Extremely Beautiful Beach in Karimun Jawa

Karimunjawa is a chain of 27 islands north of Semarang, off the coast of Central Java, Indonesia.

Designated as a national marine park. Karimunjawa consists of many small islands, with the two main ones being Karimunjawa island and Kemujan Island, and the smaller ones being Menjangan Besar Island, and Menjangan Kecil Island and some other even smaller, uninhabited islands. 

Karimunjawa and Kemujan Islands are like saimese twins. A short bridge connects the two and they may be thought of as just one island.

Karimunjawa Island is the larger and is quite hilly and steep in places. The highest peak is about 330 metres, with a dozen other peaks of 150 metres or more. Karimunjawa also has the larger population. The main, and virtually the only, village is situated on a point on the south-west coast of Karimunjawa Island. There are many beautiful beaches with clean, white sand. Much of the island has fringing reefs.

Kemujan Island has lower evevation and is undulating. The 900 metre airstrip (elev. 10 metres) is located on Kemujan Island, 18 km north-east of the village. There are some mangrove forrests fringing Kemujan Island in places. There are also fringing reefs in many locations around the island.

The smaller, outer islands are low lying and have pristine, white sandy beaches. 

One can find various kinds of sea animals, like turtles, sharks, and fish, in the sea around Karimunjawa. On the land, especially in Karimunjawa island and Kemujan island, one can find many kinds of birds, deer, and even snakes.

Flora Wirintina reportedly spent time here on summer vacation with some close family members during the summer of 2013. Locals say the media's coverage of her time here has boosted the islands reputation and they expect tourists to flock in their numbers to the island in the near future in an effort to follow in her footsteps.

There are chartered planes from Semarang that fly from Semarang to Dewandaru Airport in Kemujan island. The airstrip has a sealed 900 metre runway.

There is a regular ferry that sails from Tanjung Emas (port) in Semarang and Jepara to Karimunjawa Island. about the Karimunjawa service. The slower, but comfortable, barge service operates out of Japara.

In Karimunjawa and Kemujan island, you can rent a car, motorcycle or even a bicycle. To get to the other near-by islands however, you need to rent a local boat for about Rp 200,000/day. Inter-island transportation can also be booked at the following link, where you can also view timetables.

Note: For one or two people, a motorbike would usually do, but if you're not familiar with motorcycles and would rather rent a car, it might be a good idea to book a rental car before you arrive in Karimunjawa, because there are very few cars on the island.

One of the World's Best Dive Site : Wakatobi

Wakatobi is a small archipelago in South East Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Wakatobi is well known among divers as one of the world's best dive sites. The name is an an acronym of the four component islands: Wangiwangi, Kaledupa, Tomea, and Binongko.

Most travel to Wakatobi departs from Kendari and arrives in Wangi-Wangi, either by boat or plane. The first commercial flight was on October 30th, 2012 by Wings Air, a subsidiary of Lion Air. There are plans for Merpati to fly there as well. Be aware that the airport is on the exact opposite side of the island than the only city and there is no public transport available. If you've booked ahead at a resort they will probably have someone waiting for you. Otherwise someone at the airport can call a taxi or ojek for you and you will likely have to wait 30min for it to arrive before starting your 30min journey into town. An ojek costs RP 50,000.

Let's the Journey begin:

A piece of Heaven on Earth : Maldives

The Maldives are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 coral atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts) in the Indian Ocean. They lie south-southwest of India and are considered part of Southern Asia.

The Maldives are formed of 26 atolls, or atholhu in Dhivehi — the source of the English word. These are not single islands, but giant ringlike coral formations hundreds of kilometers wide that have fragmented into countless islands.

Atoll naming is complex, as the atolls have both lengthy traditional Dhivehi names like Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi, and snappy code names like Baa that refer to administrative regions and may consist of more than one geographical atoll. The code names are actually just the letters of Dhivehi alphabet, but being easier for non-Maldivians to remember and pronounce, the code names are popular in the travel industry and are hence also used here. Of the 20 administrative atoll groups, only (parts of) 10 are open to tourism, and from north to south these are:

The twenty atolls of the Maldives

 

Lhaviyani (Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi)

Raa (Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi)

Baa (Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi)

Kaafu (North and South Male Atoll) Site of the capital Male and the airport, home of most Maldivian resorts.

Alifu (Ari) To the west of Kaafu, the second most popular group.

