Completely agree that Mars is a less economically astute goal at present. Therefore, government will make it a first priority ;^)

Best of both worlds. See the satellite view of Vanua Levu, across from Yadua Island, and look at the northeast side of the island. That peninsula was for sale last year. I think it was about 15,000 acres. Had everything.

Thanks for the idea. How much are we talking about? Can you forward links so I can look at them and the specs? How about you, jb?

Finding a location without the ability to defend it will be a herculean task. I've a feeling that accommodation will be needed. Finding land whether island or mainland that is unattractive to local powers, yet attractive to Gulchers -- not easily to be attained, but I don't think impossible.

We have at least 20 years of near earth space build out to do, including mining near earth asteroids, before it is remotely feasible to set up a colony on Mars. Not to mention the small problem of getting something a lot better than today's rockets to get people and goods there and back. It would be more reasonable to build a space colony or one on the moon long before it is possible to do one on Mars.

Actually most of them are not off the drawing boards. An effort outside the 200 mile radius needs to start with a city component or a few at a time and some pretty hardy pioneer types that either don't need continuing new income for a while, have sufficient investment or passive income or who can do their work from anywhere via the internet. It needs a more modes set of early investors and amounts.

To be economically net positive it needs to be a location eventually for types of enterprises hard to launch or run without strangling levels of regulation elsewhere.

But very very few new townships become economically viable within a mere five years without something very valuable being created or exploited near at hand. I wouldn't worry much about that for at least 10 years as long as the foundations are being laid and the right people are being attracted.

$200 MM is out of our price range unless someone recruits Midas Mulligan first, but I like your principles.

Why? There are small nuclear plants sufficient to power approximately 20,000 homes available now. They are of the buy, bury and forget for 20+ years type and ultra safe. I don't see independent energy as that large a problem.

To truly develop a space for freedom it only seems possible if it can be set up as a separate country effectively with its own laws. Unless an existing struggling country is at hand that would be suitable this means in my understanding either land not otherwise claimed by any country or outside the 200 miles from existing country limit. A small starter island can be extend using the floating city work done by Japan and China. Another way to go is for a complete seastead approach.

But a Gulch like retreat with suitable protections against outsiders knowing what it is may be more doable. But its continuing survival and lack of detection cannot be guaranteed.

Any leads as to where to look for possibilities?

Unstable country. Ready for leadership. Nice place. Plenty of land.

I worked on a project that was thousands of acres and had failed. Minneapolis Gas reppoed it and I consulted on their problem I have done this for many banks. What I learned was the few early buyers are buying a dream but there are not enough early adaptors to sustain the cash flow and debt structure and to capitalize the infrastructure which makes the dream real. So all the money has to be provided by the founders until it becomes a market driven cash flow. And on remote islands that aint gonna happen. It can be done but not there.

Don't have a source for land on the interior and there are no islands available. Thoughts?

Hi 'cat-
Welcome to the melee. Agree with your points. A very large parcel is necessary to become as self sufficient as possible. Infrastructure can be built on an as needed basis, except a fresh water source. Which is why I look for large islands. Not too many available. Those that are have some population and probably would be unwilling to put up with us. One of the best opportunities I saw was a peninsula on Vanua Levu, Fiji which was offered last year but..... . If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Thanks for the input and keep watching. You never can tell, something may break loose.

I lived through the 60's attempt by O's and Lib's to try this. Floating cities to hidden islands they all failed as feasible concepts. You have to be willing to lose everything and see it fail in five years unless you can make it profitable. These islands are too small. I was a professional land use planner and worked on the Big Island of Hawaii on this problem for the largest land owner on the island.
I have also worked on the tourism problem as the basis of island economies and have a solution which I am just getting ready for a start up. If you guys can put up the 200 million in venture capital money to buy the islands, build the landing fields, docks and harbor, fuel storage stores, housing, medevac, power, water, communications labor supply etc then I can show you that these islands are too small. There is a reason they are vacant of natives. I was on the resort council as a ski area planner at the Urban Land Institute and looked at feasibility studies from all over the world.

I also was headhunted by Disney on taking charge of their undeveloped lands but had not been in a corp. I can show you much more feasible locations that will produce a profit while paying for all the infrastructure and enable you survive.

Just for fun read David McCullough's book Champlain's Dream about the French attempt to settle Canada. The Jurassic Park movies aren't a bad reality check either.

The last piece of land I ran was 55,000 acres. Now I pick apples, cut wood, ski, and write philosophy, but I know how to do it. Have to have learned something in making people happy on remote lands. Hawaii was a good example. Good Luck.

Good point, points.
The lazy retired old dino came out of me.

Hey, you old dino. Beaches are nice but i would rather have a deep water bay that shoals steeply near the shoreline. Better for building piers and docks for maritime supply vessels.

This is not for me. One hurricane or big wave and we are gone. Agree with others, too expensive and tenuous.

How about Venezuela?

Quick question, gcarl. What type of tools are we talking? My take is any tools, other than heavy industrial types, should be hand powered as fuel for electrical generation would be hellishly expensive. At least initially. Allowance can be made for machinery for a master machinist to have a ball plying their trade, as they would be making the pieces necessary for the community to build. Other than that, hand tools would be best. I, myself, would bring all my carpentry tools, including my crosscut and ripping saws, planes, draw knives, chisels, etc.

As I have iterated earlier, there is no perfect place. I keep searching for someplace that is far enough away from everyone else we wouldn't be disturbed too much but, the world being as it is, every place is claimed by someone. The best we can hope for is being innocuous enough (and prickly enough) no one wants to bother with us, the cost/benefit ratio being too high for the trouble. WOW, all this started by asking what kind of tools. Wonder what would have happened had I asked a REALLY serious question?

I notice that Koro Island is the only one with beaches.

+1, John. I think this effort is vital to survival of liberty.

No argument with your statements, John. I posted pertinent info about the area so people aren't ignorant of the facts. I would agree about Mars if it was practical to establish a colony there. When it is, the advantages (low gravity for one) may outweigh the difficulties.
However, nothing is remote enough on earth to dissuade the US military and the UN busybodies, when there is a local government that wants to crush a secession, which is the only way Atlantis gets true liberty from the nation it settles in.
Unless you have a Midas with deep pockets and more respect for liberty than need for power/control, It will be more important to have a location that has a more reasonable land cost, better existing facilities and transportation to enable construction at reasonable cost, and shorter travel time for relatives of those who value liberty enough to immigrate to Atlantis. The latter is less important to me than the cost issues, but other producers may wish to maintain stronger ties to home. If recruiting is important to Atlantis, the distance may be a very important factor.
(Midas didn't build the Gulch by paying $30,000/acre for remote land without infrastructure or transportation. He picked land that was within a few hours by plane, albeit isolated. OTOH, he didn't expect to be there permanently.)