The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals (2021) s01e03 Episode Script
Private Islands
1
[upbeat music playing]
You know what time it is?
Private island time!
-Whoo!
-Which means outfit change.
-It's hot as hell.
-[grunts]
[Jo] When it comes to vacation rentals,
what could be better
than going to your own private island?
From lavish resorts to deserted islands,
there are hundreds
of private islands around the world.
And in this episode,
we'll be checking out three of the best.
[Luis] We start at this private oasis
here in the Bahamas.
To this unique lighthouse here in Alaska.
To this beautiful budget private island
here in South Carolina.
[opening theme music playing]
[upbeat music playing]
We just landed in the Bahamas!
Whoo!
[Luis] Our first of three private islands
is my luxury property,
which has the perfect name
Royal Island. I can see it.
Wow, that looks beautiful.
When I think of private islands,
my mind goes to the Caribbean Sea.
So for my luxury vacation rental,
I've selected a very exclusive
private island in the Bahamas.
Let's stop this boat for a second.
[engine powers down]
All right, beautiful.
Thank you very much.
Girls, you're about to see
something extremely special.
I wanted to make this a little dramatic,
so I told him to stop a little bit.
-Allison, thank you for picking us up.
-Absolutely.
[Luis] This is the way
to enter a private island.
We're entering into
a completely private 430-acre island.
So this is all private to us
for the entire stay.
I love that.
Allison is the head concierge
at Cuvée Royal Island,
and she's gonna take care of us.
Yep, whether it's massages, water sports,
snorkeling excursions, you name it.
We're here for you guys.
I already feel taken care of.
[woman] That's right
Just right ♪
Come into the light
Shining like a diamond ♪
It's my time, time ♪
Booty in a bag
That's so sick ♪
My life's so fly
That's right ♪
[all greeting]
Oh, thank you.
-Hi!
-This is Greg.
Coconuts from the island.
-[Megan] Wow!
-Beautiful!
All right. Wow! Wow! Wow! What a place!
Let me tell you about
Cuvée's Royal Island.
This is the ultimate private resort
that can only be rented
by one party at a time.
There are five beach bungalows,
eight bedrooms,
nine bathrooms,
and can sleep up to 18 guests.
The price includes all your food,
,
starting at $15,000 per night.
-This is amazing. Nice coconuts.
-[Jo] This is too much.
-[Megan] Thank you.
-[Jo] Thank you.
[Luis] Look at this.
The Melanie Beach Club.
I don't know who's Melanie,
but I love her.
[Jo] Ooh! Look at the pool!
[Megan] And a hot tub right there.
It's just as blue as the water.
[Luis] Wow, incredible.
I can't believe this is all private.
It's all for us, yes.
It feels like there's no time running.
-[Megan] Feels like it's just this moment.
-[Allison] That's how we want you to feel.
Go ahead and check it out.
[all] Okay. Thank you.
Wow, this is amazing.
How you doing? Wow, nice.
[man] Welcome, welcome!
-[Luis] For us?
-[man 2] A glass of rosé?
-Uh, how did you know? Yes.
-We know everything.
-Yes, please. Thank you.
-[man] Awesome.
[Luis] Wow, amazing.
So this is where we have
all the meals served.
We'll typically do dinner down here
or on the beach.
You've got a full bar,
a bartender
who can make you anything you want.
-He got me rosé.
-Yeah.
Endless rosé.
Your island, whatever you wish.
-Keep it coming.
-Yeah.
[all chuckle]
Okay, little pre-gym lounge.
Yeah, a full-on lounge
before the fitness center?
This is so spacious.
Oh, nice!
I mean, look at this place.
It's like your own private world.
When you rent a room at a luxury resort,
you're sharing all of your amenities
with random guests.
Here, you get it all to yourself.
A fitness center,
a pool,
a restaurant,
five private beach bungalows.
And it's located in one of the most
beautiful emerald coves I have ever seen.
That's why this place is normally rented
by high-net-worth individuals
and celebrities,
because of its seclusion and privacy.
[Megan] Imagine, like, after you work out,
if you open these doors
This makes me feel like I'm on vacation.
[Jo] It doesn't get better than this.
[Luis] We each get our own private
beachfront-facing bungalow.
Let's check out one.
[chill music playing]
-Wow, this is it.
-[Megan sighs]
[chuckles] This is gonna be the view that
you see every time you open your door.
[Megan] This is unreal.
[chuckling] Oh.
-[Megan] Beautiful.
-[Jo] Whoa.
[Jo] This place is incredible.
I love that it's all wooden.
-[Megan] Love that it's dark wood.
-[Luis] Know what you realize?
You come from such a bright place,
and you come into something that's dark,
but, like, it flows seamlessly.
[Jo] Beautiful.
Luis, this is
-No!
-This is next level.
You gotta feel it.
I'm instantly knocked out.
This is what Feeling like you're
you area piece of butter feels like.
Oh, wow. [chuckles]
This feels like, uh like the inside
of an Old English boat.
It does. It's made of all teak wood,
so it feels really cozy.
-[Luis] If it's teak, it's good quality.
-[Megan] Yeah.
You know, if this is the bed,
imagine the bathroom.
-I gotta go.
-Okay.
[Luis] Okay. Here we go.
Nice, look at this.
Ooh!
-That's a nice bar.
-That's a refrigerator?
-A minibar.
-[Megan] A bar in the room?
It's stacked. Beautiful,
and it's nicely placed.
Nice, look at this bathroom.
Look at how big this bathroom is.
You can have a full hangout session
in this bathroom.
The whole wash of the teak
around the room, it just feels calming.
I love the exposed piping
and the rainfall showerhead.
That is luxury.
[Jo] This tub, my friends.
[Luis] Look at the lighting on this tub.
It makes you wanna get in.
It almost makes you feel
like you're in a 1960s detective movie.
[Megan laughs]
[upbeat music playing]
Here's what I love about the design
of this property.
This property is perfectly laid out
for large groups or families.
And each of the five beach bungalows
delivers the same standards of simple
but elegant luxury for every single guest.
[Luis] When it comes to this price point,
clients are not just paying
for luxury accommodations and location.
They're also paying
for the most exceptional service.
Here, for example,
you can have your own private chef
tailor every meal to each individual guest
wherever they want it.
-[screams]
-[laughs]
-Cheers!
-Cheers!
[Luis] Salud!
[Jo] Wow, it doesn't look real.
Most people will only dream
of coming to a place like this.
When you think of going
on a Caribbean vacation,
this is what you think of,
but very few get to live it.
When you have your private island,
there's no rules. [laughing]
-There's no police. You can do anything.
-[Luis] No rules.
And that is priceless.
-[Jo] That's luxury.
-[Megan] That isluxury.
-[Luis] What a life!
