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Inside the Fiji islands that Google bought

While most of us were baking sourdough during lockdown, Google co-founder Larry Page was flying his private jet to WFF (work from Fiji).

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The ‘work from anywhere’ movement has been one of the upsides of the pandemic. 

Some have taken it to the extreme. While most of us were baking sourdough during lockdown, Google co-founder Larry Page was flying his private jet to WFF (work from Fiji ). It’s also been reported that he was using these trips to donate medical supplies during the height of COVID, so we admire the altruism. 

Despite the borders being closed for nearly two years, Fiji’s ‘Blue Lane’ initiative allowed high-net worth individuals to arrive via superyacht or private jet, with sources at Fiji Airways confirming that its A350 aircraft were also hired out for private use. During that time, Larry Page, who Forbes this year listed as the sixth richest person in the world, is believed to have purchased the islands closest to Fiji’s world-famous wave Cloudbreak, located not far off the main island in the Mamanucas group. And to be fair, we can’t blame him. What a way to wait out the isolation era. 

Newspapers within the Pacific Island nation last year reported that Google now owns a handful of tourism sites in Fiji, including Tavarua, Namotu and Wadigi, as well as a bay on Malolo Island that has been purchased to moor the Google superyachts.

Page is not the first international high-profiler to snap up a piece of paradise in Fiji. But he may be among the first to own private islands that cater those with less showy budgets. For instance, Mel Gibson owns private island Mago Island in the Lau Islands group, which is still undeveloped and off limits to tourists. 

Meanwhile, ultra-exclusive, all-inclusive Laucala Island, which has now been rebranded to COMO Laucala Island Fiji , is owned by Red Bull billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz. With a minimum three-night stay that will cost you almost USD$20,000, it’s no surprise that it has attracted a who’s who of mega-rich guests, including Oprah Winfrey, Ludacris and Tony Hawk. What’s refreshing about Page’s boutique islands of Namotu and Tavarua is that they’re somewhat more accessible. Comprising just 11 beachside bures with options for singles and families, as well as couples, the all-inclusive Namotu , offers simple but comfortable beach accommodation and is just a short boat trip from the mainland. 

Some of Fiji’s best surf breaks are within 10 minutes boat ride, including Namotu Lefts, Swimming Pool, Wilkes Pass, Cloudbreak and Restaurants, and included in the stay is unlimited use of the resorts surf boats. Guests have free rein of equipment including traditional and foil surfboards and fishing gear. Prices start from USD4,021 per person for a week-long minimum stay.

Neighbouring Tavarua Island Resort , is also surf and watersports-focused and has a similar setup, with all-inclusive seven-night minimum stays starting from USD$3580 per person. It’s the ideal place for beginners and kids to learn to surf with gentle breaks Kiddie Land and Swimming Pools only a stone’s throw away. 

There are 16 bures in total, including larger villas for families or group of friends, plus a swimming pool, tennis and volleyball courts and a heated spa within which to enjoy happy hour, which starts at 4pm each day. Last time we enquired, Tavarua was already booked out for the entire year, so don’t sleep on it. 

When the groms aren’t surfing, they can practise tricks on the island’s mini skate ramp, which was designed by Tony Hawk. (I’m sure Page can attest that it pays having good connections).

Speaking of which, we wonder what the wifi is like on Google island…

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Breaking news, reclusive google co-founder larry page reportedly hiding out in fiji.

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Larry Page, the secretive co-founder of Google, has reportedly spent much of the pandemic hiding out on tropical islands in Fiji, entering the country through a system designed to allow the ultra-wealthy to circumvent COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The reclusive billionaire has stayed mostly on the heart-shaped Tavarua island, which lies west of the main Fijian island, two people who have seen him there in the past year told Insider .

One source told Insider that Page has been spotted in the water around some islands with his wife, Lucinda Southworth, hydrofoiling, a kind of surfing where the board is elevated above the water.

“He’s good at it, too,” the person said.

Hydrofoiling is especially popular among the tech community, as demonstrated by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on several public occasions.

Page has also been spotted on the smaller Namotu, Insider reported, and there’s speculation among locals that he’s bought that island or another in the archipelago.

It’s unclear when precisely Page first arrived in Fiji — a country of about 900,000 — but he arrived as early as last summer and has returned at least once since then, the source said.

Fiji closed its borders during the pandemic, but through the country’s “ Blue Lane ” initiative, superyacht and private jet owners can enter with minimal restrictions.

Page, who’s the world’s sixth-wealthiest person with a net worth of $117 billion, entered the country through the Blue Lane system, Insider reported, citing two sources.

He brought his family and an entourage, the report said, and he’s spent an “extended period of time” in the country during the pandemic, according to one source who’s interacted with him.

Fijian authorities have helped Page keep his presence on the islands private, the report said.

On June 19, as Fiji was hit by a second wave of COVID-19 cases, Fijian Broadcasting Company News reported that Page had donated medical supplies to the country via his private jet.

One of the Co-Founders of Google Larry Page donated cartons of COVID-19 supplies to Fiji as the country battles its second wave of the virus. #FijiNews pic.twitter.com/3fLGpUETHA — Filipe Naikaso (@Naikasof) June 19, 2021

But a few days later, the story disappeared. Fijian health authorities asked the network to take the article down, saying the information should not be public, Insider reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Despite his place among the wealthiest in the world and his commanding major sway over one of the most powerful companies, Page has largely avoided the public eye since he and co-founder Sergey Brin stepped away from Google and parent Alphabet in 2019.

Both Page and Brin remain on the board of Alphabet. And through special voting stock, the duo could at any time overrule management and impose their will on the company.

And yet neither Page nor Brin has faced the same level of scrutiny as other tech founders and executives, including Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Apple’s Tim Cook, all of whom have been called to testify before Congress.

