Category Archives: Private Islands

The bridge that connects the two islands at Conrad Maldives.

The welcome

Conrad staff collect me in a van at Mal airport and take me to the resorts nearby lounge, where I wait for the seaplane. After an awe-filled 30-minute ride south over the Maldivian atolls, I land at a dock in the middle of a long pedestrian bridge that connects the resorts two islands. Im taken by golf cart to my villa.

The neighbourhood

Located on the south-west end of Ari Atoll, the resort is a world of its own. The big island, Rangalifinolhu, has the main reception area, spa and pools; beach villas (set in private gardens); most of the restaurants; and a watersports centre. Rangali, the smaller island, is home to most of the water villas (on stilts); the overwater spa with a glass floor; and a few more restaurants.

The room

My deluxe beach villa has a thatched roof, but from inside, its all modern luxe, with12-foot-high glass windows from floor to ceiling that open out onto a tropical garden. Theresa plunge pool and direct access to a semi-private beach, and my OTT favourite: a courtyard with a fountain, an outdoor shower and a dramatic elevated bath pavilion. I like its originality as compared to the deluxe water villa, where I spend the following night. Thisquintessential Maldivian cabana sits on stilts over the water, with its own plunge pool and stairs from the sundeck into the ocean. Both are equipped with Nespresso machines, flashlights, adapters and umbrellas.

The service

Friendly and accommodating, particularly in the restaurants. Villa service can be slow, which sometimes happens when staff travel by golf cart, but the resort is busy and it shows.

The scene

You wont feel alone among honeymooners here, because there are plenty of groups, mainly families, including some from our region. The main islands common areas are busy, particularly at the childrens pool and watersports centre, while theres a quieter, more-mature crowd on the smaller island. Its shoes-off everywhere, even in restaurants, which adds to the relaxing island vibe. If you tire of island life, daily excursions such as snorkelling and sunset cruises can be arranged, from US$80 to $170 (Dh294 to Dh624) per person. Or you can get a free show by waiting on the bridge at night for the manta rays to come out to play.

The food

Take your pick from 12 restaurants and bars, including the most visually remarkable, Ithaa, the Maldives first all-glass undersea restaurant, offering a pre-arranged set menu; my personal favourite, the Sunset Grill, an overwater open-air bungalow from which you can watch fish glide by in the lit-up water while eating fresh Maldivian lobster ($62 [Dh228]); Ufaa by Chinese celebrity chef Jereme Leung, for dim sum and beef noodle soup ($29 [Dh107]); and the Koko Grill for beachside Japanese food. A decent international breakfast buffet is served in the all-day restaurants, Atoll Market on the big island and Vilu on the small; and shisha is available at The Quiet Zone beach lounge.

Loved

The Spa Retreats Maldivian indigenous treatment ($190 [Dh698]), which was like a hammam, but with a coconut scrub and massage using heated coconut sticks.

Hated

I had to fiddle a lot with the electrics in both my rooms, including the lights, blinds and stereo.

The verdict

A resort deserving of its popularity, offering enough diversity for a long stay.

The bottom line

Beach villas at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island (www.conradmaldives.com) cost from $622 (Dh2,285); water villas cost from $745 (Dh2,736), both including taxes and breakfast. Seaplane transfers cost $500 (Dh1,836.50) return.

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Hotel review: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island - The National

Niyama Private Islands in the Maldives invites guests to celebrate Eid Al Adha and experience natures paradise with a luxurious island getaway.

Launching its brand new 'Stay Longer' offer in time for the holidays, the longer guests stay at the idyllic Indian Ocean resort, the more they save. Travellers can enjoy an incredible 40 per cent off the room rate, a free upgrade to half board and complimentary 60-minute treatment for two at the award-winning Niyama Spa. All they need to do is simply book a stay of at least two nights online before September 30 and treat themselves and loved ones to a five-star castaway experience this summer while enjoying incredible savings.

With its 134 beautifully appointed studios, suites and pavilions dotted across Niyama Maldives two pristine islands, Chill and Play, the package offers travellers the luxury of choice and is created specially for Middle East-based families and jet-set couples.

With nine dining destinations, including tree house restaurant Nest and the worlds first underwater playground Subsix, guests can enhance their stay with surreal gastronomic experiences.

Young VIPs will adore the Explorers Kids Club with its range of activities including nature expeditions around the tropical isles to MasterChef classes while adventure-seeking teens and adults will be inspired by the resorts excellent water sports such as surfing, scuba diving and jet-skiing. Wellness devotees looking to indulge in a spot of indulgent pampering can retreat to the tranquil Niyama Spa while enjoying the crystal-clear turquoise sea views from the six overwater treatment rooms.

