Some players use their time at Ponderosa to influence the competition. Rickenbacker told BI that he was still in “game mode” after he was voted off, so he advocated for his last ally on the island and eventual season winner, Nick Wilson.
“I was still playing the game for him,” Rickenbacker said. “I was going up to Goliaths, you know, trying to balance for him so that they would get his vote at the end.”
He said he even chose to room with a player from the rival tribe, Dan Rengering, to “to sway him to get Nick’s vote.”
And even though Patel said she didn’t think about “what vote went where,” she was still “a little bit vocal with the other members of the jury” about her concerns with some players in the game.
However, other players said it’s hard to care about the game once you’re voted out. Four-time competitor (and one-time champion) Tyson Apostol said if players could “forgo your jury vote to go home,” he’d choose that option “every time.”
Boehlke agreed that you care less about the outcome of the game “the longer you are in Ponderosa.”
“You want to hear the drama and what’s going on, but you’re so bitter about not winning,” Boehlke told BI.
The main piece of the “Piano Man” singer’s Long Island estate just sold for $28.75 million, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International Realty, the home’s realty company, announced in a post on Instagram earlier this week.
The 26-acre waterfront estate, known as “MiddleSea,” in Centre Island, New York, first went on the market in 2023 after completing a five-year renovation project.
The original asking price for the whole property, which is comprised of four distinct houses, was $49 million. After going on the market in 2023, it was relisted in 2024 with additional renovations.
The estate’s sale was eventually broken into pieces, with the gatehouse selling separately for $7 million last year. This sale, combined with the recent sale of the main house and two adjacent lots, totals $35.7 million, The New York Times reported.
It comes nearly a year after Joel had to step away from performing after being diagnosed with a rare brain disorder. The lifelong New Yorker is making progress, even offering a short surprise performance with a tribute band in January.
His now-former estate, MiddleSea, has quite the backstory. Joel first spotted the waterfront estate as a teenager while harvesting oysters to earn extra money to support his working-class family.
“I’ll never live in a house like that,” he thought to himself at the time, The New York Times reported in 2024.
He was wrong. Joel ended up purchasing the estate in 2002, fulfilling one of his lyrics written more than half a century ago: “I wish that I was back in Oyster Bay / Takin’ it easy, oh yeah.” Forbes reported in 2019 that his net worth was an estimated $52 million.
Take a look inside the waterfront property in Centre Island, New York.
The estate is located in Oyster Bay in the town of Centre Island, New York.
The property spans 26 acres on a waterfront area of Long Island, New York. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The collection of homes is nestled on 26 acres of pristine Long Island real estate.
Joel nicknamed the property MiddleSea due to its positioning in the middle of the sea, with Oyster Bay on one side and Cold Spring Harbor on the other, The New York Times reported.
He also named the property MiddleSea in honor of his favorite instrument.
The property was named for its spot on Long Island Sound and for a piano key. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The Times reported that Joel also named the property after “middle C,” the centermost C note on a piano.
“If it’s not for me being able to take piano lessons, I probably would never have been able to afford a high-flying property like this. So, I named it after the first note which I learned on the piano, which was C,” Joel said.
Joel’s property was made up of four distinct homes, which were ultimately sold separately.
The property has four separate homes, plus a maintenance building. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
One problem with selling the home was its high taxes. The annual property tax bill had reached over half a million dollars, The Times reported, diminishing the property’s allure to potential buyers.
The sale was made easier by selling the estate in pieces, and ultimately, the entire property sold for $14 million below the 2023 asking price.
In its entirety, the property is made up of four distinct homes — the main house, the beach house, the guest house, as well as the gate house, which sold last year. A maintenance house also sits on the property.
The property’s main house is a 20,000-square-foot red-brick mansion.
The Main House spans 20,000 square feet. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The home has five ensuite bedrooms and a primary suite with two full bathrooms and a private balcony that overlooks the water.
The foyer features black-and-white marble tiling, a chandelier, and 30-foot ceilings.
