Which Hawaiian island Does Bill Gates Own? (2024)

FAQs

Which Hawaii island does Bill Gates own? ›

Billionaire Larry Ellison owns an island in Hawaii. 98 per cent of the island of Lanai is his property.

No one is allowed to visit Hawaii's Forbidden Isle—the 70-square-mile island, which on a clear day can be spied from Kauai's west coast—unless they are invited by Niihau owners the Robinson family, or by one of its 70 full-time Native Hawaiian residents.

Situated approximately 18 miles northwest of Kauai, Niihau extends 5 miles and has been privately owned for more than 150 years. While Hawaii's Forbidden Island remains closed to the public, the reasons why might come as a surprise.

With this purchase, Zuckerberg and wife now own approximately 1,412 acres on Kauai. Though Zuckerberg initially received “bad press” for his initial purchases, the wall and lawsuits, Zuckerberg's reputation on the island has been more positive in recent years.

Zuckerberg and wife, Priscilla Chan, paid $17 million last month for 110 acres of agricultural land on Kauai, bringing their total Hawaii property holdings to more than 1,400 acres, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and the world's 11th-richest person, bought 98 percent of Lanai in 2012 for $300 million, Bloomberg reported.

When the Sinclairs purchased the island in 1864, they committed to maintaining Niihau's Hawaiian culture. Brothers Bruce and Keith Robinson, descendants of the Sinclairs, own the island today, and they have continued to protect the island from the pressures of the outside world.

No one is allowed to land on Niihau unless you are a resident of the island, a member of the Robinson family, or an invited guest. The Robinson family permits helicopter tours, but contact between the visitors and natives is not allowed. Fishermen and sailors may visit the island by sea, but are not able to land.

Does anyone live on Niihau? ›

The majority of people living on Ni'ihau speak Hawaiian as their first language, and English as a second language; Ni'ihau is the only island where Hawaiian is the primary language. Ni'ihau residents speak a specific dialect of Hawaiian that differs from the dialect spoken on the other islands.

While Maui has malls and Oahu has 23 Burger Kings, Niihau is without electricity, plumbing or phones. Niihau is the only place left in the world where the predominant language is Hawaiian.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just bought a remote $78 million 14-acre estate surrounded by dormant lava fields on La Perouse Bay in Maui, adding to his $500 million real estate portfolio.

Molokai is the least visited island of Hawaii. With about 65,000 visitors, the island attracts only a fraction of all the tourists that visit the island group each year. The island is more rural and doesn't have resorts.

Gates and his wife, Melinda, rented the island (the whole island, mind you) for their marriage in 1994, and Ellison has a home on Lanai. Lanai is owned by Murdock, who in 1985 took control of it as a result of his purchase of Castle & Cooke. The state owns 2 percent of the island.

According to a sales deed obtained by KITV4, Oprah has just purchased a whopping 870 acres of land in Kula, the central part of Maui, to the tune of nearly $6.6 million. The land was purchased from Ulupalakua Ranch, KITV4 reports.

Jeff Bezos. Jeff Bezos, the second richest man in the world and Amazon founder, and his partner, news anchor Lauren Sánchez, have acquired land on Maui, sources familiar with the deal confirmed with Maui Times.

Jeff Bezos just shelled out $78 million for a massive Hawaiian estate spanning over 14 acres, The Post can confirm. But the Amazon founder has only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to investing in the Aloha State — which has locals worried.

Roberts is also known for being a fan of purchasing real estate. She has two homes in the desirable Point Dume area of Malibu, California, a Victorian Revival-style home in San Francisco and a house in Kauai, Hawaii.

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison owns most of the property 141-square-mile island Lanai, located eight miles off the coast of Maui. It is unclear when exactly Bezos purchased the property, but he donated to the Hawaii Land Trust in mid-September, which is responsible for the environmental conservation in Maui.

