Are your go-to vacation destinations feeling too… populated lately? Get away on a real getaway at one of these splendidly private islands. Many of these properties are for sale, and surprisingly within reach – if you have a spare million lying around, that is. If you’re not ready to buy, paradise is available to rent so you can sample island living before you sign a deed.
40. Blue Zebra Island, Malawi
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, you can now book a stay at this full-service lodge off the coast of Africa. With untouched forest and rugged beaches, this one’s for the real nature lovers. Electricity’s spotty, but you’ll have plenty to do in the great outdoors here, with safari hikes, bird-watching, kayaking, and scuba diving all on the agenda.
39. Rangyai, Thailand
Its closest neighbor is Phuket, and this lushly green tropical island for sale is ripe with income potential, if that’s your thing. If it’s not, you gain access to over 100 private acres of forest, white sand beaches, and comfy open-walled huts.
38. Schulzewerder Island, Poland
A carefully-maintained campground makes up most of this lake islet, making it the ideal place to get back to nature.
Situated on 21 acres of pristine forest, the lake offers plenty of opportunity for recreation, with water-skiing, surfing, and diving.
37. Exile Island, Fiji
We can’t think of a better place to live out your fantasies of being a usurped monarch from a war-torn country. Or perhaps you have a simpler fantasy that involves sunning on the beach, drinking from crystal waterfalls, and eating coconuts.
Either way, Exile is currently available to buy.
36. Isla Robinson Crusoe, Chile
Renamed for the famous adventurer who was once stranded there, these days it’s easy to get off the island and not too pricey to get on it, with stays as cheap as $400 per night.
You won’t technically have this island paradise to yourself though – it also houses a native population of about 600.
35. The World Islands, UAE
This development made the news a few years ago – a collection of 300 man-made islands shaped to look like the Earth’s continents, just off the coast of Dubai. Depending on which continent you’ve got your eye on, the prices range from $7 million to $1.8 billion, and it looks like the good ones have already been scooped up.
34. Kanacea, Fiji
Have you got $26 million dollars lying around? Then this 3,000-acre island in the South Pacific seems like a good investment; it has “some” infrastructure, has been certified organic ()?, and almost certainly never belonged to a crime lord.
33. Royal Belize, Belize
If a private island exists that’s more luxurious than this one, we have yet to find it. Available to rent for $5000 per night, this pristine dot in the middle of a protected marine has thatch-roofed cabins, white sand beaches, and comes with a private chef.
32. Petra Island, USA
A few miles north of New York, on Lake Mahopac, this island could be yours for a cool “Price available upon request”. That means it’s a lot, and it’s no wonder since the 11-acre property has not one, but two houses built by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
31. Chauve Souris Island, Seychelles
As cute as its name implies, this private island is small and perfect to rent if romance is what you have in mind.
Crystal shores, perfect weather, and a cozy getaway with a jacuzzi beckon those honeymooners that value privacy.
30. Toad Hall Estate, British Virgin Islands
Escher-like architecture and a private restaurant named Mad Dog await the new owner of this private island.
Featuring a few guest houses in addition to the main residence, this is a good investment for the intrepid millionaire (the price tag is $10 million) looking for a bit of passive rental income, or just a place big enough for the whole posse.
29. Trump Island, USA
A quirky listing for obvious reasons, this private island in the Pacific Northwest took its name in the 19th century and not from the 45th president, which is no doubt how you’ll be starting every dinner conversation with guests.
The listing, pricing the island at $8,000,000, neglects to mention that the mansion pictured burned to the ground earlier this year, but who wants a smelly old mansion, anyway.
28. Simka, Panama
Simka advertises itself as a private island “playground” off the sandy shores of Panama and available to rent for just under $300,000 per week. Not bad, considering you get a full-service resort for you and your guests while you’re there.
27. Vesteroy, Norway
Rough it in the Scandinavian wilderness on this tiny island for rent on a peninsula that’s said to get the most sunny days in a year, which for Norway, isn’t saying much. It’s off-grid and comes with a boat, so you can fish for your dinner or just float around until you find a good wi-fi signal.
26. Grasshopper Island, Canada
Just a two-hour drive from Toronto, you can rent this lushly forested island in the middle of Rice Lake for a song.
It’s equipped with cabins, canoes, and everything else you could possibly want to get the quintessential cottage country experience – without having to rub up against any other cottagers.
25. Jewel Caye, Belize
A cozy three-bedroom cottage, small beach, and 20-foot whaler are some of the perks included in this island’s purchase price (available upon request). And if sustainability is important to you, look no further; the entire island is outfitted with a state-of-the-art solar-power system that only goes down “once in a while”.
24. Lacao Island, Chile
Your typical fixer-upper.
An island located off the coast of another, more popular island, Chiloe, Lacao’s formidable facade of rocky cliffs speckled with petrified larch may not by the most picturesque island on the market, but it’s great if you want a stronghold that’s impregnable to your enemies.
23. Horse Island, Ireland
Formerly used as a copper mine, Horse Island is your chance to own your own private emerald isle.
A main house plus six guest houses stud the rolling green knoll. There are also a tennis court and other sporty amenities – all to the cool tune of $7,000,000.
22. Velaa, Maldives
Though you won’t have this private island all to yourself, the isolated villas perched over the crystalline water will make it feel like you do. On shore, the island has all the amenities of a luxury hotel, including a pool, five-star restaurant, spa, and service staff.
21. Barefoot Island, Canada
A picture-perfect little island in Lac-St-Louis near Montreal, Barefoot Island has all you need, really – a gorgeous house, a dock, and four deck chairs on a manicured lawn.
