There are quite a few reasons why it would be cool to be friends with a celebrity. From getting an invite to award ceremonies and exclusive events to enjoying unlimited access to their champagne stores, all the way through to being spotted in the street and blogged about for your stylish get-up (even if it is a pair of joggers and a workout top!)

But the very top reason above all else is that they tend to have the coolest homes – and even cooler holidays homes. This article introduces a few of the celebrities who not only have amazing holiday homes but who actually own entire destinations – in the form of their own private islands. Some of the names on the list might surprise you – others will come as no surprise at all. What this list proves is that you don’t have to be showy and over the top to own an island – you simply have to have the funds and the vision to seek your very own slice of paradise.

Richard Branson

Richard Branson was the one who initiated the craze around celebrity-owned private islands – spearheading a trend which has seen a whole host of exotic locations being snapped up by Hollywood’s finest over the years. Necker Island was purchased for a mere 180,000 dollars in 1978 – less than a family home in the countryside by today’s standards! And it’s not just Branson himself who has enjoyed his famous island – with other famous faces joining him over the years… that is until a hurricane came through in 2017 and destroyed much of the island which had to be steadily rebuilt during the following year.

Leonardo Dicaprio

DiCaprio is famous for his role in a film all about an island – but did you know he owned one too? Just off the coast of Belize, the star’s island is all white sands and palm trees and has been transformed into an eco-luxury resort in line with his own passion for the environment and natural surroundings. In DiCaprio’s own words, the island will one day be “the world’s leading example of green hospitality” – with experts predicting that within a few years, the island will generate millions in revenue.

Here at Adharia, we’re big fans of DiCaprio’s vision in particular, with our fleet of floating suites designed in line with a nod to the ever-growing ecotourism market. And who knows, maybe one day we will have our own private island too!

Johnny Depp

This one’s a great story, mainly because the island that Depp owns was a result of his time working on Pirates of the Caribbean. His island called Little Halls Pond Cay has been Depp’s since 2004 and has been described by its owner as “instant freedom”. We reckon that while Deep views this as his own spot of paradise, this island has also seen some really high-end parties over the years!

Shakira

Another celebrity with big eco plans for their island, Shakira and her two fellow owners from the music world purchased their island Bonds Cay in 2011 and plan to turn it into a carbon-neutral luxury paradise for the wealthy creatives of the world. This is one of the biggest islands in the privately-owned celebrity list, offering those invited to stay with plenty of opportunities to get away from the others and enjoy a little isolated peace and quiet – whether they are social distancing or not!

Steven Spielberg

Whether or not Spielberg’s island is home to any sharks is a fact we can neither deny nor confirm – but what we can say is that Madeira Archipelago sounds like something from Jurassic Park, and is set just off the Portuguese coast surrounded by beautiful blue waters and often accompanied by Spielberg’s own yacht when he is occupying his island.

Nicholas Cage

He may have brought it to find the treasure – he may have brought it to bury treasure – he may have brought it to escape treasure altogether. What we know about Cage’s island is that it’s located in the gorgeous Bahamas and it offers private coves and sandy beaches to all who are invited to step foot on it (not us… yet!) However, it may not be around for long as Cage has reportedly had this island up for a sale for a while – maybe he found the treasure and is looking to move on with his quest!

Is a private island the pinnacle of success for you, or do you prefer to pick and choose your holiday destinations as you go? Whether or not the allure of your own island escape draws you in or not, there is an unmistakable and exclusive grandeur which comes from an isolated and private escape – and what better way to enjoy that than with your own floating slice of paradise…