“It’s certainly unusual, and it’s certainly not good corporate governance,” Nell Minow, vice chair of consulting firm ValueEdge Advisors, told Insider. “You don’t normally see someone who’s still involved with the company hang a ‘Gone fishing’ sign on the door and disappear.”

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$45m superyacht linked to Google co-founder Larry Page in Whangārei

Adam Pearse

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Senses, a 59-metre vessel weighing almost 1000 tonnes, is currently sitting in a slipway (boat ramp) at Ship Repair NZ's Port Rd site in Whangārei. Photo / Adam Pearse

A $45 million superyacht formerly owned by a Google co-founder is in Whangārei, undergoing a refit.

Senses, a 59-metre vessel weighing almost 1000 tonnes, is currently sitting in a slipway (boat ramp) at Ship Repair NZ's Port Rd site as it completes its seventh refit in New Zealand, believed to be its first in Whangārei.

According to the SuperYachtfan website, Google co-founder Larry Page bought the expedition vessel in 2011 from New Zealand multi-millionaire Sir Douglas Myers, the long-time chief executive of Lion Breweries and Lion Nathan who passed away in 2017.

The Northern Advocate understands Page, worth an estimated $90 billion, sold Senses last year to an unknown person.

The vessel, built in 1999, can accommodate 12 guests and a crew of 14. It has a range of 11,112 kilometres, has four high speed tenders and a helicopter landing platform. It was spotted in Nelson in 2015 and again in Auckland in 2016.

Senses had been in Whangārei since December 5 and would stay in the slipway and undergo mechanical, structural, interior and paint work until the end of March, when it would be shifted to Port Nikau for further work.

Foreign vessels are not permitted to arrive in New Zealand unless they have an exemption, according to the Maritime Border Order. The permission to grant these exemptions lies with Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Among other circumstances, vessels may be granted an exemption if it is for a significant refit.

Senses' owner could not be on board during the refit and only those essential to the job could enter the vessel.

Senses' prior refits, managed by Integrated Marine Group Ltd, were believed to have been done in Auckland. However, it was decided to utilise Whangārei after increased competition in the Auckland market.

"We're finding now that, to a degree, we're getting squeezed out of Auckland and there are some very good facilities in Whangārei that we are pretty impressed with," Integrated Marine Group general manager Phil Redpath said.

"So far, we're pleased with the workforce and facilities [in Whangārei]."

Redpath was confident the vessel would be back in Whangārei waters for future refits if progress continued as expected.

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The Incredible Story of How One Luxury Resort Survived the Pandemic

How did VOMO Island Fiji come back better than ever? To start with, prestige TV, champagne, and field days.

There was more than $1,750 dollars’ worth of cheese in the walk-in refrigerator in March of 2020 when word came down: VOMO Island Fiji, a tony resort on a 225-acre private island in the South Pacific, would have to close. No one could say for how long. But a then-unknown virus called COVID-19 was spreading rapidly across Asia and while there had been few reported cases in Fiji, the government was shutting its borders to international travelers.

The effect on the economy was immediate and troubling. Tourism accounts for about 40% of the country’s GDP and 120,000 people would lose their jobs overnight, according to Tourism Fiji. The situation became so dire that the country’s prime minister publicly offered to open the border—but only to high-net worth individuals willing to visit for three months and presumably spend generously. The government also launched the “Blue Lanes” initiative to welcome tourists by yacht.

Google co-founder Larry Page is said to have ridden out the pandemic on his own Fijian island. But everyone else was stuck. Like, seriously stuck. The resort at VOMO is just a 40-minute boat ride from the mainland—less by helicopter, which is how many of the hotel’s well-heeled guests typically arrive. And most of the staff had already been sent home to their families. But a skeleton crew of around 40 people remained on the island, known for its white sand beaches and aquamarine water.

VOMO's general manager, Justin King, who lives on-site with his wife and two young children, remained optimistic. How long could this shutdown last? The Chinese New Year—always a moneymaker for the hotel—had been a bust. But surely they’d be open for Easter, right?

Then Easter came and went. And the reality started to settle in. The Fijian staff—a proud, dedicated lot who exemplify the country’s famous generosity of spirit—were hopelessly separated from friends and family with no idea if or when they’d be reunited. And it was unsettling to say the least. All anyone really knew was that $1,750 dollars in French brie and marbled blue cheese was sitting in the kitchen ready to spoil if the island lost power. So, they did what anyone would do in that situation: They started eating. “And for seven months,” King says, “no one came on or off the island.”

Thus begins the untold story of life on VOMO Island during the pandemic, a tale that plays out like The White Lotus meets Castaway (which incidentally was shot in Fiji) . King, a 40-year-old Aussie known for his boyish enthusiasm, quickly realized a proper schedule would be crucial to keeping everyone (including himself) sane. And so, the staff would meet every morning on the tennis court to sort out that day’s chores. “We’d talk about what we wanted to do,” King says. “Then we’d putter around and clean.”

After dispensing of the cheese, the staff subsisted on $30,000 in frozen meat. Thankfully, supplies started to arrive weekly by barge. Rapid tests for COVID-19 didn’t exist yet. And the staff was forced to greet the rations in full PPE, spraying down everything with disinfectant remotely.

There are worse places to be marooned. VOMO is a lush, verdant island, made up of 28, mostly-oceanfront villas plus five residences—three-, four-, and five-bedroom homes that typically rent for around $6,000 a night, including butler service and meals. The ocean is bathtub-warm, the coconuts plentiful. And the staff tried to keep things light. At the end of April, they organized a massive island-wide Easter egg hunt for the few children who remained.

King’s plan was to be ready to re-open at a moment’s notice. That’s the pitch he made to VOMO’s shareholders (who agreed to keep every staff member—marooned or otherwise—on at least partial salary through the pandemic). “July is our biggest month,” he says. “We thought, We’ll definitely be open by July.”

