By Lincoln Tucker - Realtor superstar in the making | Red Coral Intern 2025

Private islands, a limited global portfolio of luxury real estate, provide their owners with the ultimate in privacy and enjoyment. The ultimate dream for some is to settle down on their own little island paradise, to enjoy the finer things in life, a deserted beach, watching dolphins play in the waves nearby and enjoying the trappings of wealth be in a resident chef, boat captains or a French Open champion as your private tennis coach.

The Private Island market is exclusive, but also expansive, spreading across the globe and including many climates, although the majority of these tend to be warmer. Some popular places for privately owned islands include Canada, Central America, the Maldives, South East Asia, Polynesia, and of course, the Caribbean.

Prices vary and although you can buy an island for just $500,000 (Canada and Belize) most are multimillion purchases. The most expensive private island sale on record was Lania, the sixth largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. This sold in 2012 to Larry Ellison (co-founder of Oracle) purchased 98% of Lania for a reported $500-$600 million dollars. He is focusing on growing the community there instead of having a private island just to himself but the majority of buyers buy islands to achieve a level of unparalleled privacy unseen by any other property development. Other notable sales include Skorpios in Greece, once owned by Aristotle Onassis, which sold for $153M and more recently Tarpon Island in Palm Beach sold in 2024 for $150m. Celebrity island owners include Johnny Depp, Leo Decaprio, Steven Spielberg, Shakira, David Copperfield and Ricky Martin.

A large portion of this market is in the Caribbean, where many of these celebrities and company owners have invested. In the turquoise seas between South and North America is this large unique collections of islands. With a tropical climate and bright culture, no other region feels as flooded with life and tranquility as the Caribbean and, more specifically, the British Virgin Islands.

Private Islands Sale History in the BVI

Beautiful white sand beaches, towering green hills, and tumbling ghuts, line the landscape of the British Virgin Islands. An archipelago east off Puerto Rico that has tempted buyers of private islands for years! The BVI’s coasts have been scooped up as the wealthy realized and took advantage of the prime real estate that line our coasts. Stunning islands have been developed into wondrous resorts, private homes and exclusive communities that truly test the bounds of luxury.

Plenty islands have been bought up and rarely appear upon our market to be once again snatched into another pair of hands. Some of the finest levels of private luxury have taken place here. The purchase of the Moskito and Necker Islands by Sir Richard Branson is a notable feat, which have now become both an exclusive community and a luxury abode. There are other island purchases like the Jarecki’s purchase of Guana and Norman Islands. The most recent sale is Little Thatch which sold in circa 2014 for a reported $55M and Eustatia Island, which belongs to the BVI (is Crown land) but is leased to Larry Page, co-founder of Google.

The Private Island market in the BVI is certainly a notable and exclusive one, it stretches beyond the purchases of Sir Richard Branson and the Jarecki’s. It is exciting when one comes up for sale and it is very rare, the islands that are privately owned are much loved and greatly enjoyed. The table below details the ownership and acreage information about the islands of the BVI, excluding the primary locations Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada.

The Current Private Island Market in the BVI

The Private Islands of the BVI, as, as detailed above, are very rarely for sale. However, one island is currently under contract, Ginger Island, a private island in the Southern chain of the British Virgin Islands, it offers a large and undeveloped acreage. However, some BVI properties offer the same exclusivity and luxury that a Private Island would offer, with sometimes additional luxury and beauty. An example of this is Steele Point, the most western peninsula of Tortola, accessible by a convenient road or boat.

It offers a neighborhood of 4 stunning villas, all for sale as a single estate, designed by renowned architects connected by a private, gated road. The property offers all amenities a private island would, with the same level of luxury and prestige, still in the stunning British Virgin Islands. Not many properties like these come up on the BVI real-estate market, and this property is certainly one of a kind.

Steele Point, Tortola, BVI

Other private island experiences are also available for purchase. There is a magnificent home on Moskito island. The island once bought by Richard Branson was subdivided and parcels were sold to individual homeowners. There is a clubhouse and shared amenities but it still offers all the exclusivity of a private island to these investors. Resorts like Litte Dix Bay and Oil Nut Bay on Virgin Gorda also offer luxury homes within a private waterfront community.

The scarcity of private islands in the BVI make them so sought after but regardless of budget there is truly something for everyone in these beautiful islands. Even a small one-bedroom cottage in the hills gives access to the outstanding beauty of the islands and you can always have a boat day and admire the private islands from the water.