New York Post

GOOGLE SEARCH RESULT

Page hid out in Fiji

- By WILL FEUER will.feuer@nypost.com

Larry Page, the secretive co-founder of Google, has reportedly spent much of the pandemic hiding out on tropical islands in Fiji, entering the country through a system designed to allow the ultra-wealthy to circumvent COVID-19 travel restrictio­ns.

The reclusive billionair­e has stayed mostly on the heart-shaped Tavarua island, which lies west of the main Fijian island, two people who have seen him there in the past year told Insider.

One source told Insider that Page (inset) has been spotted with wife, Lucinda Southworth in the water hydrofoili­ng, a kind of surfing where the board is elevated above the water.

“He’s good at it, too,” the person said.

Hydrofoili­ng is especially popular among the tech community, as demonstrat­ed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on several public occasions.

Page has also been spotted on the smaller Namotu, Insider reported, and there’s speculatio­n among locals that he’s bought that island or another in the archipelag­o.

It’s unclear when precisely Page first arrived in Fiji — a country of about 900,000 — but he arrived as early as last summer and has returned at least once since then, the source said.

Fiji closed its borders during the pandemic, but through the country’s “Blue Lane” initiative, superyacht and private-jet owners can enter with minimal restrictio­ns.

Page, who’s the world’s sixth-wealthiest person with a net worth of $117 billion, entered the country through the Blue Lane system, Insider reported, citing two sources.

He brought his family and an entourage, the report said, and he’s spent an “extended period of time” in the country during the pandemic, according to one source who’s interacted with him.

Fijian authoritie­s have helped Page keep his presence on the islands private, the report said.

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