-[drum playing]
[peaceful music playing]
[birds cawing]
[Luis] Know what I love
about Cuvée's Royal Island?
You get out of bed
you walk outside of your door,
you see the most amazing beach
your eyes have ever seen.
Then you step down into the sand
and then into the water.
[mid-tempo pop music playing]
[woman] Gotta let it go ♪
[Jo] So, as you're sitting here,
soaking up the rays in a private island,
you might be thinking about loved ones.
Maybe your mom, your friends, your dog.
The last person you're gonna be thinking
about, though, is Christopher Columbus.
Yeah, that guy.
Rumor has it
that he discovered the Americas,
but if we're getting technical,
he really discovered the Bahamas.
Some people argue that he landed
right here on Royal Island.
You know,
real estate is about three things.
It's location, it's location,
and it's location.
If you look at this paradise,
it's only 30 minutes away
from the airport,
an hour away from Miami.
You can find beaches like this, but you
have to go to Tahiti, Bora Bora, Maldives,
and that's gonna take you at least
two days, not to mention the jet lag.
Here, you can be in paradise
in just an hour and a half.
[upbeat music playing]
-You guys wanna see something amazing?
-What? What is it?
-Oh!
-Come to the jet skis. Follow me.
-Okay.
-A little mystery.
[Luis laughing]
[Jo] Whoo! It's cold.
[upbeat music playing]
[Luis] Part of the luxury and pleasure
of being on a private island
is having your own exclusive
one-of-a-kind adventure.
So the staff and I have set up something
very special for the three of us
Wow!
in the form of a sandbar.
And by the way, this sandbar
only appears for a few hours a day,
and we were so lucky
to have it all to ourselves.
I cannot believe that we're here.
-This is crazy.
-[Megan] I feel like we're on the moon.
-I have goosebumps in my heart.
-I know.
-"In my heart."
-I swear. I'm not joking.
[Jo] Guys, I just kinda want to run in it.
-This is your island as much as it's ours.
-Okay, bye!
[screams]
Oh God! It's so beautiful!
[Luis laughing]
It's nice to see something
and feel something.
This is one of those times I saw
something so beautiful
that it's like [exhales]
This is one of my top trips
in my entire life.
[Jo] We have to continue,
which I don't want to at this point.
We have about an hour
before the tide rises. So let's go.
[laughs, screams]
I love it!
-[Jo] We're in Alaska!
-Alaska!
We're going to Sitka. Private island time.
It's going to be unique.
For my unique private island,
I've taken us all the way
from the Bahamas to Sitka, Alaska.
-Look at that!
-[Megan] Look at this one.
This is beautiful.
[Jo] A small coastal fishing village
that still holds deep roots to its proud
Tlingit Native American culture.
This is it. This is our ride.
-Hi. You're John?
-Yes. Come on back.
-[Jo] Hey.
-[Luis] Nice boat.
[boat horn blows]
This is so funny that you chose this
as the private island.
There's like fog, mood
-You think private island, you think sun.
-That's the traditional sense.
But where we just were in the Bahamas,
the Caribbean,
that's what people think of,
but the fisherman islands need love too.
-Look, there it is. That's our house.
-Right there?
-[Luis] Is that a lighthouse?
-[Jo] That's it. That's our house.
[Megan] So gorgeous.
-Wow.
-What a vacation rental.
[ship horn blows]
[Jo] The Sitka Lighthouse is one
of the only properties in the world
where you can stay in a lighthouse
on a private island.
I love the connection to the local culture
and fishing community.
This one-of-a-kind property
has two bedrooms,
one and a half bathrooms,
can sleep six guests,
and starts at $650 a night.
Thanks for the ride.
-[Luis] Amazing.
-[Teal] Thank you. Thanks.
We're gonna get your luggage for you.
-Okay.
-Head on up and take a look around.
I'll be up to answer any questions
that you might have. Yeah.
-You guys, this is our lighthouse.
-This is sick.
It is very dramatic, which I love.
Look at the mountains in the fog.
It's so moody.
-[Jo] Have you ever been in a lighthouse?
-[Megan and Luis] Never.
[Jo] Good. Lookit.
Ooh, a nice little deck with a fire pit?
[Luis] Wow, this is beautiful.
[Jo] It's one acre of private island.
[Megan] Ahh! This is so nice.
[all] Ohh!
-[Megan] More seating.
-[Luis] Okay, this is special.
Ooh, nice.
[Jo] Isn't this great?
[upbeat music playing]
-Wow, gorgeous!
-Whoa!
[Megan] Amazing.
I love it.
This is incredible.
Those are absolutely original stairs.
[Jo] Teal told me that a lot of the pieces
are reclaimed ship material.
So these stairs were part of a
of a ship.
[Megan] I love that.
There's a kitchen.
This kitchen is bigger
than you'd think for a lighthouse.
[Jo] Oh, yeah.
Nice welcome basket.
[Jo] Love our welcome baskets.
[Megan] Wow. Thisis a welcome basket.
[Jo] This is great for vacation renters
when you wanna cook.
[Megan] Love that there's open shelving so
you don't wonder where anything is.
Yeah, I love it. It's like a home.
Once you're inside, you're in a home.
[Megan] I think it's important to make
the interior super inviting and bright
because when it's a day like today, rain,
you still feel bright and airy
because it's so light and clean.
I love that the walls are curved.
And I love the blend of local art
and antique furniture.
You know what a lighthouse makes me feel?
Like, I am breaking in.
Like you're not supposed to be here.
I know.
[Luis] Like I jumped over the gate,
and I'm running inside,
and nobody knows about it.
[Megan] Upstairs time.
[Luis] Look at this.
-[Megan] Stained glass of the lighthouse?
-[Luis] Oh, beauty!
-[Jo] Cool!
-[Luis] Oh, very nice!
[Jo] Let's do the bed check.
Everybody get on the bed. This is soft.
-This is a ni Yeah, it feels good.
-[Jo sighs]
Do you rather a square bedroom
or a round bedroom?
I never even thought of it before this.
-I like round. It's like a good chi.
-[Luis] Yeah, right?
-The round is nice.
-There's like a feng shuito it.
Mm-hmm.
[Jo] Hold up, there's more upstairs.
We gotta keep going.
[Luis] Nice.
-This is what a lighthouse should be like.
-[Megan] Oh, my goodness.
-Oh, my goodness.
-How cute is this?
[Luis laughing]
This is so cute.
-I think it has a better view.
-I love my bedroom.
[Megan] One, two, three, four bunk beds.
Are they all twin size?
[Jo] Yup, looks like we're gonna be
snug like bugs in rugs.
Here, I'm gonna take the top bunk.
-[Megan] I'll be here.
-[Luis] So nice.
It's roomy.
You know what this room officially does?
It welcomes families.
This room could have been one bed
and that's it.
