Perhaps the most famous private island of
all is Necker Island, owned by Richard Branson and regularly enjoyed by a
number of high profile invited celebrity guests. This tropical paradise in
British Virgin has hosted Princess Diana and Nelson Mandela among other names,
and can accommodate up to 28 guests in a number of Balinese-themed houses.
Richard Branson was one of the first businessmen to buy into the island craze,
snapping up Necker in 1978 for the cheap price of US$180,000.
Many of the world's elite are attracted to tropical locations, after all, who doesn't love clear blue waters and endless sunshine. Ricky Martin owns an island near Angra dos Reis off the Brazilian coast, Lenny Kravitz owns Eleutheta Archipelago in the Bahamas, and David Copperfield bought Musha Cay in the Bahamas for a massive US$50 Million. Leonardo DiCaprio also owns a small island in the Caribbean Sea, not far from the beautiful Belize Barrier Reef. Unlike most of the names on this list, however, tourists are welcome at Blackadore Cay, with Leonardo himself involved in building one of the world's most exclusive eco-resorts.
The Bahamas is a major hot spot for celebrities, with some famous names even becoming neighbours. For example, Nicolas Cage owns Leaf Cay in the Bahamas, which is on the Exuma Archipelago right next to Little Halls Pond Cay, which is owned by Johnny Depp. Julia Roberts and Eddie Murphy also own islands in the Bahamas, as do Beyonce and Jay Z, with the famous rapper gifting a small island to Bey for their wedding anniversary. In one very surprising commercial partnership, pop star Shakira and rock legend Roger Waters purchased a tropical island together with Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz.
Not all the action takes place in the Caribbean, however, with Segway boss Dean Kamen buying a much colder and closer-to-home private island off the New York coast. North Dumpling Island might not be a tropical paradise, but it does come with a mini replica of Stone Henge and an eco-friendly wind turbine to harness the coastal breeze. Pamela Anderson is another famous private island owner, with rock star Tommy Lee purchasing 'Greece' for Pammy in Dubai's ambitious man-made archipelago of 300 islands manufactured in the shape of the world.
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