In collaboration with High Life: Living the Good Life, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in High Life Volume 2 in 2015, we present a look at some of the popular island getaways of the world’s elite.
We all crave the warm sunshine, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore before receding back into the ocean, taking all our worries with it. Who doesn’t long for a little piece of pristine nature for our enjoyment, and when you’ve been all around the world, to just about every known luxury beach locale, it is time for something new. A secret getaway, a retreat from the world, that you can call your own.
The wealthiest in the world have their own islands – secluded, personalised oases of luxury, with the best embellishments money can buy, accessible only to the elite (and their inner circle). HIGH Life takes you on a tour of the most exclusive island getaways, to present how an untouched, lush piece of heaven can become a haven of opulence.
Necker Island, British Virgin Islands – owned by Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group
A slice of pure bliss, this 74-acre island in the Caribbean has seen dozens of A-list celebrities as guests, looking to escape the flashbulbs, including actors Harrison Ford, Robert DeNiro, Geena Davis, as well as singer Mariah Carey, TV personality Oprah Winfrey and supermodel Kate Moss. Royalty have even padded across these golden sands in the form of Princess Diana, Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
One step onto the golden sands of the island, and the allure is clear to see. Infinity pools that touch the ocean water, candlelit dinners on the beaches, homes with 360-degree open walls, allowing one to have panoramic views of the Carribean and its islands, fully stocked fridges for midnight feasts and amazing floating sushi boats are all part of the experience. And to live up to a personality as vibrant as Branson’s, there are themed parties by the beach, as wild and unorthodox as he is. The Casino night and Moroccan night are the top choices, which offer the special guests a chance to party with the man himself.
There are three staff members for every guest on Necker, and outsiders have the option of booking the whole island or just one room, during the ‘Celebration Weeks’ from August to October. The stunning Balinese inspired rooms are located in the centre of the island, and also on the rocky cliffs overlooking crashing aquamarine waves. Branson also created footpaths along the various coves and bays of the island, which make for a scenic walk.
The island is even populated with a variety of wildlife including lemurs, flamingos, turtles and scarlet ibises, famous for their colourful plumage, which roam the island freely, adding colour and life to Branson’s creation. One visit to Necker Island, and you’ll soon see what Branson loved so much about it that he was willing to do whatever it took to acquire it.
Lanai Island, Hawaii – owned by Larry ellison, Founder and executive Chairman of oracle Corporation
More than just an incredible haven of natural treasures, this island was bought by American billionaire Larry Ellison in 2012, as part of his dream to build the “first economically viable, 100-percent green community.” Ellison owns 98% of the island, which contains a 3,200 peopled city. Bill Gates got married here, and the likes of Madonna and Michael Jordan have paid a visit.
The island’s inhabitants may have had doubts as to the new owner, but Ellison has made the island into a model of green living – complete with renewable energy sources, and he aims for it to have a self-sustaining economy. He intends to keep the island as unspoiled as possible. There are 47 miles of gorgeous coastline, with some simply jawdropping beaches such as Polihua Beach, where you can watch hump-backed whales and spot endangered green sea turtles, or Shipwreck Beach, which features views of a real ship’s hull from the 1940s.
There are two resorts on the island that simply define luxury, one near the mountains, where guests can enjoy active activities like horse-back riding and archery in the crisp air. The other is at Manele Bay next to the shimmering ocean, which has rooms fitted with the latest technology, for those looking for a more laidback vacation. Special settings allow the lights in the room to create different moods, such as ‘day’, ‘sunset’ or ‘relax.’ There is an 18-hole golf course designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, along the cliffs of the island, featuring stunning views of the ocean that will take your breath away.
There are even trails marked out, which can be hiked to glimpse breathtaking views of the lush greenery. It is said that Ellison bought the island to see if he could restore it and turn it into a premier tourist destination. This island is Ellison’s vision of an ideal world. Those who visit Lanai Island, could be looking at the future.
Musha Cay, Bahamas – owned by David Copperfield, award-winning Illusionist
For someone who deals in the art of enchantment, you can expect his island to live up to its grand illusions. This isn’t just one island – it is 11 spectacular islands, covering 100 acres, which David Copperfield himself, dubbed as “the most magical vacation destination in the world.”
Copperfield said he discovered his mystical island by taking the four places he believed possessed some supernatural power Easter Island, Stonehenge, the Pyramid of the Sun in the Yucatan, and the Pyramid of Giza and then intersecting them to find Musha Cay. He has dubbed each of the 11 islands with a unique name – from Forbidden Island to Enchanted Island to even Imagine Island.
Copperfield only allows his island to be booked completely, 40 untouched beaches and all, for up to 12 people for a maximum of 12 nights, meaning he only has the very best of visitors like actors Mel Gibson, Tyler Perry and Penelope Cruz on his thrilling shores. There are five guestrooms, each with its own theme and unique design. One can run off the pier and dive into the cool waters at Pier House, enjoy the hilltop vista at Highview, take in the lush green of Palm Terrace, or feel the waves lapping against the toes, when stepping outside Beach House.
There is also an outdoor movie theatre on the beach, where guests can enjoy movies on a large projector screen. Facilities provided include state-of-the-art tennis courts, a championship billiards table and a Balinese Dining Pavilion. A 2-km sandbar has been set aside for outdoor dining at low tide. The island even offers devised ‘adventures’ you can take part in, including a treasure hunt, where you search for clues, to discover a mysterious treasure, and M.U.S.H.A. Force, a code-breaking spy game.
But Copperfield isn’t done with enhancing his island. He has plans to add “enhanced reality” with a group of monkeys ensconced in a ‘secret village’ who can apparently read your mind, and a flock of green parrots who can return to their cages at the sound of a bell. All this makes Copperfield’s Musha Cay an interesting destination for people to visit and an inspiration for those with islands of their own…
