St Barths packed with billionaires’ yachts and celebs as the winter hang-out

It’s a tiny Caribbean island about twice as large as Heathrow airport, but with billionaire yachts packing the harbour and celebrities strolling the sands, you’d be forgiven for thinking St Barths is in fact the centre of the universe.

The island – which is French territory – has become the go-to destination for the rich and famous to soak up some sun this winter, with yachts owned by the likes of Roman Abramovich, WhatsApp founder Jan Koum and shipping billionaire Eyal Ofer anchored just off shore. David Geffen’s huge yacht was also pictured there in recent days. 

Meanwhile the likes of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have been pictured frolicking in the waters, while famous faces from Mike Tyson to Scott Disick, and Dua Lipa to Victoria Silvstedt have been spotted on the beaches. 

Here, MailOnline gives you a rundown of anyone who’s anyone on or around St Barths this winter… 

The billionaire boat club  

Hugging close to the shoreline near the capital and main port of Gustavia, the creme de la creme of the world’s superyachts form an ultra-exclusive club – and billionaires need not apply.

Dominating the horizon is Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s $700million Eclipse yacht, complete with nine decks, 18 cabins for guests, 100 crew, a 50ft swimming pool that can be converted into a dancefloor and space  to store three helicopters. Moored just alongside is Le Grand Bleu, a $150million vessel that Abramovich used to own before it was sold to his best friend and business partner Eugene Shvidler in 2006.

Jan Koum, founder of WhatsApp, owns two boats currently moored off shore – the $220million Moonrise and the $20million sister ship, Power Play. Other notable owners include Ann Walton Kroenke, heiress to the Walmart fortune, and John Caudwell, British billionaire owner of Phones4U.

The celeb sun-seekers

While a bevvy of big names have been spotted on the beaches of St Barths in recent days, perhaps the biggest of them all was Jeff Bezos – Amazon founder and world’s second-richest man with a fortune of around $195billion.

The 57-year-old was spotted lounging in the sunshine with Sanchez as the pair spent the day on a tender vessel – a much smaller pleasure boat usually attached to a larger ship.

On December 26, the couple took a boat out with a group of friends, and spent some time laying out on a raft, where a bikini-clad Sanchez cuddled up to her shirtless beau who matched her in a pair of black swim trunks. 

Days later, a star-studded gala thrown by Milanese fashion house LuisaViaRoma in aid of charity Unicef took place on the island, pulling in a plethora of celebrity guests who struck poses for the camera.

Leading the pack was English singer Dua Lipa who had been holidaying on the island following her rumoured split from Anwar Hadid, model and brother of Gigi and Bella, before attending the event on Wednesday evening.

The 26-year-old arrived wearing a sheer, green, sequined dress that revealed a cut-away bodysuit underneath. She had previously posted pictures of herself in a barely-there green bikini while sunbathing on the island.

She was joined by supermodel Izabel Goulart, 37, who arrived at the event in a floor-length silver number – having spent her Christmas holidays in a bikini on the beach with fiance Kevin Trapp.

Goulart, who hails from São Paulo in Brazil, has been on St Barths since at least December 24 when she was pictured strolling the sands wearing a Santa hat.

She was accompanied on holiday – though not at the Unicef event – by Trapp, who is a German footballer who plays in goal for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and the German national team. 

Elsewhere on the island, Scott Disick – of Keeping Up With The Kardashians fame – was seen spending time again with model Bella Banos, 25, over a year after they were last seen spending time with each other.

The father of three chatted up the brunette model on the beach on Tuesday as she showcased her svelte frame in a neon green thong bikini and white sarong.

The duo were spotted the day before lounging at the beach, with Bella opting for another neon swimsuit – this time in a citrus hue. 

For their Monday outing, Scott kept it casual in a patterned button up top, adding black shorts and loafers, wearing sunglasses on his head.

Meanwhile the model chose a neon orange triangle bikini top, adding matching thong bottoms; she rocked a lace sarong that tied on one side.

Also on the island in the past few days has been swimwear model Kimberley Garner, sported one of her brand’s signature strappy bikinis and a bright orange one-piece.

She recently shared some snaps of herself in a black bikini as she posed on the white sandy beach of the Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel on the Caribbean island of Anguilla.

She could be seen wearing the dark swimwear which left her toned midriff on show.

It comes after Kimberley enjoyed the summer with her boyfriend, and is yet to reveal his identity. 

Swedish model Victoria Silvstedt was another who combined work with pleasure, arriving on Barths ahead of Christmas and spending the holiday there before attending the gala.

