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International locations: Seas and Beaches
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Your brief says 'unending stretch of unspoiled, white, sandy beach'. Oh well, somebody has to... But, of course, you can’t just choose a fantasy island, it’s about location services, accessibility and home comforts too, especially if you’re going to be there long enough to get tired of perfect, sunny weather. How long is that exactly?
Africa
Africa is magnificently endowed with beaches and islands of the purest, untouched kind. Take the Seychelles for example: 115 islands stretching out towards the east coast of the African mainland. The islands are arranged in two groups: the Granitic inner islands just four degrees south of the equator and the Coralline outer group which are ten degrees south of the equator. Each island has its own character, history, geography and folklore, so a wide variety of atmospheres are available for filming.
The island is surprisingly accessible from the UK and has excellent transport links. If help from local location services is unavailable then any number of those based in the neighbouring African states will be more than happy to help.
At the opposite end of the continent, South Africa has long been a favourite location for British filmmakers. And rightly so; the country is home to hundreds of experienced location services, is overflowing with desirable locations of all types imaginable and the exchange rate is so favourable that you’ll be hard pushed to find anywhere as cost-effective.
A little off the beaten track is the Gansbaai region, one of the best sites in the world for spotting the great white shark, so it’s best to avoid dipping your toes into the ocean. The guano-covered sandy flats of Dyer Island are the kind of place where there are seabirds aplenty amidst wild seas and craggy rocks, and no shortage of companies willing to dip you, toes and all, into the shark infested waters - cages strongly advised.
You’ll easily spot several different species of shark reigning terror on the fur seals in the channel between the island and Geyser Rock, sometimes called Shark Alley. From June through December, Gansbaai also becomes home to the Southern Right whale and you’ll see dozens of them off the white dunes at Die Plaat (Afrikaans for sand banks) in Walkerbay, which has several beaches protected from the south-eastern winds by high cliffs.
Moving as far south as you can go on this continent, the Cape of Good Hope Province has dramatic cliffs ravaged by the persistent wailing winds that are known as the Roaring Forties, which have left the region virtually stripped of trees. British filmmakers might feel comforted to know that the ‘normal’ weather pattern around here means loads of rain and temperatures that fall well below freezing in the winter.
A little way across the water, the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, is a place of awe-inspiring beauty and home to five per cent of the world’s plant and animal species - the vast majority of which are unique to Madagascar. Though the ravages of modernisation and a long history of slash-and-burn agriculture have left it in dire need of conservation, there are still substantial stretches of unspoiled sandy beaches by crystal clear blue-green ocean, making it well worth the long flight, via Mauritius, which is itself the proud owner of some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
Here, Grand Bay is a pretty good area for sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing. Pereybere is a remarkable little cove halfway between Grand Bay and Cap Malheureux and one of the most idyllic playground-of-the-rich kinds of beach you could ever hope for, with its luxury accommodation and powerboats moored nearby. From Belle Mare all the way to Trou-d’Eau Douce is an uninterrupted stretch of fine white sand, or try Flic en Flac for gorgeous beaches fringed with leafy filaos or casuarina trees.
The Americas
Where to start? Oh yes, how about the Bahamas? Extending across 800 kilometres of clear water, you’ll find approximately 700 islands of all shapes and sizes, each sparsely populated with their own subtly differing culture and geography. Grand Bahama Island, with its ecological and man-made wonders, is the fourth largest island in the group. Famous for its shallow waters, the island is conveniently only 90 kilometres from the coast of Florida. Or, for something more traditional and secluded, head to the Out Islands, so called because they are the most remote in the Bahamian archipelago.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean there’s the memorable locations of Antigua: Ffryes Beach, Darkwood Beach, Half Moon Bay, Mosquito Cove and Luis Beach on Barbuda as well as Green Island and Great Bird Island. On the equally heavenly island of Barbados, the west coast is the best place for classic still water shots, while the east and north respectively supply more dramatic scenes of rolling surf and cliffs.
The Dominican Republic played host to the film crews of The Pirates Of The Caribbean, but pick your time of year with care. It lies smack bang in the middle of the hurricane belt and is subject to severe storms and flooding from June to October, as is Haiti, its neighbour on the island of Hispaniola.
