellations, or disruptions before you even pick up the phone. So you always feel happy, carefree, and ready to make the most of every moment.

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020 3627 4970

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