In 2004 Leonardo di Caprio took a holiday to Belize’s Cayo Espanto Island Resort with then girlfriend, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. He loved the island an Belize so much that in July 2005 he bought the 106 acre (41.6ha) Blackadore Caye just a few miles west of Ambergris Caye for a reputed price of $1.75 million.
The island is two miles long, with beaches either sided dotted with coconut palms dipping into the surrounding tropical waters. At that time (over two years ago) he planned to develop the island into an environmentally friendly, albeit luxury resort using renewable energy resources, but nothing happened until recently.
Now it has been announced that Di Caprio has agreed to partner with the Four Seasons Resorts chain to create a ‘green hotel’ on the island. The plans will include several exclusive villas, private pools and direct access to the beach. The development will be as environmentally sensitive as possible, respecting the islands tropical vegetation and wildlife. Di Caprio is heavily involved in environmental concerns, and his environmental film on the human impact on the environment “The 11th Hour” has just come out.
Ambergris Today in Belize states that he is planning to sell lots at the island to other Hollywood stars and celebrities, including Robert DeNiro and Tiger Woods.
If Di Caprio’s island dream comes true, he will find himself competing for business with “The Brando” a deluxe private getaway being developed on Marlon Brando’s former island of Te’tiaroa in Tahiti, and also due to open in 2008.
