Exuma private islands and celebrity owners: what Wikipedia and the press report

Several well-known people own islands in the Exumas, and most of those islands are closed to visitors. This page lists what Wikipedia and the press report about the best-known ones, and what it means if you are cruising past. It sticks to ownership that those sources state and leaves out anything private. For the park itself, see the plan hub and the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park guide.

Which celebrities own islands in the Exumas?

Wikipedia says a number of well-known people own islands or residences in the Exumas³. It names Aga Khan, Nicolas Cage, David Copperfield, Ali Daei, Johnny Depp, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw among them³. Some of them purchased private islands, while others purchased more common homes³. Wikipedia adds that a few smaller cays still remain partially or wholly privately owned³.

Bahamas.com says the chain is home to secluded beaches, deserted cays and ultra-exclusive resorts⁵, and that the private islands play host to some of the world’s most famous stars⁵.

Bell Island

Wikipedia calls Bell Island a private island inside the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park¹. It reports that the island was purchased for $100 million in 2009 and is controlled by the Aga Khan¹. The Bell Island guide has the size, the coordinates and what the park rules mean for boats nearby.

Little Hall’s Pond Cay

Bisnow reported that Johnny Depp bought Little Hall’s Pond Cay for $3.6 million after spotting it while shooting Pirates of the Caribbean⁴. Bisnow describes a 45-acre island with pure white sand and clear blue water, and says it is not open to the public⁴. It also reports that Depp owns the small neighbouring island Osprey Bird Rock⁴.

Musha Cay

Wikipedia describes Musha Cay as a 700-acre, privately owned island in the Exuma Chain, owned by illusionist David Copperfield, and located 85 miles southeast of Nassau². Three smaller islands surround it and maintain its guests’ privacy². Only one group of guests, numbering up to 24, can be on Musha Cay at any one time².

Can you visit a private island?

Each source says something different about access, so check by island:

Island	What the sources say about access
Bell Island	A private island1
Little Hall’s Pond Cay	Not open to the public, per Bisnow4
Musha Cay	One group of guests, up to 24, at any one time2
Kemp Cay and Overyonder Cay	Entry by invitation only, per Bahamas Motor Yacht Charters8
Pipe Cay	Described as a private bank without visitation restrictions8

Read the Pipe Creek guide for the cays around Kemp Cay and Overyonder Cay. Where an island is private, stay off its beaches unless the owner has invited you.

Which of these islands are inside the park?

Of the islands above, Wikipedia places Bell Island inside the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park¹. Its coordinates, 24.306°N 76.558°W¹, fall between the four corner coordinates the Bahamas National Trust publishes for the park⁶. The Trust says the park was established in 1958⁶.

Inside the park, the Trust’s rules apply to everyone, whoever owns the neighbouring land⁷:

Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is a NO TAKE ZONE: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering – nothing living or dead may be removed from within the boundaries of Exuma Park⁷.

Anchoring is not permitted in the mooring fields, on coral reefs and certain other designated areas within Exuma Park⁷.

The park vs the wider Exumas guide explains how the site decides whether a place is inside the park, and the no-take zone guide covers the fishing rules.