If you think your neighborhood is interesting, imagine Sir Richard Branson and Google co-founder Larry Page as your next-door neighbors. It’s possible in the British Virgin Islands, home to the private islands of some of the world’s elite.
If you’re not in the market for an entire private island — though those are still available if your pockets are deep enough — the luxurious residential community of Oil Nut Bay awaits. Boasting what can only be described as some of the most impressive private homes in the Caribbean, it’s a remarkable destination with an impressive founding story and an even brighter future.
Private Island Paradise
Calling the pristine British Virgin Islands one of the most beautiful places on Earth is no exaggeration. After all, this is where people with the wealth to live anywhere on Earth choose to call home.
Island living, sea breezes, and clear skies are among its biggest appeals for vacationers and homeowners alike. The British Virgin Islands are considered some of the best sailing grounds in the Caribbean. Their tranquil waters and steady trade winds make them a heavenly destination for yachts.
Take that with its other unique benefits: no income tax, sales tax, capital gains tax, or gift tax, a U.S. dollar-based economy, and freehold property rights backed by the British Crown — and it’s a veritable paradise for the rich and famous.
The British Virgin Islands — comprising 16 inhabited islands and more than 20 uninhabited — are home to numerous private islands and resorts. Among them is Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, the popularity of which influenced the public’s perception of private island ownership.
Oil Nut Bay isn’t a private island, but it feels like one. This vast 400-acre property is on the eastern tip of Virgin Gorda, one of the territory’s largest islands. Lush mountains cross a narrow isthmus like a border, making it accessible only by boat and helicopter. It lends exclusivity and security to a destination at the very heart of the British Virgin Island’s most sought-after area, the North Sound.
Welcome to Oil Nut Bay
Photographs of Oil Nut Bay don’t do the property justice. It’s as if Nature strategically placed Each peak and hillside to offer a better view than the last. On one side, breathtaking views of the sea reveal waves crashing into dramatic cliffs, while on the other, a tranquil Caribbean bay hides curious lobsters and sea turtles.
The property’s private beach club boasts an infinity pool and swim-up bar set against its main beach. It also includes an open-air restaurant and intimate bar for cocktail parties and rum tastings. Adventurous visitors can trek the network of hiking trails crisscrossing the property, enroll in one of the many available wellness classes, or relieve stress in the state-of-the-art gym.
An overwater spa will debut later this year, though guests can enjoy in-villa services while they wait. Even the smallest detail is a delight: the concrete mixture used on roads that cut through the property was specially tinted to blend into the natural stone of the island.
The amenities at Oil Nut Bay read like those at other luxe Caribbean resorts, but Oil Nut Bay has still more to offer. Though boaters can tie up at the Oil Nut Bay Marina to dine at open-air overwater Nova or peruse the Marina Village shops, most of the property remains a private community for homeowners and guests. Oil Nut Bay also offers luxury villas and estates for rent for shorter stays, allowing homeowners to add their properties to the rental pool when they’re not in residence — about half choose to do so.
However, unlike other British Virgin Islands resorts and Caribbean vacation destinations, Oil Nut Bay is firmly owner-first. That’s part of what makes it a great place to live; all design decisions primarily serve property owners.
Real Estate at Oil Nut Bay
Oil Nut Bay has just 180 available homesites, many already occupied by happy homeowners living out their island dreams or in the construction process.
Tentative buyers can select their preferred views. Those dreaming of classic Caribbean views overlooking azure seas and white sands can book the six-bedroom Beach House. Lodgers looking for rugged cliffs and crags of the property’s “wild” Atlantic-facing side can explore Wildside 1.
The property’s most unique undeveloped homesite has views of both; at the far eastern tip of Virgin Gorda, The Point calls to a visionary ready to transform her into what is sure to be one of the most impressive private homes in the Caribbean.
Oil Nut Bay offers undeveloped homesites and turn-key residences for sale, giving would-be residents plenty of options. For some, it all comes down to how long they will wait to start living the island life. “We’ve even seen homeowners buy a turn-key residence at Oil Nut Bay while their dream home is being built on the other side of the property,” shared Alexander Dobbs, Oil Nut Bay’s real estate manager.
And build they do. Oil Nut Bay works with the best teams in the British Virgin Islands and beyond to create magic out of raw hillside and palm-fringed beachfront. Homeowners work closely with design teams to craft their space. With years of experience and countless happy homeowners, the team makes meticulous design and building processes look and feel like a well-choreographed dance.
At Home at Oil Nut Bay
The Oil Nut Bay real estate team is now on track to exceed sales goals in what promises to be the community’s biggest year yet. Much of Oil Nut Bay’s success undoubtedly comes from its founder, David V. Johnson, chairman of Victor International Corporation and the visionary leader behind forty of the most impressive residential communities in the United States.
Johnson spent 10 years sailing the Caribbean and scouting the perfect island home for Oil Nut Bay, which he calls the masterpiece of his career. Oil Nut Bay is not just another project for him; it’s his home. New community residents become quick friends, grabbing a coffee at the marina coffee shop or stopping by his house for a chat.
Johnson’s genuine love for the land, the island, and the community sets the tone at Oil Nut Bay. “It’s impressive to see how much genuine community there is at Oil Nut Bay,” muses Dobbs as he recounts resident traditions of gathering at sunrise to walk the property’s loop road, coffee in hand. “That is what you want, after all, to find a place that feels like home.”