The entryway has tall ceilings and marble floors. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The grand staircase leading up to the rest of the property is also made from white marble and features an ornate wrought-iron railing.
The main kitchen has two large islands and art deco-style light fixtures.
The main kitchen has two huge islands. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The islands are made with Calacatta Caldia Marble.
The kitchen’s appliances are similarly high-end, from the Waterstone faucets and bronze-and-gold farm-style sink to the Officine Gullo Firenze Oven, which can cost upward of $20,000, and Sub-Zero refrigerator.
There’s also a chef’s kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and surround backsplash.
The chef’s kitchen has stainless steel appliances. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The chef’s kitchen provides ample space for cooking and accommodating large groups of guests.
The “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” singer once said he “makes a great pasta” and “it’s probably my favorite food,” Page Six reported.
There’s also a formal dining room with a large white marble fireplace.
The dining room features a marble fireplace. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The formal dining room has large paned windows that overlook the property and crown molding on the ceiling.
The main house’s backyard has a waterfall feature and access to a floating dock and a boat ramp.
The waterfall is placed up a flight of brick stairs. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The main house’s manicured lawns overlook the water.
The guesthouse has three bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The guest house has an attached four-car garage. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The guesthouse is 3,839 square feet, has an attached four-car garage, and was newly renovated before the property was relisted in 2024.
The living room has a fireplace and French doors that overlook the bay.
The guesthouse has a living room with a fireplace. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The guesthouse is smaller than the main house but features some of the same classic details, like the fireplace and molding around the ceiling.
There’s also a private two-lane bowling alley in the basement.
The guesthouse has a bowling alley in the basement. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
There’s a lot of extra space for entertainment, including a large family room over the attached garage.
The gatehouse was sold separately last year for $7 million.
The Gate House has a high-security gate. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The five-bed, four-bath house is a self-sufficient property. The home has its own driveway, security gate, and swimming pool.
The home has two kitchens, a media room, a screened-in patio, and a first-floor primary ensuite.
The Gate House has two separate kitchens. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
In addition to its main gourmet kitchen with a Viking oven and Sub-Zero refrigerator, there’s also a chef’s kitchen in the back with its own fireplace.
A stone patio surrounds the free-form heated gunite swimming pool.
The Gate House has its own free-form swimming pool. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The Long Island Sound can also be seen from the pool.
The beach house sits on a strip of pristine beachfront.
The beach house leads out to the private dock and the water. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, an eat-in kitchen, and a large stone patio with pergolas.
Its kitchen features custom Ciuffo cabinetry and Calacatta quartz countertops.
The kitchen has a large island with a Calacatta quartz countertop. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
Other luxury appliances in the kitchen include a side-by-side Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Wolf oven, and a Miele dishwasher.
The living room has French doors that open onto the beachfront.
The living room has porcelain tile flooring. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The home is noticeably more water-friendly than the other properties, thanks to the porcelain tile flooring that makes it easy to transition from indoor to outdoor living.
The house also has its own gunite pool.
The gunite pool is heated and overlooks the beach. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
A stone’s throw away is a helipad for helicopter arrivals and departures, a floating dock, and over 2,000 feet of waterfront beach.
The maintenance house doubles as a garage that can hold up to six cars.
The maintenance house can fit six cars. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Laffey International Realty
The second floor of the maintenance house also has a working office or break room.
Editor’s note: This story was first published in November 2024. It was updated in March 2026 to reflect the sale of the property.
New York City’s infamous jail, Rikers Island, currently houses nearly 7,000 detainees. Chefs, not inmates, do the cooking. But while they’re on their shift, the chefs are locked in, too. There are cameras everywhere, monitored from the guard’s office. Knives are chained to heavy machinery. Can lids slide into a locked cage. Spoons are locked up in the office. Inside Rikers’ kitchens, there’s a delicate balance between the chefs, guards, and the detainees who wash the dishes.
As the director of an anti-aging research nonprofit, he’s deeply aware that exercise might be the closest thing we have to a longevity cure-all.
