The White Lotus Season One: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
The first season of HBO’s Emmy and Golden Globe-winning dark satire The White Lotus was almost entirely filmed at this luxurious resort at Wailea, on Maui’s southern coast. The cast and crew called the five-star property home for eight months during the COVID-19 pandemic, so booking a stay here is a great way to experience all the familiar sites from the show, including its pristine beach, al fresco restaurants and magnificent pool.
Jurassic Park: Kualoa Ranch, O‘ahu & Nāpali Coast, Kaua‘i
Recreate the scene in which Sam Neill’s character, palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant, and the children run from a herd of dinosaurs and hide behind a log in Jurassic Park at Kualoa Ranch. It’s one of more than 200 movies and TV shows filmed on the property in the scenic Ka‘a‘awa Valley, less than an hour’s drive from Waikīkī. On the 1.5 hour Movie Sites & Ranch Tour, you’ll also see Godzilla’s footprints, bones from King Kong: Skull Island and where the ATV jump was filmed for Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. One of Jurassic’s Park’s other standout scenes, in which the movie’s key characters arrive via helicopter at the fictional Central American island Isla Nublar, are filmed on Kaua‘i’s must-see Nāpali Coast. In the film, the helicopter lands on a helipad that was built at the base of the spectacular Manawaiopuna Falls in the Hanapēpē Valley, which is one of the highlights of a scenic tour with Safari Helicopters.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: Kawela Bay, O‘ahu
The sprawling banyan tree near The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay provided the backdrop for the mermaid scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which features a kiss between Syrena and missionary Phillip Swift. It’s also the location for the ‘Others’ camp in the TV series Lost and features in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The romantic comedies Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates were also filmed at the resort.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: Kipu Ranch, Kaua‘i
Who could forget the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when intrepid archaeologist Indiana Jones runs towards his floatplane as he’s chased by a group of Amazonian tribesmen screaming, “Jock, start the engine!”? It was filmed by the Hulē ‘ia River at Kipu Ranch, just south of Kaua‘i’s main town of Līhu‘e. Book Kipu Ranch Adventures’ Ultimate Ranch Tour to see sights from the film as well as other movies made there, such as Outbreak and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Blue Hawai‘i: Waikīkī, O‘ahu
This much-loved Elvis Presley movie was filmed in several locations around Waikīkī in Honolulu, where his character Chad Gates lands a job as a tour guide after being discharged from the US army. They include its famous beach, the landmark Lē‘ahi volcanic crater (Diamond Head State Monument) and nearby Ala Moana Regional Park. The pineapple plantations in the island’s centre also feature, as Gates’ family operate a farm there in the film.
Lilo and Stitch: Hanapēpē, Kaua‘i
This colourful plantation-era town inspired the setting for Disney’s animated comedy Lilo & Stitch, which tells the story of an orphaned Hawaiian girl Lilo who is raised by her older sister after their parents’ deaths, and the genetically engineered alien who she adopts as her pet. Be sure to stop by the landmark Hanapēpē Swinging Bridge, which is a great spot for photos. The best time to visit is on Friday evening for the Hanapēpē Art Night, when all the town’s galleries are open and the shops and restaurants are buzzing, with artists, musicians and vendors lining the main street.