Then July passed. And, well, that’s when things got weird. The hotel’s boutique—stocked with playing cards, sunscreen, and sundries—had sat undisturbed. But when the staff noticed the fabrics on the dresses and sarongs starting to weather, King told them to take whatever they wanted. More than once they put on a fashion show to entertain each other.

Workers would catch and filet Spanish mackerel, trevally, and snapper to spice up the menu. Meanwhile, Ifereimi Naruma, the hotel’s personal trainer, planted a massive garden—with cassava root, pineapple trees and banana trees, sometimes playing Shania Twain songs from a portable speaker as he and his wife Vani toiled. Tomatoes, beans, herbs, chilis, and aloe vera followed, and the crops grew quickly. Though a small army of flightless birds arrived on the barges, threatening the progress.

There was also the matter of the South African family of four who were stuck at VOMO; they’d been migrating to New Zealand but weren’t yet legal residents and thus wouldn’t get through customs even if there had been flights available. They were citizens of nowhere like yet another Tom Hanks hero, this one from the movie Terminal .

.css-4rnr1w:before{margin:0 auto 1.875rem;width:60%;height:0.125rem;content:'';display:block;background-color:#9a0500;color:#fff;} .css-gcw71x{color:#030929;font-family:NewParis,NewParis-fallback,NewParis-roboto,NewParis-local,Georgia,Times,serif;font-size:1.625rem;line-height:1.2;margin:0rem;}@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-gcw71x{font-size:2.25rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-gcw71x{font-size:2.625rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-gcw71x{font-size:2.8125rem;line-height:1.1;}}.css-gcw71x b,.css-gcw71x strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-gcw71x em,.css-gcw71x i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;} “The fact that we came through it was probably the highlight of my career.”

But there was only so much work one could reasonably do especially with no opening date in site. And so, Fridays were declared “Sports Day”—a time for exercise and recreation, including cricket, rugby, and golf. One afternoon, some staff members threw a party in the adults-only infinity pool, called The Rocks, dipping into the wine cellar for the “good champagne,” one employee tells me.

On particularly hot days, another said he’d retreat to one of the air-conditioned residences to binge episodes of The Crown . For special occasions—like someone’s birthday—the inhabitants might take a speedboat across to the deserted Little VOMO Island where (in the Before Times) guests paid a premium to enjoy a private picnic. King says of that period: “My kids woke up thinking, Which of the eight pools am I going to swim in today?”

At least he had his immediate family with him, he acknowledges. The staff had to make-do with Wi-Fi and WhatsApp. While the official Covid numbers in Fiji were low, the threat was real and present. There is a celebrated Fijian custom where people gather around a wooden bowl called a Tanoa to drink kava, a mild sedative made from the root of a pepper plant, sharing stories through song. “Friends, acquaintances, rivals and even enemies will drink from the same Tanoa seeking forgiveness and making amends, which is such an integral part of our culture,” explains Tim Tuiqali, VOMO’s guest experience manager. So it was particularly upsetting when they heard about a nearby island where a man had broken quarantine, sat around a kava bowl, and promptly infected 48 people.

July bled into August and then September. Finally, in late October of 2020, relief came: the Fijian government, home to 333 private islands, was lifting restrictions on domestic travel and the inhabitants of VOMO could finally return home. The emotional release was immediate. “The fact that we came through it,” King says proudly of the lockdown and his staff, “was probably the highlight of my career.”

But the country’s economic challenges remained, especially as the Delta variant scuttled Fiji’s grand reopening plans. In total, the island nation would be closed to international travelers for a full 20 months. While an opening date was set for December 1, 2021, the government wasn’t taking any chances. Vaccinations would be mandatory for locals, they announced, with a straight-up gangster slogan: “No jab, no job.” (Nearly 98 percent of adults have since had the first dose; hotels like VOMO are part of the Care Fiji Commitment, which certifies that every staff member one encounters is fully vaccinated.) The government also brought in a new CEO to lead Tourism Fiji, Brent Hill, the man credited with reviving tourism to South Australia in the wake of devastating bushfires.

There were no guarantees guests would return. VOMO had been shuttered for something like 87 weeks. Omicron caused some cancellations, but King is proud to report bookings are up 26% over the resort’s previous best year—with a marked increase of visitors from the west coast of the United States. The pitch is compelling: With Fiji Airways making direct flights from L.A. and San Francisco, you can pop a Xanax and wake up in paradise.

"For seven months, no one came on or off the island.”

The very first guest back to VOMO was, believe it or not, the actress Rebel Wilson. She was recently named Fiji’s brand ambassador, and, in late November, she arrived with a production team of around 100 people to film the campaign. On the surface, VOMO’s staff hadn’t missed a beat. The garden now supplies 50 percent of the produce to the two on-site restaurants. Construction on a four-bedroom oceanfront residence (with its own pool) was also finished weeks ago.

But emotions ran deep. The staff typically greets guests with a traditional Fijian song, “Bula Maleya.” Tim Tuiqali, the guest experience manager (a sly, big-hearted environmentalist who grew up nearby in the Ysawa islands), explains the lyrics. Fiji had been a British Colony during the two World Wars, he says, and “Fijians were drafted to go fight. We did not know whether people were going to come back alive or dead.” This song was composed “to welcome back the first soldiers. Now it is a welcome song for anyone that comes to Fiji.”

When Rebel and her team landed, Tuiqali says, “We hadn’t sang that song in a while. I kind of held back just to see how it would sound.” When he tried to join in, he was so overwhelmed that his voice momentarily failed him. “It was as if we had never stopped singing.”

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} The Most Luxurious Family Travel Destinations @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

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Google co-founder Larry Page has reportedly spent months of the pandemic holed up in Fiji, and may even have bought his own island. According to Insider, which reported on Page’s whereabouts, the centibillionaire has mainly kept to Tavarua island, and a jet linked to him was spotted on a local runway. Fiji has been off-limits to outsiders, except those who can make the trip via superyacht or private jet.

