Recycled Paradise: Amazing Man-Made Floating Island

Yes, it is real – it not only floats but also has beaches and can be moved as well as docked around the world. Almost like a pirate ship story of old, the tale of this remarkable artificial island that floats on 100,000 recycled plastic bottles is long, strange and does involve tales of adventure and danger. The second of its kind, the newest iteration of Spiral Island is an amazing work in progress.

The first Spiral Island sat upon 250,000 plastic bottles, bundled together in bags and used as the floating base for the bamboo and plywood supporting the entire sand-surfaced area above – over fifty feet in diameter. Remarkably, the original island had a multistory home with a solar oven, self-composting toilet, multiple beaches as well as a variety of lush plants and trees.

Not deterred by the destruction of the original island in a terrible hurricane, Sowa built a second one starting just a few years ago – it was completed last year. Nearly the same size it likewise has beaches, a house but also has a solar-powered waterfall and ponds within the island.


Far from an eccentric individual’s attempt to escape from the world, Spiral Island is a remarkably welcoming place – many people came together to help recreate it when the first one was destroyed. Camera and news crews have also been invited onto the island as it is (naturally) something of an international sensation.