But the fact that there's four bunk beds,
it's saying, "Bring your family in.
Bring your kids and friends."
That's a great design.
[Megan] Now look at the stairs
to the upstairs secret 360 room.
[Luis] Okay.
-Shall we?
-[Megan] Seafoam green is a fresh choice.
Wow, you guys, this room is cool.
All I see is light, so I'm happy.
[Jo] It keeps getting better and better.
-[Megan] This is very cool.
-[Luis] No, this is great.
[Jo] And we can walk outside.
-[Jo gasps]
-[Luis] Oh, this is the money.
[Jo singing] We're in a lighthouse
We're in a lighthouse ♪
We're standing on the top of a lighthouse.
That's crazy.
You can rent somebody else's lighthouse
in a different part of the world
in a matter of seconds. What a life.
[Jo] The owners of this lighthouse
truly go out of their way
to make sure every guest has every
single little detail that you might need,
including a water taxi service to town
and a one-of-a-kind dinner surprise.
You guys aren't gonna believe
what's about to happen next.
[Megan] What?
-[Jo] You asked about dinner?
-[Megan] Yeah.
[Jo] There it is. King salmon
coming straight to the doorstep.
[Luis] Wow.
-Oh, nice!
-Ohh!
Huge!
Oh my God! How many pounds is that salmon?
This is probably 20 to 25 pounds.
-How much is that to buy?
-Like, over a hundred dollars?
-Yeah. Hundreds of dollars.
-Yeah.
Can I take a bite?
-Sure. Here.
-[Jo] He's like, "Sure, go ahead."
You're really good at that, Megan.
This is the best salmon
that we can possibly eat in Alaska.
-In the world.
-In the world.
-In the world!
-Come on. In the world!
[mid-tempo guitar music playing]
[Luis] I always talk to you
about the finer things in life.
This king salmon from Alaska,
straight from the source.
That is as fine as it can get.
And if you have someone
that can cook it with perfection,
it gets even finer.
[Luis] Okay, wow, this looks delicious.
Coming through with the garnish.
-Okay, let's Moment of truth.
-[Jo and Megan] Bon appétit!
[Jo] Mm!
Mm.
-Delicious.
-Very good.
[Megan] Look at all these layers of bed.
You have the over blanket.
You have the duvet.
-You have
-Throw pillows.
Throw pillows on throw pillows
on throw pillows.
You have a quilt.
-[Jo yawns]
-Decadent.
-Why are you not in the sheets?
-I thought I was.
I got under, like, four layers.
Oh my God, there's more.
I didn't even get under the bed,
and I was ready to go to bed.
[peaceful music playing]
[bird calling]
Sleeping in a lighthouse
is everything you would expect.
It's playful.
It's very comfortable.
It's amazing.
That's a nice touch.
Opening my eyes and just seeing that?
Every extraordinary place
has a secret spot in it,
and that to me is the most exciting part
because it's where I find
the most amount of inspiration.
Like this one.
[birds chirping]
[upbeat music playing]
Usually when we're talking about
exteriors of places,
we talk about curb appeal.
Here we have views from catwalk decks,
a classic front porch swing,
a hot tub,
and a fire pit area.
With a lighthouse,
every view from all sides
needs to be impressive,
and my goodness, this does it.
[Megan] Whoo!
All right. Let's do this.
We are about to do a wildlife tour
on this tiny boat.
We're out here in the middle of the water.
We don't get wet today.
[Luis] When you rent a private island,
right outside your front door
is a world of adventure.
That's part of what you're paying for.
[Megan] Welcome to Alaska's
belly-flop tournament
featuring all of these salmon
living their lives to the fullest.
[upbeat song playing]
-Look! Look at that!
-[Luis] Whoo!
[Luis] Hi!
-[man]It's gonna be the best day ever ♪
-Whoo!
It's gonna be the best day ever ♪
There, right there!
-[both] Whoa!
-[Andy whistles]
[Megan] Look! Look at him!
-He's huge!
-[Luis] Wow!
Oh my gosh!
[Luis] Wow, it's so beautiful.
[Jo] Megan and Luis wanted to go explore.
I'm like,
"Good. You guys do your thing.
I'm gonna stay back."
In all my years of traveling, I realize
you need to take that moment for yourself.
And some people are like,
"Jo, what about FOMO?"
"Aren't you afraid you'll miss out?"
I'm like, "No, I embrace the spirit
of JOMO, the joy of missing out."
Look at this view. All for me now.
-We got a lot out of this property.
-I know.
You had nature. You had the coziness.
If you only had
two weeks of vacation a year,
I would recommend this place.
Cheers!
Let's enjoy the sunset in Sitka.
[Megan] On our private island.
[upbeat music playing]
South Carolina, here we go.
[Megan] We're heading off
to my affordable private island
just off the coast
of Hilton Head, South Carolina,
one of the most popular resort communities
in the United States.
[Jo] I did not expect you to bring us
to South Carolina.
When I grew up, I was two and a half hours
away from this place.
In the South, it just feels comforting,
but at the same time,
home and food go hand in hand for me.
I feel like if I'm not tasting
the flavors of the place,
I haven't really been there.
-So the South
-I like that.
private island, comfort food
Here we are.
That's why I'm wearing this shirt.
There it is, right there.
-[Jo] This is it?
-[Bill] Part of it.
-[Megan] Yeah.
-[Jo] How cool is that?
-Bill, thank you.
-Enjoy, guys.
-If you need anything else, let me know.
-Thank you.
After you.
[Luis] I'm very impressed, Megan.
-This is so unlike you, you know?
-[Megan] I know.
Remote, no transportation.
-After this guy leaves, we are out here.
-We're stuck.
There is Wi-Fi, and there is food.
So it's not completely not like me.
[Jo] She covered her bases.
-[Megan laughs]
-[Luis] Yeah.
-[Megan] This is perfect.
-Yeah, this is amazing.
Look at the size of this table.
[Megan] Okay, so here's our rental.
-[Luis] Whoa.
-[Jo] Cool! It's so hidden in the trees.
Cute!
Really bigger than I expected.
[Megan] Old House Cay
is a collection of three small islands
featuring an 1,800-square-foot
Lowcountry-style home
with a beautiful observation tower.
It has three bedrooms,
two and a half bathrooms,
sleeps six guests,
and starts at $500 per night.
-[Luis] Whoa.
-[Megan] Pretty huge on the outside.
[Jo] I love the cupola at the top.
Look at that.
[Megan] You can start to see solar panels.
The whole thing is off-grid.
[Luis] Wow, Megan, this is nice.
[Megan] Look at this beautiful
wrap-around porch.
-[Jo] This porch, wow.
-I know. Look at this view.
[Luis] Ohh!
-Yeah!
-For you, Luis.
Basically, having this
makes it feel like it's twice the size.
