Frommers.com Community
By Kristine Hansen
Ever watch a movie that's set on a beach and wonder, dang, "How can I get there?"
While Hollywood does like to rename landscapes for the sake of a storyline, many of the beaches seen on the silver screen do exist. From spots deep in the South Pacific to those easily accessible in Los Angeles County, their shorelines captivate us and inspire wanderlust.
Whether it's the windswept Southern California beach where The Dude from The Big Lebowski discards his friend's ashes and has "a moment" or it's the sun-soaked French Polynesian getaway where Vince Vaughn evaluates marital bliss in Couples Retreat, here is the skinny on how to hunt down these idyllic beaches.
Photo Caption: Maya Bay, on Phi Phi Ley, Thailand. Photo by ger4ld/Frommers.com Community
Where: The private beach at the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
Seen In: Couples Retreat, 2009
It may be surprising that to learn that the actors and actresses -- including Vince Vaughn, Kristin Davis, Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell -- actually traveled to Bora Bora for this romantic comedy film about four happy (and unhappy) couples. Then again, why would anyone settle for another beach?
This South Pacific vacation area has many postcard-worthy beaches, but producers honed in on The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort's private beach.
Expect to splurge for a night at this four-year-old swank hideaway (from $698 per room). While you're here, indulge at Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the 15,000-square-foot Miri Miri Spa, and Bora Bora's first sushi-and-sake eatery.
Then find your spot on this stretch of sand, and relax until it's time to check out.
More Info: www.stregisborabora.com
Photo Caption: Aerial view of the beach at St. Regis, Bora Bora.
Where: Maya Bay
Seen In: The Beach, 2000
You might not want to live among a dysfunctional society -- as Leonardo DiCaprio's twenty-something character did in this drama based on a novel by Alex Garland -- but a day or two on this remote bay sounds heavenly.
To reach the bay, depart from either Krabi or Phuket. There is a 20-baht entrance fee, due to it being within a national park. Ferries bring snorkelers and kayakers here almost daily to ogle at the white sandy beaches and looming cliffs that towering on three sides of the bay. Arrive in style via a long-tail boat that's available for rent in Phi Phi Don.
To say overnight, pack camping gear because you won't find any waterfront hotels. (And, unlike the film, building a fire to prepare meals is prohibited, so stocking up on snacks is a good idea.)
Or leave the planning to someone else when you book an overnight trip via one of the tour companies that have cropped up since the movie's release. Options include the "Night at the Beach" tour where you arrive after the day-trippers have left, leaving just you and a few others on the beach (sounds like the movie, doesn't it?)
More Info: www.krabi-tourism.com
Photo Caption: Maya Beach, Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. Photo by Teal/Frommers.com Community
Where: Waimea Bay
Seen In: Point Break, 1991
During the early stages of Keanu Reeves' acting career, he morphed into a heartthrob by playing an FBI agent who goes undercover within a surfing community.
Filmed on the north end of Oahu (where the TV series Lost was later filmed), the beach scenes are so vivid that you get a strong sense of not only the surfer culture but also the laid-back communities nearby.
Waimea Bay is near the small town of Haleiwa, at the mouth of the Waimea River. Home to artists, organic-foods cafés, surfers, hippies, the Haleiwa Surf Museum, Haleiwa is a relaxing getaway from Waikiki Beach.
Surfing contests and invitational are held on the North Shore. Amateurs can learn to do a pop-up with the help of a dozen or so surf schools nearby. Sunset Suzy's Hawaiian Surf School offers a one-hour group lesson, (www.sunsetsuzy.com, $45 per person)
More Info: www.gohawaii.com
Photo Caption: Oahu offers the world's raddest surfing, from the treacherous Pipeline to the 50-foot walls of water in Waimea Bay.
Where: Monuriki
Seen In: Cast Away, 2000
As Tom Hanks discovers as a lone plane-crash survivor on an uninhabited island, life on a deserted island is as mellow as it gets.
Reaching this island -- part of the Mamanuca Islands and a superb place for snorkeling and diving -- is no easy feat, although there is at least one company taking people here on a Cast Away-themed tour: Tokoriki Diving (www.tokorikidiving.com, $85 per person, Wednesdays and Saturdays only). The 2½-hour boat tour includes drinks; bring your own snorkeling gear.
The idyllic setting of swaying palm trees and white-sand beaches might one day lure hoteliers, but so far the island remains pristine. However, there are plenty of resorts on nearby islands that are a mix of luxury resorts (Tokoriki Island Resort and Malolo Island Resort) and backpacker hostels (Travellers Beach Resort and Nadi Bay Resort Hotel).
More Info: www.bulafiji.com
Photo Caption: Exploring Monuriki Beach, Fiji
Where: Crystal Cove State Park
Seen In: Beaches, 1988
In Beaches, this 3½-mile-long beach is home to the best friend of Bette Midler's character. The adjacent Historical District has 46 cottages; 22 have been restored and some are open to overnight guests through ReserveAmerica (www.reserveamerica.com, from $180 per night). A public tour of the district is held on the second Saturday of every month (free tour with the $15 parking fee.) Keep an eye out for Cottage #13, where Beaches was filmed.
