Britney Spears Escapes to Private Island After Knife Dancing Disaster

Britney Spears needed some serious rest and relaxation after becoming the target of social media criticism for dancing with knives ... and decided the best place to escape was a private island.

Sources close to the pop star tell TMZ, she and a group of friends took off to the famous Brando hotel in French Polynesia this past weekend.

Britney shared a quick video of herself and some pals in a private plane as they flew over the crystal blue water near the resort.

Fans speculated one of the men onboard the plane, and sitting closest to Britney, could be a new love interest, but our sources say that's not the case ... they're simply acquaintances.

Of course, it's no surprise why Britney might have wanted to escape.

She took a ton of heat for posting multiple videos dancing with knives, a stunt that even prompted a police response for a welfare check. Britney has maintained the knives were fake, but some disagree.

If the Brando sounds familiar ... it's the same spot Beyoncé recently rented out for her birthday during a small break from her "Renaissance" tour. Kim Kardashian also took a group of her closest friends and family members there for her 40th birthday.

The resort features a bunch of private villas, offering anywhere from one to four-bedroom accommodations.

Beyoncé rented out the cream of the crop for her bday bash ... a villa with a private pool which usually goes for about $20,000 per night.