Page is apparently fond of hydrofoiling, the above-water surfing alternative made famous by Mark Zuckerberg, who last year slathered on so much sunscreen that he could have been mistaken for a mime. Zuck later said he was trying to disguise himself from paparazzi.

Google cofounder Larry Page bought a private island for $32 million—it’s at least the 5th island he owns across the globe’s tropics

Google cofounder Larry Page has purchased another private island, this time in Puerto Rico. 

In 2018, Page, whose net worth is estimated to be approximately $127 billion , bought the island of Cayo Norte for $32 million, Business Insider recently reported. 

Cayo Norte is located between Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.

Page purchased the island in two separate transactions via a limited liability company called U.S. Virgin Island Properties, which Business Insider identified as belonging to him and his wife, Lucinda Southworth. The first purchase was for a big chunk of land on the island, priced at $28.7 million, followed by another smaller deal valued at $3.4 million. In the past, Page used the LLC in question to purchase other private islands he owns. 

Page’s collection of private islands stretches across the Caribbean and South Pacific. In 2014, he bought the Lollik Islands, a pair of islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands archipelago, just 12 miles east of Cayo Norte, for $23 million. Also in the Caribbean, Page owns Eustatia Island, on the eastern end of the British Virgin Islands. In 2020, Page expanded to the South Pacific, purchasing a majority share in the deed for the island of Tavarua in Fiji.  

Page reportedly spent several months on Tavarua during the pandemic. At the time Fiji was closed to travelers except for those arriving by private jet or superyacht, which allowed Page to enter the country. 

Since stepping down from any executive leadership roles at Google’s parent company, Alphabet, in 2019, Page has largely receded from public life . However, he retains a board seat and effectively controls the company , alongside cofounder Sergey Brin, through a majority ownership of a special class of voting stock. 

The reasons for his purchase of Cayo Norte or any other private islands in his portfolio remain unclear. Some have speculated they are reclusive retreats for a Silicon Valley icon who prefers to avoid the spotlight. Another theory is that Page aims to use the islands as “ safe spaces ” for scientific experiments, which he believes there aren’t enough of , according to an interview he gave at Google’s annual developer conference in 2013, when he was still the company’s CEO. His private Eustatia Island was reportedly used for tests for his flying-car company, Kittyhawk, which shut down in 2022.  

Regardless of Page’s reasoning, his private islands remain a status symbol even among the world’s elite. In fact, the first ever issue of Fortune, published in February 1930, featured an article about the then-emerging trend, popular among early 20th-century titans of industry—chocolatiers, penmakers, and hoteliers—who lived there in luxury and by their own rules. On these islands a billionaire could “build his home, make his laws, fly, if he will, his own flag,” the article reads. 

Page is far from the only billionaire to purchase a private island. Nearby his islands in the British Virgin Islands lies Sir Richard Branson’s private Necker Island. Oracle founder Larry Ellison purchased an island in Hawaii in 2012, in a deal that has led to some objections from locals concerned about Ellison’s courting of the super-rich and his development projects for the island.

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From basketball courts to floating helipads, here are the megayachts owned by some of the wealthiest people in tech

Source: Forbes

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison owns a 288-foot yacht named Musashi that he acquired in 2013.

Source: Forbes , Boat International

Ellison previously owned a bigger, 454-foot yacht called Rising Sun, which was designed specifically for the CEO in 2005. That yacht reportedly has 82 rooms, a movie theater, a wine cellar, and a basketball court. However, Ellison sold off the Rising Sun to music mogul David Geffen for a reported $300 million.

Source: Page Six

Ellison's Musashi is a sister ship to the yacht of another billionaire, Sears CEO Eddie Lampert. However, the yacht, named Fountainhead, is often mistaken for belonging to billionaire investor Mark Cuban. "The guy who owns the boat tells everyone that it's mine," Cuban told Page Six in 2016. "It’s so crazy ... I don’t even own a boat."

Source: Business Insider

Ellison's yacht reportedly influenced the decision of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs to get a boat himself. However, Jobs never set foot on the boat — the yacht was commissioned in 2008, but wasn't completed until 2012, a year after his death.

When Jobs died in 2011, his yacht — along with his $14.1 billion fortune — was inherited by his widow, Laurene Powell Jobs. The 256-foot yacht in named Venus, and is worth $130 million.

Sources: Forbes , Business Insider

The Google cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, are two of the richest people in the world, at No. 10 and No. 14, respectively. The two billionaires are known to splurge — in addition to each owning a superyacht, they both own private planes as well.

Source: Boat International

Alphabet CEO Larry Page owns a yacht named Senses, an 194-foot boat costing $45 million that he bought in 2011 from a New Zealand businessman. The yacht has a private beach club with a Jacuzzi and sun beds, both indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a helicopter pad.

Brin's yacht is named Dragonfly. The boat shares a name with Google's once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. It's still not clear whether Google has totally abandoned the project or not.

Sources: Business Insider , GQ

But Brin and Page aren't the only two high-powered Google figures with yachts. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt owns a 194-foot yacht name Oasis. The yacht reportedly features a pool and a gym-turned-nightclub. He bought the boat in 2009 for a reported $72.3 million.

Source: CNN

For Skype cofounder Niklas Zennstrom, his interest in yachts skews toward racing and competitive sailing. Zennstrom has gone through a succession of boats named Ran, and his most recent purchase is the seventh in the series.

The latest yacht, appropriately named Ran VII, is the most technologically advanced of all of Zennstrom's boats. The racing yacht uses electrical power, which Zennstrom says makes it "lighter, less drag, quieter, and most importantly it is environmentally friendly."

The 40-foot yacht will compete in regattas through the racing team owned by Zennstrom and his wife, Catherine. The Ran Racing team launched in 2008 and has won some prestigious regattas.