The 47-year-old, who represented Sweden at Miss World in 1993 before becoming a Playboy Playmate, was spotted on the beaches of the Caribbean island several times over the festive period.

She then added some color to the proceedings at the Unicef gala with a sheer green dress, which she wore with a slim silver belt around her midriff. 

Joining the model at the benefit was former boxer Mike Tyson, who had on a midnight blue satin shirt with the sleeves partly rolled up. He contrasted it with black pants covered in silver floral designs and white alligator print shoes.

Last week he had been spotted holidaying on the island his wife Lakiha Spicer, 44, and their daughter Milan, 13, as the trio strolled along one of the main beaches

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. also appeared at the gala looked dapper in a gray plaid blazer with black satin shawl lapels.

The actor – who is best known for portraying OJ Simpson in the first season of American Crime Story – wore his jacket with a black vest and a matching shirt, which he accented with an orange bow tie.

He completed the look with black jeans, along with laceless green sneakers and black browline sunglasses. 

Also at the Unicef event was Danish model Nina Agdal – former girlfriend of Leonardo DiCaprio – Norwegian beauty Frida Aasen and her Italian businessman fiancé Tommaso Chiabra, and actress and model Fiammetta Cicogna and attended with partner Carl Hirschman.

The yachts and their owners 

1. Moonrise, Jan Koum

Founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum became a member of the billionaire club in 2014 when Facebook bought the popular messaging app for $22billion in cash and stock.

Koum resigned as CEO of WhatsApp in 2018 and stepped down from the board of Facebook as well, and is now worth an estimated $12billion having given more than $1billion to charitable causes.

The tech billionaire has reportedly been dating 30-year-old Crimean supermodel Evelina Mambetova since 2014. 

Launched just last year, the 328ft Moonrise – worth an estimated $220million – features eight state rooms with space for 16 guests, with windows running along both sides of the vessel for sweeping sea views, along with accommodation for 32 crew.

Features include a helipad located on the front teak deck, a beach club at the rear with space for entertaining guests on the ocean, a full gym and interiors by French designer Remi Tessier. 

2. Rising Sun, David Geffen

Record and movie producer David Geffen’s yacht, the Rising Sun, is a favourite haunt of celebrities, political figures and the rich and famous – many of whom have been pictured holidaying on its expansive decks. 

Built in 2004 and worth an estimated $400million, the 454ft boat was originally built for Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Geffen acquired half a stake in the yacht in 2007, and took full ownership in 2010.

Rising Sun has 82 rooms including room for 18 guests in nine suites, and accommodation for 45 crew.

In the past has played host to: The Obamas, Ivanka Trump and husband Jared, Katy Perry and Janet Zuccarini, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Sir Paul McCartney.

A full-sized basketball court, gym, and private cinema on the owner’s deck at the top of the vessel are some of the stand-out features. 

3. Eclipse, Roman Abramovich

Best-known as the owner of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovich is part of a super-exclusive club of Russian oligarchs who made a fortune when the Soviet Union’s assets fell back into private hands after 1991.

Worth an estimated $14.5billion, he holds shares in steel manufacturer Evraz and mining company Norlisk Nickel, after selling considerable stakes in oil giant Sibneft and energy firm Gazprom for $15billlion back in 2005.

His yacht, the 533ft Eclipse, was the world’s longest pleasure vessel when it launched in 2010 – it was overtaken in 2013 by the 593ft Azzam, thought to be owned by Dubai’s royal family – and cost a reported $400million, though its current value is estimated at $700million.

The Eclipse’s main features are space for three helicopters: A helipad at the front of the vessel that lowers into a storage bay, allowing a second helicopter to land on top, and another helipad on the sundeck at the rear.

Inside, there are nine decks with 18 guest cabins and space for up to 100 crew. The main feature is a 50ft indoor swimming pool with a blue granite bottom that can be raised up to floor level so it transforms into a dance floor.

There is also a full gym, spa area, massage room, beauty salon, sauna, two plunge pools and a ‘beach club’ area at the back, which features a full kitchen in addition to a pull-out barbecue and pizza oven.

4. Le Grand Bleu, Eugene Shvidler 

Best friend and business partner of Roman Abramovich – whose own boat is parked nearby – Eugene (Evgeny) Shvidler is worth an estimated $2billion thanks to shares he owns in steel-maker Evraz and mining company Norlisk Nickel, where Abramovich also has shares.

