7 trips inspired by your favorite movies

Can’t decide where to go on your next big trip? Why not relive your favorite Hollywood films in real life? We hand picked 7 amazing destinations from the big screen for a little travel inspiration for you. We’ll show you where it was shot and how to get there to relive the magic of the movies for yourself.

Hobbiton, a leftover movie set turned tourist attraction on the North Island of New Zealand | Photo by Tom Hall – Flickr

Lord of the Rings: New Zealand

Location: Middle-earth is actually way down south in New Zealand. The popular movie trilogy that made us fall in love with wizards and Hobbits was shot almost entirely in Kiwi country. Of all the movie locations in the world, no other place has embraced film tourism like New Zealand. They have even turned many of the sets into permanent attractions, like the Hobbiton in Matamata (See Map).

How to get there: Film locations are scattered throughout the country so whether you go to the South or North Island, fans are sure to find a few familiar locations. The South Island was home to a few more filming locations so if short on time you may want to linger here longer. Christchurch is the biggest city and main international airport for the South Island and the best place to start your trip through Middle-earth. 

More than the movies: The reason that New Zealand was chosen as the backdrop for these movies is the country’s breathtaking, otherworldly landscapes. New Zealand, aside from being a great place to film a movie, is also a great place for nature lovers, outdoors enthusiasts, and adrenaline junkies. 

RELATED: 3 perfect days in Queenstown

Sail the Andaman Sea in search of lost islands (Leonardo DiCaprio not included) | Photo by GettingStamped.com

The Beach: Koh Phi Phi Leh, Thailand

Location: The idyllic white sand beach surrounded by huge rocky cliffs that made us all want to live on a beach somewhere was on a small Thai island in the Andaman Sea called Koh Phi Phi Leh. The beach is Maya Bay (See Map).

How to get there: Koh Phi Phi Leh is located between the popular island of Phuket and the mainland beach town of Krabi. Both have airports and are the best starting points for reaching “The Beach.” Ferries can be arranged from either city to bring you to the neighboring island Koh Phi Phi Don which is the closest island with hotels. The perfect backdrop for a Thailand honeymoon, Maya Bay does not disappoint. 

More than the movies: This particular plot of sand is some of the finest in the area, but there are literally thousands of beaches on hundreds of islands in the Andaman Sea to explore. Thailand also has a rich culture, amazing food, and of course, world-class beaches. 

This is the small Fijian island where Tom Hanks and Wilson hung out for a while in “Castaway” | Photo by GettingStamped.com

Castaway: Fiji

Location: In the epic survival movie “Castaway,” which was primarily filmed on Monuriki, Fiji. (See Map)

How to get there: Flights to the big island of Fiji are more reasonable than you might think, especially from the west coast. The main airport is (NAN) Nadi international airport. From here transport can be arranged with a nearby hotel or a tour. Book a few nights at the nearby Matamanoa Island Resort or Mana Island Resort.

More than the movies: Monuriki and the other Fijian islands around it are just how you would imagine a far-flung island in the South Pacific to be. There’s plenty of diving to be done or beaches to lounge on. There are also much better food options than in the movie!

Just how Indiana Jones found it! | Photo by GettingStamped.com

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Petra, Jordan

Location: The Treasury of the Lost City of Petra is used to portray the temple housing the Holy Grail (See Map).

How to get there: The major airport of Jordan is in Amman, 3 hours north of Petra. Transport is easily arranged to Petra and you can stay at many hotels near Petra or traditional Boudin camping can be booked here too. The city of Petra is a large site and you will need at least two nights to properly cover it.

More than the movies: In real life, there is no Holy Grail inside. You can’t actually even go into the treasury, but there are plenty of other things to explore in the country. Jordan’s unique geography and ancient history make it the backdrop to many Hollywood movies. Besides Petra, the Wadi Rum is frequently used by filmmakers for its rich red colored rocks that look like what we imagine Mars is like.

RELATED: 9 reasons Jordan should be on your bucket list

Come see the temples of Angkor Wat, even more beautiful than in the movies | Photo by GettingStamped.com

Tomb Raider: Cambodia

Location: Video game turned movie “Tomb Raider” took place in a few places around the globe, but focused on the ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Of all the places on this list, no other movie helped change the country more than this one. Angelina Jolie’s time in Cambodia thrust the country into the spotlight and helped usher in an era of tourism that had been absent for years. Although controversial, the movie and Jolie’s activism had a significant impact (See Map).

How to get there: The main airports of the country are in Phenom Phen and Siem Reap, however, they tend to be slightly more expensive to fly into than other regional hubs like Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. It’s good to check prices to the big cities and then take separate regional flights which are very affordable. Search both international and regional flights here. 

More than the movies: Most people assume Angkor Wat is a single temple, but it’s actually much larger than that. When it was built (around 900 AD), the city of Angkor was larger than Paris at the time in terms of population. In physical size, it was also massive covering nearly 390 square miles. Aside from ancient history, Cambodia has a more recent story to tell that is off radar for many people. After the war in Vietnam concluded it left the region unstable and a communist regime called the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. This group was the responsible for killing an estimated 3 million people in the largest genocide since WWII, an incident that has since come to be known as the Killing Fields. The memorials in Phenom Phen are eye opening and should be part of any Cambodian itinerary. 

Come swim into the small hole in the rock that opens up into Thunderball Grotto made famous by James Bond | Photo by cdorobek – Flickr

Thunderball: Bahamas

Location: In the central Exuma chain of islands is the stone grotto from the 1965 James Bond classic. In the waters off of Staniel Caye is where the underwater battle royal of the movie took place. The centerpiece of the scenes is a limestone sea cave with a small opening at the top (See Map).

How to get there: James Bond had other means of making it out to the islands, but you can make it look easy too by either flying first into Nassau and taking a small connecting flight, or flying to the main airport in the Exumas George Town (GGT) and then taking either a long boat ride or another small plane ride. Staniel Cay is the best place to stay to check out Thunderball Grotto.

More than the movies: Even though Staniel Cay is just a small island there is a lot to do still. Aside from the grotto, there are some pretty famous residences on the next island over. Just a short boat ride away are the internationally known swimming pigs of the Bahamas.

ALSO: Even 007 would save big bucks by signing up for Orbitz Rewards!

Love is in the air on this heavenly beach on this island of Bali | Photo by GettingStamped.com

Eat Pray Love: Indonesia

Location: The scene where the main character falls in love and finds what she has been looking for happens at Padang Padang Beach in Bali, Indonesia. This scene is so famous that the locals even refer to the beach as Julia Roberts Beach (See Map).

How to get there: Bali is a well-established tourist destination with good connections around the world; you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding good flight prices. If you want to relive a few more scenes from the movie, Roberts’ character bases herself in Ubud, the cultural capital of Bali.

More than the movies: Finding yourself through the teachings of a wise religious man (like what happens in the movie) might be a bit tough, but other aspects of the film are pretty close to reality. The center of the island is very relaxed with beautiful green rice paddies and the people are generally very friendly. Bali has a ton to offer from sacred religious sites to great hiking, surfing, delicious food, and very laid back, peaceful atmosphere. 

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