I feel like you are living
just as much outside as you are inside.
That's like the whole Lowcountry design,
outdoor and indoor.
This is pretty spectacular.
I love the private island life.
The public sees private islands
as something for rich people only.
-[Megan] Right.
-You're proving us wrong now.
-You found a gem.
-[Megan] There's more to it, though.
[Megan] Oh! The wind. The air.
That AC?
[Megan] Got really high ceilings,
so it brings all the hot air up and out.
So we will be cool.
But even the ceiling,
like the corrugated metal
it makes me feel comfortable.
-Like I want to take my shoes off.
-[Jo] Ooh. Good call.
-[Luis] Yeah, good call.
-[Megan] Like
-She's really at home.
-I feel at home.
And the kitchen! [gasps]
Look at all the space.
I can't wait to cook in this kitchen.
[Jo] It's simple,
but it's got everything you need, right?
[Luis] Beautiful island.
Speaking of cooking, I found
this cookbook of the Gullah culture.
This is the food culture here.
And where they lived
is on Daufuskie Island,
which is five minutes from here.
Sallie Ann Robinson, she's basically
a local celebrity chef here.
And she's born and raised Gullah.
Damn. Okay. And are we cooking with her?
That's the idea.
Love that. That's crazy.
-Where the bedrooms?
-[Megan] Let's see.
-This is the primary bedroom.
-[Jo] Ooh!
It's simple but soothing.
[Luis] When I look at a property,
I'm judging from important elements
like lights, ceiling heights
But to me, there is that little part
that comes from the heart.
For example, I'm in love with this room
because it's small,
and it has two twin beds,
and it reminds me of when I used
to sleep with my twin brother in twin beds
when we were seven.
Wow!
This is gorgeous.
[Luis] Whoa, this is incredible.
-[Jo] Damn, look at this view.
-[Megan] I know. Just 360 everything.
-[Jo] How often do you get to see
-[Luis] This is so cool.
your entire private island?
You know how valuable
windows are in New York?
-Really?
-And having a room like this?
Full of windows?
With your permission,
I would like to call it for this room.
You can have this room.
[Jo] Cupola lifestyle.
Let me tell you a little bit
about the rental market in this area.
Across the bay is Hilton Head.
There is about nine thousand units
for rent on the market today,
and what makes this one special
is you're ten minutes away in a boat ride,
and you're here on a private island
all to yourself.
Three acres for less than $500 a night?
That's a win.
[uplifting music playing]
[Megan] Never underestimate
the value of a drink at sunset.
And what I love, is this three-story
open-air observation tower,
which is the perfect place
to watch the sun go down and relax.
-Oh, how pretty, though, right there.
-[Luis] Five hundred dollars a night.
This is worth 500 alone.
[Megan] This is all you need. This is it.
[Jo] The whole property feels like that.
-Feels no-frills?
-Feels no-frills, yeah.
-It's like a beautiful, simple cabin.
-[Luis] What you see is what you get.
And when I search for restaurants,
I click the no-frills filter.
Like, I don't like frills.
Speaking about frills, this is a frill,
and I'm going to enjoy it
like there was no tomorrow.
-That's a frill.
-That is a frill.
It could always be more frills,
but I love that it's just as it is.
[Megan] It's a frill.
[all laughing]
[frogs croaking]
[upbeat music playing]
[birds chirping]
[Luis] Whoo!
What is going on?
Suddenly I'm on a safari.
[birds cawing]
Look what I just found.
[Megan] The more I walk
around this property,
the more I realize this would be perfect
for my family reunions.
Because I have 13 cousins.
We have a huge Filipino family,
and this place has so many areas
where we could hang out.
From the house,
to the docks,
to the tower,
everyone could totally spread out
and not be on top of each other.
All-in-one island, just for your family.
One of the reasons I chose Old House Cay
is because I knew there was access
to amazing cultural experiences.
So that's Daufuskie, all of that.
Like where we're headed today,
Daufuskie Island,
where we're going to pick up
our celebrity chef Sallie.
Sallie!
We've come to see her island, and then
we're going to go back to ours to cook.
Hi!
[Sallie] Welcome to Daufuskie, my home.
-[Megan] Yes.
-I'm sixth generation.
-Wow.
-Love it.
I have a real treat for you guys today.
[Megan] What I'm learning as I travel,
sometimes the best experience
of staying in a vacation rental
is something that you never even
expected to get when you booked it.
[Sallie] Come on down.
-We're actually going to church.
-[Megan] Whoo!
-Smells like history.
-[Sallie] Yes.
These are original pews
that was built in 1800.
I can honestly hear the spirits
talking to me a lot of the time,
and I would come in here,
and I would sing.
-[Luis] Do you think you can sing for us?
-[Megan] Please!
-Ooh!
-That was my next question.
Glory, glory ♪
Hallelujah ♪
Since I've laid my burden down ♪
Now I say glory ♪
Glory ♪
Hallelujah ♪
Hallelujah ♪
-Since I've laid my burden down ♪
-[Megan vocalizing]
[all cheer]
[Jo] The Gullah Diva!
[Megan] That was incredible. Okay.
Let's go back to our vacation rental.
Time to cook Southern food.
-[Luis] Ooh, crab.
-[Sallie] Oh yes.
This is an old family recipe.
So it goes back generations in my family.
-The sous-chef kicks in.
-Yes. [laughing]
[Megan] My mouth is watering.
[Jo] Mm!
Do you feel connected to it? The land,
the people, the Gullah way?
-[Luis] You're a blessing.
-[Sallie] Thank you.
Okay, I love coming to beautiful places,
but I hate ignoring the past.
Daufuskie had tons of plantations on them
with tons of slaves.
How does it make you feel
knowing you're one of the descendants
of a slave who became a freed slave
who built a community from scratch?
It fulfills my heart to know
that they went through so much
for me and my children,
and those to come
have what they have today.
Each each time I cook, I do things I do,
the memory of the hardship
is a part of it.
This is nothing but love, you guys.
[Luis] This place is magical.
Thank you so much.
-Toast?
-Yes!
-[Luis] Feels like Thanksgiving.
-[Jo] Salud!
[Sallie] Mm.
[Jo] This trip has been incredible.
I couldn't imagine being
on one private island, let alone three.
[Luis] Wow, this is it.
[Jo] So my favorite property
was Cuvée's Royal Island.
It's the quintessential
private island experience.
[Megan] If I were going to book
for my entire family,
I would definitely say Old House Cay,
but for me personally,
I would choose Cuvée's Royal Island
because it was absolutely gorgeous.
Whoo!
[Luis] In terms of adventure,
I will have to say the lighthouse.
But I agree with both of you.
Cuvée's Royal Island was my favorite
because of the service and the scenery.
What a life!