That’s why he puts in about an hour a day on his bike or in the weight room as part of his longevity routine.
“I don’t take any supplements. I don’t even take a multivitamin, but I do spend a lot of time in the gym,” he told Business Insider
But on a recent research trip, Austad met with centenarians who stayed spry with a completely different style of exercise, and it changed how he thinks about working out.
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“I met all these hundred-year-olds and talked to them and watched them,” he said. “They get a lot of exercise, but it’s not heavy exercise.”
Here’s what we know about the healthiest kind of movement — and why being a little bit lazy may be the key to a long, healthy life.
The best exercise for longevity
Sardinia, Italy is one of the few places in the world where people regularly live to be 100 (or even older).
Known as Blue Zones, residents in these regions have traditions that scientists suspect are linked to enduring good health. Despite being spread around the globe, from Okinawa, Japan to Nicoya, Costa Rica, Blue Zones tend to share lifestyle habits like staying active, eating simple, mostly veggie-based superfoods, and building strong social communities.
Austad traveled to Sardinia last year while working on a research paper about whether longevity hotspots live up to the hype. He wanted to test the theory that the high number of centenarians in Blue Zones is more about poor record-keeping than any exceptional anti-aging habits.
Longevity researcher Steven Austad visited active centenarians in Sardinia, Italy, who get their exercise on their local hillsides instead of the gym.
Steven Austad/Getty Images — miroslav_1
What he found is that Sardinian elders are legit. Not only did he verify that residents of the island are active and vibrant into their 90s and 100s, but what he saw changed his own approach to healthy living.
Villages in Sardinia are dotted throughout the region’s rugged, mountainous terrain. As a result, people who live there are consistently hiking as part of their day-to-day activities to get around.
Combined with other household chores like gardening, Sardinians tick all the boxes of longevity exercise without ever setting foot in a gym: lots of easy cardio, a bit of high-intensity effort from walking uphill, and muscle-strengthening movements using a full range of motion.
Austad also spoke with a regenerative medicine doctor in the area, who specializes in staving off problems caused by injury or aging.
She told him that her patients are primarily young people who hurt themselves in the gym.
Austad was stunned. All the 90- and 100-year-olds he had met were vibrant and healthy, while the younger generations needed medical care for pushing themselves too hard.
“That’s just remarkable,” Austad said. “It convinced me that you don’t have to be fanatical about this stuff.”
Take it easy for a longer life
Coming back from his Italian excursion, Austad couldn’t help but rethink his own approach to exercise.
Residents of Italy’s longevity hotspot are known for relaxing habits like drinking wine and socializing, along with their active lifestyles.
Connect Images/Zero Creatives/Getty Images
Previously, he liked hit the gym hard, leaning into the addictive rush of endorphins from intense exercise, and was constantly tempted to push for an extra set or more time working out. For him, rest days felt like a distraction.
“The occasional day off, it drives me nuts,” he said. “I’ve got this one bad knee, and if I overdo it with that knee, I pay the price. So that kind of keeps me real, tells me when I’m starting to overdo it.”
Austad still hits the gym regularly, with a mix of cardio and strength training that prioritizes core stability and everyday motions like pulling and pressing.
But since his recent studies on the Blue Zones, he said he’s more likely to give himself a break without stressing about it.
“It makes me feel a little bit less guilty on the days when I decide that I shouldn’t work out,” Austad said.
In November 2012, Jeffrey Epstein emailed Elon Musk about sending a helicopter to whisk the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to his private island in the Caribbean.
“how many people will you be for the heli to island,” Epstein asked Musk in an email exchange, which was made public Friday by the Justice Department.
Musk said he’d need just two seats — for himself and his then-partner, Tallulah Riley.
“What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” Musk asked.
The emails, released Friday, were part of a cache of 3 million files the Justice Department released from its yearslong investigation into the convicted sex offender. They include several exchanges between Epstein, Musk, and their assistants.
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Responding to the revelations early Saturday on his social media platform, X, Musk said: “No one pushed harder than me to have the Epstein files released and I’m glad that has finally happened.
