The best private islands available to buy now

Perfectly imperfect is how the Panama Tourist Board encapsulates this culturally rich nation, which is home to untamed rainforests, pristine beaches and vibrant wildlife. Panama may not be the first place that springs to mind for superyacht travel, but its luxury resorts, unblemished cruising spots and unbeatable dive sites beg to differ. So rather than wait for the mass market to catch wind of this burgeoning trend, why not put your own stamp on this 1,000-hectare self-sufficient island and create a lavish retreat on its Pacific coast?

Isla Porcada has its own farmhouse, caretaker’s house, four bungalows and a principal residence, so already has the bare bones of an island hideaway and the potential to become a resort. There are also plans in place to add an additional guest house on the island’s plateau. A freshwater spring, good phone coverage and a reliable electricity connection add to the island’s credentials. Its runway, albeit overgrown, could potentially be reactivated to see you jet back to Miami in three hours.

With a backdrop of Panama’s rainforest-draped peaks, the island isn’t entirely secluded. It lies in the heart of the Chiquirí Province, near the city of David and within striking distance of Islas Secas, a private island retreat with restaurants and spas. So while there is work to be done, Isla Porcada has all the ingredients for a luxurious bolt-hole.

Isla Porcada is available for sale with Vladi Private Islands for $10.8 million

Few places on earth could exemplify paradise better than Little Whale Cay, a 16-hectare private island sitting in the Bahamas’ Berry Island chain, just 130 nautical miles south-east of Fort Lauderdale. With immaculate palm-tree-lined white beaches, a paved 600-metre landing strip and even its own flamboyance of flamingos, Little Whale Cay is a turnkey island, which is close enough to Florida to fly in for lunch.

Developed in the art deco era of the 1930s by Bahamas pioneer Wallace Groves, Little Whale Cay has three secluded beachfront houses large enough to accommodate 12 guests. The main two-storey residence, Little Whale House, has two double bedrooms, a large living room, chef’s kitchen and external fireplace designed to catch the Bahamian sunset while the chef serves up the catch of the day from the barbecue. Additional facilities, which will keep even the keenest of fitness fanatics entertained, include an infinity pool, tennis court, yoga deck and gym.

Surrounded by coral reefs and turquoise lagoons teeming with green turtles and manatees, a deep-water marina makes the island an excellent prospect for a superyacht owner. The new proprietor will, however, have to share the island with the flamingos, Bahama woodstar hummingbirds and domestic peacocks (which can be traced back to Wallace Groves’ bird collection) that also call the island home.

Little Whale Cay is listed for sale with Vladi Private Islands, POA.

Spread across 12 hectares of verdant untouched paradise, Leaf Cay offers a unique opportunity for a yacht owner looking to put their stamp on a private retreat in the Exumas. The triangular-shaped island has three powder-white beaches with a slightly elevated interior covered in tropical vegetation. It contains two sizeable lakes, one of which would make an ideal setting for a small private marina. The island is also surrounded by deep aquamarine waters, which would offer multiple protected anchorages.

For those not wanting to arrive by boat, Leaf Cay sits just five nautical miles north of Great Exuma, which has a 2,000-metre runway. It is also just 1.8 nautical miles south of the famous Bock Cay, which is reportedly undergoing development of an 18-hole golf course.

Planning permission is already in place on Leaf Cay from the Ministry of Environment to build five cottages with support buildings, and for the creation of marina facilities. With the private island market booming as more people seek a private oasis following the pandemic, the island could also prove to be a sensible investment option.

Leaf Cay may feel like the epitome of Exuma privacy, but its proximity to Great Exuma and other private cays means that it is well connected – not so much an isolated land mass, but a link in one of the world’s most enviable island chains.

Leaf Cay is listed for sale with Savills for $7.5 million.

In the mid-17th century British puritans, known as the Eleutheran Adventurers, settled on the islands of North Eleuthera and Harbour Island. Life was hard, and their main source of income came from helping wrecked ships that hit the surrounding coral reefs. Rumour has it they boosted their business by luring the ships to their peril. Set in between these two points, this five-hectare island was central to the action.

Today, Crown Pigeon Island offers a decidedly less hazardous way of life, with three spacious villas and five additional guest cottages spread across the shores of its three white-sand beaches. The accommodations are connected by walking and cart paths that weave between native foliage, orchids and established kitchen gardens. There is also a beach club and bar on the north beach, which is perfect for watersports and swimming, plus a dedicated barbecue spot.

