18 Celebrities Who Own Private Islands Around the World

Private islands have long been one of the ultimate status symbols of wealth and exclusivity, reserved only for those who can truly afford them. For celebrities, owning an island is all about privacy away from paparazzi, and also a chance to create their own personal paradise. These retreats often feature luxury homes, pristine beaches, and untouched natural beauty as only a celeb can afford.

While certain celebrity islands are meant to be vacation getaways, others use them as investment properties, eco-resorts, or more complicated projects. No matter what, each of these islands reflects the unique personalities and lifestyles of its famous owners. In many cases, they’ve become just as legendary as the celebrities themselves, which is why we're here to talk about these private paradises today.

247 Tempo uncovered 18 celebrities who own private islands around the world. Our sources include reporting by Forbes, Business Insider, Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, and multiple regional outlets that track celebrity real estate and luxury travel. Let's take a trip to paradise!

• Location: Blackadore Caye, Belize
• Size: 104 acres
• Cost: Reportedly $1.75 million
• Use: Developing an eco-resort focused on sustainability and conservation.

Leonardo DiCaprio purchased Blackadore Caye in Belize in 2005 for about $1.75 million. He was inspired to buy it after visiting the area and seeing the need for ecological restoration.

• Location: Little Hall’s Pond Cay, Bahamas
• Size: 45 acres
• Cost: Around $3.6 million
• Use: Personal retreat with solar-powered facilities.

Johnny Depp bought Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Bahamas in 2004 after filming Pirates of the Caribbean nearby. He wanted a secluded getaway for his family that reflected his love of sailing and the ocean.

• Location: Bonds Cay, Bahamas
• Size: 700 acres (co-owned with Roger Waters)
• Cost: Estimated $16 million
• Use: Planned for luxury development and tourism.

Shakira co-purchased Bonds Cay in the Bahamas with Roger Waters around 2011. They envisioned it as a creative retreat for artists as well as a luxury property investment.

• Location: Angra dos Reis, Brazil
• Size: Approximately 19 acres
• Cost: Around $8 million
• Use: Private vacation residence.

Ricky Martin acquired his island in Angra dos Reis, Brazil, in 2008 for about $8 million. He was drawn to the location for its natural beauty and proximity to his Latin American roots.

• Location: Rooster Cay, Bahamas
• Size: 15 acres
• Cost: Estimated $15 million
• Use: Personal getaway with luxurious villas.

Eddie Murphy purchased Rooster Cay in the Bahamas in 2007 for about $15 million. He was reportedly influenced by the island’s seclusion and the trend of other celebrities investing in Bahamian isles.

• Location: Île Gagnon, Quebec, Canada
• Size: 24 acres
• Cost: Price not publicly disclosed
• Use: Family retreat and personal residence.

Celine Dion bought Île Gagnon in Quebec in the late 1990s. The purchase came as her career was soaring internationally, giving her a tranquil space close to home.

• Location: Mago Island, Fiji
• Size: 5,400 acres
• Cost: Approximately $15 million
• Use: Farming, conservation, and private retreat.

Mel Gibson purchased Mago Island in Fiji in 2005 for about $15 million. His decision came after filming in the South Pacific and wanting a more permanent connection to the region.

• Location: Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
• Size: 74 acres
• Cost: $180,000 in 1978 (worth far more today)
• Use: Luxury resort and exclusive guest stays.

Richard Branson bought Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands in 1978 for only $180,000. At the time, he was a young entrepreneur looking for a bold statement property.

• Location: Musha Cay, Bahamas
• Size: 150 acres (part of a 700-acre chain)
• Cost: Estimated $50 million
• Use: Luxury resort rental starting at $40,000 per night.

David Copperfield acquired Musha Cay in the Bahamas in 2006 for an estimated $50 million. He purchased it during the height of his fame as a magician, tying the island’s exclusivity to his brand.

• Location: Leaf Cay, Bahamas
• Size: About 40 acres
• Cost: Estimated $3 million
• Use: Planned for development, but largely unused since purchase.

Nicolas Cage purchased Leaf Cay in the Bahamas in the early 2000s for about $3 million. His buying spree of properties at the time reflected both his wealth and eccentric tastes.

• Location: White Bay Cay, Bahamas
• Size: 25 acres
• Cost: Estimated $6.4 million
• Use: Private retreat and potential vacation property.

Tyler Perry bought White Bay Cay in the Bahamas in 2009 for roughly $6.4 million. He made the purchase during a period when he was rapidly expanding his career and wealth, but it is unclear if it is being used today.

• Location: Goat Cay, Bahamas
• Size: 20 acres
• Cost: Undisclosed
• Use: Family retreat with custom-built estate.

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw purchased Goat Cay in the Bahamas in 2003. They secured the property while raising their young family, giving them a place away from the Nashville spotlight.

• Location: Tetiaroa, French Polynesia
• Size: 12 islands, about 2.3 square miles
• Cost: Leased in the 1960s
• Use: Later developed into The Brando eco-resort.

Marlon Brando leased Tetiaroa in French Polynesia in the 1960s after filming Mutiny on the Bounty. His connection to the island began during production and developed into a lifelong passion, something reflected in his modern eco-resort.

• Location: unnamed island near Whistler, Canada
• Size: Approx. 2 acres
• Cost: Private sale, price undisclosed
• Use: Family getaway.

Gene Simmons quietly purchased a small island near Whistler, Canada, in the 1990s. He acquired it at the height of KISS’s commercial success, expanding his already extensive portfolio.

• Location: Madeira Archipelago, Portugal (small private island)
• Size: Undisclosed
• Cost: Estimated multi-million dollar purchase
• Use: Exclusive vacation retreat.

Steven Spielberg acquired his island in the Madeira Archipelago during the 1990s. The deal reflected his financial peak as one of Hollywood’s most successful directors.

• Location: unnamed island, Greece
• Size: 2 acres
• Cost: Private purchase, amount undisclosed
• Use: Personal holiday spot.

Tommy Lee purchased a small island in Greece in the 2000s. The location tied into his Greek heritage, making the decision personal as well as practical.

• Location: Bahamas (shared with Danny Moder)
• Size: Undisclosed
• Cost: Multi-million dollar private purchase
• Use: Family vacation retreat and private escape.

Julia Roberts and Danny Moder bought a private island in the Bahamas in the mid-2000s. They chose the property after years of spending time in the Caribbean together.

• Location: Lanai, Hawaii
• Size: 90,000 acres (98% of the island)
• Cost: Around $300 million
• Use: Luxury resorts, agriculture, and renewable energy development.

Larry Ellison bought 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012 for about $300 million. His purchase was one of the largest private real estate deals of the decade, reflecting his ambition to reshape the island.