His boat, Le Grand Blue, used to belong to Abramovich having first been commissioned by American businessman John McCaw in 2000. Abramovich bought the vessel some time in the early 2000s, before selling it to his friend Shvidler in 2006.

The 370ft yacht has its own helicopter pad, water purification system and two additional boats, known as tenders. It is worth an estimated $150million, according to Superyacht Fan. 

5. Lady Jorgia, Patrick Dovigi

A former Canadian hockey goalkeeper, Patrick Dovigi became an entrepreneur while still playing sport – working at a company leasing construction equipment and cars, and then at an investment firm.

In 2007, he founded his own company – Green For Life Environmental Inc – an environmental waste management firm and steadily grew the business by acquiring other companies so it is today worth around $14billion.

Dovigi, who continues to be the firm’s president and CEO, joined the billionaire club in 2017 following a series of major acquisitions and is thought to be worth around $1.1billion.

His yacht, the 243ft Lady Jorgia, was built the same year Dovigi became a billionaire and cost some $90million.

It features space for 12 guests in eight separate rooms, a fully equipped gym and spa, indoor and outdoor cinemas, a pool, and an entertaining area with espresso bar. 

Power Play, Jan Koum

A second yacht owned by the WhatsApp founder, the 182ft Power Play is considerably smaller than his other boat – Moonrise – and is designed as a support vessel, though it can also venture out on its own. 

Originally designed to carry a power-boat on the rear deck, Koum had the $20million ship refitted to carry a helicopter which can also land on the front section of his main vessel.

Power play can sleep up to six guests in three suites and has accommodation for 10 crew, though most of its space is devoted to activities that complement the Moonrise.

It comes equipped with a fully kitted-out dive centre including room for equipment and oxygen tanks, including special kit that allows divers to visit environmentally sensitive areas. 

Olivia O, Eyal Ofer 

An Israeli shipping magnate worth an estimated $11.4billion, Eyal Ofer inherited his father’s business in 2011 but has significantly expanded and diversified its holdings to include real estate, banking and investments. 

Through Global Holdings, his real estate firm, he owns 15 Central Park West, 1250 Broadway and 50 United Nations Plaza, all located in Manhattan, New York.

His highly-distinctive yacht Olivia O, completed just last year at a cost of $200million, features space for 20 guests housed in eight suites, along with 30 crew.

Other features include a swimming pool, gym, helipad, and spa – with lots of deck space at the rear for sports such as swimming, diving, fishing and the use of smaller tender boats.

Droulers of Milan designed the interior, saying Ofer and his wife requested a Japanese theme that included the extensive use of wood and resin in the bathrooms to create a spartan cement-like texture.

Excellence, Herb Chambers

The son of an artist and a bar owner who was once fired by his own mother for missing work, Herb Chambers got his start in business by selling copiers before switching to cars – which made him his fortune.

Now worth an estimated $1.8billion, Chambers has a taste for some of the finer things in life and is known to own a rare car collection that includes a McLaren F1, three Ferraris, three Porches, a Ford GT and Model B, a Bugatti Veyron, a Cadillac Eldorado and a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL.

He is also the proud owner of Excellence, a 263ft, $120million superyacht that was built in Germany and launched in May 2019.

The Excellence features a triple-height glass atrium at its centre that is fitted with an elevator and tiered cinema, has a pool with a swim-up bar two Jacuzzis on the rear deck, a ‘wellness spa’ and a dedicated gym.

 It also has  garage for two ‘limousine’ tender boats which can be used to explore the surrounding ocean, while the garage itself has its own bar and entertaining space for guests.

Halo, María Asunción Aramburuzabala 

Heiress of the Modelo beer fortune, María Asunción Aramburuzabala is Mexico’s best-known businesswoman and one of the country’s richest – with a fortune of $5.8billion.

Aramburuzabala cemented her place among the world’s well-heeled in 2013 when Modelo was sold to Belgian beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev for $20billion.

She now serves on the board of AB InBev but has also diversified her interests via investment firm Tresalia Capital, which has pumped money into construction, telecommunications and the Internet.

Her yacht, the 189ft Halo, features accommodation for 12 guests spread across six suites and cabins for 15 crew, with the pièce de résistance being the owner’s VIP cabin on the top deck.

This features a his and hers bathroom, a private office, and a sundeck. Elsewhere there is a large Jacuzzi with a carbon-fibre shade that opens electronically, located on a large communal sundeck with its own bar.

The yacht houses two smaller tender boats and has a diving centre complete with 28 oxygen tanks for excursions out on the water. A helicopter can also be landed on the bow.