Why settle for a house when you can snap up an entire private island? That's the question one surprisingly affordable listing in Australia has buyers asking. Poole Island in Queensland lies right in the heart of the Whitsundays, a collection of 74 islands between the northeast coast of Queensland and the magnificent Great Barrier Reef – which, if you hadn't already guessed, makes this a pretty rare real estate opportunity. Although the island needs some work, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything quite as special as this in the Whitsundays. While the isle was originally under contract, it's now back on the market after the buyer mysteriously vanished. Click or scroll on to find out more.

All prices are in UK pounds and US dollars unless otherwise specified.

Although the listing doesn't actually state how big the island is, local sources say it spans just under 50 acres. Amazingly, the average house price in the area in 2022 was AUD$540,000, which equates to £292,500 ($366k). That makes this private island an absolute steal. Plus, far from being a vacant strip, Poole Island already comes equipped with not one, but two homes, and is surrounded by coral reefs and azure waters.

There's a large home facing the Coral Sea and a second, smaller house that was built in the late 1800s, which has already received an interior update. Plus, the listing confirms that the buildings and exterior pathways are in fantastic condition, making the isle move-in ready. The island also has two sheds, a boat ramp, a saltwater ocean pool where you can swim and a 700-foot runway, so this fly-in home is easy to access.

Rather strangely, a clandestine buyer is said to have secured the island with a deposit of AUD$5,000 (£2.7k/$3.3k), before mysteriously disappearing, leaving their cash behind. So, if you fancy taking your chances on it, and you've got AUD$995,000 (£539k/$674k) in the bank, then this dreamy Australian island could soon be yours.

Read on to take a look at more affordable private islands for sale right now

Are you yearning to escape the hustle and bustle of the rat race in favour of something a little more peaceful? What about swapping bricks and mortar for sun, sea and solitude? From dazzling sandy shores to picturesque lake retreats, these private islands are all for sale and cost less than the average apartment in major cities around the world. Click or scroll on to start exploring...

Up for grabs for a little over £87,000 ($109k), Ken's Island in Ontario, Canada is an affordable option for those seeking solitude and sanctuary. The compact island spans 0.75 acres and can be found between the city of Sudbury and Ontario’s famed Georgian Bay. 

Ken's Island is ideal for anyone who loves the great outdoors. Nestled in the middle of the idyllic Wanapitei River, the surrounding waterways are a popular wilderness canoeing route, stretching for around 70 miles between Scotia Lake and the French River. With nature on your doorstep, you could create a private island retreat for kicking back and relaxing after a long day on the water or perhaps the ultimate holiday home to rent out to keen explorers.

The island is currently undeveloped, but it’s already zoned for a waterfront residence, which means you’ll be able to build a home on the site. For your money, you’ll also gain a lot of the same size on the mainland, plus for adrenaline junkies, there’s even the option to add a zipline between the mainland and the island, according to the listing. Now that's how to make an entrance!

Making any development project even easier, the island is located within an unregulated township, which means you won't have to apply for a building permit, however, any structures must comply with the Ontario building code and may be subject to other permits. Despite its wilderness setting, Ken’s Island is within quick reach of a number of modern conveniences, including a grocery store, restaurants, gas stations and a major hospital. With this lot, you really will have the best of both worlds.

If you've got £88,000 ($110k) in the bank then you could snap up this beautiful leafy island in Canada. Available through Private Islands Online, Gillis Island is located on the Pinette River, just 30 minutes off the coast from Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island.

The 11-acre private paradise offers woodlands and 200 feet of south-facing sandy shorefront. Although it's currently undeveloped, the opportunities here are endless and, according to the listing, the promising island has remained largely untouched since the Acadians first settled the surrounding community of Eldon in 1750.

The isolated isle can be reached by boat in under 10 minutes and offers truly unrivalled views. Plus, it places you within easy reach of the red-sand beaches, renowned seafood restaurants and art galleries of Prince Edward Island, as well as the outstanding kayaking routes and championship golf courses in the region.

What's more, most of the surrounding land remains undeveloped, meaning you could create a quiet and remote hideaway far from the rat race. According to The Canadian Real Estate Association, the average price of homes sold on Prince Edward Island in 2023 was CAD$377,342, which is around £226,300 ($283k), which makes this stunning lot a real bargain.

If you'd prefer to be in Nova Scotia, then how about MacLellans Island? This lovely, untouched parcel stretches 15 acres and lies in the centre of the Chezzetcook Inlet, only 20 minutes from Halifax International Airport. 

Accessing the island is easy, thanks to a nearby public wharf and boat launch on the mainland, where overnight parking is available. Most of this island is 35 feet above sea level and several parts rise at least 49 feet above sea level. There's a number of prepared plots for you to build a house on, and thanks to the high elevations, you're guaranteed amazing scenic views from every window. 

With enough development space for a large main home and several other smaller homes, you could create your own compound, a billionaire vacation island or a sanctuary for your friends and family to unwind together. The possibilities are endless!

This unique acreage comes with plenty of wildlife too, including a family of deer who are permanent residents of the isle. For sale with Private Islands Online for £171,800 ($215k), the island is a real steal, especially since the average house price in nearby Halifax in 2023 is CAD$484,000, which equates to £290,200 ($363k). 

You'd be forgiven for thinking this small parcel of land is located off Billionaire's Row in Palm Beach, Florida, but you'd be wrong. For a fraction of the price, you could snap up a 0.8-acre island in Belize, Central America, with all the perks of The Sunshine State. Think sun, sea and luxury living. 

The island lies in a gorgeous lagoon in Placencia Village and can be seen here enclosed by other small islands, with the mainland a stone's throw away. Conveniently located and affordable, the strip of land is for sale for just £303,700 ($380k) and is primed and ready for you to build your dream home.