Rates start from Dh2,086++ ($567.7) per night for two adults and two children.

Getting to the island has also become more affordable with the newly opened Dhaalu Airport, located in Kudahuvadhoo Island. Round trip flights inclusive of a speed boat transfer are priced at $370++ for adults and $175++ for children. Alternatively guests can take an exhilarating 40 minute sea plane journey priced at $560++ for adults and $280++ for children. VIP Private Charter flights are also available for the discerning travellers desiring the highest levels of privacy and exclusivity.

Promotion includes: 40 per cent off the room rate Daily breakfast and set dinner for two persons One rejuvenating 60-minute spa treatment for two during your stay.

For more details, visit the hotel website. - TradeArabia News Service

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Celebrate Eid at Niyama Private Islands - Trade Arabia

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Planning an affordable family vacation can be stressful, whether its for two people or 20. Sure, you could shell out a few hundred bucks for theaverage hotel room or you can rent a private island for practically the same price. (And this guide will tell you the best time of year to travel to these major cities.)

No, were not kidding. You can actually bookyour very owntropicalparadise for as little as $300. Thanks to HomeToGo, a global holiday rental website, we have a comprehensive list of incredible (and rentable!) private islands that wont break the bank.

You wont even have to leave the United States to experience thevacation of your dreams. Just plan a road trip over to the Colleton River Plantation in South Carolina, where 150 acres of uninterrupted nature await you for as little as $307 per night. Or jump across the ocean to Belize, where you can stay ina paradise surrounded bycolorful fish galoreand crystal clearwaterall for the price of $435.

A charming littlecottage at Ship Channel Cay in the Bahamas could be yours for just $450 per night. The price includesa full-time island service team, too.And if youre willing to splurge, a fully-staffed, 18-person private island in Belize is currently going for $5,000 a night.

Forget a pricey cruise or holiday villa. These exotic getawaysare perfect for your next birthday bash, wedding party, or summer family reunion.(And if the island life isnt for you, try any of these affordable destinations for a family vacation.)

Ready to book your flight now? Dont miss the best date to get cheap airline tickets this summer. (Its no longer Tuesday!)

Source: Insider

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You Can Rent These Private Islands For Just $300 a Night ... - Reader's Digest

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

Dream Cabins: Four-level log home on private island listed for $1.99 million (slideshow) Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal A four-level log home on Eagle Island, one of a few privately-held islands in Lake Vermilion, is listed for $1.99 million. A four-level log home on a private island in Lake Vermilion is listed for. VIEW SLIDESHOW 16 photos. A four-level log home on a ...

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Dream Cabins: Four-level log home on private island listed for $1.99 million (slideshow) - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

Have you heard of the Telo Islands? If you are a surfer, or want to become one heck, even if you are the partner or a child of a surfer it's probably about time you learned about this Indonesian chain. That's not only because they offer some of the most untouched and beautiful tropical islands on the planet, but also some of the surfing world's most user-friendly waves.

The combination provides one truly unique vacation for every type of ocean-loving holidaymaker.

Situated off the west coast of Sumatra, and almost directly on the equator, the archipelago known as Kepulan Batu lies between the island of Nias to the north and the Mentawai Islands to the south. Those two destinations are widely known for the quality and quantity of their world-class waves. Which is great if you are a good surfer, but not much use if you aren't.

The Telo Islands, although blessed with similar quality of waves, offer a very different proposition. For starters, they have a unique feel, with their limestone cliffs and platinum-white sandy beaches most often compared to the dramatic cliff islands to the north of Thailand. Unlike the Mentawais, the 100 islands in the chain can be navigated through a series of protected channels and lagoons. These flat stretches of aqua-blue water, reminiscent of the Florida Keys, not only make for quick travel through the archipelago, but offer safety from the wild waves and winds of the Indian Ocean.

Another bonus is the remoteness. The Telo Islands are accessed only by boat or private aircraft, which means they remain largely unspoiled by the rampant development that affects most parts of Indonesia. And with only three surf camps currently in the chain, crowds aren't an issue.

That's why Matt Cruden, one of the first boat skippers in the Mentawais and who first started searching the Telos 20 years ago, set up his Latitude Zero resort here. After spending decades on chartered boats, he knew that many surfers wanted to bring their partners and kids, but a boat trip wasn't an ideal option. With four kids of his own he also knew there was a gap for a family-oriented upmarket boutique resort experience. He just needed the location.

When he discovered an island with a natural coconut garden, a sandy beach lapped by clear, calm, aqua-toned waters with no offshore fringing reef that made it perfect for boat access, swimming or relaxing and safe for kids he knew he had his spot. Around a decade ago he set up Latitude Zero and his own version of a private paradise.

