If you're looking for a safe and quiet place, visiting a private island might be the best
option. Or, if you're a billionaire, you can buy one and build your own world. Sounds like
a fairytale? Not for these guys. In this video, we'll show you the top 5 Private Islands Owned
By Billionaires.
Someone wants to spend their week of vacation in Hawaii, and someone, for instance, Larry
Ellison, wants to own the sixth largest island there. The wealthy founder of Oracle fell
in love with the secluded Hawaiian island of Lanai after visiting it in 2012 and decided
to purchase it. He now owns 98 percent of the island, which comprises over 90,000 acres
of land, a 3,200-person village, and two Four Seasons resorts. This purchase reportedly
set him back a whopping $300 million! But he doesn't keep it just for himself. Guests
are treated like royalty here, and you can have the entire island to yourself, plus access
to all of the activities one could desire. And hey! Even the not so adventurous art lovers
will be satisfied. The multimillion-dollar Polynesian art collection decorating the venue
provides guests with a touch of local culture when they check into the hotel. Three luxury
bedrooms, a drop-down television, ocean views, and handcrafted parchment wall coverings are
all included in the penthouse suite. No surprise that it's the most expensive hotel suite in
Hawaii, costing $21,000 a night. Outside, koi ponds and a native botanical garden add
fancy and beauty to the already gorgeous setting. There are several activities available as
well. Former professional golfer Jack Nicklaus developed the on-site golf course, which has
beach vistas from every hole. Even Bill Gates was so taken with the course that he married on
the 17th hole. So there's definitely something extra about this place. However, Ellison's
personal favorite activity takes place high above the land: airplane sightseeing. You
can take flying lessons here as well, which will cost you an additional $1,600. Will that
make me feel like a billionaire? Beyond his initial purchase, Ellison has already spent
about half a billion dollars on the island upgrades. During the epidemic, though, Ellison's
fortune grew even more, and he now has a net worth of $113.5 billion.
In 2000, another exquisite tropical hideaway was purchased by French billionaire Georges
Cohen in the Caribbean island of Calivigny. The island, which is located off the coast
of Grenada, drew his wife's attention when she had chances to swim ashore while moored
close on their yacht. Martine persuaded her husband to board the next plane when she found
it was for sale, and the couple decided to buy it on the spot. George, Martine, and their
family have spent decades meticulously creating the island to the greatest standards, bringing
hundreds of plants, trees, and bespoke luxury accommodations with them. As a result of their
hard work, even The Kardashians or Justin Bieber, who celebrated his 21st birthday there,
couldn't resist visiting the island. The price of the island, covering more than 80 acres,
filled with palms and lush tropical vegetation, is unknown. However, we know for sure that
to turn it into such a paradise, Cohen had to give out 100 million dollars. So if you
want to stay on Calivigny, you'll have to go big. Exclusive island charters for up to
40 guests cost more than $132,000 per night. There are three luxurious apartments and a
large pool on the island for such purposes, with an army of employees on hand to serve
the guests, and no request is too great. It also has six gorgeous white sand beaches that
are guaranteed to remain crowded-free throughout the year.
Did you know that Mark Zuckerberg owns an island where he had to sue some of the natives
who lived there? No? Well, I bet you'll want to hear that. The co-founder of the world's
most popular social network, Facebook, started his project when he was just 19 years old.
After 17 years, Mark is the fifth-wealthiest individual on the planet, with a net worth
that exceeds the threshold for membership in the 100-billion-dollar club. Apart from
buying rival social media and donating to charity, Mark and his wife Priscilla have
put their money into some truly spectacular real estate. One of them is Kauai, a huge
Hawaiian island where he owns three separate properties. It all began in 2014, when the
social media mogul purchased 750 acres of land on Kauai for more than $100 million,
followed by a purchase of another 600-acre lot for $53 million in March 2021. According
to reports, the couple was building a ranch on their property and settled on the island
during the pandemic. However, it appears that Mark's presence in Kauai is causing some discomfort
among the locals. This story goes back to 2016 when Zuckerberg built a 6-foot wall around
his home to block off road noise, which other citizens didn't really like. Residents accused
him later in 2017 of attempting to colonize Kauai Island by pressuring residents to sell
nearby land. In response, Mark Zuckerberg filed a lawsuit, which he eventually dropped.
Dietrich Mateschitz, the co-founder of energy drink Red Bull, owns Laucala Island, a magnificent
paradise island in Fiji. According to Forbes, the Austrian tycoon is the 56th wealthiest
person globally, with a net worth of $26.8 billion. The unspoiled Laucala features a
practically intact tropical rainforest interior and exquisite sugar-white sand beaches flanked
by coconut trees, spread over 3,500 acres. It would be the ideal prepper property for
surviving the end of the world in luxury, thanks to its plenty of natural resources.
Mateschitz bought Laucala from the Forbes family for $10 million back in 2003. Since
then, he's turned the island into a super-luxurious, all-inclusive eco-resort with an 18-hole golf
course, a spa center, its own runway, and a collection of five restaurants and bars
serving everything from beachside barbeques to fine dining. Mateschitz's private mansion
is positioned on the island's highest peak, inside a jungle clearing with 360-degree reef
and water vistas, like something out of a James Bond movie. There's a master residence
and two guest villas, each with its own sun decks, infinity-edge pools, jacuzzis, and
al-fresco dining pavilions. Basically a presidential resort within a resort. When Mateschitz isn't
there, you can rent it out for a cool $40,000. Staying on Laucala is not inexpensive, in
keeping with its ultra-exclusive ambiance. While guests enjoy unlimited vintage champagne,
gourmet delicacies, watersports, and other amenities, rates start at a whopping $5,600
per night, plus you'll have to pay $14,000 just for using the island's runway.
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson purchased Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands
for just around £180,000 all the way back in 1978. That was apparently a hell of a good
deal since the island is now worth an estimated $100 million. In 1984, the flamboyant British
businessman transformed the 74-acre peninsula into a luxurious heaven, complete with 60
private servants and Balinese-style buildings. If you're interested in spending some time
here, you should probably think twice. Individual rooms for a week-long gateway can cost up
to $35,000, accommodating up to 28 people. But if you can shell out such an amount, renting
the entire island for a night costs around $50,000, so you might as well enjoy the whole
thing for yourself. The island also boasts around 200 flamingos, and guests can dive
underwater on the Necker Nymph, a three-person submarine, for a day cost of $2,500. Seems
like Branson did a pretty good job on making it a dream holiday spot. Some celebrities
have something to say about it as well. Branson and his wife Joan, as well as Google co-founder
Larry Page, who married Lucy Southworth in 2007, are among the prominent personalities
who have mated on this exclusive island. But there are also some bad memories tied up to
this property, as Branson was unfortunate enough to lose this dream home twice. The
property was destroyed by a fire triggered by Hurricane Irene in 2011 before being flattened
again by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. The terrible hurricane took the lives of five
people and left a huge amount of work to be done to restore the British Virgin Islands,
including Branson's Necker. However, the pandemic came right on time since it closed the islands'
borders and allowed Branson's team to work on the renovations and finishing touches.
Now, when the area reopened in December 2020, a revitalized Necker Island is ready to greet
visitors with new ultra-luxury lodging options.
If you could live on any of these islands, which one would you choose?