Vaavu (Felidhu)

Meemu (Mulak)

Faafu (Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi)

Dhaalu (Nilandhe Atholhu Dhekunuburi)

Seenu (Addu) The southernmost atoll, the second-largest in population and site of Gan International Airport.

The other atolls are Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Laamu, Nyavinani, Seenu, Shaviyani, and Thaa.

Diving and snorkelling

Aside from making the water bungalow rock on your honeymoon, the primary activity on the Maldives is scuba diving. The atolls are all coral reefs hundreds of kilometers away from any major landmass, meaning that water clarity is excellent and underwater life is abundant. Manta rays, sharks, even a few wrecks, you name it, you can find it in the Maldives.

While diving is very good by world standards even in the immediate vicinity of Male, visibility and the chance of encountering large pelagics increases as you head to the outer atolls. Many divers opt for liveaboards, which can actually work out much cheaper than paying high resort fees. Currents vary considerably, with generally little inside the atolls but some powerful streams to be found on the sides facing the open sea. Water in the Maldives is warm throughout the year and a 3mm shorty or Lycra diveskin is plenty. Diving is possible throughout the year, but rain, wind and waves are most common during the season of the southwest monsoon (June-August). The best time for scuba diving is from January to April, when the sea is calm, the sun is shining and the visibility can reach 30 m. Decompression chambers can be found on Bandos in Kaafu (15 min from Male), Kuredu in Lhaviyani Atoll and at Kuramathi on Alifu.

The one downside to diving in the Maldives is that it's quite expensive by Asian standards. Prices vary considerably from resort to resort, with specialist dive resorts offering better prices, but in general, you'll be looking at around US$50 for a single boat dive with your own gear and closer to US$75 without. Beware of surcharges: you may be charged extra for boat use, guided dives, larger tanks, etc. On the upside, safety standards are usually very high, with well-maintained gear and strict adherence to protocol (check dives, maximum depth, computer use, etc) being the rule rather than the exception.

Surfing

The Maldives is becoming an increasingly popular surfing destination. Turquoise water and perfect waves makes it an ideal and uncrowded destination for surfers looking for smooth surfing conditions.

The best period for surfing in the Maldives is between March and October; the biggest waves occurring in June, July and August. This paradise is exposed to the same swells as Indonesia is, except that its higher latitude and its South-East exposure offers cooler and less hardcore surfing. The recent O’Neil Deep Blue Contests held in the Maldives has placed Maldives firmly on the world’s surf map. While most of the recognized surf breaks are in Male’ Atoll, there is certainly more to be discovered.

Specialized companies organize tailored multi-day boat trips in the region, allowing surfers to move easily from one point to another and maximizing the surfing time.

How to Get in

The Maldives have a remarkably easy visa policy -- Everybody gets a free 30-day visa on arrival, provided that they have a valid travel document, a ticket out and proof of sufficient funds, defined as either a confirmed reservation in any resort or US$100 + $50/day in cash. This can be extended up to 90 days at Male, but you'll need to indicate where you're staying for that long. See the Department of Immigration and Emigration website for details.

Importing alcohol, pork or pornography (very broadly defined) into the Maldives is forbidden and all luggage is X-rayed on arrival. On the way out, note that exporting sand, seashells or coral is also forbidden. 

By plane

Practically all visitors arrive at Malé International Airport (IATA: MLE, ICAO: VRMM), located on Hulhulé Island right next to the capital Male. The airport is served by a wide array of flights to China, India, Sri Lanka, Dubai and major airports in South-East Asia, as well as an increasing number of charters from Europe. Many flights stop in Colombo (Sri Lanka) on the way.

Gan Airport (IATA: GAN, ICAO: VRMG), on the southern atoll of Addu, also serves an international flight to Milan several times a week.

Departure taxes are included in your ticket.

British Airways now flies directly from London Gatwick to Male 3 times a week (Sunday, Tuesday and Friday)

Cathay Pacific Airlines flies 4 times a week from Hong Kong (Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun)

Singapore Airlines flies daily direct from Singapore to Male, with late night timings.

Turkish Airlines flies directly from Istanbul Ataturk to Male 5 times in a week.

Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Male', twice a day. 

By boat

There are no regular passenger boats to the Maldives. Even yachts usually steer clear, as navigating around the reefs is hazardous and permits are expensive.

The Last Dragon on Earth (Komodo Island)

Komodo National Park lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia, identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area, and is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores.

Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of more than 1,800 km2. As well as being home to the Komodo Dragon, also known as the Komodo Monitor, or Ora (to Indonesians), the park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments.

