Five of the world’s best homes for sale in isolated places

From private islands to mountain retreats, prime property for getting away from it all

one year ago

By George Upton

For a private island

Little Whale Cay is the closest developed private island to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, and roughly 140 miles south-east of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The 40-acre property, which is on the market for $35mn, includes a 2,300ft runway suitable for light aircraft. It is a 15-minute flight from the nearest commercial airport at Nassau, or five minutes from Chub Cay, where those arriving by private aircraft can clear customs. The property’s seven bedrooms are divided between the two-bedroom Little Whale House — which is situated on an elevated bluff, overlooking the island’s beach — and two other buildings. There is a swimming pool, all-weather tennis court and gym, and, in addition to the runway, the island has two harbours.

For a moorland retreat

As well as being surrounded by 20 acres of gardens and grounds, this Grade-II listed, 11-bedroom property is located in an isolated position on the eastern edge of the Dartmoor National Park, in Devon. Built from local stone (granite) in the early 20th century, the six-bedroom main house has recently been modernised, preserving its original fireplaces, high ceilings and oak floorboards. A separate building contains stables and two cottages, with a further five bedrooms. Despite feeling set apart, the £5.75mn property is only a mile from the market town of Chagford, where there are a number of independent shops and pubs.

For expansive views

This modern four-bedroom home is situated on an elevated, 50-acre site on the shores of Lake Wānaka, on New Zealand’s South Island (also main picture, above). A central kitchen-dining room leads to two sunken lounges, both with fireplaces, and opens on to a terrace on one side and a veranda on the other — providing panoramic views of the lake and the mountains of the Mount Aspiring National Park. The distinctive geometric form of the house — which is on the market for NZ$18mn ($11.3mn) — has been clad in cedar and there is a boardwalk that leads down to a viewing platform and a private mooring on the lake.

For a cliffside hideaway

This six-bedroom villa in Monte Argentario, a peninsula on the Tuscan coast, is situated within a national park where new construction has been prohibited since 1980. The villa’s discrete position — nestled in the cliff face on the western side of the peninsula and hidden from the road above — is therefore protected. All five floors of the property have expansive views across the Mediterranean Sea to the islands of Giannutri and Giglio and there are several terraces and sunbathing spots on the path that leads down to the water. The property is on the market for €7mn.

For a mountain lookout

The commanding position of this modern six-bedroom home, on the crest of Quarry Mountain in Utah, offers privacy and expansive views while still being only half-an-hour drive from Salt Lake City. The house’s design is notable for the two double-height living rooms and use of electrochromic glazing, which means light levels and the amount of heat caused by solar radiation can be easily regulated. On the market for $20mn, the property has six bedroom suites, patios and decks on several different levels and an accessible rooftop deck, from which to enjoy a panorama of the Wasatch Mountains.