“I had very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to go to his island or fly on his ‘Lolita Express’, but was well aware that some email correspondence with him could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name.
“I don’t care about that, but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein, especially regarding heinous exploitation of underage girls.”
Epstein — who counted President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and various other prominent politicians and businessmen among his acquaintances — killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. He had registered as a pedophile in 2008, after pleading guilty to less severe sex offenses.
Shortly after Epstein’s arrest in July 2019, Musk said he had declined invitations to Epstein’s island in the US Virgin Islands and recounted only one meeting with him. Musk has not been accused of wrongdoing.
“Several years ago, I was at his house in Manhattan for about 30 minutes in the middle of the afternoon with Talulah [Riley], as she was curious about meeting this strange person for a novel she was writing,” he told Vanity Fair at the time. “We did not see anything inappropriate at all, apart from weird art. He tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined.”
Musk has since said in social media posts that he “refused” to visit Epstein’s island despite multiple attempts from Epstein.
The emails released Friday appear to show him planning to visit Epstein’s island at least twice.
In addition to the November 2012 planned visit, Musk indicated he would visit Epstein’s island in January 2014.
“Will be in the BVI/St Bart’s area over the holidays,” Musk wrote to Epstein in December 2013, referring to the British Virgin Islands. “Is there a good time to visit?”
Epstein said he’d be available for the first week of January.
“always space for you,” Epstein told Musk.
After some back-and-forth about their schedules, Musk appeared to confirm that he would visit Epstein on January 2 of 2014.
“When should we head to your island on the 2nd?” Musk wrote.
Epstein later canceled on Musk, according to another email. He said he looked forward to spending time with Musk with “just fun on the agenda.”
“I was really looking forward to finally spending some time together with just fun as the agenda,” Epstein wrote. “so i am very disappointed. Hopefully we can schedule another time in the near future.”
The emails show Epstein planning to meet Musk on other occasions as well.
“Shall we organize a lunch for Elon and Jeffrey to get together at SpaceX in the coming weeks?” Musk’s assistant wrote. “Elon is generally available at SpaceX on Mon, Thurs and Fri each week.”
It isn’t clear from the emails reviewed by Business Insider if that meeting took place. Musk has previously said that Epstein never “toured” SpaceX’s facilities.
In early March of that year, Epstein directly asked Musk about his availability.
“now its time for fun,” Epstein told Musk.
In the emails, Musk told Epstein he was busy with work at Tesla and SpaceX. Epstein suggested he get more sleep.
“benefit analysis would probably show , tesla doing better with you getting more sleep,” he said.
Musk disagreed.
“Normally I would agree, as I have found that my total daily productivity is optimal at around 6 to 6.5 hours of sleep.”
The two may have met later that spring. In another email exchange, dated April 2013, Epstein’s assistant said he planned to meet Musk at the Milken Institute economic conference.
The Justice Department emails also show Epstein inquiring with Musk about Solar City, a solar electricity company that was later acquired by Tesla. Epstein said in September 2012 that he wanted to use its services for his properties in the US Virgin Islands and New Mexico.
“is there any one at Solar City that my guys can talk to about electriying the caribean island?” Epstein asked. “or the new mexico ranch”
As an American who’s traveled to 44 countries over the last 30 years, I’ve seen my fair share of unforgettable places.
But if I had to choose one place to visit again and again, it would be Bali, an island and province in Indonesia that combines vibrant culture, natural beauty, and a pace of life that feels both energizing and restorative.
After spending a month on the island in 2023, I fell in love. Here’s what made my trip to Bali so special.
The food scene is incredible
I enjoyed a Javanese meal called Tahu Tek.
Gabby Garcia
One of my favorite meals during my time in Bali came from a street vendor. The Javanese meal, called Tahu Tek, featured fried tofu, bean sprouts, a thick peanut sauce, and a pile of crackers on top. It cost me less than $2 (USD), but it was packed with flavor.