["All Around the World" playing]
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we go ♪
[horn honking]
[upbeat music playing]
You know what time it is?
Private island time!
-Whoo!
-Which means outfit change.
-It's hot as hell.
-[grunts]
[Jo] When it comes to vacation rentals,
what could be better
than going to your own private island?
From lavish resorts to deserted islands,
there are hundreds
of private islands around the world.
And in this episode,
we'll be checking out three of the best.
[Luis] We start at this private oasis
here in the Bahamas.
To this unique lighthouse here in Alaska.
To this beautiful budget private island
here in South Carolina.
[opening theme music playing]
[upbeat music playing]
We just landed in the Bahamas!
Whoo!
[Luis] Our first of three private islands
is my luxury property,
which has the perfect name
Royal Island. I can see it.
Wow, that looks beautiful.
When I think of private islands,
my mind goes to the Caribbean Sea.
So for my luxury vacation rental,
I've selected a very exclusive
private island in the Bahamas.
Let's stop this boat for a second.
[engine powers down]
All right, beautiful.
Thank you very much.
Girls, you're about to see
something extremely special.
I wanted to make this a little dramatic,
so I told him to stop a little bit.
-Allison, thank you for picking us up.
-Absolutely.
[Luis] This is the way
to enter a private island.
We're entering into
a completely private 430-acre island.
So this is all private to us
for the entire stay.
I love that.
Allison is the head concierge
at Cuvée Royal Island,
and she's gonna take care of us.
Yep, whether it's massages, water sports,
snorkeling excursions, you name it.
We're here for you guys.
I already feel taken care of.
[woman] That's right
Just right ♪
Come into the light
Shining like a diamond ♪
It's my time, time ♪
Booty in a bag
That's so sick ♪
My life's so fly
That's right ♪
[all greeting]
Oh, thank you.
-Hi!
-This is Greg.
Coconuts from the island.
-[Megan] Wow!
-Beautiful!
All right. Wow! Wow! Wow! What a place!
Let me tell you about
Cuvée's Royal Island.
This is the ultimate private resort
that can only be rented
by one party at a time.
There are five beach bungalows,
eight bedrooms,
nine bathrooms,
and can sleep up to 18 guests.
The price includes all your food,
,
starting at $15,000 per night.
-This is amazing. Nice coconuts.
-[Jo] This is too much.
-[Megan] Thank you.
-[Jo] Thank you.
[Luis] Look at this.
The Melanie Beach Club.
I don't know who's Melanie,
but I love her.
[Jo] Ooh! Look at the pool!
[Megan] And a hot tub right there.
It's just as blue as the water.
[Luis] Wow, incredible.
I can't believe this is all private.
It's all for us, yes.
It feels like there's no time running.
-[Megan] Feels like it's just this moment.
-[Allison] That's how we want you to feel.
Go ahead and check it out.
[all] Okay. Thank you.
Wow, this is amazing.
How you doing? Wow, nice.
[man] Welcome, welcome!
-[Luis] For us?
-[man 2] A glass of rosé?
-Uh, how did you know? Yes.
-We know everything.
-Yes, please. Thank you.
-[man] Awesome.
[Luis] Wow, amazing.
So this is where we have
all the meals served.
We'll typically do dinner down here
or on the beach.
You've got a full bar,
a bartender
who can make you anything you want.
-He got me rosé.
-Yeah.
Endless rosé.
Your island, whatever you wish.
-Keep it coming.
-Yeah.
[all chuckle]
Okay, little pre-gym lounge.
Yeah, a full-on lounge
before the fitness center?
This is so spacious.
Oh, nice!
I mean, look at this place.
It's like your own private world.
When you rent a room at a luxury resort,
you're sharing all of your amenities
with random guests.
Here, you get it all to yourself.
A fitness center,
a pool,
a restaurant,
five private beach bungalows.
And it's located in one of the most
beautiful emerald coves I have ever seen.
That's why this place is normally rented
by high-net-worth individuals
and celebrities,
because of its seclusion and privacy.
[Megan] Imagine, like, after you work out,
if you open these doors
This makes me feel like I'm on vacation.
[Jo] It doesn't get better than this.
[Luis] We each get our own private
beachfront-facing bungalow.
Let's check out one.
[chill music playing]
-Wow, this is it.
-[Megan sighs]
[chuckles] This is gonna be the view that
you see every time you open your door.
[Megan] This is unreal.
[chuckling] Oh.
-[Megan] Beautiful.
-[Jo] Whoa.
[Jo] This place is incredible.
I love that it's all wooden.
-[Megan] Love that it's dark wood.
-[Luis] Know what you realize?
You come from such a bright place,
and you come into something that's dark,
but, like, it flows seamlessly.
[Jo] Beautiful.
Luis, this is
-No!
-This is next level.
You gotta feel it.
I'm instantly knocked out.
This is what Feeling like you're
you area piece of butter feels like.
Oh, wow. [chuckles]
This feels like, uh like the inside
of an Old English boat.
It does. It's made of all teak wood,
so it feels really cozy.
-[Luis] If it's teak, it's good quality.
-[Megan] Yeah.
You know, if this is the bed,
imagine the bathroom.
-I gotta go.
-Okay.
[Luis] Okay. Here we go.
Nice, look at this.
Ooh!
-That's a nice bar.
-That's a refrigerator?
-A minibar.
-[Megan] A bar in the room?
It's stacked. Beautiful,
and it's nicely placed.
Nice, look at this bathroom.
Look at how big this bathroom is.
You can have a full hangout session
in this bathroom.
The whole wash of the teak
around the room, it just feels calming.
I love the exposed piping
and the rainfall showerhead.
That is luxury.
[Jo] This tub, my friends.
[Luis] Look at the lighting on this tub.
It makes you wanna get in.
It almost makes you feel
like you're in a 1960s detective movie.
[Megan laughs]
[upbeat music playing]
Here's what I love about the design
of this property.
This property is perfectly laid out
for large groups or families.
And each of the five beach bungalows
delivers the same standards of simple
but elegant luxury for every single guest.
[Luis] When it comes to this price point,
clients are not just paying
for luxury accommodations and location.
They're also paying
for the most exceptional service.
Here, for example,
you can have your own private chef
tailor every meal to each individual guest
wherever they want it.
-[screams]
-[laughs]
-Cheers!
-Cheers!
[Luis] Salud!
[Jo] Wow, it doesn't look real.
Most people will only dream
of coming to a place like this.
When you think of going
on a Caribbean vacation,
this is what you think of,
but very few get to live it.
When you have your private island,
there's no rules. [laughing]
-There's no police. You can do anything.
-[Luis] No rules.
And that is priceless.
-[Jo] That's luxury.
-[Megan] That isluxury.
-[Luis] What a life!
-[drum playing]
[peaceful music playing]
[birds cawing]
[Luis] Know what I love
about Cuvée's Royal Island?