Who owns most of Kauai? ›

State of Hawaii

Combined, the state and department control 1.54 million acres, including more than a million on the island of Hawaii, 156,000 on Kauai, 128,000 on Maui and, on Oahu, some 85,000 acres — a stake that's almost the size of Ellison's on Lanai.

Portlock. Made up of three distinguishable neighborhoods, this area is popularly known as Portlock. It happens to be one of the most expensive and upscale neighborhoods in Hawaii Kai and offers stunning views of the Diamond Head, Maunalua Bay, and Kahala regions.

The U.S. government has over 400,000 acres on Hawaii Island, which includes Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, over 30,000 acres on Maui, which includes Haleakala National Park, and over 60,000 acres on Oahu, which includes most of the Hawaii military bases such as Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Schofield Barracks, Camp ...

In this new sale, Winfrey bought the 870 acres from Ulupalakua Ranch, one of the biggest cattle ranches on Maui. Owned by the Erdman family, the ranch “operates approximately 18,000 acres, 16,000 acres of fee simple land and 2,000 acres leased from the State of Hawaii and private individuals,” according to its website.

Featured on the list was Pierre Omidyar- the richest person in Honolulu. Omidyar gave away $170 million in 2022, meaning he has given $1.82 billion to various organizations over his lifetime. Let's take a quick look at his story.

The lands, currently owned and operated by Molokai Properties Limited, whose parent company is Hong Kong-based investment firm Guoco Group, have repeatedly changed hands and operations over the last century and a half.

And while neighboring Maui sees roughly 2.6 million visitors per year, there are less than 1,000 tourists on Molokai per day (or 365,000 annually). To date, there are approximately 8,000 residents island-wide, 40% of which are native Hawaiians.

Once owned by Royalty, Niihau was purchased from King Kamehameha in 1864 and up to 1987, visits to the island were typically restricted to the owners and their guests, or government officials, which is how it gained its moniker; “The Forbidden Island”.

Niihau, also known as the Forbidden Isle, is a beautiful small island in Hawaii spread across 180 sq km. The island is off-limits to outsiders and only the Robinson family, their relatives, invited gu...

Robinson has repeatedly expressed his desire to keep Niʻihau privately owned so as to preserve the environment and traditions of its 150 to 200 native Hawaiian inhabitants, and has occasionally taken large financial losses to do so.

What language do they speak in Niihau? ›

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The island of Niihau is the only place in the world where Hawaiian is the primary language. The dialect on the island dates back to how Native Hawaiians spoke before missionaries arrived.

Volcanism on Kaua'i Island ended about 3.8 million years ago, making it the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. On the Island of Hawai'i, the youngest of the main Hawaiian Islands, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa are historically the two most active volcanoes, with frequent eruptions.

Elizabeth Sinclair purchased Niʻihau in 1864 for US$10,000 (equivalent to about $190,000 in 2022) from the Kingdom of Hawaii. The island's private ownership passed on to her descendants, the Robinsons.

No doctors. No police. No fire department. And no indoor plumbing.

The most re cent published estimate of Niihau's land value' was about $1‐million in an estate appraisal made three years ago.

No perennial streams exist on the island but about a dozen playa lakes, fresh or brackish during rainy weather, lie on the plain. The domestic water supply is rain caught from roofs. Only three wells on the island yield water with less than 25 grains of salt per gallon (260 parts per million of chloride).

The odd item is shipped in, but with no utilities or stores, fishing and farming are the main sources of food on Niihau. Seafood is a staple, with fresh fish a permanent fixture on the menu.

There are no wildlife species known to be endemic to Ni'ihau. Known species present are primarily waterbirds, seabirds, and migratory shorebirds. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated critical habitat for one plant, Brighamia insignis.

Niihau High & Elementary School is a public school located in Waimea, HI, which is in a remote town setting. The student population of Niihau High & Elementary School is 15 and the school serves PK-12. The school's minority student enrollment is 100%.

Necker Island (British Virgin Islands), an island in the British Virgin Islands, owned by Richard Branson. Necker Island (Hawaii), an island in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Who bought land in Maui? ›

Oprah Winfrey has snapped up 870 acres of picturesque land on the Hawaiian island of Maui - adding to her burgeoning portfolio of real estate in the Aloha state.

