Two miles off the coast of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, surrounded by turquoise Caribbean waters and sheltered from the outside world, sits one of the most exclusive private islands on the planet. Moskito Island has no hotels, no public beach access, and no way in without a private boat or helicopter.
It is home to a handful of billionaire-owned estates, a shared recreation area, and one of the most unusual ownership structures in the history of private island development. The story of who owns Moskito Island starts with one legendary British entrepreneur — and ends with a small circle of ultra-wealthy individuals who were personally invited to build their dream homes there.
Who Owns Moskito Island in 2026?
The primary owner of Moskito Island is Sir Richard Branson — the British billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, best known for Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, and Virgin Limited Edition, his collection of ultra-luxury retreats.
Branson purchased Moskito Island in 2007 for an undisclosed sum and has spent the years since transforming it into one of the most exclusive private island communities in the world.
However, Moskito Island is not owned by Branson alone. After purchasing the 125-acre island, Branson divided it into approximately ten plots of land and sold a small number of those lots to carefully selected ultra-high-net-worth individuals — people Branson personally invited to build estates there.
Branson and the private estates’ owners individually own their estates and co-own the island. The island’s own website describes Moskito as home to eight families, making it effectively the world’s most exclusive private homeowners’ association.
The Branson Estate — the island’s largest — remains fully owned and operated by Branson and his family, managed under his hospitality company Virgin Limited Edition.
Ownership and Key Details Table
| Owner / Party | Estate | Role / Status | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Richard Branson | The Branson Estate | Primary island owner & founder | Bought Moskito Island in 2007; divided into ~10 lots for select billionaires |
| Virgin Limited Edition | Manages Branson Estate + rental bookings | Operating company | Part of Virgin Group; CEO Joe Margison; manages all guest rentals on the island |
| Private Billionaire Owner (Undisclosed) | The Oasis Estate | Private lot owner | Identity not publicly disclosed; estate available for guest rental |
| Private Billionaire Owner (Undisclosed) | The Point Estate | Private lot owner | Identity not publicly disclosed; estate available for guest rental |
| Private Billionaire Owner (Undisclosed) | Cape Stout | Private lot owner | Newest rentable estate; sleeps 24; added 2024; BVI land records not public |
| Private Billionaire Owner (Undisclosed) | The Village Estate | Private lot owner | Newest addition as of 2025–26; confirmed on island website |
| ~8 families total | Various private lots | Co-owners of the island | Invited personally by Branson; exact identities not publicly confirmed |
| BVI Government | National Park designation | Regulatory authority | Moskito Island is a designated National Park in the British Virgin Islands |
The Origin Story: From Pirate Haunt to Billionaire Paradise
Moskito Island has been inhabited — and abandoned — many times throughout its history. The Taíno people originally settled in the Virgin Islands over a thousand years ago, and the island appears on old nautical charts dating back to the 1700s, where it was variously spelled “Musketa”, “Mosquito”, and eventually “Moskito” — the spelling that Branson himself maintains today.
By the late 1800s, the island was abandoned and used only to graze livestock. The only significant development in modern times was Drake’s Anchorage, a small resort built by a man named Bert Kilbride in the 1960s, which ultimately closed in 2001. The island sat empty and undeveloped for six years after that — until Richard Branson arrived.
Branson had fallen in love with Moskito Island long before he bought it. He had been living and working from his neighboring island, Necker — which he famously purchased in 1979 for just $180,000 — and had watched Moskito from across the water for decades. In 2007, he finally acquired it and immediately began planning what it would become.
What Is Branson’s Vision for Moskito Island?
Branson’s concept for Moskito Island was deliberately different from anything that had been done with a private island before.
Rather than turning it into a traditional resort with hotel rooms and a large staff serving anonymous guests, he envisioned it as a private community — a small collection of billionaire-owned estates, each designed and built to the individual owner’s personal taste, all sharing a set of world-class communal recreational facilities.
Branson originally brought in Taiwanese architect Dr. Ken Kao, a former professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, to plan the private island community.
Each ultra-luxury estate was designed and built for the personal use of its billionaire owner, reflecting their distinct tastes, styles, and preferences. This hybrid model lets Branson share the island while keeping quality control extremely high — and it has turned Moskito into what many people call the most exclusive homeowners’ association in the world.
The Estates of Moskito Island
As of 2026, Moskito Island is home to five estates available for private rental, alongside several others owned exclusively for private use.
The Branson Estate is the largest on the island, sprawling across 19,000 square feet and consisting of three distinct villas — Headland House, Beach Villa, and Mangrove Villa — together sleeping up to 22 guests across 11 bedrooms. It is the only estate on the island with its own private beach.
The Branson Estate became available for guest rental in January 2020 and is bookable through Virgin Limited Edition at rates starting from approximately $88,000 per night for the whole estate.
The Oasis Estate sits on the island’s highest peak with 360-degree panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and surrounding islands. Its design was inspired by a modern superyacht, with 13 suites, transparent split-level terraces, and seven pools. Rates start at approximately $19,000 per night.
