Words: Josh Lee
In association with:
As the world has fully reopened following a lengthy period of travel disruption, this summer presents itself with seemingly limitless options of cities, islands and remote spots to jet to. However, overwhelming choice can often lead to a paralysis of decision making, which is where VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, plays its hand, having curated a personalised selection of getaways and travel experiences – which feature some of the world’s finest hospitality brands – for its members to choose from.
Launched in 2004, VistaJet prides itself in simplifying and making more efficient the unrivalled pleasures of flying private, courtesy of its seamless, iconic service and world-renowned business aviation model that provides its client base with access to a floating fleet – available with 24 hours notice – without the burden of actually owning an aircraft. All that clients have to do is decide the number of hours they want to fly, the type of aircraft they wish to fly in, turn up, and unwind in any one of the company’s considered cabin layouts.
On its famed silver and red business aircrafts, the company has jetted corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world, which makes it suffice to say that it is a company with a global outlook, with a particular speciality in finding the most superlative spots to travel to.
So, for some of the destination highlights that VistaJet offers, let us take you on a quick-stop tour…
Island hopping in Greece
Greece is a country entrenched in mythology and romance, from its millennia-old folklore to the gentle ripples of its deep-blue waters. When booking with VistaJet, an excursion around this Med hotspot will be handled by luxury travel agency Pelorus, and will kickstart in the glorious capital, Athens, where, at the break of dawn, a private guide will lead you round the ancient glories of the Acropolis and Temple of Athena Nike, before you board a yacht for a stretch of island-hopping.
At Kea, a lowkey spot known for its tranquil beaches and neoclassical houses, you can start your day with a splash in the sea, either perfecting your backstroke or driving your vessel out to take a look at some of the wreck sites that are found in the surrounds. Those seeking drier grounds can remain on land and be educated, by local artisans, in the time-honoured practice of making thyme honey.
Then, you can make a beeline for Paros, where you’ll travel across the golden-hue sand on horseback; Fournoi and Samos offer the opportunity for you to survey the Cave of Pythagoras, the carved out tunnel that was once home to, and the classroom of, the renowned mathematician. High-octane thrills can be found when scaling the wild and ragged landscapes of Samos, where novices, intermediates and seasoned climbers are all equally welcome. A visit to the Kerveli Wine Cellar, where bottles of organic wine notch up the years, should then ease any muscle tension. Heading to Kalymnos, celebrated for its marine life and vegetation, will allow you to go full Indiana Jones and head into a warren of subterranean caves, a one-time religious centre that travellers now seek out for the rejuvenating hot springs. And at Rhodes, where your Greek odyssey concludes, visit the Monastery of Kalopetra, which has been standing among unspoilt pine forestry for nearly two-and-a-half centuries – and then fuel up for your journey home with a wild picnic sat among cedars and cypress trees.
Go in search of the largest cave on Earth, in Vietnam (by way of Indonesia and Cambodia)
Vietnam is a place noted for its whirring blur of activity, mopeds and nightlife – but, with VistaJet and Ariodante Travel, you’ll see a side of the country where the frequencies and rhythms are a lot gentler.
The three-week tour kickstarts among the spirited streets of Jakarta, before heading eastwards to Sangiran, an archaeological excavation site where you can brush up on your ancient know-how. Then, flying north to Cambodia, you’ll continue your historic voyage by ogling the splendid relics of the Khmer Empire, Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, and Ta Prohm, a temple site with crumbling structures that are embraced by the vice-like grip of ginormous ancient tree roots.
Though majestic in their scale and beauty, such intrepid activities will only tee you up for the main event: a four-day voyage in the deep core of Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Arrival will come via helicopter, before a team of experts will guide the way through Hang Sơn Đoòng, the world’s largest cave, big enough to house the Empire State Building, formed millions of years and ago and fringed by otherworldly dolines and below-ground rivers. And, despite its vast, overwhelming scale, few have actually ventured inside this fabled wonder.
To conclude the trip, you’ll be taken back to the Vietnamese coast, where a premium wooden sailing yacht will ferry you to Ha Long Bay, so you can watch the sun gently set on the South China Sea, and reminisce all that had occurred in the days just gone.
Jet to a luxury stay atop rough-n-rocky terrain, in Oman
Balanced 2,000m above sea level on the dramatic, craggy contours of the Saiq Plateau, on the Green Mountain, Oman, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is an ambitious hotel, with views of a seemingly never-ending canyon that bleeds into the skies above. The accommodation here – 82 rooms and 33 private villas – are done out in a soothing scheme of creams, flashes of soft colour, darkwood fixtures, and glass walls, which let the attention remain firmly on the surrounds.
If you’re able to drag yourself away from your high-thread-count sheets, get to grips with the landscape by journeying across 200m of Jabal Activity Wall’s multi-level topography, which starts off with a zip-wire, then leads to a via ferrata that stretches across the rocks, and concludes with crossing the Middle East’s highest steel bridge.
To bring you back to steadier ground, book in at the in-house spa, which is known for its Omani architecture, canyon vistas, and menu of treatments that cleanse, scrub and inject new energy into the body; the Turkish Hammam Ritual, most notably, which uses black-olive soap, will make your complexion as smooth and polished as fine marble. Then, end your day with Middle Eastern fare at Al Qalaa, before a session of stargazing from the outdoor viewing platform.
Escape from civilisation, in Kisawa, Mozambique
Found 14 kilometres off the coast of Mozambique, on Africa’s eastern edge, you’ll find Benguerra Island, home to Kisawa Sanctuary, a secluded hideaway defined by its 300-hectares of sand dunes, forestry and vast beach expanses.
At this hidden bolthole, located on the island’s southernmost point, there are eleven pads, each uniquely furnished; cocooned from noise and distractions; and featuring their own private infinity pool, slice of beachfront, and lounge area complete with cabana, outdoor kitchen, and dedicated service team that helps dial up the at-ease spirit of the destination.
There are four culinary options at Kisawa, where there’s a firm commitment to organic, seasonal produce grown in the Inhambane province, much of which is smoked, grilled or baked. Calories can be burned off at the Natural Wellness Centre, which anchors the property, and where you’ll find an infrared sauna, a yoga ‘nest’, and a comprehensive menu of massage and yogic rituals. In the evenings, have a sundowner and small bites on the lantern-lit dune, and drink in the fine surrounds.
Want more from VistaJet? Read about its VJ25, the in-demand membership for flexible flyers…
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