Owning a private island is the ultimate escape. It's the only way to absolutely get away from it all and, if you want complete control of your environment, buying one isn't simply a luxury, it's a necessity. After all, only island proprietors like Richard Branson and the Barclay twins can truly call themselves masters of all they survey. The good news is that 30 years ago actually owning an island was simply a pipe dream; it's now easier to make real.

The internet has expanded the choice and ease of purchasing private islands. A good place to start your research is by visiting www.privateislandonline.com, where you can find islands ranging in price from a few thousand ($27,000 for an acre in Nova Scotia or $75,000 for four acres in the Philippines) to many million ($70 million for 2,000 acres in the Caribbean). Expect to pay a premium for tropical islands, but the price goes down significantly for more northerly islands.