While his array of fast watercraft offered instant access to many of the waves he had discovered, the camp itself was aimed to please even the most diehard non-surfer. The resort's luxury villas, pools, safe swimming, fishing and snorkeling mean the fun isn't just all in the waves. They even offer a discount for the non-surfers in the group.

Oh, and babysitting!

Besides Latitude Zero, the Telo Island Lodge too offers the beauty of the Telos and a protected lagoon, plus the bonus of two waves right on its doorstep. The waves, known as Max's Left and Max's Right, face opposite each other, meaning one is always offshore.

If that isn't quite enough (and it usually is), there are another 18 breaks within an hour's boat ride. The resort is also limited to just eight guests, meaning that crowds can never be an issue.

Finally, the Telo Surf Villa offers a less boutique, more surf-centric experience. Its unique selling point is that one of the chain's most fun and consistent waves, a right-hander known as Ranga's or GT's, can be accessed from the beach, which is a two-minute walk from the accommodation.

Again, as with most islands in the Telo, the setting is beautiful, the crowds tiny and the wave perfect for all levels. What more could you ask for?

More surf travel ideas from GrindTV

How to not get skunked on your next surf trip

Your guide to Italian surfing

Why you should book a stay at these 5 Maldives resorts

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The Telo Islands are surfing's best-kept travel secret - GrindTV

Michael Bermingham of The Market Butcher, Rathcoole, Co Dublin told FarmIreland how he noticed animals on Lambay island on flights from Dublin airport and was intrigued to discover what they were.

"There's two islands off Dublin Bay- Ireland's Eye and Lambay Island. I saw that Lambay Island had animals on it and I was intrigued because of the line of work that I'm in," said the butcher.

Michael said that he got in touch with the Baring family who own Lambay and he found out that wallabies were bred there. He arranged a visit to the island and secured a 10-year deal to cull three wallabies a month from Lambay.

There are 150 wallabies on Lambay island. Eight were brought from Dublin Zoo to Lambay in the 1950s. Michael explained that the "better than organic" conditions on the private island mean that wallabies bred there have a certain "wow" factor.

"It's free from everything on the mainland. It's unsheltered and unshedded and free from pesticides. It's better than organic. There's beef, lamb and venison on the island too and they all bring something wow and different."

While the uptake of wallaby in Ireland is quite low, Michael has managed to sell it to restaurants abroad and it is even available on some Aer Lingus transatlantic flights.

"We sent some over to Kitty Fisher's restaurant in London. Its ethos would be to embrace the weird and wonderful. The reaction was super because obviously there's a bigger population footfall of international people in London who would be used to eating the extreme," added Michael.

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How Ireland's bred its own 'mob' of organic wallabies - Independent.ie

Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 7:53 a.m.

The Mouth That Rohrabachered

Greg Houston

"In response to growing concerns about Congressman Dana Rohrabachers fitness to serve," rabble-rousers programmed by the Democratic Party hold a CA-48th congressional district town hall tonight in Aliso Viejo.

It is a good bet Rohrabacher will not be there; he has branded constituents who have demanded public meetings outsiders or hostile activists, although if you are handing him campaign cash at a private event in Corona del Mar or one of Nouveau Riche's private islands, he'll gladly show up in his butt-ugly green blazer.

"The Congressman has received national attention for his pro-Russian views and has recently been accused of violating U.S. sanctions against Russia," say organizers of tonight's town hall. "Rohrabacher has also received campaign donations from Paul Manafort while Mr. Manafort was acting as a foreign agent for the Ukrainian government."

While Rohrabacher will likely be a no-showhey, just like Vietnam!a congressman is scheduled to appear. He would beRep. Ted Lieu (D-Manhattan Beach), who, unlike the Slimin' Congressman of Surf City, has been on the right side of climate change, Obamacare and taking a dim view of Vlad Putin's intentions, according to organizers.

The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Aliso Niguel High School gym at 28000 Wolverine Way, Aliso Viejo.

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Dana Rohrabacher Will Be Present at Tonight's Town Hall Without Being Present - OC Weekly

At any given time, private retreats, private islands, or architectural masterpieces can be up for sale in Queenslands tropical north.

These properties are all daydream inducing holiday homes, and the island isnt even the most expensive.

Price: $3,500,000

Agent: Susan Shiu and Wayne Holmes

5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 0car spaces

For the cost of an inner-city Sydney home, this whole island near south east of Mackay can be yours. Victor Island comes complete with a recently renovated home and separate caretakers cottage.

