As unbelievable as it sounds, it鈥檚 true: there are private tropical island resorts that you don鈥檛 need to take out a mortgage in order to afford. Look hard enough and you鈥檒l find a bunch of them tucked away on quiet sandy crests dotting the sea around the world, but I鈥檒l focus on two of the finest ones close to the United States鈥攖o keep your flight costs down鈥攁nd another in a more exotic locale.
Coco Plum Island, Belize
Cooper Island Beach Club, British Virgin Islands
Robinson Crusoe Island, Fiji
Affordable Island: Coco Plum
The low-end 鈥渘o-frills鈥 package offered by this palm-shaded 16-acre island off the coast of Belize is actually pretty frill-full. You鈥檒l be in one of the resort鈥檚 14 bungalows, where you can watch the reef-protected Caribbean lap onto your private pier from the hammock on your porch. Meals are included, as is use of the resort鈥檚 kayaks. The only catch: a minimum stay of four nights. Rates start at $280 a night.
Affordable Island: Cooper
The 500-acre island near Tortola that gives its name isn鈥檛 completely private to the resort鈥攂ut there are barely any other signs of civilization on its tree-carpeted expanses. The property鈥檚 11 rooms all have a kitchenette, bug-net-enclosed beds, and a luxurious sense of seclusion from the outside world. The popular activities are diving, kayaking, sitting at the long, expansive beach, and lingering on the outdoor sofas at the bar. Rates start at $250 a night.
Affordable Island: Robinson Crusoe
is as close as it gets to summer camp for adults. You don鈥檛 go there for seclusion鈥攔ather, the island, known for its dormitory housing, which caters to backpackers for $27 a night, is like a warm, party-going, outdoor activity center. You can surf, kitesurf, fish, kayak, climb trees, or go for a medicine walk within its 30 acres across the bay from the main island of Viti Levu. There are also private cabins, which start for about $120 a night.