Relating to seashore holidays, exclusivity is the last word luxurious, and that’s why non-public island resorts are so interesting: Think about waking up steps from an empty seashore with few to no different vacationers, the pure soundtrack of birds chirping and waves crashing taking part in outdoors.
For Afar’s newest Inns We Love sequence, we’re specializing in one of the best non-public island resorts the world has to supply. Whereas we selected lodges that provide luxurious lodging and superlative service, we additionally prioritized those that function sustainably to protect the cultures and the settings from which they and their friends profit. Learn on to be taught extra about these 14 chic non-public island resorts—a few of them remote, others only a quick flight from residence.
andBeyond Mnemba Island
- Location: Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Why we adore it: A wild island within the culture-rich Zanzibar archipelago
- Loyalty program: I Desire (Most popular Inns and Resorts)
- From $2,150 per individual
- E-book now
On an island off the coast of northeast Zanzibar, andBeyond Mnemba Island is the idyllic antidote to the seashore crowds on the close by Zanzibar island. In October 2024, the resort underwent a top-to-bottom renovation, with a redesign of the 12 thatch-roofed bandas that fan out on the beachfront from the central lodge. There’s a brand new Wellness Banda, with two remedy rooms and a platform for yoga and sound baths, and the refurbished Dive Heart added experiences equivalent to clear-bottomed kayaking. The lodge additionally homes Discovery Heart, the place friends can discover the initiatives of Oceans With out Borders, a marine conservation group managed by andBeyond and its neighborhood growth companion, Wild Impression. Initiatives embody a coral nursery, a synthetic coral reef restoration mission, and a sanctuary for 2 antelope species, the Ader’s duiker and suni antelope. —Devorah Lev-Tov
The Brando
- Location: Tetiaroa Atoll, French Polynesia
- Why we adore it: Marlon Brando’s non-public island, with critical sustainability credentials
- From $4,920
- E-book now
Encompassing 35 non-public villas on the Motu Onetahi coast of Marlon Brando’s French Polynesian island, Tetiaroa, the Brando is likely one of the most luxurious locations to remain within the South Pacific. It additionally has some critical sustainability cred: The LEED Platinum–licensed resort—the world’s first—is continually working to reduce its carbon footprint, due to such efforts as an air-conditioning system that pulls from cool ocean water, on-site composting, and a desalination plant that produces recent water for the resort.
A partnership with nonprofit group Tetiaroa Society connects friends to naturalists and researchers who lead snorkeling and scuba outings and guided nature walks. Vacationers fascinated by Polynesian tradition might need to check the resort’s conventional outrigger canoe on a visit to one of many surrounding non-public islets that share an atoll with the Brando. All villas at this all-inclusive resort have their very own non-public swimming pools and direct seashore entry; the spa gives a variety of therapeutic modalities, together with a conventional Polynesian taurumi therapeutic massage. —Afar workers
Cayo Espanto
- Location: Cayo Espanto, Belize
- Why we adore it: A personal island paradise for divers and fishing lovers
- From $2,195, all-inclusive
- E-book now
About three miles off the coast from San Pedro, Cayo Espanto is an alluring choice for Belize-bound vacationers. The resort has an all-inclusive mannequin for its seven one-bedroom villas and two two-bedroom villas, which all have non-public swimming pools and docks aside from one overwater bungalow. Every villa is assigned a butler who’s on the prepared for any requests, together with meals (there aren’t any set menus; friends work with the chef to tailor their meals). Belize is thought for its diving and fishing, and Cayo Espanto has its personal dive boats, dive masters, and fishing guides who prepare excursions. —DLT
Como Parrot Cay
- Location: Turks and Caicos
- Why we adore it: An A-list escape the place wellness takes middle stage
- From $1,500
- E-book now
A 35-minute boat journey off the coast of Providenciales takes you to a 1,000-acre piece of paradise: Como Parrot Cay. This Turks and Caicos resort is a favourite hideaway for bold-faced names in search of a wellness-inspired keep. (Preserve an eye fixed out for Keith Richards, Christie Brinkley, and Donna Karan—who all personal non-public properties right here.) The 61 lodging embrace a breezy, beachy aesthetic with white shiplap partitions, pickled wooden ceilings, driftwood tables, and flowy curtains in all places you look. For the last word indulgence, splurge on a seashore home, villa, or property, all of which include butler service.