The Point Estate is built directly into the cliffside overlooking Manchioneel Beach — reportedly Branson’s favorite spot on the island. It offers 8 suites, a wraparound infinity pool, and accommodates up to 22 guests.
Cape Stout is the newest rentable estate, added to the island’s guest offering in 2024. It sleeps up to 24 guests across 8 suites plus a bunkroom, features 7 pools, and includes a private 42-foot power boat.
The Village Estate is the most recently completed addition to the island as of 2025–26, described on the island’s own website as its fifth rentable property, making Moskito the most comprehensively developed it has ever been.
How Is Moskito Island Managed?
The day-to-day management and guest booking for Moskito Island is handled by Virgin Limited Edition — the hospitality arm of the Virgin Group that also manages Necker Island and properties in Mallorca.
As of 2026, Virgin Limited Edition’s CEO is Joe Margison, and the island has its own CEO, Shaylene Todd Enlow, a luxury hospitality veteran who oversees the on-island experience.
The island operates on an exclusive buyout model — guests do not book individual rooms. They rent entire estates, complete with a dedicated private chef, housekeeping team, watersports instructors, and concierge support. This is not a resort. Every guest on Moskito Island feels as if the entire island has been arranged entirely for them.
Who Are the Private Estate Owners?
This is where transparency becomes genuinely limited — and intentionally so. BVI land records are not open to the public, and Virgin Limited Edition does not publicly name the owners of the privately held estates.
The island’s management has confirmed that Moskito is home to approximately eight families, all of whom were personally selected by Branson himself. These are people described as “very unpretentious, and yet their homes truly are dream homes” by the island’s CEO.
The Point Estate, according to one published source, is owned by an individual named as the chairman of the board of MGM Resorts International — though this has not been independently confirmed. No other estate owners have been publicly identified.
The identities of the Cape Stout, Oasis, and Village Estate owners remain undisclosed as of 2026.
What is confirmed is that every private owner was invited by Branson, built their home to their own specifications with architects of their choosing, and participates in the shared management of the island as a co-owner alongside Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition operation.
Richard Branson and His Caribbean Island Empire
Understanding Moskito Island also means understanding how it fits into Branson’s broader private island portfolio in the Caribbean.
Branson famously purchased Necker Island in 1979 for $180,000 — a price so low it was essentially a joke. He spent years developing it into one of the world’s most famous private island retreats, hosting celebrities, world leaders, and billionaires.
Moskito Island sits just two miles away from Necker and was always seen by Branson as the natural extension of what he had built there.
Branson is also co-owner of Makepeace Island, a luxury resort in Queensland, Australia. Together, his three private islands represent an extraordinary personal portfolio — and Moskito is the only one structured as a multi-owner private community rather than a single-family retreat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Moskito Island in 2026?
Sir Richard Branson is the primary owner of Moskito Island, having purchased the 125-acre British Virgin Islands island in 2007 and co-owning it with approximately eight private ultra-wealthy families.
Q2. When did Richard Branson buy Moskito Island?
Richard Branson bought Moskito Island in 2007, years after he first fell in love with it while living on his neighboring Necker Island.
Q3. How big is Moskito Island?
Moskito Island spans 125 acres and is located on the west side of Gorda Sound in the British Virgin Islands, just two miles from Necker Island.
Q4. How many estates are on Moskito Island?
As of 2026, Moskito Island has five rentable estates: the Branson Estate, The Oasis Estate, The Point Estate, Cape Stout, and The Village Estate, with approximately 10 total lots on the island.
Q5. How much does it cost to stay on Moskito Island?
The Branson Estate starts at approximately $88,000 per night, with the Oasis Estate starting at around $19,000 per night — weekly rates across estates can exceed $1 million.
Q6. Who manages Moskito Island?
Virgin Limited Edition — the hospitality arm of the Virgin Group — manages Moskito Island with CEO Joe Margison leading the company and Shaylene Todd Enlow serving as the island’s own CEO.
Q7. Is Moskito Island open to the public?
No. Moskito Island is entirely private and accessible only by private boat or helicopter. Guests must book an entire estate exclusively — individual room bookings are not available.
Q8. Are the private estate owners on Moskito Island publicly known?
No. BVI land records are not publicly accessible and Virgin Limited Edition does not disclose the identities of the private estate owners, who were all personally selected by Richard Branson.
Moskito Island is primarily owned by Sir Richard Branson, who purchased the 125-acre island in the British Virgin Islands in 2007 and has since developed it into the world’s most exclusive private island community.
Branson owns the island’s primary estate — the Branson Estate — and co-owns the island itself alongside a small circle of approximately eight ultra-high-net-worth families who were personally invited by Branson to purchase and build private estates on the land.
The island is managed by Virgin Limited Edition, part of the Virgin Group, and currently features five rentable estates: the Branson Estate, The Oasis Estate, The Point Estate, Cape Stout, and the newly added Village Estate.
The private estate owners’ identities are not publicly disclosed — a reflection of both the BVI’s closed land records and the deliberate privacy that defines every aspect of life on Moskito Island. Weekly rental rates across the estates start at over $1 million, cementing Moskito as one of the most exclusive — and expensive — private island experiences on the planet.