BlogNo matter what they say, celebrities are not just like the rest of us. When we have something to celebrate, we go out to dinner. When movie stars want to treat themselves, they buy themselves luxury items like airplanes, extra mansions and even islands!
Here are just a few of the many celebrities who own an entire island.
Johnny Depp
Fitting for the Pirates of the Caribbean megastar, Johnny Depp bought his own Caribbean paradise, but there’s no word on any buried treasure on the island. He purchased the island in 2004 for $3.6 million. The island in the Bahamas, named Little Halls Pond Cay, is about 45 acres, and has some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. The six beaches on the island are named after his former partner, his children, and two mentors.
David Copperfield
David and his wife bought “magical” Musha Cay in the southern Bahamas in 2006 for $50 million, and have continued to invest in their magical paradise. After a four year, $40 million expansion and renovation, the 150 acre island is a luxurious destination for their family and friends, with 24 separate villas. However if you have enough money, you can rent out the island for an estimated $38,000 per night!
Nicholas Cage
Practically close enough to borrow a bottle of rum from Johnny Depp, Nicholas Cage owns a private Bahamian island called Leaf Cay. He bought the real estate for $3 million in 2006. His island was relatively cheap because it hadn’t been developed when he bought it. Since then, he worked to develop the property, but due to his habit of spending far more money than he earns, he has had to put many properties, including Leaf Cay, up for sale. If you have about $7 million, you may be able to buy this piece of paradise!
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson is one of Hollywood’s most famous and wealthy actors. After the financial success of The Passion of the Christ in 2005, Gibson bought Mago Island in Fiji for $15 million from a Tokyo corporation. Unlike most other islands owned by celebrities, this island was not always uninhabited. Indigenous people were displaced in the 1800s when it was taken over to be used for agricultural production. Over the years, it was used as a plantation and mill for cotton, sugar cane and coconut before being abandoned. While the sale was legal, descendants of the original Mago people protested the sale to Gibson.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Like many others in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio owns an island, but unlike others, he has since developed the island as an ecological resort destination. He bought Blackadore Caye off the coast of Belize in 2005 for just $1.75 million, and in 2015 began developing it into an eco-friendly resort. Pitched as a “restorative” island, the resort will not only restore the visitors fortunate enough to relax there, but the proceeds and investment will go to reducing negative impacts of overfishing, deforestation and coastal erosion. Starting in 2018, visitors can relax in paradise while feeling good about their impact on the planet.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
These two country lovebirds have it all: fame, fortune, good hair and even an island in the Bahamas. They bought the island in 2003, and have worked hard to develop their personal paradise. They had to build everything, including basic infrastructures, before they could even start on the mansion, but their efforts were worth it. The 17 acre island now features a fabulous white home with beautiful vistas of the entire island, rooms that open entirely to the outside and breathtaking outdoor dining. They even included residences for the staff who maintain the island year-round.
It takes hard work, long hours and a little luck to become wealthy enough to own an island, but owning a piece of paradise has got to be worth it and an amazing way to reward yourself for success.
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