Bali’s food scene goes far beyond street food, though. Even dining at restaurants felt affordable, making it easy to try local specialties, including babi guling, a traditional whole roasted pig.
Plus, I could easily find international cuisine alongside local dishes.
I often went to Milk & Madu, which served American-style food like pizza and burgers. I also loved spending mornings at cafés in Canggu, sipping smoothies and enjoying breakfast bowls.
Both the locals and expats in Bali were warm and welcoming
One of the main things that makes Bali truly special is its people. I’ve been to many destinations where the locals aren’t always open to expats and travelers. But here, everyone I met was warm, welcoming, and genuinely kind.
For example, I used an app called Grab, similar to Uber, where drivers can pick up passengers on their motorbikes or in their cars.
I was wary about riding on the back of a stranger’s bike, but the friendly drivers I had across several rides quickly made me feel at ease. Some would even check in with me during the ride to make sure everything was OK or to ask if I needed them to slow down.
Plus, I found an amazing community of digital nomads, creatives, and expats who decided to trade their office jobs for laptops in cafés. As an American living abroad, this made me feel at home.
It gave me a sense of familiarity in a new environment and made it easier to connect, since there was no language barrier. I felt more comfortable starting conversations and sharing experiences with other expats and long-term travelers.
During my time in Uluwatu, I met another nomad, and a simple conversation turned into spending the next few days together exploring. These kinds of moments felt much more natural and common in Bali than in other places I’ve visited, and I felt a strong sense of openness and connection.
There was always something exciting to do
I rode on a unique swing at Alas Harum.
Gabby Garcia
Another thing I loved about Bali was the diverse range of activities available. Whether I was in the mood to visit temples or relax on the beach, there was always something to do.
For example, in Ubud, I wandered through the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, where ancient temples sit under jungle canopies. There were signs everywhere warning visitors to hold onto their belongings, and for good reason. The sanctuary is home to over 1,260 monkeys, who I saw climbing railings and jumping between statues.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I also visited Alas Harum, a tourism destination in Tegallalang with lots of opportunities for adventure. Here, I flew out on a giant swing that went over rice fields. Taking in the view from way above the terraces was equal parts terrifying and fun.
And when I wanted to relax, I visited the beach clubs, where I lounged by the water with music playing and a drink in my hand.
I’m already dreaming of returning to Bali
After traveling to 44 countries, I can confidently say I’m no stranger to exploring new places.
Every destination I’ve visited has shown me new ways of living, but in Bali, I experienced a way of life that felt joyful, balanced, and connected. Plus, the tropical, warm, and consistent weather didn’t hurt either.
Between the amazing food, the warm people, and the sense of adventure, I’m already dreaming of my next trip to this beautiful island.
If Greenlanders weren’t concerned by President Donald Trump’s threats to annex the territory in his first term, many of them are now.
In the days since the United States’ surprise raid into Venezuela, there’s been a renewed focus on Trump’s interest in the island, sparking fear among locals.
“I don’t know what he’s able to do. Most of me is trying to tell myself, ‘Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine,’ but still I’m worried,” Tupaarnaq Kreutzmann Kleist, a sheep farmer in South Greenland, told Business Insider’s Sarah Andersen on Tuesday.
Casper Frank Møller, CEO and cofounder of Greenland tourist company Raw Arctic, echoed Kleist’s concerns, saying that he and many of his peers are worried about how the situation may affect their finances.
Casper Frank Møller, CEO and cofounder of Raw Arctic.
Raw Arctic
“We’ve made investments into developing our tourism aspects of our company, and it comes with risk now because of the geopolitical situation and the threats by Trump, so of course, yeah, we’re all really worried,” he told Business Insider on Tuesday.
In a statement to Business Insider on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue Greenland, including “utilizing the US Military.”
A US takeover feels more realistic than ever
Trump’s had his sights set on the Arctic island, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, since his first term in office. He has argued that Greenland’s location makes it strategically important, as the melting of Arctic ice opens up new shipping routes and intensifies competition with Russia and China. The island is also rich in critical minerals and already hosts a key US military base, which American officials say is vital to missile defense and Arctic security.