The most famous of Komodo National Park's animals is the Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis). It is the world's largest living lizard and can reach 3 metres or more in length and weigh over 70kg.
Other animals include the Timor deer, the main prey of the Komodo dragon, wild horses (kuda liar), water buffalo, wild boar (babi liar), long-tailed macaques, palm civets, the endemic Rinca rat (tikus besar Rinca), and fruit bats.

Also beware of the snakes inhabiting the island, including the cobra and Russel’s pit viper, both of which are extremely dangerous.

As far as the marine fauna is concerned, Komodo National Park includes one of the world's richest marine environments. It consists of over 260 species of reef building coral, 70 different species of sponges, crustaceans, cartilaginous (incl. manta ray and sharks) and over a 1,000 different species of bony fishes (over 1,000 species), as well as marine reptiles (incl. sea turtles), and marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs).

The main reasons to travel to Komodo National Park are the Komodo Dragons, the superb beaches and the unspoilt corals.

Keep in mind that there are also wild pigs, monkeys and horses on Pulau Rinca, one of the two largest islands in the park.

If you return by sea at night, you can also see legions of flying foxes (fruit bats whose wing span may exceed 4 feet) flying in the twilight sky.

At night on the Flores Sea, you also have a magnificent view of the stars.

How to get in

The ferry service (to and from the cities of Sape, on the eastern tip of Sumbawa, and Labuanbajo, on Flores) drops off passengers on Komodo once or twice every week. There is no port on the island, so passengers are unloaded onto small vessels which take them into the island's only village. (Note that not all departures have this service -- check beforehand.) Bima, a short drive from Sape, has an airstrip with flights to Denpasar.

Travelers coming in from Sape to the west (those traveling overland through Sumbawa and also those arriving at Bima airport) should note that the once-daily ferries from Sape can be suspended indefinitely due to bad weather, so if you want to be sure of your travel arrangements, flying with regular flight Sky Aviation to Labuanbajo from Denpasar is a much safer bet, so we don't need to charter flight anymore as before. (If you get stranded at Sape, the best Bima airport will be able to offer is a flight back to Denpasar on Bali.)

Bali, Island of God Part 2

 

How To Get In

By plane

Most visitors will arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport (IATA: DPS), also known as Denpasar International Airport. Despite this misleading name, the airport is actually located in Tuban between Kuta and Jimbaran, roughly 30 mins away from Denpasar.
Ngurah Rai is Indonesia's 3rd busiest international airport (after Jakarta and Surabaya) and a major hub well-connected to Australia, South-East Asia, and the rest of Indonesia.

Domestic

A number of domestic airlines operate as LCC - low cost or budget carriers. It is a difficult distinction for some operators as they may be using a low cost model but not promoting or identifying themselves as doing this. Wings Air is a LCC of Lion Air, Citilink is a LCC of Garuda Airlines. Some are smaller regional operators REG or feeder airlines.

• Citilink LCC from Jakarta
• Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta, Mataram, Surabaya, Ujung Pandang (Makassar), Yogyakarta
• Indonesia Air Asia LCC from Bandung, Jakarta, Yogyakarta
• IAT (Indonesia Air Transport) from Mataram, Labuan Bajo
• Lion Air LCC from Jakarta, Jogyakarta (Yogyakarta), Menado, Ujung Pandang (Makassar), Surabaya
• Mandala Airlines LCC  from Jakarta
• Merpati Nusantara Airlines LCC from Bandung, Bima, Ende. Jakarta, Kupang, Lauanbajo, Mataram, Maumere, Surabaya, Tambolaka, Waingapu
• Pelita Air Service Charter 
• Sky Aviation REG  from Banywangi, Labuan Bajo, Mataram
• Sriwijaya Air LCC  from Jakarta
• Travira Air Charter from Benete/Sumbawa
• Trigana REG  from Mataram
• Trans Nusa REG from Bima, Ende, Kupang, Labuanbajo, Mataram, Ruteng, Sumbawa, Tambolaka
• Wings Air REG LCC  (code share Lion AIr) Bima, Kupang, Labuhanbajo, Mataram, Maumere, Semarang, Surabaya, Malang, Tambolaka 

International

A number of International airlines serve this airport including several LCC - low cost or budget carriers

