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Ever helicoptered over the northern frontiers of Mongolia, spending an afternoon with the Tsaatan "reindeer people"? Visited the Korowai tribes in Indonesia who live in tree houses and are said to practice the last vestiges of cannibalism? Or dined with a Javanese sultan and his family in their palace splendor?
Well, if you haven't, the folks at Remote Lands, a New York-based bespoke travel service, are available to help.
Catherine Heald, CEO of Remote Lands, helps affluent clients plan the ultimate luxury vacation. A former engineer who founded and ran four companies in the U.S. and Hong Kong, Heald gave up the corporate life nearly two years ago to focus on what she loves best: travel in Asia. Heald and her chief operating officer, Jay Tindall, a veteran international traveler for 20 years, literally plan every minute of their clients' trips. "This is couture. We start with a blank and fit it to the client," she says.
The service begins at the customer's front door when they are picked up in a limousine or a helicopter and then whisked across the globe to exotic locales in Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Lagos, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, the Maldives, and Indonesia. Along the way, every service is provided, from organizing shopping expeditions to scheduling personal trainers, chefs, and security guards.
"To organize a trip to this degree in such a vast continent takes a lot of passion," Heald says. "We get all levels of clients, from first time overseas travelers to seasoned travelers who have been to Europe and the Americas, but now want to find out what Asia is all about."
The customer service begins with a traveler questionnaire about likes and dislikes, and personal consultation that results in a complete itinerary that is detailed down to what time a client likes coffee in the morning.
Prices start at about $1,000 per person, per day—and up, especially if the client prefers traveling by Bombardier Challenger 300 private jet or perhaps camels and elephants.
Despite the fact that Remote Lands' destinations live up to the company name, there's no scrimping on luxury. "The truth is, Asia is the only real place in the world where you can still find luxury on the level that we find for our clients," says Bruce Lazarus, marketing director for Remote Lands. Indeed, hidden in some Himalayan mountain range or some seemingly deserted islands are some of the most posh hotels and villas. Many of the destinations include stays in palaces that were sold by former royalty.
In addition to finding better-than-world-class accommodations and services, Remote Lands also provides "elite/indigenous" experiences, exposing their clients to a cross section of Asian society and cultural experiences that in some cases may vanish within generations, "from monks to maharajas, nomads to nobility, farmers to financiers."
"Sometimes the most enlightening experiences may come from visiting tribal homes or orphanages. They can be as exciting as meeting someone like the queen of Bhutan," Heald adds.
author: FASHION DIRECTOR: JEFF PRINE