A great purchase for the easy-going millionaire that doesn’t want to be too far from it all.
20. Tuamotu, French Polynesia
At only $450,000, this tropical island is a steal.
18 acres surrounded by an aquamarine lagoon, this island doesn’t even have a hut marring its palm-treed splendor, but pull up a tugboat and throw up a hammock and you’ll feel at home in no time.
19. Bird Island, Belize
If snorkeling is your bag, then this is the private island for you.
This island is so tiny it looks like a hard nudge would release it to the waves. Perched on top of a coral reef, there’s nothing to do here but dive in and experiences the wonders under the sea.
18. Little Ragged Island, Bahamas
If these other private islands seem overdeveloped to you, consider Little Ragged Island.
Its 720 acres of sand bars and beachfront palms is just waiting for someone to come in with a bit of vision and a wrecking ball.
Or you could leave it as it and live out all your Tom Hanks in Cast Away dreams. Just watch out for the wild flamingoes.
They tend to be very territorial.
17. Spanish Water Cay, Curacao
Got $50,000 to drop on a one-week vacation? Book a stay at this private island, where blissful living in a colonial-style villa can be yours.
And if all that luscious Caribbean wildlife surrounding you gets boring, every bedroom has a full entertainment system so you can still binge-watch Netflix.
16. Calala, Nicaragua
This is basically like renting an entire resort for your own private use.
Situated on a beautiful beachy island, you’ll have the use of 25 dedicated staff members offering services like massage, a chef’s menu, laundry – they’ll even brush your teeth for you, if you ask nicely.
15. Tjaerehomen, Norway
A beautiful evergreen and rock outpost a short boat ride from the nearest fjord.
It comes with great fishing and bird-watching, a house built for entertaining, and is close enough to the mainland that you can swing into town when you run out of dip.
14. Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
If Richard Branson is renting out his Edenic private island, the poor old soul must not be doing too well. Nonetheless, Necker Island is completely perfect in every way, and the ultimate luxury vacation spot, if you can swing the $77,000 per night it costs to rent.
13. Patroklos, Greece
Twenty-five minutes south of Athens, just off the coast, you’ll find Patroklos, a 660-acre island that is largely inhabited by goats. This not-so-little paradise is just begging to have a major hotel development stomp all over it, so for the sake of the goats here’s hoping a private investor scoops it up first and leaves it to its natural beauty.
12. Connington Island, Canada
Tropical paradises aren’t for everyone. If you prefer to watch the seasons go by from the comfort of your private wooded island off the coast of Nova Scotia, with only the birds, some deer, and the Northern Lights to keep you company, this is the ideal wilderness retreat.
Fairly reasonable too, at a mere $450,000.
11. Wilderness Island, Australia
Six private dwellings for your own personal use or eco-tourism development potential? It’s your choice if you close on this private island for sale in Western Australia for the first time ever. Sandy beaches and southern climes aside, the listing doesn’t mention if it comes with any of the notorious Aussie wildlife.
10. Deadman’s Caye, Belize
Don’t let the name deter you from adding this private island to your real estate portfolio for only $300,000. Surrounded by azure water and a nearby coral reef, this is the ultimate getaway spot, especially because there’s nothing around but other, equally private, islands. Bonus:
the surrounding water is so shallow you can walk to it.
9. El Nido, Philippines
This is a charming little island paradise that you can rent for yourself and nine of your closest friends.
Hike the pristine natural rainforest or swim in the sparkling sea – you don’t have to worry as all your needs are taken care of by the resident staff, all for $385 per night.
8. Blue Island, Bahamas
Blue Island has everything you could possibly want out of a private island.
White sandy beaches. Tropical climate. And a brand new 5700-foot asphalt Jet Airstrip. Perfect for the first-time homebuyer that isn’t afraid of the phrase, “Price available upon request”.
7. Gladden, Belize
Perfect to rent for just you and one other, this tiny spit of land has nothing but a villa and a beach.
A full-time staff is on call to cater to your every whim, but don’t worry, they won’t be staying on the island with you. They have their own digs on an even tinier private island a few meters away.
6. Paskosaari, Finland
An idyllic plot of untouched forest awaits you if you buy this private island on Lake Suvasvesi. You could even go full Sasquatch and survive on lingonberries and moss, if you want.
There’s no one around to stop you.
5. Kanu, Belize
With a collection of six small cabins, Kanu would be great to rent for a family reunion, as long as you really, really get along with your family.
There’s nowhere to hide on this baby of an island – a bit of sand, a dock, and that’s it.
4. Fane Island, Canada
At just 60 meters wide by 30 meters long, this little island in British Columbia is too adorable.
It has its own little harbor with a little boat, a little cabin, and a big view of the ocean, surrounding islands, and Mount Baker. Looks like just the place if you’re a retiring witch or wizard.
3. 10 Cannon Point, USA
A treed paradise in Key Largo, Florida, this island is for sale for the paltry sum of $95 million.
With a 5,000 square foot house boasting 10 bedrooms, you can host your closest billionaire friend here – and it’s only a ten-minute helicopter ride from Miami. Talk about convenient.
2. Amalfi Island, Italy
With a view of neighbouring Capri, Amalfi Island is almost too perfect to be believed – and that’s probably why it’s not for sale. But thankfully, you can rent it for a week or two and bask in the spring-fed pool, the ocean breeze, and the exquisitely decorated house built inside an ancient fortress.
1. Japao Private Island, Brazil
Just big enough for a dock which doubles as a helicopter landing pad and a modest villa, Japao can be yours – and only yours – for $4,000 per night.
That’s cheaper than some of the hotels we’ve written about recently. It’s a lush tropical paradise at bargain basement prices.