When Trump initially raised the topic of buying Greenland in 2019, Greenlandic influencer and engineer Qupanuk Olsen told Business Insider she and other locals thought it was a joke, and said she still didn’t take it seriously when Trump resurfaced talks in late 2024.
Qupanuk Olsen is one of Greenland’s most prominent influencers.
Mark Adam Miller
That changed when Donald Trump Jr. visited Nuuk in January 2025. “That’s when we realized that Trump’s words were no longer just words,” Olsen said in June. “They are real, and he means what he says.” Business Insider wasn’t able to reach Olsen this week for a follow-up.
In the wake of the raid on Venezuela, Møller said on Tuesday that Trump’s threats to annex Greenland feel “much more realistic that it will actually happen” than when he spoke with Business Insider in January 2025.
A country dividing
US interest had at least one positive effect, Olsen said in June: It pushed Greenlanders to think more seriously about their place in the world and the need to speak for themselves.
“It was such a huge wake-up call for everyone in Greenland because suddenly we needed to have an opinion whether we still want to stay under Denmark, whether we should become independent, or whether we should become a state under the United States,” she said. “We certainly had options. So those options were helpful in the beginning for the independence movement.”
Tupaarnaq Kleist is a sheep farmer in Greenland.
Mark Adam Miller
That mindset may be shifting. Kleist said she’s worried that “we as the local indigenous Greenlandic people are slowly going against each other now,” she told Business Insider on Tuesday. Some want to stand with America, others with Denmark, she said. Ultimately, though, the dream is for Greenland to become its own independent country, she added.
“We want Greenland to be the Greenlanders, and we’re not for sale. We are not to be taken over,” Møller said.
Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister of natural resources, business, energy, justice, and gender equality, said in June that she sees much of the American administration’s interest in Greenland as an opportunity for collaboration. But she said the way Trump is going about it is wrong.
Naaja Nathanielsen is Greenland’s minister of natural resources, business, energy, justice, and gender equality.
Mark Adam Miller
“I think if we take the temperature down a bit and de-escalate the conflict level and the rhetoric, I think we can, in agreement with each other, find many paths forward that are mutually beneficial for both the US and for us,” Nathanielsen said in June. “But we don’t appreciate being talked about as a commodity, as something you can buy or sell or acquire or take. That is, of course, offensive to all people.”
In an email on Tuesday, Nathanielsen told Business Insider that she stands by what she said in June.
“The people of Greenland find the current situation unsettling, and it causes a great deal of anxiety,” she wrote. “We will continuously promote the idea of alliances and partnerships over colonialism. We have had our share of that.”
The debate heats up
Denmark, Trump has argued, is not doing enough to safeguard Greenland. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” Trump told a group of reporters on Air Force One on Sunday.
The same day, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urged the US in a statement to “stop the threats against a historically close ally.” Frederiksen has previously rejected Trump’s suggestions outright, telling him that Greenland is not for sale and that any idea of annexation is “absurd.”
Frederiksen has warned that any US military action against Greenland would severely damage NATO unity, raising questions about whether the alliance could withstand such a conflict between allies.
On Tuesday, major European leaders, including those from France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain, Poland, and Denmark, released a joint statement defending Greenland. “Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
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St. Barts, also known as St. Barthelemy, is a Caribbean island where billionaires often vacation.
The destination offers stunning beaches, luxury shopping, historic sites, and more.
A yacht belonging to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was spotted there at the start of 2026.
Where is Amazon founder Jeff Bezos kicking off the new year?
If the location of his $500 million yacht Koru is any indication, the answer is St. Barthelemy, or St Barts for short.
The French-speaking Caribbean island is a luxurious hot spot for billionaires, where visitors can relax on beautiful beaches, shop designer brands, and, naturally, enjoy some privacy.
Of course, many of us are waking up today at home, not on an island. But if you’re curious, here’s what it’s like to visit the destination.
