If you have found yourself dreaming of escaping to your own private island where you can social distance in luxury, you are not alone. Acquiring your own island understandably comes with its perks right now— namely that you can isolate on your very own self-contained playground filled with all of the amenities, toys and open space you’d ever think to need. With that in mind, we searched the current listings marketed by the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program and found a splurge-worthy collection of private islands that take the idea of sheltering in place to a whole new level.
Grand Scrub Island
British Virgin Islands
$ 35,000,000
Owning and developing a private island in the Caribbean sounds like a dream — but of course, it takes fortitude, patience and a lot of financial resources. Not many can say they’ve done it, however the owners of Scrub Island can proudly say they have achieved it. Named for what populated the island 20 years ago when it was first purchased (“nothing but a scrub”), the island now encompasses a luxury resort, spa and marina, now affiliated to the Marriott’s Autograph Collection® Hotels. That association means that investors in real estate on Scrub Island who choose to join the rental program can take advantage of Marriott’s extensive distribution and loyalty programs and are guaranteed a five-star level of service, quality, and property maintenance. Grand Scrub Island is attached to Little Scrub via a small isthmus. Rather than develop a second private island, its owners have decided to sell Grand Scrub Island in its entirety, complete with the vast infrastructure investment they have already made, which includes undersea cable and a desalination plant. Other island amenities include a full-service upscale marina, ervice area, barge ramp, commercial dock plus operating restaurants, bars and accommodations. With the risk greatly reduced, the next developer or owner has the chance to make it truly his or her own.
126 Strum Island Way
Oakland, Nova Scotia
Canada
$ 15,542,603
Not all private islands for sale are found in Caribbean waters. Enter Nova Scotia’s The Lodge at Strum Island. This private 10-acre island allows you to truly escape the noise of everyday life and distance yourself from others on a private 10-acre island designed with security, seclusion and self-sustainability in mind. The island is completely self-sustained, with its own power source, heat, food and water as well as transportation via boat and docks, with the option for a helicopter pad. Anyone looking to isolate can for well over a year without leaving the tranquil surrounds. Well-manicured landscaping and beautiful gardens, greenhouses, walking trail and thousands of indigenous trees and native plants allow its inhabitants to connect to the enduring beauty of nature. The existing main lodge consists of over 10,000 square feet of space, with tasteful design that blends rustic elements and transitional elegance. Six bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a stunning great room with hand-carved bar and signature fireplace and a massive gourmet kitchen and dining area with butler’s pantry are all touched with natural light with beautiful views. It’s the kind of place where you can sit back with a glass of wine in the rose hut, soak in the hot tub or watch unfolding wildlife from the observation tower. Just a mere three-minute boat ride to the 100 ft wharf and only another five minutes to Mahone Bay, Strum Island truly gives you the so-close-yet-so-far-away feeling.
Big Darby Island
Exumas, Exuma
Bahamas
$ 39,000,000
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Big Darby Island offers exceptional privacy with 554 pristine acres of pure Bahamian paradise. A sought-after location in the Exuma Cays, an archipelago of 365 cays and islands, is ideally positioned just 35 miles from Nassau in The Bahamas and within easy reach of Great Exuma International Airport. With plenty of opportunities for development, Big Darby Island has the possibility to become a dream private resort playground and yachting paradise — even with its own airstrip. There’s also the option of preserving and restoring the island’s existing structure: an historic, 7,000-square-foot building known by locals as “The Castle.” Between the 14 different white-sand beaches, two miles of ocean frontage, and elevations reaching nearly 90 feet to maximize the breathtaking views of azure waters, you can make your personal tropical family compound as active or relaxed as you want.
Kaulbach Island
Indian Point, Nova Scotia
Canada
$ 4,070,682
If you have visions of spending your days water sailing, tending to your garden or relaxing in total privacy, then look no further than Kaulbach Island. Located close to the picture-perfect seaside town of Chester on Nova Scotia’s Bluenose Coast and right in the heart of Mahone Bay — a popular sailing area with unimaginably clear water, Kaulbach Island is as dreamy as dreamy gets. Considering that it feels truly “away from it all,” the island still manages to offer surprising accessibility to the mainland, which is just a six-minute boat ride away, and only 90 minutes away from Halifax International Airport. Even better, are its 57 acres of woods, meadows, mature landscaping, lush gardens, ponds, two sandy beaches and a magnificent manse called Osprey Nest. This 11-bedroom, 11,040-square-foot residence overlooks the ocean from its prominent perch and boasts an environmentally friendly, modern-yet-classic seaside design. Also on the island are a beach cottage and several outbuildings, along with a wharf with deep anchorage.
Caraibi
Port Elizabeth
Grenadines
$ 2,851,375
If Union Island in the Grenadines is remote and luxurious enough for British royalty and Hollywood celebrities, then it’s remote and luxurious for the rest of us. Located south of the Lesser Antilles, Union Island is one of the largest state of St. Grenadines and is revered for its lush greenery, mountainous topography and Virgin white beaches. It is one of the real pearls of the Caribbean. The resort was created in the exclusive Bay of Chatham Bay on a 20,000 square meters, directly on a white sandy beach surrounded by lush tropical gardens consisting of 15 bungalows and 20 villas. The villas consist of three rooms, of which two sleeping areas placed sideways and linked from the living area with patio. The architectural design ensures maximum privacy and superb views stretching to 180 degrees on the sea. In addition there is a restaurant, a bar in the reception, infinity pool with sea water, whirlpool, technical area (complete with generators and desalination plants), laundry, beach, port jetty and storage, buoys plus a fleet of sailboats and catamarans. Easily reachable with a 30-minute flight from Barbados, Union Island is paradise, personified.
79775 Overseas Highway
Upper Matecumbe Key Islamorada, FL.
$15,000,000
Now Terra’s Key is a private island we can get behind: you can access it by car. An extremely rare and stunning gated island in the Florida Keys, the 15.5-acre island impresses with a dramatic location jutting into the blue-green waters of the Atlantic Ocean and a sprawling approximately 2,000-foot driveway that enables you to reach restaurants and shopping easily. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy the conveniences of the modern world, including all utilities, while being surrounded by the privacy of your own island with miles of open water views as well as vistas of Alligator Reef Light. The compound includes five bedrooms and four baths, a pool, a cabana, dockage, and a tennis court. This extraordinary private island is a landmark in Islamorada and the Florida Keys and has not been offered for sale for over 27 years.