The island is easily accessible by boat and at its centre sits a two-hectare marina, which is reached from the leeward side of the cay. The marina may not be able to accommodate superyachts but it does have room to berth four centre-console vessels, and there are also two boat lifts, a hauling ramp, a floating dock and a boat house. The island is connected to Eleuthera by cable and there are several transformers in place for additional homes and facilities. It also has a large water-maker system, organic composter, back-up generators, water pressure systems and high-speed internet, all ensuring it is a long way from its puritan past.

Crown Pigeon Island & Cays is listed for sale with Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty for $44.4 million.

Less than eight nautical miles from the town of Yeppoon on the Queensland coast, Pumpkin Island is a private retreat with a colourful history. The six-hectare island was a working oyster farm until the 1960s when a couple fell in love with its natural beauty and challenged the owner to a game of poker. They won the game, which gave them the opportunity to purchase the island for £60 and open a hostel. The couple welcomed their first guests in 1964.

The current owners bought the island via slightly more traditional methods in 2003 and set about transforming it into Australia’s first carbon positive island resort. Now on the market for only for the second time, it’s home to just seven cottages, which are powered by wind and solar energy (the island offsets 150 per cent of its annual carbon emissions). Up to 34 guests can enjoy its boho-chic accommodation, with large private decks offering front row seats to the magnificent sunsets and passing whale and dolphin pods. Its shallow shores provide incredible off-the-beach snorkelling opportunities, and keen divers can explore the surrounding dive sites of the Keppels. The new owner will also have the opportunity to purchase an oyster lease, allowing guests to shuck their own oysters off the rocks.

In keeping with its eco credentials, infrastructure on the island has been kept to a minimum but there are staff quarters, a manager’s office and a machinery building to help keep things running smoothly. Two registered moorings mean that you can keep your own yacht shoreside and the island has its own 36-passenger ferry, the Pumpkin Xpress. There is also a helipad for even quicker access from the mainland.

Eagle-eyed readers, or those who are fans of a tipple, might recognise the island from its starring role in commercials for Castlemaine XXXX. The Queensland brewery leased the island between 2012 and 2015, renamed it XXXX, and used to offer all-expenses paid trips for customers that found “the lucky gold can”. Pumpkin Island certainly seems to be the golden ticket for a green-minded hotelier seeking their next adventure.

Pumpkin Island is listed for sale with Sotheby’s International Realty , POA.

Something about the Bahamas makes celebrities want to stay. Johnny Depp bought Little Hall Pond Cay in 2004 after falling in love with the area while filming Pirates of the Caribbean. Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and singer and Shakira invested together on Bonds Cay, in the Berry Islands District. Lenny Kravitz and Eddie Murphy also purchased property there. They are not alone – after all, what superyacht owner has cruised the Bahamas without dreaming of owning their own slice of paradise?

Right in the heart of the Exumas, a group of 365 islands surrounded by sapphire waters (and home to the famous swimming pigs), Cave Cay sits just north of Musha Cay, the 280-hectare private island owned by David Copperfield. Reaching Cave Cay by yacht is not a problem thanks to its deep-water harbour (3.6 metres at low tide) and floating concrete dock system with 35 dock slips. For those flying in, there is also an 854-metre private airstrip which makes frequent visits a breeze. With lush vegetation, unspoilt beaches, and elevations of up to 12 metres, it’s a place of remarkable beauty. The main house, which is ready to move into, is located on the highest point of the island, affording 360-degree views on your very own tropical paradise.

Cave Cay is totally self-sufficient, with water and power supplied by a diesel generator, and the possibility to add solar power. You might be tempted to keep it all to yourself, but the island is fit to run as a commercial operation: approvals include a marina and a hotel with unlimited rooms. A clubhouse is also currently under construction, alongside a restaurant with shower and bathroom facilities, plus three guest houses with hotel rooms and suites. When it comes to further developments, plans have been drawn for 38 buildings totalling 70,000 square metres, including a three-storey houseboat with a marina shop on the ground floor and a two-storey residence overhead, alongside staff and maintenance buildings. It could be fully operational in six months, and all building materials and equipment are included. Also bundled into the sale price are a 36-metre landing craft and a dredger, and there’s a large excess of compact sand which could be sold to neighbouring islands. A team of six employees, familiar with the island, will make the handover process to the new owners smoother. Tempted? No one could blame you.

Cave Cay is listed for sale with Christie’s International Real Estate for $60 million.

In the market for something a little more substantial than a single slice of paradise? Look no further: not one but four islands are part of this lot in Fiji’s pristine Northern Lau group.