The community of Kapalua can be found on the northwestern tip of Maui and is home to some of the most luxurious properties on the island. Whether you're looking for luxury houses by the beach or up on the hillside, you'll find your perfect home in Kapalua.

With its jagged cliffs, lush valleys, and paradisiacal beaches, Kauai is truly heaven on earth and is our top pick for the most beautiful island in Hawaii. While it would be impossible to squeeze in everything that makes Kauai so special, we have narrowed it down to the top 3 must-see destinations in Kauai.

Among the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is known as the Friendly Isle, and those who live there would consider it the best island to live on by far. With many longtime families and few visitors living on remote Molokai, it is one of the most secluded Hawaiian Islands.

The Cheapest Hawaiian Island to Visit and the Most Expensive

Maui is the most expensive island to visit, coming in nearly $1,000 more expensive, with a total cost of $3,600. The Grand Wailea in Maui, a luxury resort.

Larry Ellison is the co-founder of Oracle.

Billionaire Larry Ellison owns an island in Hawaii. 98 per cent of the island of Lanai is his property.

The exclusivity and VIP vibe of Lanai is unlike any of the other Hawaiian Islands. Let's start with the fact that 98 percent of Lanai is privately owned by billionaire Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle.

A-listers like Jessica Alba, Will Smith and Cindy Crawford are among the rich and famous people who have stayed at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai. Four Seasons Lanai in Hawaii, owned by tech billionaire Larry Ellison, CEO and founder of Oracle, is one of the world's most luxurious hotels.

Kalaupapa and the North Shore

But there is one very special area on the North Shore that's inhabited and open to visitors – the Kalaupapa Peninsula, also known as the Kalaupapa National Historic Park. It's not only the most famous place on Molokaʻi, but one of the most historical places in the entire island chain.

Who owns most of Maui? ›

The Hawaii State Government.

Of the approximately 4 million acres of land in Hawaii, the state government owns most of this.

Jeff Bezos. Jeff Bezos, the second richest man in the world and Amazon founder, and his partner, news anchor Lauren Sánchez, have acquired land on Maui, sources familiar with the deal confirmed with Maui Times.

Hawaii Loa Ridge - Considered to be one of the most premier gated communities in Oahu, Hawaii Loa Ridge is located on the south shore of Oahu about 15 minutes away from Waikiki. Lavish homes have access to the best panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and eastern Oahu.

It has been privately owned by one family for over 150 years, they enacted a closed-door policy in order to create a cultural preservation site for native Hawaiians. Niihau was formed about five million years ago from a single shield volcano.

LANAI ISLAND - THE PLACE TO RELAX Lanai entices the sophisticated traveller with a handful of exclusive luxury resorts and championship golf courses. It's the least visited Hawaiian Island, small in size and slow in pace those that travel to Lanai, by air or on the ferry from Maui, are forced to rest and relax.

Due to the abundance of hotels, activities, tours, and attractions, Oahu is the cheapest Hawaiian island to visit. Between the competitive prices and myriad of things to do, those looking for a budget vacation to Hawaii will find that Oahu is exactly what they've been searching for.

If you're just looking at the sheer number of incidents on each island, Kauai is the safest island to live on.

The talk show trailblazer already owned over 100 acres of Maui land, according to the report, meaning Winfrey now owns roughly 1,000 acres on the island. The acquisition was met with mixed reactions from local residents, some of whom worried that the purchase would contribute to the displacement of native Hawaiians.

Oprah Just Bought Nearly 1,000 Acres of Land In Hawaii, One Of The Few Black Women In The World To Do So. The media mogul reportedly purchased 871 acres in Maui, adding to her already robust real estate portfolio.

Zuckerberg and wife, Priscilla Chan, paid $17 million last month for 110 acres of agricultural land on Kauai, bringing their total Hawaii property holdings to more than 1,400 acres, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.