St. Bart’s is an island off Saint Martin in the Lesser Antilles.
Gustavia Harbor in St. Barts. Mark Mainz/Getty Images
Located in the French West Indies, the small island runs about 11 miles long and 2.5 miles wide.
It’s typically warm and sunny most of the year, with temperatures often in the 70s, 80s, or low 90s, and peak tourist season starts in late fall and lasts through the spring.
As a French territory, the official language of St. Barts is French, though English is also widely spoken.
The exclusive-feeling island is home to more than a dozen beaches, where visitors can soak up the sun on smooth, sandy shores and in crystal-clear water.
“I always say if you want to have your toes in the sand and eat a croissant that feels like you’re in Paris, St. Barts is the place for you,” Elisabeth Brown, the membership director at the luxury concierge service Knightsbridge Circle, told Business Insider’s Madeline Berg.
Surrounded by shallow coral reefs, St. Barts has some top-tier snorkeling spots, such as Grand Cul-de-Sac — home to sea turtles and a range of tropical fish.
Local natural sights also include mountains and hills formed from volcanic eruptions. That said, there are no active volcanoes on St. Barts.
Billionaires like Jeff Bezos seem to love St. Barts.
Jeff Bezos’s yacht Koru has been spotted near St. Barts in the Caribbean Screenshot
Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, were photographed in St. Barts this week — and the Amazon founder has been spotted in St. Barts on multiple occasions over the years.
No matter the time of year, though, the island regularly welcomes the wealthy.
Celebrities like Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Leonardo DiCaprio have visited in the past, and influential banking families, like the Rothschilds, have famously purchased property there.
The influx of .001% travelers means yachts are everywhere.
St. Barths is a wintertime destination for superyachts. Walter Bibikow/Getty Images
In addition to Bezos’ vessel, massive yachts owned by Playrix founder Dmitry Bukhman, Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson, and entertainment mogul David Geffen also parked in St. Barts during the recent holiday.
While the yachts are primarily used for transportation to the island, they’re also attractions in and of themselves, featuring amenities such as jacuzzis and movie theaters.
Travelers without private yachts can still reach the island by flying into an airport on a larger Caribbean island, like San Juan. From there, they could take a ferry or private boat to St Barts.
Hotels can get pricey, but they’re quite luxurious.
The Eden Rock hotel in St. Barts. Education Images/Getty Images
Visitors have several options for accommodations, ranging from villa rentals starting at over $900 a night to luxurious hotels for an even higher price.
The Eden Rock hotel is just one example. It overlooks St. Jean Bay — home to one of the most popular beaches on St. Barts — and is home to fine-dining restaurants and holistic spas.
During holiday seasons like New Year’s, a single-night stay at its largest villa can cost upward of €13,000, or about $15,200.
There’s also the Rosewood Le Guanahani resort, located on a private peninsula that’s home to two secluded beaches, giving travelers the ultimate getaway far from crowds.
Such privacy comes at a price, as even its most basic room can run guests thousands of dollars a night.
Even shopping is elevated on the island.
St. Barts has some high-end boutiques. Andrew Woodley/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
With billionaire travelers always on-site, the island’s retail scene largely caters to shoppers who can drop thousands at any given moment.
Some of the designer brands that have boutiques on St. Barts include Hermès, Cartier, Dior, and Louis Vuitton.
The island’s also home to luxury retailers like Patek Phillipe, which sells one-of-a-kind timepieces you can’t find anywhere else. Some retail for five, six, and even seven figures.
There’s even a club scene for those who want to party until morning.
A New Year’s Eve celebration in St. Barts. Romain Maurice/Getty Images
A trip to St. Barts isn’t all about relaxation, though. There are plenty of places to party and experience live music.
One of the most popular spots for this on the island is Nikki Beach, an upscale restaurant and beach club. In past years, big-name musicians like Kygo and Mariah Carey have even performed at its New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It’s also a go-to for people looking to relax poolside with a drink in hand — though keep in mind that even just renting a lounge chair may cost you over $100.