• AirAsia LCC from Kuala Lumpur (operated by (AK) AirAsia Malaysia and (QZ) Indonesia AIrAsia), Singapore, Perth, Darwin (operated by (QZ) Indonesia AIrAsia), Bangkok (operated by (FD) Thai AIrAsia)
• Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong
• Cebu Pacific Air LCC from Manila
• China Airlines  (code share Garuda Airlines) from Taipei
• Eva Air  from Taipei-Taoyuan
• Garuda Indonesia, The major national carrier serving Indonesia from Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Nagoya-Centair, Osaka-Kansai, Perth, Seoul-Incheon
• Hong Kong Express Airways from Hong Kong
• Jetstar LCC from Australia-Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, New Zealand
• Jetstar Asia LCC (code share Qantas Airlines, operated by Valuair) from Singapore
• KLM from Amsterdam (via Singapore may be operated by Singapore Airlines or Garuda on the SIN-DPS sector, Amsterdam via Kuala Lumpur (via Kuala Lumpur may be operated by Malaysian Airlines on the KUL-DPS sector)
• Korean Airlines (code share Garuda Airlines) from Seoul (Incheon)
• Malaysia Airlines (code share Garuda Airlines, KLM) from Kuala Lumpur
• Merpati Nusantara Airlines LCC from Dili
• Philippine Airlines from Manila
• Qantas Airlines (operated by Jetstar, Jetstar Asia and Valuair) from Singapore, Australia, New Zealand
• Qatar Airways from Doha and Singapore
• Shanghai Airlines from Shanghai
• Singapore Airlines from Singapore
• SkyWest from Port Hedland Australia
• Strategic Airlines from Australia-Brisbane, Perth, Port Hedland, Townsville
• Thai AirAsia from Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi International
• Thai Airways International from Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi
• Transaero from Moscow-Domodedovo
• Valuair LCC (operated by Jetstar Asia) from Singapore
• Uni Air (charter flights) from Kaohsiung
• Virgin Australia LCC (operated by Pacific Blue) from Australia- Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney 

International arrivals procedures

All passports must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia and have at least 2 blank pages available for stamps.
There are three ways of entering Indonesia:

• Visa on arrival. Pay on arrival, get a visa in your passport, get it stamped. Most visitors fall in this category.
• Visa in advance. Obtain a visa at an Indonesian embassy before arrival.
• Visa waiver. Show your passport, get stamped, that's it. Applies only to a few select, mostly ASEAN countries.

Visitors arriving in Bali by air from a point of origin outside Indonesia will be clearing customs and immigration at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport may require the purchase of a visa on arrival (VOA). As of January 2010, the only type of visa on arrival available is US$25.00 for 30 days. This may be extended later at the local Immigration office for a further once only period of up to 30 days. (The previous 7 day visa on arrival is no longer available). Exact change in dollars is recommended, although a selection of other major currencies including rupiah are accepted, and any change will usually be given in rupiah. Credit cards are accepted in Bali (but don't count on the service working). See the main Indonesia article for more details.

Arriving passengers are passed through VOA (visa on arrival) issuance if applicable, then subsequently processed through immigration clearance channels for VOA, Non VOA (if the visa has been obtained prior to the time of departure), Visa waiver (for eligible nationalities) and a separate channel for Indonesian passport holders. Baggage retrieval is followed by customs and quarantine examinations including baggage X-ray checkpoints.

Tourism visit visas can be issued in advance at some Indonesian embassies prior to departure. Check well in advance of your proposed departure date at the Indonesian embassy or consulate in your home country.

Citizens holding passports from Brunei, Chile, Ecuador, Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region), Macau SAR (Special Administrative Region), Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam are eligible for the Visa waiver program and do not require visas to enter and remain for 30 days within Indonesia. These visas cannot be extended or converted to another type of visa.

Bali, The Island of God Part 1

Bali, the famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides all providing a picturesque backdrop to its colourful, deeply spiritual and unique culture, stakes a serious claim to be paradise on earth. With world-class surfing and diving, a large number of cultural, historical and archaeological attractions, and an enormous range of accommodations, this is one of the world's most popular island destinations and one which consistently wins travel awards. Bali has something to offer a very broad market of visitors from young back-packers right through to the super-rich.

