Luxury living: Private peninsulas and idyllic islands

Windsong House is a historic 1.7-acre estate on a private peninsula on Riddell’s Bay and the Great Sound. Built in 1720 as a sea captain’s home, the magnificent 7,200-square-foot, three-level main house has benefited from recent refurbishments yet retains its elegant Bermudian ambience. There are seven bedrooms and seven full bathrooms, including a master suite with a private verandah, and a separate guest/staff cottage. The expansive waterfront grounds include an organic garden, bayside pool, swimming terrace, sheltered mooring, and a large jetty.

Urania (also pictured top) is a private island on Lake Muskoka, about two hours from Toronto, in one of Canada’s most historically prestigious areas. The beautifully restored two-story main residence has water vistas from every room. The interiors are warm and welcoming, with elegant entertaining areas including a wraparound sunset verandah. Stone paths and stairways lead through wooded grounds to a sandy beach, dining and cocktail decks, and two boathouses, each with chic sleeping pieds-à-terre atop for luxe island living.

Motu Moie (Tahitian for ‘faraway place’) is a private, 20-acre isle in the Society Islands of French Polynesia — 15 miles from Bora Bora — ringed by palm-lined white-sand beaches and azure seas teeming with sea life. There are several structures, including an owner’s residence, dining pavilion, three beach bungalows, a caretaker’s house, and a bungalow stocked with gear for water sports. Fresh water is supplied by the island’s natural coral-filtered well, and electricity for lighting and refrigeration is solar-powered. The local village of Patio, on the island of Taha’a, is just five minutes away by boat.

This historic waterfront estate commands a 4.71-acre private peninsula in the most coveted location in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The centerpiece of the property is a circa-1902 Shingle-style residence overlooking Narragansett Bay. The 6,000-square-foot interiors are grandly appointed with elegant period details, including hardwood floors, beamed ceilings, and wood-burning fireplaces. The main house is complemented by a separate 1,000-square-foot guest house, built in 1930, and a private dock. The charming seaside village of Watch Hill is just a few minutes away.

This unique lakefront compound is situated on a private peninsula in the exclusive gated enclave of Le Lac in Boca Raton, Florida. Reached via a long private driveway, the 4.2-acre estate comprises a contemporary main residence, separate guest house, four-bay garage, and covered boat dock. The main house offers 4,909 square feet of living space across two levels, with three bedrooms and five full bathrooms. Walls of glass frame water vistas from nearly every vantage. Lushly landscaped grounds heighten the sense of privacy and enhance the views of the lake.