You get out of bed
you walk outside of your door,
you see the most amazing beach
your eyes have ever seen.
Then you step down into the sand
and then into the water.
[mid-tempo pop music playing]
[woman] Gotta let it go ♪
[Jo] So, as you're sitting here,
soaking up the rays in a private island,
you might be thinking about loved ones.
Maybe your mom, your friends, your dog.
The last person you're gonna be thinking
about, though, is Christopher Columbus.
Yeah, that guy.
Rumor has it
that he discovered the Americas,
but if we're getting technical,
he really discovered the Bahamas.
Some people argue that he landed
right here on Royal Island.
You know,
real estate is about three things.
It's location, it's location,
and it's location.
If you look at this paradise,
it's only 30 minutes away
from the airport,
an hour away from Miami.
You can find beaches like this, but you
have to go to Tahiti, Bora Bora, Maldives,
and that's gonna take you at least
two days, not to mention the jet lag.
Here, you can be in paradise
in just an hour and a half.
[upbeat music playing]
-You guys wanna see something amazing?
-What? What is it?
-Oh!
-Come to the jet skis. Follow me.
-Okay.
-A little mystery.
[Luis laughing]
[Jo] Whoo! It's cold.
[upbeat music playing]
[Luis] Part of the luxury and pleasure
of being on a private island
is having your own exclusive
one-of-a-kind adventure.
So the staff and I have set up something
very special for the three of us
Wow!
in the form of a sandbar.
And by the way, this sandbar
only appears for a few hours a day,
and we were so lucky
to have it all to ourselves.
I cannot believe that we're here.
-This is crazy.
-[Megan] I feel like we're on the moon.
-I have goosebumps in my heart.
-I know.
-"In my heart."
-I swear. I'm not joking.
[Jo] Guys, I just kinda want to run in it.
-This is your island as much as it's ours.
-Okay, bye!
[screams]
Oh God! It's so beautiful!
[Luis laughing]
It's nice to see something
and feel something.
This is one of those times I saw
something so beautiful
that it's like [exhales]
This is one of my top trips
in my entire life.
[Jo] We have to continue,
which I don't want to at this point.
We have about an hour
before the tide rises. So let's go.
[laughs, screams]
I love it!
-[Jo] We're in Alaska!
-Alaska!
We're going to Sitka. Private island time.
It's going to be unique.
For my unique private island,
I've taken us all the way
from the Bahamas to Sitka, Alaska.
-Look at that!
-[Megan] Look at this one.
This is beautiful.
[Jo] A small coastal fishing village
that still holds deep roots to its proud
Tlingit Native American culture.
This is it. This is our ride.
-Hi. You're John?
-Yes. Come on back.
-[Jo] Hey.
-[Luis] Nice boat.
[boat horn blows]
This is so funny that you chose this
as the private island.
There's like fog, mood
-You think private island, you think sun.
-That's the traditional sense.
But where we just were in the Bahamas,
the Caribbean,
that's what people think of,
but the fisherman islands need love too.
-Look, there it is. That's our house.
-Right there?
-[Luis] Is that a lighthouse?
-[Jo] That's it. That's our house.
[Megan] So gorgeous.
-Wow.
-What a vacation rental.
[ship horn blows]
[Jo] The Sitka Lighthouse is one
of the only properties in the world
where you can stay in a lighthouse
on a private island.
I love the connection to the local culture
and fishing community.
This one-of-a-kind property
has two bedrooms,
one and a half bathrooms,
can sleep six guests,
and starts at $650 a night.
Thanks for the ride.
-[Luis] Amazing.
-[Teal] Thank you. Thanks.
We're gonna get your luggage for you.
-Okay.
-Head on up and take a look around.
I'll be up to answer any questions
that you might have. Yeah.
-You guys, this is our lighthouse.
-This is sick.
It is very dramatic, which I love.
Look at the mountains in the fog.
It's so moody.
-[Jo] Have you ever been in a lighthouse?
-[Megan and Luis] Never.
[Jo] Good. Lookit.
Ooh, a nice little deck with a fire pit?
[Luis] Wow, this is beautiful.
[Jo] It's one acre of private island.
[Megan] Ahh! This is so nice.
[all] Ohh!
-[Megan] More seating.
-[Luis] Okay, this is special.
Ooh, nice.
[Jo] Isn't this great?
[upbeat music playing]
-Wow, gorgeous!
-Whoa!
[Megan] Amazing.
I love it.
This is incredible.
Those are absolutely original stairs.
[Jo] Teal told me that a lot of the pieces
are reclaimed ship material.
So these stairs were part of a
of a ship.
[Megan] I love that.
There's a kitchen.
This kitchen is bigger
than you'd think for a lighthouse.
[Jo] Oh, yeah.
Nice welcome basket.
[Jo] Love our welcome baskets.
[Megan] Wow. Thisis a welcome basket.
[Jo] This is great for vacation renters
when you wanna cook.
[Megan] Love that there's open shelving so
you don't wonder where anything is.
Yeah, I love it. It's like a home.
Once you're inside, you're in a home.
[Megan] I think it's important to make
the interior super inviting and bright
because when it's a day like today, rain,
you still feel bright and airy
because it's so light and clean.
I love that the walls are curved.
And I love the blend of local art
and antique furniture.
You know what a lighthouse makes me feel?
Like, I am breaking in.
Like you're not supposed to be here.
I know.
[Luis] Like I jumped over the gate,
and I'm running inside,
and nobody knows about it.
[Megan] Upstairs time.
[Luis] Look at this.
-[Megan] Stained glass of the lighthouse?
-[Luis] Oh, beauty!
-[Jo] Cool!
-[Luis] Oh, very nice!
[Jo] Let's do the bed check.
Everybody get on the bed. This is soft.
-This is a ni Yeah, it feels good.
-[Jo sighs]
Do you rather a square bedroom
or a round bedroom?
I never even thought of it before this.
-I like round. It's like a good chi.
-[Luis] Yeah, right?
-The round is nice.
-There's like a feng shuito it.
Mm-hmm.
[Jo] Hold up, there's more upstairs.
We gotta keep going.
[Luis] Nice.
-This is what a lighthouse should be like.
-[Megan] Oh, my goodness.
-Oh, my goodness.
-How cute is this?
[Luis laughing]
This is so cute.
-I think it has a better view.
-I love my bedroom.
[Megan] One, two, three, four bunk beds.
Are they all twin size?
[Jo] Yup, looks like we're gonna be
snug like bugs in rugs.
Here, I'm gonna take the top bunk.
-[Megan] I'll be here.
-[Luis] So nice.
It's roomy.
You know what this room officially does?
It welcomes families.
This room could have been one bed
and that's it.
But the fact that there's four bunk beds,
it's saying, "Bring your family in.
