Actor Marlon Brando fell in love with the 13 islands that make up Tetiaroa in French Polynesia while he was filming "Mutiny on the Bounty."
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Strictly speaking, Tetiaroa isn't just one single island, but rather an atoll of 13 islands surrounded by a coral reef in French Polynesia, about 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) north of Tahiti [source: Pacific Island Travel]. Actor Marlon Brando fell in love with the islands while filming "Mutiny on the Bounty" in and around Tahiti and bought them for about $200,000 in 1965 [source: Maxim].
The reason for his attraction is easy to see: With a total area of about 1,433 acres (580 hectares), the islands are a green oasis in a turquoise blue sea, complete with calm waters, palm trees and (do we even have to say it?) white sand beaches [source: Private Islands]. After Brando's death in 2004, a developer purchased the land for $2 million with plans to open a luxury eco-hotel in late 2011 [source: Private Islands].
Start the Countdown |
10: Little Hall's Pond Cay, Bahamas |
9: Skorpios Island, Greece |
8: Great Hans Lollik Island, U.S. Virgin Islands |
7: Petra Island, N.Y. |
6: Necker Island, British Virgin Islands |
5: Isla de sa Ferradura, Spain |
4: Tetiaroa, French Polynesia |
3: Nafsika Island, Greece |
2: Isla Majagual and Isla Maje, Panama |
1: Scott Island, British Columbia |
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