Barry Diller, chairman of digital media company IAC, co-owns a $70 million yacht with his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

Source: W Magazine

The sailing yacht, named Eos, is 350 feet long with six bedrooms. The power couple has hosted many celebrities over the years — a few that have been spotted aboard Eos include model Karlie Kloss, actor Bradley Cooper, journalist Anderson Cooper, and singer Harry Styles.

For Jim Clark, the cofounder of Netscape, one yacht hasn't been enough. Clark has owned boats for more than 30 years, and in 2012, put up two of his sailing yachts for sale.

Clark listed the boats for a combined $113 million: the 136-foot Hanuman for $18 million, and the 295-foot Athena for $95 million. However, as of 2016, Clark had yet to offload Athena. Clark also previously owned a 155-foot yacht named Hyperion, and currently also owns a racing yacht named Comanche.

Charles Simonyi worked at Microsoft until 2002 and oversaw the creation of Microsoft Office software. A few years before he left, Simonyi decided to purchase a yacht. He told the designer that wanted his yacht to be "home away from [his] home in Seattle."

Source: Yacht Charter Fleet

The product of that conversation in 1999 is Simonyi's yacht named Skat, meaning "treasure" in Danish. The yacht measures 233 feet long, and is unique with its nontraditional design and gray color. Skat features a matching helicopter, a gym, and motorcycles.

Opulent British billionaire Richard Branson owned a yacht, until he sold it this past September. The 105-foot catamaran sold for $3 million, significantly lower than the €8.5 million ($9.6 million) price Branson listed the boat for in 2014.

Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, bought the boat in 2009. He named it Necker Belle, a nod to his private Caribbean island, Necker Island.

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Google co-founder Larry Page’s ‘secret’ Palo Alto mansion office burned down

It's unclear what caused the three-alarm fire... or why the residential space owned by Page was being used by Google employees.

Larry Page — the multibillionaire co-founder of Google who spent the last year literally hiding out in Fiji with his family to avoid the COVID-19 pandemic — owns at least one groundwater-contaminating bug-out bunker and a bunch of mansions in Old Palo Alto, California. Last week, one of those homes inexplicably experienced a three-alarm fire that took local emergency responders hours to quell and raised questions about local public resource allocation and corporate transparency... not to mention why the hell the home was allegedly being used as a low-profile office for Google tech workers, who were not there at the time of the fire.

As first reported by Palo Alto Online and expanded upon over at The Daily Beast , firefighters first arrived at the $10 million 6-bedroom, 5.5-bath “ guest cottage ” shortly after the blaze was first called in around 8:10 p.m. No one was killed or severely injured according to Deputy Fire Chief Kevin McNally, although the flames and smoke severely damaged the attic, as well as the first and second stories’ back areas. There’s a lot of sketchiness to the whole affair, and while we’re of course happy to hear no one was hurt we do have some questions. Like what the hell were Google tech workers doing in there at all?

One of many nearby Page properties — Over the past decade, Page has apparently bought up huge swaths of properties in the area, leasing many of them to tenants while installing family members in others.

“He owns what feels like most of that block,” Rebecca Eisenberg, a former city council candidate and general counsel for Reddit, told The Daily Beast , who went on to criticize the massive public funds required to quell a “small fire — at least non-visible fire” at a billionaire’s umpteenth mansion during a time of local budgetary restraints .

Details are hidden behind a smokescreen — There are certainly enough holes in the story right now to arouse suspicion about just what was going on at Page’s mansion, and if the fire was a chance occurrence or not. Authorities haven’t publicly stated anything pointing towards arson, which could easily mean this was simply an electrical issue or something similar.

Then again, it sure would be nice to know exactly why Page felt the need to house a small team of Google workers there, and how many other locations are home to the same kinds of setups.

Watch CBS News

Google Co-Founder Buys Luxury Mega-Yacht

January 10, 2011 / 6:08 PM EST / CBS News

Larry Ellison's got one. So does fellow tech gazillionaire Paul Allen. And, now, apparently so does Larry Page.

The New Zealand Herald is reporting that Google co-founder Larry Page has bought a luxury yacht from New Zealand businessman Douglas Myers for an undisclosed sum. The yacht, named Senses, was listed for sale for $60.5 million.

"Its stylish interiors are finished by famous French designer Philippe Starck and its split-level decks are home to sun-lounging areas, festooned with a multitude of deck chairs. There are sheltered indoor and outdoor dining areas, as well as a gym and on-deck jacuzzi. The yacht can accommodate 10 guests and 14 crew members. There are pleasure-boats of all sizes available for guests' use and the yacht can carry a helicopter with ease. "Senses has previously been available for charter in the Seychelles Islands for $343,000 a week, not including food, drink and gas."

More from CBS News

Reclusive billionaire and Google cofounder Larry Page has been off the grid for over a year. Sources say he's been hiding out on Fijian islands that are cut off from most travelers during the pandemic.

• The powerful tech founder's whereabouts have been a mystery. Insider tracked him down in Fiji.
• The billionaire has spent months on islands that are closed to most travelers during the pandemic.
• A Fijian news network pulled a report that Page donated COVID-19 medical supplies to the country.

On June 19, as Fiji battled a second wave of coronavirus cases, Fijian Broadcasting Company News published a report that Google cofounder Larry Page had donated COVID-19 medical supplies to the country via his private jet. 

A few days later, the story disappeared. Fijian health authorities asked the network to take the article down, saying the information should not be public, said a person familiar with the matter. The person asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals.

The story reported that supplies, including face masks, gowns, and gloves, were sent in the private jet, which flew from Hawaii to Fiji's Nadi International Airport. A photo of the aircraft , taken shortly ahead of the story's publication, was posted on social media. Insider verified the registration number in a Federal Communications Commission database, which showed that it's licensed to Blue City Holdings. Blue City Holdings manages a fleet for Page, Google cofounder Sergey Brin, and former CEO Eric Schmidt.

