Celebrities Who Own Private Islands

For the world’s richest people, owning a private island is the ultimate luxury. It offers complete privacy and a chance to get away from it all. Celebrities often buy these islands to escape the media and enjoy nature with their families. Some turn them into eco-friendly resorts, while others prefer to leave them untouched. This incredibly exclusive market is reserved for those who value privacy most of all.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp discovered a love for the Bahamas while filming ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and bought Little Hall’s Pond Cay in 2004. The forty-five-acre island is a tropical escape with six beautiful beaches, each named after his children or friends. He uses it as a private retreat to relax and get away from the pressures of Hollywood. The island is also environmentally friendly, running entirely on solar power.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio, the Academy Award-winning actor, purchased the island of Blackadore Caye in Belize to build an environmentally friendly resort. He’s planning to revitalize the island by replanting mangroves and getting rid of harmful plants and animals that have hurt the natural environment. His goal is to create a luxurious getaway powered entirely by renewable energy and built using sustainable methods. The project hopes to demonstrate that luxury tourism and strong environmental protection can go hand in hand.

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson owns a large private island in Fiji called Mago Island, which he bought for around fifteen million dollars. The island, a volcanic landscape covering over five thousand acres, is mostly untouched to protect its natural environment. He hires a small staff to look after the property and enjoys vacationing there with his family. Gibson prefers to keep the island private and doesn’t operate it as a hotel or resort.

Richard Branson

Necker Island, located in the British Virgin Islands, is arguably the most well-known private island retreat owned by a celebrity. The billionaire entrepreneur purchased the deserted island in the late 1970s and developed it into a lavish resort. Visitors can rent the entire island for private events or stay in one of the Balinese-inspired villas. The island is famous for hosting exclusive gatherings and attracting a high-profile guest list of celebrities and friends.

David Copperfield

David Copperfield, the famous magician, owns a group of islands in the southern Bahamas – Musha Cay and three smaller ones nearby. He’s named them “The Islands of Copperfield Bay” and offers them as a private retreat for well-off guests. The resort includes five villas built in a plantation style, plus an outdoor movie theater right on the beach. Copperfield says he picked this spot because of its beautiful scenery, unique sandbars, and a special, magical feeling.

Eddie Murphy

In 2007, comedian Eddie Murphy bought Rooster Cay, a private island in the Bahamas, for around fifteen million dollars. It’s a convenient but secluded retreat located near Nassau, perfect for family vacations. He had previously owned a smaller island in the Bahamas called Pearl Cay. Murphy has kept Rooster Cay mostly natural, using it as a personal getaway.

Shakira

Colombian singer Shakira and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd recently purchased Bonds Cay, a 700-acre island in the Bahamas. They plan to transform the island into a peaceful getaway for artists and musicians. The island boasts five beaches and natural salt ponds that are home to local wildlife. Their vision includes building a high-end, eco-friendly hotel that protects the island’s beautiful natural environment.

Tyler Perry

For my fortieth, Tyler Perry did something incredible – he bought his own private island in the Bahamas, White Bay Cay in the Exumas! And get this, he didn’t just want to go to the island, he learned to fly a plane so he could pilot himself there! He built a huge main house, plus a bunch of smaller guest houses for when his friends and family visit. It’s become his escape, a place where he can write and truly unwind from all the craziness of Hollywood.

Ricky Martin

Martin owns a 19-acre island near Angra dos Reis, Brazil. He bought it in 2008 as a safe and private retreat for his family to enjoy the sea. The island is part of a protected marine area and includes a charming, old-fashioned villa that Martin uses as a vacation home. The house is built to look like a fortress, offering both security and privacy.

Steven Spielberg

The director owns a private island in Madeira, Portugal, where his family escapes for peace and quiet when they’re not traveling by yacht. The islands are known for their stunning, volcanic scenery and warm, subtropical weather. Spielberg enjoys the privacy and calm this European getaway provides, especially compared to more crowded tourist destinations.

Bear Grylls

Bear Grylls owns a small island called St. Tudwal’s Island West, located off the coast of Wales. He transformed an old lighthouse keeper’s cottage into a home for his family and added a wind turbine for electricity. Grylls frequently talks about the island’s wild, beautiful scenery and the difficulties of living in such a remote and exposed place. It’s an ideal starting point for his outdoor expeditions and a great place for family vacations.

George Clooney

George and Amal Clooney own a beautiful, historic home on a small island in the River Thames, near London. The house, built in the 17th century, is set on five acres and offers the couple and their children a private escape from the public eye. The property is completely surrounded by the river and features lovely gardens and a boathouse.

Larry Ellison

In 2012, Oracle’s co-founder bought almost all of the Hawaiian island of Lanai – ninety-eight percent, to be exact. He already owned two Four Seasons resorts there and has since invested a lot of money in upgrading the island’s roads, utilities, and other essential services. Ellison hopes to turn Lanai into a showcase for eco-friendly living and modern farming techniques. His purchase included homes for the people who live on the island, as well as large, undeveloped natural areas.

Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando discovered the beautiful atoll of Tetiaroa in French Polynesia while searching for filming locations for ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’. He purchased the islands in 1966 and dedicated years to protecting their natural beauty. He hoped to build a research facility and a sustainable resort to support conservation work. Today, his dream is realized through The Brando Resort, located on the atoll.

