Boat International - June 2018

http://www.boatinternational.com | June 2018

Voyage

The Talise Spa

Jumeirah Vittaveli

SEA SPA

FACT FILE

LOCATION

25°19’35.2”N 80°17’41.4”W

PRICE $95,000,000

AGENT Vladi Private Islands,

vladi-private-islands.de

USP Island living without isolation

CELEBRITY NEIGHBOURS

Kathie Lee Gifford can be found at Ocean Reef

while Cher, Phil Collins and a host of others

live nearby in star-studded Miami Beach

ROBINSON CRUSOE FACTOR 2/10

Less than 50 minutes by boat from Miami

and just 10 minutes by chopper from

the city’s South Beach, Pumpkin Key is

perfect for those seeking privacy without

the castaway vibe. Lying in Florida Keys’

Card Sound Bay, the island also comes

with dockage at the ultra-exclusive Ocean

Reef club (just 10 minutes by tender),

which has a private jet airstrip, two

championship golf courses and 13

restaurants. The gated community is

home to billionaires and celebrities.

The lush 10 hectare island has a

main house, built in 1985, with three

bedrooms and bathrooms and two

caretakers’ cottages. Perfect for

yacht owners, it has a 20-slip marina,

which can berth a superyacht, and its own

dockmaster oice. It also has a tennis court

that doubles as a helipad for easy arrival

and departure.

Ripe for development, the new owner

could create a family compound with

several large bay-front homes or turn the

island into a rival club, with 12 homes

sitting on 6,000 square metre lots.

Where is it?

Less than 20 minutes by boat from Malé,

Jumeirah Vittaveli is the first seriously

luxurious island in the Maldives that you can

drop anchor at. The spa’s nine treatment

rooms – spread across tropical gardens and

on stilts over the crystal blue water – are the

ideallocationforjetlagrecovery.

Why the hype?

The island has been a long-time favourite of

loved-up honeymooners but its new sprawling

Royal Residence (costing from £11,500 a night)

has put it firmly on the map

for VIPs and dignitaries looking

for more camouflage than just

palm trees. Plus, Motor Yacht A

was recently spotted anchored

off the island, beefing up its

superyacht credentials.

What to have?

For an authentic Maldivian

experience opt for the

60-minute Kurubaa Kaashi. It

starts with a fresh coconut scrub, made on

the island, and is followed by a papaya and

honey body wrap. The treatment ends

with a massage using Vittaveli-made coconut

oil, which can be purchased from the

boutique afterwards.

Best by boat

The entire island is accessible by boat via the

two large jetties, although larger yachts will

need to anchor outside the reef and send the

tender in. The Royal Residence also has its

own jetty so guests can avoid mingling with

mere mortals on arrival.

jumeirah.com

The Hammock

golf course at

Ocean Reef in

Key Largo

Buy me an island

It may be a sizeable price tag for a three-bedroom house but with

a marina, helipad and the chance to mingle with Florida’s great and

good, there’s plenty of bang for your $95 million, says Sophia Wilson

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