Ariara is a 125-acre (500,000-square-meter) private island in the Philippines.
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Luxury retreat —
English couple Charlie and Carrie McCulloch have turned the island into a luxury retreat for single parties of up to 18 guests.
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Visions of paradise —
"There are not very many places like this," says Charlie, explaining what drew them halfway around the world. "But it was always my idea of perfection."
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Ultimate privacy —
Resorts where you rent a villa, even at the high-end, just weren't good enough for what they envisioned, the McCullochs say.
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No neighbors to worry about —
"Even if you have a beautiful suite in a hotel, or a villa in a resort, ultimately, you have to turn the music down!" Carrie says. At Ariara, "you can have it as loud as you want!"
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Fully staffed —
The island has 30 staff, many of whom do at least two or three different jobs.
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The guests —
The owners are tight-lipped when asked about their wealthy guests, revealing only that they come from places such as the UK, Australia, China and South Korea, and that many of them are returning for the second, third or even fourth time.
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Vacant two-thirds of the year —
They do need more guests, admits Charlie. But he insists that even with the island booked only about one-third of the time, the business is sustainable and profitable.
