On a deserted island in Fiji’s pristine northern Lau archipelago, Sophie McComas settles into an over-the-top villa owned by Oakley founder, Jim Jannard. I'm being defeated in a staring contest by a double-decker coconut cake, thickly iced and sprinkled with golden toasted coconut flakes and frangipani flowers.
Read MoreAs there are 333 islands in this Pacific archipelago, many uninhabited, it isn’t unusual for a billionaire to snap one up for personal use and then turn it into a resort. Malcolm Forbes was known for his parties on Laucala, his vast Fijian landmass in the Lau group now owned by Red Bull CEO Dietrich Mateschitz and open to guests. Canadian entrepreneur David Gilmour, who brought Fiji Water to the world, owns pristine Wakaya Island, which welcomes visitors as the Wakaya Club & Spa. While staying at the latter, Oakley founder James Jannard was also intrigued by the idea of owning an isle and wound up buying four in the northern Lau group. After a five-year process, his retreat, known as Vatuvara, opened as a resort on the 324ha main island, Kaibu.
Read More
