David Copperfield once spent $1 million restoring an antique Orient Express train car, just so he could make it disappear in front of a live audience. So the extent of his latest restoration—of 11 private islands that he acquired in 2006—comes as no surprise. "The whole point is to make it the best place in the world," says Copperfield of his Bahamian resort, Musha Cay and the Islands of Copperfield Bay. Copperfield’s cluster of islands encompasses 700 acres and includes 40 beaches and a two-mile-long sandbar. Guests spend most of their time on the main island, Musha, which features five beach houses and leisure and Dining spaces called the Landings. Copperfield also has plans for a haunted area, called Forbidden Island, so his guests can have a Halloween experience every night if they desire. However, he realizes that not all of his visitors will be as intrigued by magic and illusion as he is. "This is also a place where a movie star with a bold-print name can come with her girlfriends and just run around on the beach naked," he says, adding that those visitors need not worry about their privacy. "When guests rent out the Islands, I will disappear. But if they want me to, I will come and hang out." Rates As many as 12 visitors can stay for $37,500 per day, 24 for $52,500. Recreation A swimming pool, a gym, tennis and badminton courts, and nature trails. A 28-foot catamaran, a 23-foot jet boat, Boston Whaler boats, WaveRunners, sailboats, and Windsurfers are available for cruising among the islands. Golf carts are available for transportation on land.