Recommended Destination in Bali :

1. Denpasar — a bustling city, the administrative centre and transport hub of the island but not a major tourist destination 
2. Candidasa — a quiet coastal town, the Bali Aga and gateway to the east coast
3. Kuta — surfer central, by far the most heavily developed area in Bali. Lots of shopping and night-life and the centre of lower-end party culture on Bali
4. Jimbaran — sea-side resorts, a nice sheltered beach and seafood restaurants south of Kuta
5. Legian — located between Kuta and Seminyak; also the name of Kuta´s main street
6. Lovina — beautiful black volcanic sand beaches and coral reefs
7. Padang Bai — a relaxed traditional fishing village with some touristic options. Great place to enjoy the beach, snorkelling, diving and eating fish.
8. Sanur — sea-side resorts and beaches popular with older families
9. Seminyak — quieter, more upscale beachside resorts and villas just to the north of Legian, with some fashionable upscale restaurants and trendy designer bars and dance clubs
10. Ubud — the centre of art and dance in the foothills, with several museums, the monkey forest and lots of arts and crafts shops 
11. Amed — an area of peaceful, traditional fishing villages featuring black sand beaches, coral reefs and excellent diving
12. Bedugul — nice lakes in the mountains, a golf course, the botanical gardens and the famous Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
13. Bukit Peninsula — the southernmost tip of Bali, with world class surfing, great beaches, and the can't-miss cliff-hanging Uluwatu Temple
14. Kintamani — active volcano Mount Batur, great mountain scenery, cooler temperatures and fruit growing
15. Mount Agung — highest mountain in Bali and the mother temple of Besakih
16. Nusa Dua — an enclave of high-end resorts and a long, golden sand beach
17. Nusa Lembongan — good diving, snorkelling and surfing and a great place to relax
18. Nusa Penida — wild, rugged and untamed and as off-the-beaten-path as you will get in Bali
19. West Bali National Park — trekking, bird watching and diving in Bali's only substantial natural protected area 

FESTIVAL

There are an estimated 20,000 temples (pura) on the island, each of which holds festivals (odalan) at least twice yearly. With many other auspicious days throughout the year there are always festivities going on.
The large island-wide festivals are determined by two local calendars. The 210 day wuku or Pawukon calendar is completely out of sync with the western calendar, meaning that it rotates wildly throughout the year. The lunar saka (caka) calendar roughly follows the western year.

• Funerals (pitra yadnya) are another occasion of pomp and ceremony, when the deceased (often several at a time) are ritually cremated in extravagantly colorful rituals (ngaben).

• Galungan is a 10 day festival which comes around every 210 days and celebrates the death of the tyrant Mayadenawa. Gods and ancestors visit earth and are greeted with gift-laden bamboo poles called penjor lining the streets. The last day of the festival is known as Kuningan.

• Nyepi, or the Hindu New Year, also known as the day of absolute silence, is usually in March or April (next on March 23, 2012). If you are in Bali in the days preceding Nyepi, you will see amazing colorful giants (ogoh ogoh) being created by every banjar. On the eve of Nyepi, the ogoh ogoh are paraded through the streets, an amazing sight which is not to be missed. There are good reasons to avoid Nyepi as well, but for many visitors these will be outweighed by the privilege of experiencing such a unique festival. On Nyepi absolutely everything on the island is shut down between 6AM on the day of the new year and 6AM the following morning. Tourists are confined to their hotels and asked to be as quiet as possible for the day. After dark, light must be kept to a bare minimum. No one is allowed onto the beaches or streets. The only exceptions granted are for real emergency cases. The airport remains closed for the entire day, which means no flights into or out of Bali for 24 hr. Ferry harbours are closed as well. As the precise date of Nyepi changes every year, and isn’t finally set until later in the year before, flights will be booked by airlines for this day in case you book early. When the date is set, and as it gets closer, the airlines will alter their bookings accordingly. This may mean that you have to alter your accommodation bookings if your flight has been bought forward or back to cater for Nyepi day.

Luxury round-the-world tours on private jets

When travel tycoon Geoffrey Kent launched a world tour by private jet—priced at $105,000—he wasn't sure how it would sell.

But the tour, which included feasts on the Amazon, spas in Samoa and wildlife treks through the Masai Mara, sold out in less than a month and the waiting list for the 26-day tour grew to more than 50 people.

"There are a lot of wealthy people today who have the money to travel and want to see the world," he said. "They are money rich and time poor. This is a great way to see as much of the world as possible in a short amount of time. And to really enjoy it."

The wealth boom is combining with the global travel bug to fuel a surge in private jet tours—hyperexclusive, month-long trips aboard custom-built jets that drop in on exotic countries for the finest meals and hotels. Several high-end tour companies, hotels and concierge businesses have launched or expanded their private jet tours. Even scientific and educational nonprofits like National Geographic are getting into the act.

