Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira is literally a dream come true for visionary developer Jack Truter

South Africa, 23 September 2021 – A vision for an ecologically sustainable private island has seen South African-born entrepreneur and businessman Jack Truter realise his lifelong dream of building an idyllic, ultra-luxury 5-star tropical sanctuary off the coast of Mozambique in partnership with one of the most luxurious hotel brands in the world.

Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira is the realisation of this modern-day Robinson Crusoe’s boyhood fantasy of creating an ultimate, internationally recognised private island dream experience in a country he fell in love with during his childhood travels.

Born and raised in South Africa, Jack was inspired by holiday fun on South Africa’s unspoilt Wild Coast, with its rocky shoreline, riverine forests, unexplored lagoons, as well as a long trip through Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Southern Mozambique. The young Jack resolved that tourism development on Africa’s east coast would probably yield him the most adventure and fun when he finished with his studies.

In the late 1990s, with his studies behind him, Jack embarked on a career in construction, starting out on projects at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and in the Du Toit’s Kloof mountains of South Africa’s Western Cape, as well as overseas in Italy and Germany.

The dawn of the new millennium saw Jack head for Mozambique, intent on following his dream. He explored the coastline from north to south and finally came upon the Primeiras and Segundas Archipelago, consisting of 10 islands on a continental shelf. It was love at first sight.

“When I first visited these islands 21 years ago I fell in love with them and dreamed about creating the perfect private island retreat,” says Jack, who is now personally overseeing the second stage of development of his boyhood dream in partnership with the Banyan Tree Group.

Jack moved to Mozambique in 2006 and built a successful construction business. He is now based in South Africa along with his wife and three young children, commuting between the two countries. 

With the help of his friends and business partners – including a planner and environmental consultant and an inspired architect – Ilha Caldeira is now taking shape after 15 years of “stop-start” development.

Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira Arrival Jetty

During this time Jack never let go of his dream. In 2009 he approached the Banyan Tree Group to see if they were interested in working with him but the time wasn’t right.

Over the next six years Jack revised and developed his plan for a spectacular private island destination featuring 40 private villas, each with their own pool on the beach, several restaurants and a spa and wellness center. This plan eventually proved irresistible for the luxurious hotel brand Banyan Tree, who joined the project in 2016, sharing the same vision as this modern-day Robinson Crusoe.

Once Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira is up and running – with its opening scheduled for July 2022 – Jack has plans on completing Banyan Tree Veya Ilha Nejovo, an exclusive adult-only private island.  His dream, it seems, just get bigger with age!

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