Nicolas Cage

In 2006, Nicolas Cage bought Leaf Cay, a private island in the Bahamas, for $3 million. He was motivated by a desire to safeguard the endangered iguanas that live there. Ultimately, he decided against developing the island and put it up for sale, preserving its natural beauty as a pristine piece of the Bahamian environment.

Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman used to own a two-acre island called Fawn’s Island in the San Juan Islands, located between Washington State and Canada. It was a peaceful retreat where he enjoyed fishing and being outdoors. He later sold Fawn’s Island and is said to have bought another, even more secluded island in British Columbia. Hackman deeply values his privacy and prefers wild, natural scenery to typical beach destinations.

Francis Ford Coppola

The famous director Francis Ford Coppola owns a small island called Coral Caye, located just off the coast of Belize. He runs it as a simple, relaxing getaway where visitors can escape from technology and enjoy the beautiful Caribbean Sea. The island has cozy cottages and a main lodge serving fresh, local food. Coppola created this experience to be similar to the family vacations he took in the area.

Guy Laliberté

Guy Laliberté, who created Cirque du Soleil, owns the private island of Nukutepipi in French Polynesia. He developed this once-remote atoll into a luxurious and incredibly expensive vacation rental. The island is powered by solar energy and even has its own observatory for viewing the stars. Laliberté envisioned Nukutepipi as a secluded and self-sufficient retreat for his loved ones.

Bernard Arnault

Bernard Arnault, the head of LVMH, owns a private island in the Bahamas called Indigo Island. Located in the Exumas, this 135-acre retreat offers stunning views from its hilltop villa. Arnault uses the island for family getaways and to entertain colleagues in a secluded and secure setting, providing him with the ultimate in luxury.

Michael Schumacher

Formula One champion Michael Schumacher received a private island in Dubai as a gift from the crown prince. Located in the Antarctica section of the ‘The World’ – a large artificial archipelago – the island was worth around seven million dollars. Schumacher had intended to use the island as a winter getaway before his skiing accident. ‘The World’ is considered one of the most impressive construction projects in the Middle East.

Ted Turner

For many years, Ted Turner owned St. Phillips Island in South Carolina. He eventually sold it to the state with the goal of protecting its natural environment. Turner used the island as a private family getaway and dedicated himself to preserving its forests and animal life. He intentionally left the island undeveloped, maintaining it as a pristine area for hunting and fishing. Today, it’s a public state park, open for everyone to enjoy.

Jörg Pilawa

German TV host Johannes Pilawa owns a private island in Nova Scotia, Canada, where he escapes with his family for several weeks each year. They live a rustic life there, without electricity or plumbing. Pilawa enjoys the break from his fast-paced career and finds peace in the solitude of the Canadian wilderness. He says activities like chopping wood and gathering rainwater are incredibly relaxing and restorative.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo received a private island in Greece from his agent as a wedding gift. Although the island’s location hasn’t been revealed, it demonstrates the incredible wealth enjoyed by elite athletes. Ronaldo uses the island as a private getaway for his family, offering a break from the constant public attention. The Greek islands provide ideal weather and privacy for the famous soccer player.

Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields once owned a charming, historic property on Emerald Island in Chazy Lake, New York. The Adirondack-style camp, originally constructed in the 1920s, included a beautiful main lodge with cozy stone fireplaces. She used the island as a quiet retreat when she was busy with her modeling and acting work. The simple, natural surroundings offered a welcome break from the fast pace of New York City life.

John Lennon

In 1967, John Lennon purchased Dorinish Island in Ireland with the intention of building a home and eventually retiring there. However, he sadly passed away before the project could be finished. For a few years in the early 1970s, Lennon permitted a group of hippies to live on the island. Later, Yoko Ono sold the island and gave the money to an Irish orphanage.

Rudolf Nureyev

The renowned ballet dancer owned the Li Galli islands, a small archipelago off Italy’s Amalfi Coast. He dedicated his later years to renovating the villa there, adding stunning mosaic tiles. Nureyev used the island as both a place to practice his art and a peaceful retreat until he passed away in 1993. These islands are also famous in ancient mythology as the home of the sirens who tried to lure Ulysses with their songs.

Raymond Burr

I’ve always been fascinated by actors who have interesting lives outside of Hollywood, and Raymond Burr was one of them. For years, he owned this incredible island in Fiji called Naitauba. He wasn’t just a tourist though – he really lived there with his partner and turned it into this beautiful place, growing orchids and coconuts. What I find truly admirable is that he also set up a foundation to support the Fijian people and protect their traditions. Eventually, he sold the island, but thankfully it went to a group that continues to care for it and preserve its spirit. It’s a lovely story, really.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson’s ex-husband, Tommy Lee, supposedly gave her a private island in Dubai as part of the “The World” development. The idea was for it to be an environmentally friendly home for Anderson, who is known for her animal rights activism. While the project ran into money problems, the gift became a well-known story of celebrity spending. Since then, Anderson has concentrated on her property in Canada.

Share which celebrity island you would most like to visit in the comments.

2025-12-19 16:21