When it comes to finding a slice of paradise, celebrities know that the Caribbean has it all — seclusion, luxury, and breathtaking views.
Over the years, some of the biggest names in music, film, and business have set up their own tropical retreats across the islands.
From private islands in the Bahamas to cliffside estates in Barbados, these celebrity homes are among the best the Caribbean Islands have to offer, boasting supreme privacy, pristine beaches, and luxurious amenities fit for an A-lister.
Rihanna owns a beachside villa in her native Barbados
While she’s long been living in the US, the singer — and billionaire entrepreneur — has always maintained a home in her native Barbados.
Most recently, she purchased a $22 million beachside villa at One Sandy Lane, one of eight adjacent condos just down the street from the famous Sandy Lane Hotel (one of the most iconic luxury resorts in the world).
Sir Richard Branson’s private island in the British Virgin Islands
Billionaire and Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson famously owns his own private island in the British Virgin Islands.
Named Necker Island, Branson’s property spans 74 acres and was purchased just a few years after the Virgin Group founder started his record label. He paid a modest $120,000 for the island, which was inhabited at the time. He then reportedly spent $10 million to turn it into a private island retreat.
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw spent millions on their Bahamian Island
The country music power couple spent many years (and even more millions) to turn an Exuma island they bought in 2003 into a dream retreat — then listed the tropical paradise for a whopping $35 million in 2021.
Called Goat Cay, the nearly 20-acre island is anchored by a resort-like compound with a 6,517-square-foot main residence, two beaches, and hundreds of imported palm trees.
Nicholas Cage has a private island in the Exumas, too
The National Treasure star also owns a small private island in the Exuma chain of the Bahamas, which he purchased in 2006 for $3 million.
The 30-acre island, called Leaf Cay, has three beaches and a small pond that could serve as a private harbor. It was floated on the market in recent years for $7.5 million. And seeing how many movies Nicholas Cage starred in lately, he’s not hurting for cash, so he probably decided to keep the island for himself.
Lenny Kravitz’s house in Eleuthera is an Airstream trailer
While he might spend the better part of his time living the farm life in Brazil (where he owns a massive 1,000-acre compound), Kravitz has deep connections to the Bahamas and owns property in the Eleuthera archipelago.
His grandfather was born on the island of Inagua, and Kravitz has often opened up about his favorite home away from home — an Airstream trailer on the Caribbean island of Eleuthera. He even rode out the pandemic lockdown by hunkering down in his Airstream trailer on the island.
Shakira co-owns a private island alongside two other industry names
Back in 2005, Shakira launched a hit song alongside Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz, called La Tortura (a personal favorite to this day). But it turns out, that wasn’t the duo’s only collab; the two, alongside Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, joined forces in 2011 to buy a $16 million island in the Bahamas known as Bonds Cay.
Their plan was to turn it into an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral, luxury destination meant to attract artists from all over the world.
Johnny Depp channels his inner Jack Sparrow at Little Hall’s Pond Cay
This is as close as I could get to Johnny Depp's Island in the Bahamas, he's got a nice spot, God Bless him.. pic.twitter.com/vUQOUutq7k
— Mr. Williams (@nerestaurants) January 11, 2015
The actor likely enjoyed playing Jack Sparrow so much that, soon after the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was released, he purchased his own private island in the Bahamas, called Little Hall’s Pond Cay.
In 2004, the actor shelled out $3.6 million for the 45-acre island with 6 beaches and a posh ranch-style property — with jaw-dropping, 360-degree views of the island.
Leonardo DiCaprio owns a luxury eco-resort in the Belize
In 2005, fresh off his success portraying billionaire and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes, actor Leo DiCaprio splurged on a beautiful island in the Caribbean Sea.
Bought for $1.75 million, DiCaprio’s island is known as Blackadore Caye and sits right off the coast of Belize. Plans for the island included redeveloping it into a luxury eco-resort and fixing some of the biggest issues plaguing the formerly deserted island, including coastal erosion and illegal deforestation
Mariah Carey got married on her Windermere Island property
Dubbed Villa Sea Lily, the three-acre compound in Windermere Island — a small island in The Bahamas, off the coast of Eleuthera — undoubtedly holds a special place in Mariah Carey’s heart.
The Bahamas home is where the Queen of Christmas married former husband Nick Cannon, the father of her twins, Monroe and Moroccan. The 4,000-square-foot home (with an additional 3,500 square feet of covered terraces and marble walkways) has previously been listed for sale, but there’s no word on whether Carey ever ended up selling the home.
*Editor’s note: since the islands listed above don’t have Zillow pages or easily accessible public records, we couldn’t verify whether their famous owners have sold them in the meantime.
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