An article about Page is rare these days. His whereabouts and activities have been mostly a mystery, though he maintains considerable sway over one of the world's most powerful technology companies. While Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Apple's Tim Cook have been grilled in congressional hearings, Page has avoided public scrutiny since he and Brin stepped away from Google and parent Alphabet in late 2019 — even though they effectively have the final say on decisions through special voting stock. 

"It's certainly unusual, and it's certainly not good corporate governance," said Nell Minow, vice chair of consulting firm ValueEdge Advisors. "You don't normally see someone who's still involved with the company hang a 'gone fishing' sign on the door and disappear."

Page's ties to Fiji go much deeper than donations. The billionaire has spent months in the country during the pandemic, said sources who have seen or interacted with him there. He has stayed mainly on the heart-shaped Tavarua island, which lies west of the mainland, said two people who have seen him there in the past year. He's also been spotted nearby on the smaller Namotu, and there's even speculation among locals that Page has bought an island in the archipelago. The people discussing details about Page asked not to be identified. 

Page didn't respond to emails seeking comment. A Google spokesperson declined to comment, as did Fijian Broadcasting Company News and Fiji's Ministry of Health.

Fiji has many attributes to lure a former tech executive yearning for privacy. The country closed its borders to travelers during the pandemic, but last summer it launched the "Blue Lane" initiative, allowing superyacht and private-jet owners to enter as long as they abide by quarantine rules.

Related stories

Page used this system, said two of the people who spoke with Insider. He came into Fiji with his family and an entourage, and he's spent an "extended period of time" in the country during the pandemic, said one of the sources who interacted with him. Page spent months in Fiji during the summer of 2020 and has returned at least once since then, this person said. Another source from the startup world said Page is interested in the area and has held meetings on a superyacht there in the past. 

Fiji has long been a popular retreat for the rich and famous — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been spotted there, and Mel Gibson owns Fiji's Mago Island — but the country prides itself on secrecy. "There are numerous high-net-worth individuals who have used Fiji as a place to enjoy the pandemic," said Michael Lewis, the director of a private community development there called Vunabaka. 

That makes it an ideal location for Page, who has disappeared from public view since stepping away from Google. He still speaks with CEO Sundar Pichai and is involved through board meetings, but he's otherwise turned his attention to personal projects.

Earlier this year, rumors began swirling around Fiji that Page had purchased at least one island in the country's Mamanuca archipelago. Fiji's tourism board and land-ownership department declined multiple requests by Insider for information on the islands' ownership, citing owners' right to privacy.

COVID-19 travel restrictions have hammered Fiji's economy, so the government has relaxed some access rules for wealthy people to try to lure more spending and investment. 

"Super yachts are welcomed with open arms for which access procedures are easier, while for sailing boats like ours it is not easy," wrote sailor Lorenzo Cipriani in an August 4, 2020, blog about a trip he took to the area. "The government are promoting a campaign welcoming those who have a lot of money to spend and are awaiting the arrival of hundreds of luxury yachts."

"To give an example, Larry Page, the founder of Google, bought the island of Namotu (just a few miles in front of us), and arrived there by private jet to spend three months on vacation with 30 of his staff," Cipriani added. "Whilst they are here, some local suppliers and tourism service agencies will work almost exclusively for them — escapees from the pandemic who have landed in paradise."

One source in Fiji said Page may have bought a different island, or more than one.

Page has been spotted with his wife, Lucinda Southworth, enjoying the surf around some of these islands, and he has a penchant for hydrofoiling — a form of surfing where the board is elevated above the water, as recently demonstrated by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg — one of the sources who spoke with Insider said.

The person added of Page, "He's good at it, too."

Do you have more to share? Got a tip? Contact this reporter at [email protected] or on encrypted messaging apps Signal and Telegram at +1 628-228-1836.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

• Main content

Google co-founder Larry Page 'has been living off-grid and hiding out on isolated Fijian island for most of the pandemic'

 Google   co-founder Larry Page has reportedly been living off the grid for more than a year, hiding out in   Fiji  on isolated islands away from tourists as the pandemic swept the world.

Fijian health officials even pressured a TV network to pull a story about him donating COVID-19 medical supplies to the country, as the tech titan went out of his way to avoid the public.

Page, 48, has become reclusive over the past several years - avoiding being photographed except for a handful of times since stepping down as CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. in 2019. 

He has spent months in Fiji during the coronavirus pandemic - mostly on the island of Tavarua - and  it has been rumored the billionaire has bought at least one island in the country's Mamanuca archipelago, sources told  Insider . 

Page has also been spotted an a smaller island called Namotu - which a sailor named Lorenzo Cipriani claimed Page bought in a blog post in August. 

He had taken his private jet to donate COVID-19 medical supplies to Fiji last month as a second wave of the pandemic hit the country - which was reported by Fijian Broadcasting Company News on June 19, according to Insider.

However, that story has since disappeared from the state-owned news site - and sources told Insider that health officials in Fiji asked for it to come down, claiming that the information should not have been made public.

A source confirmed to DailyMail.com that the article had been removed after health officials asked for the story to be taken down because 'they didn't want the donation highlighted.'

Google co-founder Larry Page has reportedly been living off the grid, hiding out in Fiji

Page has spent months in Fiji during the coronavirus pandemic - mostly on the island of Tavarua

The article appears to have also since been scrubbed from Google.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Fijian Broadcasting Company News for more information and additional comment.

According to Insider, the story had reported that Page flew from Hawaii to Fiji's Nadi International Airport to provide the country with medical supplies including masks, gowns and gloves.  

A photo of Page's jet was posted to Twitter on June 19 by a Fijian journalist, who captioned the post: 'One of the Co-Founders of Google Larry Page donated cartons of COVID-19 supplies to Fiji as the country battles its second wave of the virus.'