The island is just more than three hectares large, and is surrounded by the Victor Reef, so snorkelling would be a breeze.

Savills Gold Coast agent Susan Shiu said the island had attracted attention from high-profile buyers. We often have tourist companies or people who want to build their own house or foreign buyers, she said.

Getting there is cinch too, Ms Shiu said. You can hire a water taxi or helicopter, but the water taxi is the most practical.

Price: $6,750,000

Agent: Callum Jones

3 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 car spaces

In case you were wondering, this is the architectural masterpiece. Port Douglas hosts several multi-million dollar homes, and this is in the upper echelon of the beachside town.

A pool built into the deck overlooks the ocean and the rear of the house backs into the rainforest. The home is dominated by spacious living areas, all aimed squarely at the view.

Price: $9,500,000

Agent: Paul Arthur and Simon Cowan

5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 2 car spaces

Apparently frequented by the rich, famous and powerful (Sothebysagent Simon Cowan declined to name who), this home has been used as an exclusive holiday rental since its owners first bought it.

Itll set you back $17,500 a week, Mr Cowan said. They had some Chinese fly in their private jet the other week and stay.

The house has approximately 1000 square metres of floor space, and four of the five bedrooms have ensuites.

Price: $1,695,000

Agent: Steve Doble

4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2 car spaces

This is probably the most affordable option on the list, but its by no means not luxurious. Sands Estate is one of the three gated communities in Port Douglas, all of which are considered exclusive and up-market.

The home was built with the tropics in mind, and is open and breezy while maximising privacy. LJ Hooker Port Douglas agent Steve Doble said this was another potential holiday lease home.

Its good if you want a private executive house, he said. It is a definite growing part of the industry.

Price: Auction 19/08/17

Agent: Sally Elliott and Sonia Carson

5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 car spaces

In Northern Townsville, this colonial home is a bit different from the previous tropical getaways listed. A traditionaltwo-storey Queenslander, the home was first built in the early 1900s.

Its not far from The Strand and backs almost directly onto Townsvilles famous Castle Hill.

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Top five tropical getaways for sale in Queensland - Domain News

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

A house built on flood-thwarting piers is the only structure on 36-acre Johnson Island in the Greenbrier River near Alderson.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

Island co-owner Kay Sparks admires one of many mature hardwoods thriving on Johnson Island.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

Kelly and Kay Sparks walk past a set of shoals while strolling the perimeter of their 36-acre Greenbrier River island, now on the market for $1.4 million.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

The upstream end of Johnson Island is easily viewed from the W.Va. 3 bridge over the Greenbrier River in Alderson.

KENNY KEMP | Gazette-Mail

Kelly Sparks closes the gate leading to the bridge he built to access the Greenbrier River island he and his wife recently put up for sale.

ALDERSON Among properties featured in the current issue of Private Islands magazine are:

--Trump Island, a 29-acre expanse of rocky terrain and evergreen forest in Washingtons San Juan Islands, with sweeping ocean views perfect for whale watching, a private heliport for shopping trips to Seattle or Vancouver, an 8,000-square-foot home and an $8.75 million price tag.

--Cerboli Island, a 10-acre, $4 million chunk of limestone in Italys Tuscan Archipelago that comes equipped with a 1,000-year-old lookout tower built of hand-cut stone blocks overlooking Elba, its nearest neighboring island and, 200 years ago, the site of Napoleon Bonapartes exile.

--Johnson Island, a 36-acre, $1.4 million West Virginia getaway shaded by its own mature deciduous forest, surrounded by the rippling waters of the longest free-flowing river in the East, yet less than a half-mile from Aldersons Wagon Wheel cafe, should the yen for one of its signature barbecue sandwiches strike after a day of kayaking or fishing from a private island beach. The Greenbrier River island is one of 22 islands included in the spring-summer edition of Private Islands, which retails for $14.95 an issue and caters to the independent, adventurous personality, according to its cover. Johnson Island is the only river property featured in the issue.

Johnson Island is owned by Kelly Sparks, who grew up in Dille near the Clay-Nicholas border, and his wife, Kay, a Wisconsin native and a political campaign aide. They met and married while he was working as a regional legislative director for the United Auto Workers before returning to West Virginia 17 years ago.

I love it here, said Sparks, as he stood in the shade of the couples self-designed, pier-elevated island home, which escaped last summers epic flooding with several feet to spare. You can sit down and relax and listen to the river passing through the shoals and the worries of the world just melt away. The island is covered in bluebells in April, and geese build nests and lay eggs all over the island in spring.

Sparks left West Virginia at age 15, using doctored documents to accommodate a premature enlistment in the Navy.

