Helicoptering over Niagara Falls, stargazing at the Glen Oro Eco-Retreat in Canada, exploring natural sinkholes in Tulum, and lounging at the ​​Hamilton Princess Beach Club in Bermuda are just some of the experiences that travel influencer Asha Sardar has under her belt. Her 50,000 followers can travel vicariously through her striking Instagram feed as they seek inspiration for their own trips. Originally from Toronto, Asha has grown her following into a loyal fanbase of like-minded travellers and creatives. Beau Monde Traveler catches up with Asha to talk about her career, travel and plans for the future.

Asha Sardar, the playful and courageous face behind La Wandereuse, has lived all over the world. Currently based in Toronto, she has previously made her home in both the French city of Grenoble and California. This welcome cycle of new places, cultures and people gave Asha an intoxicating taste for travel that she says ‘snowballed’ into a career as a successful travel influencer. Throughout her university studies, she would often find herself craving a trip away, wherever that might be. ‘You can put me anywhere and I’ll have fun,’ she says. It turns out that a month in Paris was the answer. Her first solo trip proved to Asha that she was capable of travelling alone and instilled in her the confidence she needed to take it to the next level.

Asha ‘always studied with the intention of going to med school’ and placed her creativity on the back burner for many years. She studied sciences and volunteered at a local hospital to get the experience she would need as she ventured into the world of healthcare and medicine. However, she reflects on a moment of internal evaluation: did she see herself working in a hospital in ten years’ time? The answer came – possibly predictably even if a little hesitantly – no. She secured a remote job and took the opportunity to step back from her busy schedule and foster her enthusiasm for creativity and travel.

Asha continues to work remotely, but only now she has found a balance between the academic world and her creativity. She provides editing services for research pieces and journal articles alongside her new-found career as a travel influencer. Working from home has allowed her to design her own schedule and has given her the freedom to learn photography and editing skills, both of which she has taught herself. Like so many, she was forced to take a break from work during Covid but, resourceful as ever, she took the opportunity to hone her skills and make new connections. Now that PR agencies and tourist boards are once again hosting events and trips, it is all looking up.

Working remotely gave Asha time to do what she loved and so she took a trip to Montreal. It was here that she first realised the potential of being a travel influencer. She initially took photographs of architecture and landscapes as she was ‘still not comfortable being in photos,’ but realised that it is through personal presence that people form connections. She reached out to other creators and felt that ‘I could do this too’. Asha started to receive invitations to events and destinations and got a glimpse of how her career could develop. She bought a new camera, invested in new equipment, and taught herself about the creative industry. What started as a fun hobby was becoming a dream livelihood.

Looking at Asha’s beautifully curated feed, followers can marvel at images of picnics in Malta, luxury camping in Canada or intricate architecture in Italy. What they don’t see are the hours of planning and editing that go into each post. Asha describes the long process behind each photo and reel, which starts long before she gets on the plane. She researches prime locations and photo spots, for example, if she wishes to stage a shoot on a rooftop, she needs to know the opening hours. She then plans the minutiae of her outfits and hair and creates shotlists, which often need to be revised due to crowds or bad weather. ‘As soon as I get somewhere, I start shooting, I start recording’; work often trumps enjoying the destination. Post-production is equally rigorous: editing, sorting, posting and captioning can take hours. Nonetheless, Asha explains that it is all worth it because ‘if I can make travel my work, then I’m more than happy’.

She finds inspiration in the form of Michael Moretti, a destination photographer and director. She has enjoyed watching his visually striking work and style evolve over the time that she has followed him. She also admires the couple behind Follow Me To, Murad Osmann and Nataly Osmann, from whom she also often takes inspiration. Asha is not in this alone, ‘this travel journey has really been a team effort, as I now create all of my content with my partner Ray’. She explains that they have both had to learn new skills in photography and videography and even operating drones. Asha does all of the planning, editing and post-production tasks, while Ray ‘takes all of my photos and has put so much effort into becoming a better photographer to help me achieve my goals as a travel creator.’  Asha is eager to give Ray the recognition he deserves for being so supportive of her ambitions because ‘I truly wouldn’t be able to create the content I do without him’. 

Starting out, Asha was very private about her account and didn’t even tell many of her close friends. At one time afraid of being judged, she now explains that ‘everyone starts somewhere, you just have to give yourself a bit of grace.’ She encourages novices to push through it and get comfortable, people’s opinions aren’t guaranteed to change but your attitude can. Now she isn’t afraid of judgement. Part of this process has been evaluating what is important. To Asha, this is enhancing her skills and making connections with her audience and destinations. She judges her success by these authentic relationships rather than numbers that are often dictated by an algorithm. Even if a post doesn’t do ‘well’, Asha is happy that she has provided value for her clients. Although there is pressure on her to perform because her work is so public, she explains that there are more important things to think about.

Asha has always loved Paris, ‘since I was little’. The city played host to the influencer’s first solo trip, which was ’empowering’ as it proved her capability as a traveller. She also loved visiting Hungary, more specifically Budapest, and although it isn’t exactly a hidden gem in the eyes of Europeans, she would say that it is underrated from a North American standpoint. As is Malta, which Asha explains is not on many people’s radars back home in Canada. Her proficiency in French proved to be a delight to Marrakesh locals and Morocco is up there on her list of favourite trips. She is keen to discover more of Egypt, Jordan and Oman and would love to venture to Asia, a continent she has yet to explore.

Closer to home, Asha provides some recommendations for Beau Monde Traveler readers visiting Canada. Prince Edward County and its vibrant lavender fields, ‘especially in the summer’, are a keen favourite. She also notes that there is so much more to Niagara than the Falls. Niagara-on-the-Lake and the surrounding region of southern Ontario boast extensive countryside, wineries and a peaceful atmosphere away from the city. Quebec’s secular architecture and French and British influences make it a stand-out city; it is especially beautiful in winter, she says. Asha hopes to visit Atlantic Canada next, particularly Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Asha has stayed at some of the most beautiful hotels in the world including L’Hôtel de Glace and the Glen Oro Eco-Retreat in Canada. However, she champions the Hamilton Princess Hotel in Bermuda as her favourite. At the ‘Pink Palace’, she had a private concierge and luxury suite and lounge access. Asha says that this stay was simply ‘on another level,’ and she appreciated the kindness and dedication of the staff who made her trip so memorable; they went ‘above and beyond’.

This year looks promising for Asha. Since Covid, the influencer has revisited some of her favourite destinations but is now looking to explore new countries. She has set Greece and Croatia in her sights but is keen to avoid the high season; perhaps autumn will see Asha’s long-anticipated return to Europe.

Asha Sardar’s career has been borne out of determination and an admirable self-confidence that has enabled her to make exciting decisions both personally and professionally. The relationships that she has fostered along the way continue to grow and it is through making true connections with those around her that Asha has been inspired to follow her creative dreams. She encourages readers to embark on their own adventures and advises that ‘at the end of the day, you’re never going to know until you go. You just have to go.’