The plane's call sign 813QS, pictured on one of its engines, is licensed to Blue City Holdings, according to the Federal Communications Commission .

Blue City Holdings manages a fleet for Page and his co-founder Sergey Brin, as well as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Insider reported.

According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Page has a net worth of approximately $117 billion making him the sixth-wealthiest person in the world, one seat above Brin and one seat below Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.

And his wealth allowed him to enter Fiji even as the country closed its borders to traditional travelers, sources told Insider.

Fiji's 'Blue Lane' initiative lets the super wealthy visit the archipelago on their superyachts and private jets, even when other travelers were banned. 

'Super yachts are welcomed with open arms for which access procedures are easier, while for sailing boats like ours it is not easy,' Lorenzo Cipriani wrote in his blog post.

'The government are promoting a campaign welcoming those who have a lot of money to spend and are awaiting the arrival of hundreds of luxury yachts.'

Cipriani added: 'To give an example, Larry Page, the founder of Google, bought the island of Namotu (just a few miles in front of us), and arrived there by private jet to spend three months on vacation with 30 of his staff.'

'Whilst they are here, some local suppliers and tourism service agencies will work almost exclusively for them - escapees from the pandemic who have landed in paradise.'

Sources said that Page and his wife Lucinda Southworth, who have two children, have been seen surfing on traditional and electronic surfboards near the country's islands, and that 'he's good at it, too.'

Google's co-founders Page and Brin, who still hold incredible control over the company despite having both stepped away, have largely avoided scrutiny while stepping out of the limelight.

In recent months, Google and companies like Apple, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon have been hit with high-profile lawsuits and made to testify during congressional hearings.

Earlier this month, dozens of U.S. state attorneys general filed a 144-page antitrust lawsuit in federal court against Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday, court documents obtained by DailyMail.com show.

It claims Google violated the Sherman Act, the federal law prohibiting monopolistic business practices.

The lawsuit reads: 'Google has employed anticompetitive tactics to diminish and disincentivize competition in Android app distribution.'

'Google has not only targeted potentially competing app stores, but also has ensured that app developers themselves have no reasonable choice but to distribute their apps through the Google Play Store,' it added.

Google requires that some apps use the company's payment tools and give Google as much as 30% of digital goods sales.

The lawsuit reads that: 'Google also requires all app developers that sell content through the Google Play Store to sell any digital in-app content through Google Play Billing.'

'Google now stringently enforces this tie by preventing apps distributed through the Google Play Store from using, directing consumers to, or even informing consumers about alternative payment processing options that may provide lower prices.'

As the new CEO of Alphabet Inc., Pichai appeared before congress in May - though Insider noted that he and Page talk regularly.

Pichai testified on a wide range of issues including extremism such as those who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, misinformation, cyberbullying, climate change and the coronavirus, the Washington Post reported.

Nell Minow, vice chair of consulting firm ValueEdge Advisors, called Page's relationship with the company he co-founded 'unusual' in comments to Insider.

'It's certainly unusual, and it's certainly not good corporate governance,' Minow said. 'You don't normally see someone who's still involved with the company hang a 'gone fishing' sign on the door and disappear.' 

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Larry Page Buys $45 Million Luxury Superyacht

Google’s billionaire cofounder Larry Page just bought a $45 million superyacht called Senses from a New Zealand business man named Sir Douglas Myers. The stylish 194-ft. expedition superyacht was designed by Kusch Yachts and built back in 1999 at Germany’s Schweers yard with a refit in 2010. The superyacht features interiors by design genius Philippe […]

Google’s billionaire cofounder Larry Page just bought a $45 million superyacht called Senses from a New Zealand business man named Sir Douglas Myers.

The stylish 194-ft. expedition superyacht was designed by Kusch Yachts and built back in 1999 at Germany’s Schweers yard with a refit in 2010.

Split-level decks provide open and shaded sun lounging areas, secluded side pods, sheltered outdoor dining and informal seating areas.

There’s an airy and light gymnasium and a private beach club, complete with a Jacuzzi pool and vast sun beds, all with Starck’s signature flair.

The centerpiece of the vessel is a spacious owners’ suite with dressing room which spans the full beam of the yacht.

Senses has a helipad and is equipped to carry a variety of toys and tenders.

With twin 1600 hp Deutz diesels she has a maximum speed of 15 knots, a cruising speed of 11 knots, and a range of 6,500 nautical miles at cruising speed.

Via Jameslist

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REVEALED: Google co-founder Larry Page owns at least FOUR private islands including one next to Richard Branson's Necker - having vowed to test wacky tech ideas in 'safe places'

• Google co-founder Larry Page owns at least four private islands across the globe
• They're Hans Lollik, Little Hans Lollik, Eustatia Island and a plot on Tavarua Island
• Page is secretive about the Island's, speculated to be used to 'test [tech] ideas'
• His ownership of Eustatia has been an open secret among locals for many years
• The ownership of the Lollik Island's came to light as part of a legal battle

By Aneeta Bhole For Dailymail.Com

Published: 17:41 EDT, 16 December 2022 | Updated: 00:27 EDT, 17 December 2022

View comments

Larry Page secretly owns at least four private islands including one next to Richard Branson's Necker, it has been revealed.

The Google co-founder has three paradise pads in the Caribbean and one in the South Pacific, according to legal documents.

They include Hans Lollik, the neighboring smaller island of Little Hans Lollik, Eustatia Island 40 miles east and Tavarua Island in Fiji,  Business Insider  reports.

It comes after the billionaire previously vowed to test wacky new tech ideas in what he termed 'safe places'.

It's been revealed that Google co-founder Larry Page owns at least four private islands speculated to be 'safe' testing grounds for wacky tech ideas

They include the Hans Lollik (pictured) and Little Hans Lollik islands which he purchased in 2014

According to the legal documents Page bought Hans Lollik and its smaller neighboring island, Little Hans Lollik, in 2014 for $23million.