But even before Beaches made best friends cry, this was a popular filming spot for the silent-film community during the 1920s. Today, the 2,400-acre Crystal Cove State Park, located just off Pacific Coast Highway between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar in Orange County, is beloved by athletes, including scuba divers (in the attached underwater park), mountain bikers, horseback riders, and hikers. (All of this can be done with the purchase of a $15 day pass.) More rugged travelers might want to trek the 17 miles of trails in the park's backcountry areas.
The Beachcomber Restaurant at Crystal Cove is a great stopping point for all culinary occasions: options range from evening cocktails to a casual lunch of clam chowder and blackened swordfish tacos.
More Info: www.crystalcovebeachcottages.org
Photo Caption: Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County, California.
Where: Nanuya Levu
Seen In: The Blue Lagoon, 1980
The teen romance between cousins Em (Brooke Shields) and Richard (Christopher Atkins) -- who are stranded on a South Pacific island after a ship accident -- might have made you cringe. However, if you find your way to this island, chances are you're probably trying to create your own memories.
Turtle Island Resort, on the privately owned island of Nanuya Levu, offers guests an experience that practices sustainability but is not without luxury. After a short flight on a seaplane from Nadi International Airport, check into one of the 14 private two-room villas (inquire for rates).
The resort is designed so that you never want to leave. Activities include snorkeling, biking, windsurfing, sailing and fishing. A daily dinner party (featuring the seafood catch of the day and just-picked produce from the hotel's organic vegetable garden) is held at a different location on the island each night.
More Info: www.turtlefiji.com
Photo Caption: Turtle Island, Nanuya Levu, Fiji
Where: Point Dume
Seen In: The Big Lebowski, 1998
In this cult movie, The Dude (played by actor Jeff Bridges) memorializes his friend Donnie by tossing his ashes off a cliff into the water below. This now-famous scene was filmed atop a Malibu cliff.
In real life, Point Dume is a windblown surfer's paradise about 30 minutes north of the hustle and bustle of L.A. proper. Jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, this spot is within the northern end of Santa Monica Bay and part of Point Dume State Beach.
You can often see Catalina Island from here. Down below, the beach is lined with coves that could be a romantic rendezvous or an impromptu picnic spot (with groceries picked up at Pacific Coast Greens or a pizza from D'Amores; both are on Highway 1).
More Info: www.parks.ca.gov
Photo Caption: Point Dume, Malibu. Photo by planetfonex/Frommers.com Community
Ever watch a movie that's set on a beach and wonder, dang, "How can I get there?"
While Hollywood does like to rename landscapes for the sake of a storyline, many of the beaches seen on the silver screen do exist. From spots deep in the South Pacific to those easily accessible in Los Angeles County, their shorelines captivate us and inspire wanderlust.
Whether it's the windswept Southern California beach where The Dude from The Big Lebowski discards his friend's ashes and has "a moment" or it's the sun-soaked French Polynesian getaway where Vince Vaughn evaluates marital bliss in Couples Retreat, here is the skinny on how to hunt down these idyllic beaches.
Photo Caption: Maya Bay, on Phi Phi Ley, Thailand. Photo by ger4ld/Frommers.com Community
Seen In: Couples Retreat, 2009
It may be surprising that to learn that the actors and actresses -- including Vince Vaughn, Kristin Davis, Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell -- actually traveled to Bora Bora for this romantic comedy film about four happy (and unhappy) couples. Then again, why would anyone settle for another beach?
This South Pacific vacation area has many postcard-worthy beaches, but producers honed in on The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort's private beach.
Expect to splurge for a night at this four-year-old swank hideaway (from $698 per room). While you're here, indulge at Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the 15,000-square-foot Miri Miri Spa, and Bora Bora's first sushi-and-sake eatery.
Then find your spot on this stretch of sand, and relax until it's time to check out.
More Info: www.stregisborabora.com
Photo Caption: Aerial view of the beach at St. Regis, Bora Bora.
Seen In: The Beach, 2000
You might not want to live among a dysfunctional society -- as Leonardo DiCaprio's twenty-something character did in this drama based on a novel by Alex Garland -- but a day or two on this remote bay sounds heavenly.
To reach the bay, depart from either Krabi or Phuket. There is a 20-baht entrance fee, due to it being within a national park. Ferries bring snorkelers and kayakers here almost daily to ogle at the white sandy beaches and looming cliffs that towering on three sides of the bay. Arrive in style via a long-tail boat that's available for rent in Phi Phi Don.
To say overnight, pack camping gear because you won't find any waterfront hotels. (And, unlike the film, building a fire to prepare meals is prohibited, so stocking up on snacks is a good idea.)
Or leave the planning to someone else when you book an overnight trip via one of the tour companies that have cropped up since the movie's release. Options include the "Night at the Beach" tour where you arrive after the day-trippers have left, leaving just you and a few others on the beach (sounds like the movie, doesn't it?)
