The private island of the late cosmetic surgeon Dr Ivo Pitanguy – whose reported guest list once included Tom Cruise, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Brigitte Bardot – has been listed for sale at US$100 million (AU$145 million).
Pitanguy Island, a 75-acre estate off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil’s Bay of Kings, is being sold by the Pitanguy family through London agency Beauchamp Estates.
It marks the first time the island has been available to purchase since Dr Ivo Pitanguy bought it in 1973.
The island includes six modernist-style bungalows and nine suites across approximately 1,391 square metres of built area, along with a swimming pool, three private beaches, a 400-metre airstrip, a helipad, a private marina capable of receiving large vessels, a tennis court, and freshwater springs.
The architecture draws comparisons to the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
The bungalows feature white render facades, curved walls, and full-height glazed windows – a style the press release describes as bearing “a striking resemblance” to the fictional villain Scaramanga’s private island lair.
Dr Ivo Pitanguy, who died in 2016, was one of the world’s most prominent cosmetic surgeons. He founded his clinic in Rio de Janeiro in 1963, attracting a clientele that reportedly included royalty, presidents, and Hollywood stars.
He never publicly disclosed his patients’ identities, but Brazilian and international media widely reported celebrity visits to the island over the years, with guests said to include President Jimmy Carter, Queen Farah Pahlavi of Iran, Katie Holmes, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Ivana Trump.
Beyond his celebrity practice, Dr Ivo Pitanguy founded a plastic surgery teaching programme at the Pontifical Catholic University in Rio, where more than 500 doctors from 40 countries trained.
In 1960, he opened a charity wing at Santa Casa Hospital providing free reconstructive surgery for impoverished patients, including children with birth defects. He carried the Olympic torch during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics in recognition of his contributions to Brazilian public life.
For potential buyers, the listing highlights significant development upside. Under existing planning permissions, the buildings could be expanded vertically to create two-storey villas with a total built area of up to 2,782 square metres.
Subject to approvals from Brazilian municipal authorities and the Brazilian Navy, a single two-storey mansion of up to 30,000 square feet could also be proposed for the island’s eastern end. The agents suggest such additions could increase the island’s value by up to £100 million (US$135 million).
“The island could remain an exceptional private retreat for a discerning multi-millionaire or billionaire, or could be transformed, subject to planning, into a highly exclusive Necker Island style hospitality resort with 5-star amenities of global relevance,” said Gary Hersham, Founding Director of Beauchamp Estates.
Kay Louise Smith, Super-Prime Sales Broker at Beauchamp Estates, described Pitanguy Island as “one of the most exciting and exclusive super-prime listings in 2026.”
The island sits approximately 100 miles southwest of Rio and is accessible by private aircraft in roughly 35 to 40 minutes, by helicopter in about 40 minutes, or by speedboat from the Angra dos Reis mainland in around 15 minutes.
Its marina can accommodate yachts of approximately 50 metres.