Sustainability is on the coronary heart of Como Parrot Cay. Almost 85 p.c of the island is a protected habitat for native wildlife, whereas the resort’s coconut grove and banana farm present recent produce for its kitchens. The lodge additionally invests in the area people. Wellness is woven into each facet of the expertise, from Como Shambhala spa therapies and dawn seashore meditations to Ayurvedic consultations and nourishing, health-focused delicacies. Friends spend their days snorkeling alongside the reefs, paddling by means of mangroves, or just sinking into island time with a recent coconut in hand. —Laura Begley Bloom
Islas Secas
- Location: Islas Secas archipelago, Panama
- Why we adore it: An opulent castaway expertise run on solar energy
- From $2,500, all-inclusive
- E-book now
The distant Panama archipelago of Islas Secas is a protect of 14 protected volcanic islands 20 miles off the nation’s Pacific coast. With 750 species of fish, 124 fowl species, and 128 species of vegetation, this biodiversity scorching spot can also be residence to the all-inclusive Islas Secas resort, composed of a handful of casitas—some tented—with out of doors plunge swimming pools or soaking tubs. At Islas Secas, conservation is a key pillar, and one hundred pc of the property’s energy is photo voltaic generated, all meals waste is composted, and all wastewater is used for irrigation. Friends preserve busy with nature-focused actions like seasonal whale watching, diving, and mountain climbing.—DLT
Jumby Bay Island
- Location: Jumby Bay Island, Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda
- Why we adore it: A car-free non-public island with empty seashores
- From $2,750, all-inclusive
- E-book now
Jumby Bay Island is a non-public island simply two miles off mainland Antigua. Ringed with coral reefs, the 300-acre non-public isle, managed by Oetker Assortment, has two white-powder seashores and three glowing swimming pools. There aren’t any automobiles; as a substitute, most individuals get round on foot or through winding paths on bikes offered by the resort. The 40 suites and 36 villas and personal residences, in white and blue, are secluded retreats surrounded by tropical foliage.
Friends can sail on the resort’s non-public yacht or use the intensive water sports activities tools, which ranges from water skis to windsurfers. There are 4 eating places, a youngsters membership, and a spa with 5 ocean-view remedy suites, whereas the not too long ago opened Little Hut, Little Jumby, is its personal non-public island seashore membership and restaurant a brief ferry journey away.
Seventy p.c of the island’s vitality is offered by photo voltaic vitality, and the island acts as a sanctuary for endangered hawksbill sea turtles. From June to November, a workforce displays and data nesting actions, tagging every turtle to trace their progress.—DLT
JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
- Location: Venice, Italy
- Why we adore it: A quiet respite away from Venice’s vacationer crowds
- Loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy
- From $469
- E-book now
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025, the seasonal JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa sits by itself olive grove and fruit orchard-filled non-public island of Isola delle Rose, a brief boat journey away from Piazza San Marco. Its 266 visitor rooms are divided between JW Rooms in the principle constructing and JW Retreats that provide extra privateness amid non-public gardens with plunge swimming pools.
Friends can strive their hand at Italian specialties on the on-site cooking college that makes use of produce from the resort’s backyard, and there are a number of eating choices, together with a pizzeria and rooftop restaurant. The JW Spa has a view of the lagoon and eight remedy rooms, a sauna and bio sauna, hammam, and heated indoor pool.—DLT
Kokomo Personal Island
- Location: Kokomo, Kadavu Islands, Fiji
- Why we adore it: A personal island expertise for all ages with two seashores
- From $2,200
- E-book now
South of the Fijian mainland on 140 acres, Kokomo Personal Island combines conventional Fijian design (thatched roofs) with contemporary-feeling touches (glossy tiled plunge swimming pools). The property has 21 villas, every with its personal infinity pool, all scattered removed from one another alongside the island’s two seashores; 5 hilltop Grand Residences provide uninterrupted views of the South Pacific. Friends of all ages take pleasure in actions like diving, fishing, kayaking, and snorkeling. For youthful friends, there’s a youngsters membership with actions like mangrove planting, whereas for adults, the Yaukuve Spa Sanctuary has 5 remedy rooms and a moist and dry hammam. The resort is dedicated to serving to protect the island through regenerative and sustainable applications starting from coral restoration and composting to desalination vegetation, which create freshwater for the swimming pools and gardens and sea salt for the kitchen. The island can also be residence to a 5.5-acre natural farm with free-range chickens that present the island’s eggs and beehives that generate the resort’s honey.—DLT
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
- Location: Florida Keys
- Why we adore it: An adults-only non-public island escape—no passport required
- From $2,532
- E-book now
Positioned 28 miles east of Key West, the four-acre Little Palm Island is the one adults-only non-public island resort in america. The Relais & Châteaux resort is right for {couples} (there’s even a Romance Concierge). The 30 thatched-roof bungalow suites, every with non-public out of doors showers and verandas and no televisions, are hidden in tropical foliage. Apart from enjoyable on the secluded seashore, many friends spend time in SpaTerre, which gives Balinese and Thai therapies, or on the offered kayaks and paddleboards. Diving, fishing, and crusing excursions are additionally accessible.—DLT
Necker Island
- Location: Necker Island, North Sound of British Virgin Islands
- Why we adore it: Commune with nature and wildlife between seashore excursions and padel matches
- From $5,850 per individual per night time, all inclusive
- E-book now
Set on 74 acres of white-sand seashores and inexperienced landscapes, Necker Island is a part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Restricted Version assortment. The non-public island’s lodging embody the Nice Home, which has 11 bedrooms and one bunk-bedroom very best for teenagers, and 10 Balinese-style homes scattered throughout the island. Necker Island might be booked for unique use, whereas small-group and particular person stays are allowed on varied weeks all year long.