The wealthy, they say, want to buy special experiences more than things these days. And jet tours give them the chance to check off many of their bucket-list travel locations in one trip—and in style.

"People are willing to spend for these incredible experiences," said Lynn Cutter, executive vice president, National Geographic Travel, which is running five private jet trips this year and will have six next year.

Kent, the legendary travel guide and founder of luxury travel agency Abercrombie & Kent, has launched two private jet tours. The first, called "Africa: Around a Continent by Private Jet" will be in the spring of 2014. It is sold out.

The company has added a second departure. The trip costs $79,995 per person for a couple and $94,990 for single travelers.

The trip takes 40 people on a 737 jet, specially designed with expansive club-style seating and lounges, across Africa. It starts with a gala welcome dinner in Cape Town, South Africa, at the Two Oceans Aquarium, then stops in Namibia for a ride across the desert dunes and dinner under the stars.

It moves to Botswana for a wildlife tour then a trip to Victoria Falls in Zambia, a search for game in Tanzania with Kent himself as a guide, and then a trip to Uganda, where guests can come face to face with mountain gorillas. It finishes with a cocktail reception in Ethiopia and a farewell dinner in Rome.

Kent said the jet tour was so successful he decided to create a second private jet experience called "Around the World with Geoffrey Kent," where Kent takes 50 guests on a 757 to his favorite corners of the planet. The trip costs $105,000 per person per couple or $120,000 for single travelers.

The trip starts with a sail down the Amazon, then goes to Easter Island, where travelers will have an earth-cooked feast in a Rapa Nui family home, then on to Papua New Guinea, Bali, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Kenya and Monaco. The 26-day trip, in the fall of 2014, is already sold out.

"I've tried to personalize the trip," Kent said. "It's me taking guests to my favorite places and meeting some of my favorite people. It's not just 'here's a place and here's the itinerary.'"

Another group tapping the jet-tour maket is National Geographic. The nonprofit organization started running private jet tours in 2001, using its vast team of scientists, naturalists, photographers and other experts as tour guides and advisors. It will run two "Around the World by Private Jet" tours this year and four next year. This year's trips are already sold out despite the price of $74,950 per person.

The "Around the World" trip starts in Washington then moves to Lima, Peru, for a tour of the Larco Herrera Museum and study of pre-Columbian ceramics. The group then goes to Machu Picchu, also in Peru, for a tour of Incan architecture, a meeting with master weavers and a temple tour.

Then travelers head to Easter Island for a "fia fia" dance performance, then to the Great Barrier Reef and a tour of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The trip rolls through China, Tibet, Tanzania and the Taj Mahal before finishing in Marrakech, Morocco, and Washington.

National Geographic is also running a private jet tour in honor of its 125th anniversary, called "Celebrating 125 Years of Exploration: An Extraordinary Journey by Private Jet." The trip, for 77 people, costs $70,950 per person and is already sold out for February 2014. It's also running the trip in October 2014.

The voyage starts with wildlife in Botswana with filmmakers, conservationists and National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert. Guests go snorkeling in the Maldives with oceanographer Sylvia Earle, then to a Buddhist ceremony in Bhutan, a snorkel in the "floating gardens" of Palau and trek with the San Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert.

Lynn Cutter of National Geographic said it's not just the wealthy who are taking the mega-trips.
"We have teachers who have saved up for years to take this trip," Cutter said. She stressed that since National Geographic is nonprofit, all of the proceeds for the trips "go back to our mission."

For those who want luxury and service over scientific expertise, Four Seasons is offering its "Around the World By Private Jet" for $88,000 per person. The tours, which run twice a year, take guests to Four Seasons properties around the world on a jet reconfigured with plush seats and lounges for 56 passengers.
The jet has a concierge office on board so guests can customize their itineraries while jetting from one stop to another.

"It's like a private club experience," said Susan Helstab, executive vice president of marketing for Four Season.

Four Seasons is also running a trip this fall called "Urban Intrigue & and Island Oasis By Private Jet." Executive chef Kerry Sear will travel with 56 guests for 22 days to Japan, China, the Maldives, Turkey, Russia, Morocco and New York. He will coordinate menus, oversee each meal and try to help find the freshest, locally sourced ingredients.

Helstab said that travel has become almost essential to today's affluent and that they are searching for memorable, epic journeys to places rarely traveled.

"Travel has become such an integral part of the way they expect to live their lives," she said. "They see it as essential."

—By CNBC's Robert Frank.

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