Bring your kids and friends."
That's a great design.
[Megan] Now look at the stairs
to the upstairs secret 360 room.
[Luis] Okay.
-Shall we?
-[Megan] Seafoam green is a fresh choice.
Wow, you guys, this room is cool.
All I see is light, so I'm happy.
[Jo] It keeps getting better and better.
-[Megan] This is very cool.
-[Luis] No, this is great.
[Jo] And we can walk outside.
-[Jo gasps]
-[Luis] Oh, this is the money.
[Jo singing] We're in a lighthouse
We're in a lighthouse ♪
We're standing on the top of a lighthouse.
That's crazy.
You can rent somebody else's lighthouse
in a different part of the world
in a matter of seconds. What a life.
[Jo] The owners of this lighthouse
truly go out of their way
to make sure every guest has every
single little detail that you might need,
including a water taxi service to town
and a one-of-a-kind dinner surprise.
You guys aren't gonna believe
what's about to happen next.
[Megan] What?
-[Jo] You asked about dinner?
-[Megan] Yeah.
[Jo] There it is. King salmon
coming straight to the doorstep.
[Luis] Wow.
-Oh, nice!
-Ohh!
Huge!
Oh my God! How many pounds is that salmon?
This is probably 20 to 25 pounds.
-How much is that to buy?
-Like, over a hundred dollars?
-Yeah. Hundreds of dollars.
-Yeah.
Can I take a bite?
-Sure. Here.
-[Jo] He's like, "Sure, go ahead."
You're really good at that, Megan.
This is the best salmon
that we can possibly eat in Alaska.
-In the world.
-In the world.
-In the world!
-Come on. In the world!
[mid-tempo guitar music playing]
[Luis] I always talk to you
about the finer things in life.
This king salmon from Alaska,
straight from the source.
That is as fine as it can get.
And if you have someone
that can cook it with perfection,
it gets even finer.
[Luis] Okay, wow, this looks delicious.
Coming through with the garnish.
-Okay, let's Moment of truth.
-[Jo and Megan] Bon appétit!
[Jo] Mm!
Mm.
-Delicious.
-Very good.
[Megan] Look at all these layers of bed.
You have the over blanket.
You have the duvet.
-You have
-Throw pillows.
Throw pillows on throw pillows
on throw pillows.
You have a quilt.
-[Jo yawns]
-Decadent.
-Why are you not in the sheets?
-I thought I was.
I got under, like, four layers.
Oh my God, there's more.
I didn't even get under the bed,
and I was ready to go to bed.
[peaceful music playing]
[bird calling]
Sleeping in a lighthouse
is everything you would expect.
It's playful.
It's very comfortable.
It's amazing.
That's a nice touch.
Opening my eyes and just seeing that?
Every extraordinary place
has a secret spot in it,
and that to me is the most exciting part
because it's where I find
the most amount of inspiration.
Like this one.
[birds chirping]
[upbeat music playing]
Usually when we're talking about
exteriors of places,
we talk about curb appeal.
Here we have views from catwalk decks,
a classic front porch swing,
a hot tub,
and a fire pit area.
With a lighthouse,
every view from all sides
needs to be impressive,
and my goodness, this does it.
[Megan] Whoo!
All right. Let's do this.
We are about to do a wildlife tour
on this tiny boat.
We're out here in the middle of the water.
We don't get wet today.
[Luis] When you rent a private island,
right outside your front door
is a world of adventure.
That's part of what you're paying for.
[Megan] Welcome to Alaska's
belly-flop tournament
featuring all of these salmon
living their lives to the fullest.
[upbeat song playing]
-Look! Look at that!
-[Luis] Whoo!
[Luis] Hi!
-[man]It's gonna be the best day ever ♪
-Whoo!
It's gonna be the best day ever ♪
There, right there!
-[both] Whoa!
-[Andy whistles]
[Megan] Look! Look at him!
-He's huge!
-[Luis] Wow!
Oh my gosh!
[Luis] Wow, it's so beautiful.
[Jo] Megan and Luis wanted to go explore.
I'm like,
"Good. You guys do your thing.
I'm gonna stay back."
In all my years of traveling, I realize
you need to take that moment for yourself.
And some people are like,
"Jo, what about FOMO?"
"Aren't you afraid you'll miss out?"
I'm like, "No, I embrace the spirit
of JOMO, the joy of missing out."
Look at this view. All for me now.
-We got a lot out of this property.
-I know.
You had nature. You had the coziness.
If you only had
two weeks of vacation a year,
I would recommend this place.
Cheers!
Let's enjoy the sunset in Sitka.
[Megan] On our private island.
[upbeat music playing]
South Carolina, here we go.
[Megan] We're heading off
to my affordable private island
just off the coast
of Hilton Head, South Carolina,
one of the most popular resort communities
in the United States.
[Jo] I did not expect you to bring us
to South Carolina.
When I grew up, I was two and a half hours
away from this place.
In the South, it just feels comforting,
but at the same time,
home and food go hand in hand for me.
I feel like if I'm not tasting
the flavors of the place,
I haven't really been there.
-So the South
-I like that.
private island, comfort food
Here we are.
That's why I'm wearing this shirt.
There it is, right there.
-[Jo] This is it?
-[Bill] Part of it.
-[Megan] Yeah.
-[Jo] How cool is that?
-Bill, thank you.
-Enjoy, guys.
-If you need anything else, let me know.
-Thank you.
After you.
[Luis] I'm very impressed, Megan.
-This is so unlike you, you know?
-[Megan] I know.
Remote, no transportation.
-After this guy leaves, we are out here.
-We're stuck.
There is Wi-Fi, and there is food.
So it's not completely not like me.
[Jo] She covered her bases.
-[Megan laughs]
-[Luis] Yeah.
-[Megan] This is perfect.
-Yeah, this is amazing.
Look at the size of this table.
[Megan] Okay, so here's our rental.
-[Luis] Whoa.
-[Jo] Cool! It's so hidden in the trees.
Cute!
Really bigger than I expected.
[Megan] Old House Cay
is a collection of three small islands
featuring an 1,800-square-foot
Lowcountry-style home
with a beautiful observation tower.
It has three bedrooms,
two and a half bathrooms,
sleeps six guests,
and starts at $500 per night.
-[Luis] Whoa.
-[Megan] Pretty huge on the outside.
[Jo] I love the cupola at the top.
Look at that.
[Megan] You can start to see solar panels.
The whole thing is off-grid.
[Luis] Wow, Megan, this is nice.
[Megan] Look at this beautiful
wrap-around porch.
-[Jo] This porch, wow.
-I know. Look at this view.
[Luis] Ohh!
-Yeah!
-For you, Luis.
Basically, having this
makes it feel like it's twice the size.
I feel like you are living
just as much outside as you are inside.