More Info: www.krabi-tourism.com
Photo Caption: Maya Beach, Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. Photo by Teal/Frommers.com Community
Seen In: Point Break, 1991
During the early stages of Keanu Reeves' acting career, he morphed into a heartthrob by playing an FBI agent who goes undercover within a surfing community.
Filmed on the north end of Oahu (where the TV series Lost was later filmed), the beach scenes are so vivid that you get a strong sense of not only the surfer culture but also the laid-back communities nearby.
Waimea Bay is near the small town of Haleiwa, at the mouth of the Waimea River. Home to artists, organic-foods cafés, surfers, hippies, the Haleiwa Surf Museum, Haleiwa is a relaxing getaway from Waikiki Beach.
Surfing contests and invitational are held on the North Shore. Amateurs can learn to do a pop-up with the help of a dozen or so surf schools nearby. Sunset Suzy's Hawaiian Surf School offers a one-hour group lesson, (www.sunsetsuzy.com, $45 per person)
More Info: www.gohawaii.com
Photo Caption: Oahu offers the world's raddest surfing, from the treacherous Pipeline to the 50-foot walls of water in Waimea Bay.
Seen In: Cast Away, 2000
As Tom Hanks discovers as a lone plane-crash survivor on an uninhabited island, life on a deserted island is as mellow as it gets.
Reaching this island -- part of the Mamanuca Islands and a superb place for snorkeling and diving -- is no easy feat, although there is at least one company taking people here on a Cast Away-themed tour: Tokoriki Diving (www.tokorikidiving.com, $85 per person, Wednesdays and Saturdays only). The 2½-hour boat tour includes drinks; bring your own snorkeling gear.
The idyllic setting of swaying palm trees and white-sand beaches might one day lure hoteliers, but so far the island remains pristine. However, there are plenty of resorts on nearby islands that are a mix of luxury resorts (Tokoriki Island Resort and Malolo Island Resort) and backpacker hostels (Travellers Beach Resort and Nadi Bay Resort Hotel).
More Info: www.bulafiji.com
Photo Caption: Exploring Monuriki Beach, Fiji
Seen In: Beaches, 1988
In Beaches, this 3½-mile-long beach is home to the best friend of Bette Midler's character. The adjacent Historical District has 46 cottages; 22 have been restored and some are open to overnight guests through ReserveAmerica (www.reserveamerica.com, from $180 per night). A public tour of the district is held on the second Saturday of every month (free tour with the $15 parking fee.) Keep an eye out for Cottage #13, where Beaches was filmed.
But even before Beaches made best friends cry, this was a popular filming spot for the silent-film community during the 1920s. Today, the 2,400-acre Crystal Cove State Park, located just off Pacific Coast Highway between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar in Orange County, is beloved by athletes, including scuba divers (in the attached underwater park), mountain bikers, horseback riders, and hikers. (All of this can be done with the purchase of a $15 day pass.) More rugged travelers might want to trek the 17 miles of trails in the park's backcountry areas.
The Beachcomber Restaurant at Crystal Cove is a great stopping point for all culinary occasions: options range from evening cocktails to a casual lunch of clam chowder and blackened swordfish tacos.
More Info: www.crystalcovebeachcottages.org
Photo Caption: Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County, California.
Seen In: The Blue Lagoon, 1980
The teen romance between cousins Em (Brooke Shields) and Richard (Christopher Atkins) -- who are stranded on a South Pacific island after a ship accident -- might have made you cringe. However, if you find your way to this island, chances are you're probably trying to create your own memories.
Turtle Island Resort, on the privately owned island of Nanuya Levu, offers guests an experience that practices sustainability but is not without luxury. After a short flight on a seaplane from Nadi International Airport, check into one of the 14 private two-room villas (inquire for rates).
The resort is designed so that you never want to leave. Activities include snorkeling, biking, windsurfing, sailing and fishing. A daily dinner party (featuring the seafood catch of the day and just-picked produce from the hotel's organic vegetable garden) is held at a different location on the island each night.
More Info: www.turtlefiji.com
Photo Caption: Turtle Island, Nanuya Levu, Fiji
Seen In: The Big Lebowski, 1998
In this cult movie, The Dude (played by actor Jeff Bridges) memorializes his friend Donnie by tossing his ashes off a cliff into the water below. This now-famous scene was filmed atop a Malibu cliff.
In real life, Point Dume is a windblown surfer's paradise about 30 minutes north of the hustle and bustle of L.A. proper. Jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, this spot is within the northern end of Santa Monica Bay and part of Point Dume State Beach.
You can often see Catalina Island from here. Down below, the beach is lined with coves that could be a romantic rendezvous or an impromptu picnic spot (with groceries picked up at Pacific Coast Greens or a pizza from D'Amores; both are on Highway 1).
More Info: www.parks.ca.gov
Photo Caption: Point Dume, Malibu. Photo by planetfonex/Frommers.com Community