Dominica, which is definitely nothing to do with the Dominican Republic, is a virtually untouched island paradise, remarkable for its rainforest and volcanic origins, with protected beaches thanks to its rugged geography. Hardly bigger than the Isle of White, Dominica is great for natural shoots, but expect up to 7,600 millimetres of rain a year, though dryer conditions can be found on the west side of the island.
For beaches which are more Baywatch than Lost, Florida is perhaps one of the most film-friendly places of them all and a favourite location for UK crews all-year-round. It’s not hard to see why: secluded beaches, busy urban beachsides, isolated beach houses and even crocodile-infested swamps are all available, with the convenient support of all of the services available to the third busiest production centre in the USA.
Lost, on the other hand, was filmed on location in Oahu, one of many well supported islands in the USA’s only tropical area. As their film office slogan succinctly suggests, Hawaii does seem to be about as close as far away gets, and their experienced production industry has spawned such masterpieces as Hawaii Five-O and Magnum PI. Over on the west coast there are no prizes for knowing that California has a lot of beaches as well as the very biggest film industry in the USA.
In Canada the sandy beaches and hot summer sun make Lake Okanagan one of best locations for balmy scenes in a country better known for the bleak coastlines of The Shipping News. The craggy seafronts around Newfoundland, Labrador and Nova Scotia are just some of the locations used in the film, but the whole of north Canada is home to a myriad of islands which should have the wind-swept, lonesome effect you’re after.
Or are you looking for the kind of place where penguins and tortoises saunter by unafraid on glistening deserted beaches? The Galapagos Islands were ‘visited’ in Master And Commander, though these scenes were actually filmed in a studio. The 13 main islands and six smaller ones are located in the most isolated corner of the Pacific Ocean, nearly 1,000 kilometres away from Ecuador, of which it is part. Like everywhere, permits need to be acquired before you can film here, though scientific, cultural and educational productions are exempt from the fee, which will save you several thousand pounds.
Over on the mainland the provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí, Guayas, El Oro and Los Rios make up the Ecuadorian coastline with wonderful beaches and ports dotting a coastline of over 2,000 kilometres. The weather here is an idyllic average of 25-30ºC, with the months of December to May the warmer rainy season. The drier months are June to November, which you’ll find pleasantly cooler and less humid.
Its northern neighbour, Colombia, is the only South American country to have its coast lapped by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Venezuela’s northern Caribbean coasts boast magnificent beaches comprised of fine sand and transparent water. Mexico has the ports of Progreso, Celestun, Dzilam and Sisal, among others, located in Yucatan, which has over 350 kilometres of coasts.
Lastly, Argentina’s extensive coastline features many seashore towns and Miami-style luxury hotels, separated by lonely far-reaching dune beaches and mysterious lighthouses. Further south, the Patagonian coast becomes increasingly full of cliffs, whales, seal lions, walruses, penguins and a great assortment of birds. Mar del Plata (400 kilometres south of Buenos Aires) is the biggest resort in Argentina with 17 kilometres of Atlantic coastline.
Europe
One of the most beautiful up-and-coming locations in Europe, for tourists as well as filmmakers, is Croatia, with its entire western border lying along the Adriatic Sea. The sea here is calm and clear, and home to over 1,000 islands of varying shapes and sizes - though only 20 or so are popular with visitors. Some islands have sandy beaches but, on the whole, the coastline is made up of pebbles and stones which go a long way towards helping maintain the unique clarity of the water. Fast becoming westernised, the sparsely populated islands and coastal regions still cling to a more traditional approach to life - fishing just about pips tourism as the main industry.
Two of Croatia’s major coastal cities are Dubrovnik and Split, where big harbours dominate the city centres. Dubrovnik has gone from being war-torn to wonderful, with the recovering city, thankfully, being rebuilt in the tradition of red tiles on white mediterranean-style structures which look amazing set against the deep blue of the sea.
Russia also has an extensive coastline of over 37,000 kilometres along the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, in addition to its more-or-less inland seas, the Baltic, Black and Caspian. Some smaller bodies of water are part of open oceans: the Barents, White, Kara, Laptev and East Siberian Seas are part of the Arctic, whereas the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan are on the Pacific Ocean. The major islands found in them include Novaya Zemlya, the Frantz-Joseph Land, the New Siberian Islands, Wrangel Island, Kuril Island and Sakhalin.