Friends have entry to the island’s 4 freshwater infinity swimming pools, scorching tubs, and tennis, pickleball, and padel courts, together with all kinds of water sports activities. They share the island with an abundance of wildlife, together with flamingos, lemurs, big tortoises, and 52 fowl species—whose habitats the resort helps to preserve. A lot of Necker Island’s vitality additionally depends on its three big wind generators and photo voltaic farm.—DLT
North Island, a Luxurious Assortment Resort
- Location: Seychelles
- Why we adore it: Luxurious and conservation in one of many world’s most distant settings
- Loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy
- From $7,220
- E-book now
North Island is greater than only a private-island escape—it’s a restoration success story. The Noah’s Ark Conservation Programme has reworked a once-abandoned coconut plantation right into a sanctuary for endangered species, from uncommon Seychelles magpie robins to nesting inexperienced and hawksbill turtles. Be sure you say “hello” to the island’s most celebrated resident: Brutus, an Aldabra big tortoise believed to be not less than 160 years previous. Friends are invited to participate within the island’s conservation efforts, whether or not it’s serving to plant native timber or becoming a member of rangers on dawn turtle patrols.
However sustainability doesn’t imply sacrifice. The 11 villas are sprawling 5,000-square-foot beachfront hideaways constructed from regionally sourced supplies and designed for open-air residing, with non-public swimming pools, shaded terraces, and butlers on the prepared. Relating to meals, there aren’t any set menus—every meal is tailor-made to private preferences and eating can happen anyplace, whether or not a lantern-lit desk on the seashore or the privateness of your villa.—LBB
Peter Island Resort
- Location: British Virgin Islands
- Why we adore it: A Caribbean icon is reborn
- From $1,000
- E-book now
After a six-year transformation, Peter Island Resort is making its long-awaited return. This unique retreat—the most important non-public island resort within the British Virgin Islands—spans 5,000 unspoiled acres with 5 powder white-sand seashores and dramatic mountain climbing trails. A lot of the 52 lodging are steps from the sand, and 11 have non-public out of doors scorching tubs. The crowning glory is the Falcon’s Nest, a six-bedroom property that sits atop a hill with 360-degree ocean views, an infinity pool, and countless indoor-outdoor residing areas.
Friends can spend their days indulging in wellness therapies on the 10,000-square-foot spa or eating on surf-and-turf on the Drake Steakhouse. This island has entry to a few of the finest crusing within the Caribbean, and the Yacht Membership’s revamped marina welcomes vessels as much as 200 ft. Sustainability is woven into the island’s DNA. Two wind generators present as much as 75 p.c of its vitality, whereas an on-island water bottling plant eliminates single-use plastics. Domestically sourced supplies have been used within the building of the beachfront areas, and an progressive food-waste discount program companions with an natural farm on close by Tortola.—LBB
Soneva Fushi Maldives
- Location: Baa Atoll, Maldives
- Why we adore it: A trailblazer for sustainability within the Maldives
- From $3,100
- E-book now
The second friends arrive at Soneva Fushi within the Maldives, sneakers are whisked away and a bicycle is handed over: That is all about sluggish, sustainable, barefoot luxurious. When Six Senses founders Sonu Shivdasani and his spouse Eva opened Soneva Fushi in 1995, they have been forward of the curve—proving that luxurious and eco-sensitivity can go hand in hand. They later bought the Six Senses model however held onto this pioneering property.
Villas embrace indoor-outdoor residing, with retractable roofs, open-air bogs, and handcrafted furnishings constructed from reclaimed supplies. The resort recycles 95 p.c of its waste, leads conservation initiatives like coral restoration and sea turtle rehabilitation, and is residence to a glass-blowing studio the place discarded bottles are repurposed into artwork.
Experiences at Soneva Fushi are simply as forward-thinking, from eating within the treetops on a zipline journey to stargazing on the Maldives’ first overwater observatory. The Soneva Soul wellness middle gives holistic therapies, whereas the Den—the most important youngsters membership within the Maldives—immerses youthful vacationers in creativity and exploration.—LBB
Music Saa Personal Island
- Location: Koh Rong Archipelago, Cambodia
- Why we adore it: A luxe island escape the place sustainability takes middle stage
- From $1,024
- E-book now
Since opening in 2012 in an archipelago off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s Music Saa Personal Island has been elevating the bar for sustainable luxurious. The resort is unfold throughout two tiny islands which might be linked by a footbridge over the nation’s first marine reserve, developed to safeguard turtles, seahorses, and tropical fish. The 24 villas are constructed with reclaimed timber from previous fishing boats and have cover beds, driftwood furnishings, sunken bathtubs, and personal infinity swimming pools.
Via the Music Saa Basis, friends can go to the close by village of Prek Svay, assist plant coral nurseries, or snorkel with marine scientists. After darkish, the ocean lights up with bioluminescent plankton, finest skilled on a guided night time swim. For wellness seekers, the island’s spa with no partitions has open-air sanctuaries the place therapies are guided by Buddhist ideas of stillness, therapeutic, and blessings. And when it’s time to depart? A speedboat whisks you again to Sihanoukville, however a part of it would be best to keep marooned eternally.—LBB