The publication claims an investigation into Page and fellow cofounder Sergey Brin's revealed he has been quietly acquiring the network of islands across the globe.

Just under 40 miles east of the Lolliks is 36-acre Eustatia Island and according to documents obtained in 2020 Page added Tavarua Island, in Fiji 's Mamanuca region.

Page's ownership of Eustatia Island, which sits just off fellow billionaire Richard Branson's Necker Island, has been an open secret among locals for many years.

But unlike the Virgin Group founder, Page has never publicly acknowledged that it was his.

The Hans Lollik Islands supports a dense diverse coral habitat and boasts stunning vistas and cliffs, palm forests and crystal-clear waters.

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Little Hans Lollik is said to have magnificent cotton-candy white sand beaches and breathtaking views down the island.

After Page purchased the Hans Lollik islands eight years ago, a legal battle erupted between the seller and a real-estate developer named James Eckel.

Eckel claimed to have a deal to purchase the island, but a judge ruled against him, the legal case still ongoing in the Virgin Islands.

Page purchased the islands from Liberty Bankers Life Insurance Company using a limited-liability company called Virgin Island Properties LLC.

Negotiations were led by Wayne Osborne, the CEO of Page's family office, Koop, who was deposed in 2017 as part of the years-long legal battle over the islands.

Transcripts obtained by Business Insider revealed that Page's identity had been kept hidden from the island's seller during the negotiation process, reflecting his desire to keep his life private.

While Page's family office ultimately bought the islands outright, Osborne's deposition revealed that there had been discussions about buying the corporation that owned the islands instead in the hope of reducing taxes incurred.

The ownership of the Hans Lollik Islands (pictured) came to light amid a legal battle over the island 

In 2020 Page added another island to his collection, the heart shaped Tavarua Island in Fiji's Mamanuca archipelago (pictured)

Just under 40 miles east of the Lolliks is 36-acre Eustatia Island (pictured) and according to documents obtained in 2020 Page added Tavarua Island, in Fiji 's Mamanuca region

'I think there is an issue where you don't have to pay stamp tax if you buy the corporation,' Osborne said, according to the transcript.

Only one piece of correspondence to Osborne, simply reading, 'please proceed… thx,' from Page is mentioned in the deposition.

It remains unclear what the world's sixth-wealthiest person with a net worth of $117 billion is hoping to do with the Hans Lollik Islands but the larger of the Islands has personal significance.

In the deposition, Osborne suggested that Page had proposed to his wife, Lucinda Southworth, there later marrying the research scientist on Branson's Necker Island in 2007.

During the deposition, Osborne confirmed that, as of March 2014, Eustatia was the only other island Page owned. It is unclear if he owns others beyond those identified above.

An email referenced during Osborne's 2017 deposition reveals that Page was looking to purchase Cayo Norte, the largest privately owned island in Puerto Rico, before acquiring the Hans Lollik islands instead.

Page's private-island collection is speculated to reflect comments he made in the past about building 'safe places' for technologists to test ideas without having to deploy them in public.

Employees at his now-defunct flying-car company, Kittyhawk, tested vehicles on Page's Eustatia island some joking at the time that 'Larry just wanted a flying car to get from his yacht to his private island.'

The billionaire sought special permission to fly to New Zealand with his child, who is around 12-years-old. His wife remained at Tavarua with their other child 

In 2020 Page added another island to his collection, the heart shaped Tavarua Island in Fiji's Mamanuca archipelago.

Tavarua boasts white sand beaches and is surrounded by a coral reef with a luxurious resort that provides surfing, sport fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling and kayaking to its visitors.

The island is a surfer's dream with seven surfing breaks including Cloudbreak, famous for generating waves up to 20-feet high.

Page bought a stake in the parent company that holds a 99-year lease on the island, Aquarius Tours Ltd, filings obtained by Business Insider show.

He later bought more shares to take a 51 per cent majority stake.

Page entered Tavarua in 2020 at the height of the pandemic using a special initiative that allowed superyachts to bypass Fiji's COVID travel restrictions.

He spent several months there and around its surrounding islands with his family.

At the time, Fijian health officials pressured a TV network to pull a story about him donating COVID-19 medical supplies to the country, as the tech titan went out of his way to avoid the public.

Page, 48, has become reclusive over the past several years - avoiding being photographed except for a handful of times since stepping down as CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. in 2019.

During the pandemic it was reported that the billionaire's wealth allowed him to enter Fiji even as the country closed its borders to traditional travelers.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern faced backlash for allowing Page and his son to enter while there were strict border controls

Fiji's 'Blue Lane' initiative allowed the super wealthy to visit the archipelago on their superyachts and private jets, even when other travelers were banned.

'Super yachts are welcomed with open arms for which access procedures are easier, while for sailing boats like ours it is not easy,' Lorenzo Cipriani wrote in his blog post.

'The government are promoting a campaign welcoming those who have a lot of money to spend and are awaiting the arrival of hundreds of luxury yachts.'

The couple are very private and have not revealed the names of their two children who were born in 2009 and 2011.

While living on the Island during the pandemic Page was allowed into New Zealand despite its closed border so his son could receive urgent medical attention.

The billionaire sought special permission to fly to New Zealand with his child, who is around 12-years-old.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern faced backlash for allowing Page and the boy to enter while there were strict border controls to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Ardern denied knowledge of the 2,600-mile round trip which incensed New Zealanders living abroad who weren't able to see their families for months.

The country's immigration chief Kris Faafoi told reporters that Page had requested an exemption 'to make sure his son got the treatment that was required.'

It does not appear that Page had been accompanied by his media-shy wife Southworth or their other child, who is around 10-years-old.

• Here Are All the Private Islands That Google Cofounder Larry Page Owns

Share or comment on this article: Google co-founder Larry Page owns at least FOUR private islands

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Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group