Valued at $65 million (£46.9m), the most developed of the four is the 324-hectare Kaibu, home to the Vatuvara Private Islands Resort, which is certified organic and runs on solar power harvested from its own Tesla Solar Farm. It also comes with a water desalination plant, a four-hole golf course and its own marina. With just three secluded seaside villas that blend into the landscape, the discreet island is where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to escape to while touring the Pacific. Each villa has private beach access, an infinity pool and a massage bure (thatched bungalow). Kaibu is just over an hour by private plane from the capital Suva, or from Nadi on the western coast of Fiji. There’s an all-weather concrete airstrip, and included in the overall sale price is the resort’s Twin Otter aircraft.

The remaining three islands are less developed, but no less striking in beauty. The 1,249-hectare Kanacea ($25 million) is made up of seven volcanic summits rising to 259 metres and is surrounded by fringing reefs and white-sand beaches. It’s known as “the farm”, providing much of the fruits, vegetables and herbs cooked in Kaibu’s kitchens as well as having a commercial coconut plantation. Also nestled in the archipelago is 41-hectare Adavaci ($7 million). The smallest of the four islands, it is virtually untouched by tourism despite boasting a picturesque tropical landscape and several beaches.

Finally Vatuvara ($55 million), considered by some to be the most beautiful island in Fiji, is an unspoiled 486-hectare island covered in forest and surrounded by coral reef. The islands’ buyer will also acquire the Vatuvara Foundation, a charity that aims to protect Northern Lau’s precious marine ecosystems. It works on implementing conservation programmes, promoting scientific research and empowering local communities. This is not just a place to escape to, but a real opportunity to contribute to the sustainable future of this stunning corner of the world.

Vatuvara Private Islands are listed for sale with Vladi Private Islands for $155 million.

Just off Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu, Nananu-i-Cake offers nearly 243 hectares of tropical privacy, five soft sand beaches and its own private islet, called Bua. The island has plenty of development potential, but is already perfectly set up as a private getaway.

Sitting at the top of the island to make the most of the 360-degree views over neighbouring Nananu-i-Ra and Viti Levu is a four-bedroom residence. Designed by New Zealand architect Murray Cockburn, it has stone walls, dark wood shutters and a large open-plan living space. Further accommodation is found through a covered walkway in two Fijian guest “bure” bedroom suites. A pool is located outside within mature gardens, and is complemented by an outdoor dining and barbecue area to make the most of the tropical climate. A string of mangrove-lined tracks criss-cross the island to give access to its beaches and new 110-metre jetty. All of the island’s boats and all-terrain vehicles are included in the sale.

A helipad near the main house means the island can be accessed by chopper from Nadi International Airport in just 35 minutes. Those arriving by boat can make use of the sheltered jetty, which can house vessels with a draught of up to five metres at low tide. With all the benefits of owning your own island, coupled with easy access and a ready-made home, the new owner of this particular isle can have their Cake and eat it.

Nananu-i-Cake is listed for sale with Knight Frank for $12 million.

Made up of nearly 10 hectares of pure white sand and lush vegetation, Lumber Cay is a Bahamian blank canvas. Despite its wild appearance, the island’s optimal location makes it an enticing bolthole for any superyacht owner. Surrounded by deep aquamarine waters and with a protected bay to the west, the cay’s watery perimeters are ideal for anchoring and provide an easy hop from ship to shore. For those who prefer to travel by air, Lumber Cay is also primed for a helicopter or seaplane landing.

The Exumas may be known for their Robinson Crusoe aesthetic but this estate is just 200 metres from Staniel Cay, the region’s biggest yachting hotspot. With a marina that accommodates yachts of up to 65 metres, sunglass-shielded VIPs are regularly found propping up the bar at its yacht club. The Bahamas’ most famed Instagram stars, the swimming pigs of Big Major Cay, are also neighbours, while the bustling Bahamian capital of Nassau is only 70 nautical miles away. An ambitious owner has the opportunity here to create from scratch a personalised island paradise. With picturesque landscapes and a tropical climate, it’s no surprise that Nicolas Cage, Shakira and country-music power couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have created similar idylls nearby.

Lumber Cay is listed with Knight Frank for $9.3 million.

Romantic long weekends in the Bahamas have long been a popular pastime among superyacht owners and if you fell in love with the yachting hotspot on your most recent trip why not put down roots at Darby Island? The 554 acre private island is located in the Exuma Cays, around 95 miles from Nassau, and boasts over 6.5km of white sandy beaches. The only development on the island consists of a 7,000 square foot castle built in 1938 by former owner Sir Baxter, which has the potential to be transformed into a stunning residence, while the island could also support an airstrip up to 5,000 feet in length.

Darby Island is listed for sale with Coldwell Banker for $39 million.