Many beautiful and exotic locations have featured in movies over the years and below I take a fun look at 10 of the most desirable.
1. La Audencia Bay, Mexico. This is a personal favourite of mine and of many other men’s I am sure, ever since pictures of Bo Derek on the beach, wearing a one-piece swimming costume and with her hair braided in cornrows, were seen in cinemas around the world in 1979.
2. Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica. This famous waterfall, located near Ochos Rios on the Caribbean island of Jamaica, has featured in a number of movies over the years, most notably in James Bond’s Dr No in 1962 and Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue, in 1988.
- Gerrigje Engelen / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
3. Ouarzazate, Morocco. If the desert scenes in Jewel of the Nile awoke a primitive desire to be alone under the stars in a stark and arid landscape, this is the place for you. It can also be seen in Gladiator, The Mummy and, most famously, in Lawrence of Arabia. Many people may already have visited such places but for others in the West, they have a strong appeal that may come from the days when most of mankind wandered across such landscapes.
4. Chicago, Illinois. A complete change of pace from tropical beaches and waterfalls, the gritty nature of the Windy City appeals to a different type of holidaymaker: one that is in search of great blues clubs and authentic soul food cafés perhaps. Various downtown locations can be seen in the 1980 cult classic, The Blues Brothers.
5. Jag Mandir, India. This palace, situated on a small island in Lake Pichola, Rajasthan, India, was brought to the attention of a global audience in the James Bond film, Octopussy. Those with plenty of cash to spare can rent it for a private party from the current Maharana.
- ukgardenphotos / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
6. Hatfield House. Remember the imposing country mansion that was the home of Lara Croft in the Tombraider movies? Well, whilst you probably won’t be able to rent the whole of this 17th century Jacobean House that belongs to the 7th Marquess of Salisbury, it is possible to hold functions in the grounds. For those travelling on a more modest budget, a day pass to view the gardens and house is a far more affordable option.
- CEBImagery.com / Foter / CC BY-NC
7. Monument Valley, USA. Situated on the Arizona – Utah state line, this geological marvel has served as the backdrop for many classic Westerns, including The Searchers and Stagecoach. More recently, in 1990, Michael Fox landed there in his DeLorean in Back to the Future Part III, and Johnny Depp can be seen there in 2013’s Lone Ranger film.
- Greg Knapp / Foter / CC BY
8. Phi Phi Leh Island, Thailand. If you fancy reliving some of the beautiful seaside scenes from the 2000 film of Alex Garland’s 1996 backpacking classic, The Beach, this is the place to head for.
9. Huntington Beach, California. Seen a beautiful beach sunset scene in a Hollywood blockbuster and longed to go there? Chances are, it was filmed here.
10. The Mamore Mountains, Scotland. Follow in the footsteps of Braveheart’s William Wallace and walk the mountain paths of the ruggedly beautiful Mamore Mountains, which stretch from Loch Leven to Glen Nevis.
Although many films are predominantly shot in air-conditioned studios with a full complement of technical support staff and artificial backdrops that fill in for the real thing, location shooting is still popular among top directors. This means that whatever TV channels you watch, you are sure to spot a few desirable destinations that are worth making a note of for future holidays.
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