By the time I was 17, I was sailing through the Straits of Gibralter, he said.

Later, he absorbed all the knowledge and skills he could learn from various Navy schools and training programs. After his military career ended, he found work in the Louisiana oil fields and later moved to the upper Midwest, where he worked in tractor plants in Wisconsin and became active in UAW affairs at the local and regional levels before becoming the unions top legislative liaison for a six-state area.

The couples unique boathouse style home is the islands sole dwelling and was designed to feel roomier than its relatively small size through the use of wraparound decks and the installation of 25 windows and five skylights. A walkway from the home leads to a small private dock at the head of a two-mile-long Greenbrier River pool, while a crushed rock vehicle lane leads to a deliberately overbuilt bridge crossing a Greenbrier River back channel atop four 36-inch steel I-beams and a huge quantity of concrete to connect the island roadway with W.Va. 20 near the mouth of Muddy Creek and the Alderson city limits.

Most of the island is covered by a mature hardwood forest with an abundance of huge, sentinel-straight specimens of oak, hickory and poplar and numerous groves of pawpaws already bearing fruit.

The couple first visited the island several years after moving to Greenbrier County, where they built their primary residence, a concrete home built on a cliff-top rock formation near Ronceverte with an aerial view of a miles-long stretch of the Greenbrier.

Back then, we liked to walk it, said Kay Sparks, since the islands owner at that time kept a pathway around the property mowed and cleared of debris.

After lengthy research to locate the title to the property, the Sparkses and another couple bought the island. Later, the former Wisconsinites bought their friends share of the island and built their home.

Johnson Island apparently gets its name from a brief period during the Civil War when it served as a temporary stockade for prisoners of war, Sparks said. Its namesake was Johnsons Island, a 300-acre island in Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio, that housed nearly 15,000 Confederate troops during its three years of operation.

During the Civil War, both Confederate and Union troops crossed the Greenbrier on several occasions at Aldersons Ferry, a short distance upstream from the island. On July 12, 1862, two companies of Union cavalry skirmished with a like-sized Confederate force at the ferry, killing, wounding or capturing seven of them.

Although the Sparkses were nominally retired when they moved to Greenbrier County, they have bought, revamped and sold more than 30 homes in the area since then, charging buyers 80 percent of the homes appraised value to make them more affordable, and in many cases, eliminating the need for buyers to come up with down payments.

Kay and I used to fix up and sell three of these houses a year, he said. Right now, were finishing up one, and it may be our last.

At age 71, Sparks said the time has also come to divest himself of the maintenance chores that need to be done to keep Johnson Island in tip-top shape.

I love it here, but it will be nice to have someone else taking care of it, he said. Weve had a $1 million offer on the island, but I turned it down. I want to sell it to someone who values seclusion, appreciates all these trees and wants to preserve all the other plants and animals that live here.

I want the next owner to be someone who has a vision for this place and the ability to make it happen.

Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169, or follow @rsteelhammer on Twitter.

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Quest to buy one's own island need not extend beyond WV's border - Charleston Gazette-Mail (subscription)

RICHARD Branson has one, as does Mel Gibson, Eddie Murphy and Johnny Depp and now you can join the exclusive club of private island owners.

In a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Little Ross Island, off the coast of south west Scotland, is up for sale for offers over 325,000.

The 29-acre hideaway is currently owned by St Marys Isle Estate and is located just off Meikle Ross headland on the mainland, with the small rocks of Sugarloaf and Fox Craig the only neighbours. Little Ross is home to a working lighthouse tower, which was designed and built by Alan Stevenson and first lit on 1 January 1843. However, it is not included in the sale and is still owned and managed by the Commissioner for Northern Lighthouses. Since automation in 1961 the lighthouse tower no longer requires fulltime staff with few discreet site visits made by the local harbour master throughout the year. But, the original six-bedroom lighthouse keepers cottage is part of the deal, along with three B-listed ruinous barns, said to have development potential.

The island is only accessible by private boat or helicopter. There are sheltered moorings and a more modern slipway, both accessible at high tide, with a substantial marina in Kirkcudbright for longer term mooring. Estate agent David Corrie is overseeing the sale and said: Back in the 1900s, the island was home to the head lighthouse keeper, underkeeper and their families, extending to 16 people, with a small dairy and piggery to provide subsistence for this family community. With a bit of TLC, the properties on the island could be turned into something truly stunning, with Little Ross Island once again being the perfect island retreat for future generations to enjoy. Private islands rarely come up for sale at an affordable price and particularly one with a habitable house and additional properties. Given the exciting prospect Little Ross Island presents, we expect a lot of interest from all over the UK as well as abroad.

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Be an island owner - DnG24