The property is perfect for a single-family home or multiple dwellings, but it's only accessible via boat. Offering privacy and security, with all the benefits of being right in the heart of the village, the island even comes with its own fledgling grove of coconut trees.

With less than an acre of land, this affordable island is the perfect opportunity for someone looking for a blank slate where they create their own tropical paradise. Plus, your new home will enjoy scenic coastal views, not to mention vistas of the nearby Mayan mountains.

Have you ever wanted to buy a dreamy oceanfront paradise in Maine, USA? Houses in the idyllic New England state cost £280,700 ($351k) on average, yet for not much more, you could snap up an entire private island paradise. Listed with Private Islands Online for just £315,800 ($395k), Greer Island is brimming with possibilities. 

This amazing American isle is positioned just off the eastern shore of Vinalhaven Island in Maine's mid-coast region. Offering a beautiful, rugged landscape that spans five acres, the island provides picturesque views of Penobscot Bay at one end and a protected cove at the other.

The island is currently undeveloped, although there is a small, unassuming shack that's crying out to be renovated into something a little more inviting. Here, meadows and spruce trees flourish, while wild strawberries and roses bloom in the summer months, making it a wilderness haven for off-grid living.

The island currently boasts permission for a new 600-square-foot structure to be built, so this could be the perfect development opportunity for a buyer with vision. Plus, at low tide, you'll have direct access to the sandy beach on neighbouring Vinalhaven – utter bliss!

Fancy getting your hands on two islands for just €365,000 (£322k/$403k)? Then Stora and Lilla Karskär could well be for you. Positioned in Finland's magical Pargas Archipelago region, these islands provide around 22 combined acres of land in one of the most idyllic and tranquil locations in Europe.

For sale with Vladi Private Islands, the isles are ideal for those looking to reconnect with nature and enjoy a slower pace of life. Both islands are surrounded by a rocky coastline and boast lovely woodlands, filled with native trees and blueberry and lingonberry bushes. Lilla Karskär is the smaller of the two islands and is completely undeveloped, while Stora Karskär has two solid wooden cottages, storage facilities and a jetty.

Move-in ready, the cabins on Stora are traditional and rustic, with exposed timber walls and ceilings. Inside both residences, you'll find a living area, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. In total, the island can comfortably host up to eight overnight guests, though there's plenty of scope for further development.

In fact, current planning regulations in the region would allow the construction of a further three cottages on the island. So you could easily increase the isle's occupancy to accommodate more guests or perhaps create a larger retreat where you can live year-round.

For less than the price of an apartment in London or New York, you could get your hands on a private island retreat in Rymättylä, Finland. Known as Furuskär, the 2.5-acre island is on the market with Vladi Private Islands for €429,000 (£379k/$474k), but you'll get plenty for your cash...

Located off the west coast of Finland, close to the city of Turku, Furuskär is perfectly placed for tourists. This waterway, between Finland and Sweden, is very popular since the weather is particularly mild there. With a relatively small budget, you could create a holiday retreat for those venturing to the region.

Furuskär actually consists of two islands, the smaller of which is just a rocky outcrop. There is a cabin, a sauna house, a small shed and a dock on the main island, along with walking paths. Plus, the port of Rymättylä Ajolanranta is about 30 minutes away by boat, so your guests can be transported to the isle with ease.

Inside, the idyllic cabin is compact and traditional, with a living area downstairs and a small loft bedroom that would be ideal for two adults. There's also the possibility for further construction, as permits for up to four cabins have been obtained by the current owner, while electricity can be produced by a generator. Though in need of a little modernisation, this remote retreat could easily be crafted into something special.

Neptune Cay can be found in the heart of the Bahamas, surrounded by the stunning azure-blue waters of the Caribbean. Yet the property is mere minutes from Stella Maris airport and resort, making this seemingly remote isle relatively easy to access. 

The 4.5-acre-island offers 9,536 square feet of undeveloped land, plus a handy mainland property featuring 600 feet of sandy beachfront. Perfect for kayaking or paddleboarding enthusiasts, this tropical base is also ideal for outdoor explorers.

The paradise property comes with some infrastructure already in place, including docks and private roads for navigating the acreage. These existing amenities should help to ease the construction process if a buyer wishes to develop holiday accommodation on the isle.

With white sandy beaches fringed with palm trees and crystal clear waters that are perfect for fishing or swimming, Neptune Cay is a real find. If you've fallen in love, Neptune Cay is currently up for grabs with Private Islands Online for £395,900 ($495k).

For the exact same price, you could swap the Bahamas for Quebec. Known as The Islands of Lac Lesage, this private lake retreat is actually two islands. The largest measures 37,321 square feet, while the second is 2,402 square feet, so in total, there's just under an acre of land up for grabs in a truly spectacular landscape.

The gorgeous islands can be found in the heart of the Laurentian Mountains, less than 40 minutes from the world-renowned Mont-Tremblant vacation resort and Mont-Tremblant International Airport. The isles are situated in Lac Lesage, a vast lake that's fully navigable via motorboat and peppered with only a handful of homes.

The islands are feet away from the protected Réserve faunique de Papineau-Labelle nature reserve, an area of diverse vegetation and wildlife where visitors can enjoy an array of outdoor activities, such as hiking and fishing. On the larger main island, you'll find three buildings: a two-level main house with an open-plan layout, a lakeside log cottage and a structure that houses washroom facilities.

Inside, the two-storey home is in need of a refresh, but with a lick of paint and some modern furnishings, we're sure it could be turned into a lovely remote retreat. What's more, the crystal-clear surrounding water is known for its purity, meaning wild swimming and other water activities are within your reach. What are you waiting for?

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