That's like the whole Lowcountry design,
outdoor and indoor.
This is pretty spectacular.
I love the private island life.
The public sees private islands
as something for rich people only.
-[Megan] Right.
-You're proving us wrong now.
-You found a gem.
-[Megan] There's more to it, though.
[Megan] Oh! The wind. The air.
That AC?
[Megan] Got really high ceilings,
so it brings all the hot air up and out.
So we will be cool.
But even the ceiling,
like the corrugated metal
it makes me feel comfortable.
-Like I want to take my shoes off.
-[Jo] Ooh. Good call.
-[Luis] Yeah, good call.
-[Megan] Like
-She's really at home.
-I feel at home.
And the kitchen! [gasps]
Look at all the space.
I can't wait to cook in this kitchen.
[Jo] It's simple,
but it's got everything you need, right?
[Luis] Beautiful island.
Speaking of cooking, I found
this cookbook of the Gullah culture.
This is the food culture here.
And where they lived
is on Daufuskie Island,
which is five minutes from here.
Sallie Ann Robinson, she's basically
a local celebrity chef here.
And she's born and raised Gullah.
Damn. Okay. And are we cooking with her?
That's the idea.
Love that. That's crazy.
-Where the bedrooms?
-[Megan] Let's see.
-This is the primary bedroom.
-[Jo] Ooh!
It's simple but soothing.
[Luis] When I look at a property,
I'm judging from important elements
like lights, ceiling heights
But to me, there is that little part
that comes from the heart.
For example, I'm in love with this room
because it's small,
and it has two twin beds,
and it reminds me of when I used
to sleep with my twin brother in twin beds
when we were seven.
Wow!
This is gorgeous.
[Luis] Whoa, this is incredible.
-[Jo] Damn, look at this view.
-[Megan] I know. Just 360 everything.
-[Jo] How often do you get to see
-[Luis] This is so cool.
your entire private island?
You know how valuable
windows are in New York?
-Really?
-And having a room like this?
Full of windows?
With your permission,
I would like to call it for this room.
You can have this room.
[Jo] Cupola lifestyle.
Let me tell you a little bit
about the rental market in this area.
Across the bay is Hilton Head.
There is about nine thousand units
for rent on the market today,
and what makes this one special
is you're ten minutes away in a boat ride,
and you're here on a private island
all to yourself.
Three acres for less than $500 a night?
That's a win.
[uplifting music playing]
[Megan] Never underestimate
the value of a drink at sunset.
And what I love, is this three-story
open-air observation tower,
which is the perfect place
to watch the sun go down and relax.
-Oh, how pretty, though, right there.
-[Luis] Five hundred dollars a night.
This is worth 500 alone.
[Megan] This is all you need. This is it.
[Jo] The whole property feels like that.
-Feels no-frills?
-Feels no-frills, yeah.
-It's like a beautiful, simple cabin.
-[Luis] What you see is what you get.
And when I search for restaurants,
I click the no-frills filter.
Like, I don't like frills.
Speaking about frills, this is a frill,
and I'm going to enjoy it
like there was no tomorrow.
-That's a frill.
-That is a frill.
It could always be more frills,
but I love that it's just as it is.
[Megan] It's a frill.
[all laughing]
[frogs croaking]
[upbeat music playing]
[birds chirping]
[Luis] Whoo!
What is going on?
Suddenly I'm on a safari.
[birds cawing]
Look what I just found.
[Megan] The more I walk
around this property,
the more I realize this would be perfect
for my family reunions.
Because I have 13 cousins.
We have a huge Filipino family,
and this place has so many areas
where we could hang out.
From the house,
to the docks,
to the tower,
everyone could totally spread out
and not be on top of each other.
All-in-one island, just for your family.
One of the reasons I chose Old House Cay
is because I knew there was access
to amazing cultural experiences.
So that's Daufuskie, all of that.
Like where we're headed today,
Daufuskie Island,
where we're going to pick up
our celebrity chef Sallie.
Sallie!
We've come to see her island, and then
we're going to go back to ours to cook.
Hi!
[Sallie] Welcome to Daufuskie, my home.
-[Megan] Yes.
-I'm sixth generation.
-Wow.
-Love it.
I have a real treat for you guys today.
[Megan] What I'm learning as I travel,
sometimes the best experience
of staying in a vacation rental
is something that you never even
expected to get when you booked it.
[Sallie] Come on down.
-We're actually going to church.
-[Megan] Whoo!
-Smells like history.
-[Sallie] Yes.
These are original pews
that was built in 1800.
I can honestly hear the spirits
talking to me a lot of the time,
and I would come in here,
and I would sing.
-[Luis] Do you think you can sing for us?
-[Megan] Please!
-Ooh!
-That was my next question.
Glory, glory ♪
Hallelujah ♪
Since I've laid my burden down ♪
Now I say glory ♪
Glory ♪
Hallelujah ♪
Hallelujah ♪
-Since I've laid my burden down ♪
-[Megan vocalizing]
[all cheer]
[Jo] The Gullah Diva!
[Megan] That was incredible. Okay.
Let's go back to our vacation rental.
Time to cook Southern food.
-[Luis] Ooh, crab.
-[Sallie] Oh yes.
This is an old family recipe.
So it goes back generations in my family.
-The sous-chef kicks in.
-Yes. [laughing]
[Megan] My mouth is watering.
[Jo] Mm!
Do you feel connected to it? The land,
the people, the Gullah way?
-[Luis] You're a blessing.
-[Sallie] Thank you.
Okay, I love coming to beautiful places,
but I hate ignoring the past.
Daufuskie had tons of plantations on them
with tons of slaves.
How does it make you feel
knowing you're one of the descendants
of a slave who became a freed slave
who built a community from scratch?
It fulfills my heart to know
that they went through so much
for me and my children,
and those to come
have what they have today.
Each each time I cook, I do things I do,
the memory of the hardship
is a part of it.
This is nothing but love, you guys.
[Luis] This place is magical.
Thank you so much.
-Toast?
-Yes!
-[Luis] Feels like Thanksgiving.
-[Jo] Salud!
[Sallie] Mm.
[Jo] This trip has been incredible.
I couldn't imagine being
on one private island, let alone three.
[Luis] Wow, this is it.
[Jo] So my favorite property
was Cuvée's Royal Island.
It's the quintessential
private island experience.
[Megan] If I were going to book
for my entire family,
I would definitely say Old House Cay,
but for me personally,
I would choose Cuvée's Royal Island
because it was absolutely gorgeous.
Whoo!
[Luis] In terms of adventure,
I will have to say the lighthouse.
But I agree with both of you.
Cuvée's Royal Island was my favorite
because of the service and the scenery.
What a life!
["All Around the World" playing]
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we move ♪
All around the world we go ♪
[horn honking]