Estonia also has over 1,000 islands and, bounded on two sides by the Baltic Sea, its jagged shoreline offers widely diverse natural locations. Poland is another excellent base from which to shoot the characteristic features of the Baltic Sea, with its wide beaches filled with golden-white sand.
South-West of the coast of Portugal, Madeira Island has been described with a number of superlatives: the pearl of the Atlantic, the floating garden, and even the island of eternal spring. There are no sandy beaches, but for something different, it’s a wonderful place to find pleasantly warm weather and rugged, dramatic coastline. The neighbouring island of Porto Santo has a more conventional coastline, with its popular beach resorts boasting sandy beaches broken up by cliffs and grottoes.
The Canarian island of Tenerife is a well-resourced old favourite of the european filming community. There are golden and volcanic black-sand beaches dotted around, many with palm trees, restaurants and good parking facilities. Las Teresitas is a mile-long crescent of golden sand flanked by the rugged Anaga mountains. The crystal clear Atlantic Ocean is ideal for water sports, as well as whale and dolphin watching, all year round. There are views of the others Canary Islands too, including Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. Most recently Tenerife’s waters have been used for the new Mastercard commercial and German film The Sinking Of The Pamir.
Turkey has no shortage of potential maritime locations and beautiful beaches can be found at Antalya, Bodrum, Oludeniz and Kusadasi, though summer temperatures are suffocating and relentless. For islands try the Princess Islands, of which Buyukada is the biggest and most famous. Gokceada ve Bozcaade, Datca, Kayakoy and Sirince are all worth a look, but avoid the climatic extremes and plan shoots for May, June, October and September.
Asia/Australasia
The coast of Australia can provide any number of serene or awesome bays and beaches, the majority of which are within a relatively short drive from a major city. For the weather you seek, as well as a huge variety of islands, beaches and mangroves, Queensland must be your first stop, with the jewel in its crown, the incomparable Great Barrier Reef and all of the noteworthy islands within its grasp. The Whitsunday Islands have to be seen to be believed, with their crystal-clear protected waters of indescribable blue. Then there’s Lizard Island, Green Island, Dunk Island, Airlie Beach... The list goes on and on and we still haven’t made it south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
The Sunshine coast is not far north of Brisbane and, at the very southern tip of Great Barrier Reef, you’ll find Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island which is also home to some of the cleanest lakes anywhere and has the last remaining colony of pure-bred dingos (of ‘stole my baby’ fame). That and sand, sand and more sand of course. South of Brisbane is the more urban area of the Gold Coast which has its own airport and the distinct advantage of being home to Warner Roadshow Movie World Studios (www.movieworldstudios.com.au) where Scooby-Doo, Peter Pan and many other films have been shot.
The Gold Coast, which stretches from just south of Brisbane all the way down to the New South Wales border has the Broadwater - a long stretch of clear, protected water, which is perfect for filming boating sequences - as well as Burleigh Heads, Coolangatta, Palm Beach, Currumbin, and Tallebudgera. Separated only by political designation from the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales, virtually all of the major beaches have a river or creek of some description, providing protected estuaries and sheltered beaches.
South Australia also has dramatic coastlines and expansive coastal sand dunes. Everywhere in Australia does, to be fair. Phillip Island in Victoria is famous for its motorbike track and Fairy Penguins, and the Twelve Apostles along the state’s Great Ocean Road is one of the most recognisable sites of all of Australia’s marvellous coastlines.
Broome in Western Australia has the sort of beaches you can set an actor up walking along and then pan back to show them walking alone for hundreds of kilometres. Tasmania has tranquil bays and beaches - and excellent lobster fishing. Byron Bay is where Paul Hogan has just sold up. Here the Coral Sea meets the Pacific and the beaches are clean, long and undeveloped. Mild to warm all year, the Bay is a good all-year location.
Cooler in the summer than Australia, New Zealand is the same kind of story as far as film-friendly locations go. The setting you choose depends largely on the location your script requires, because it has it all. Swim with dolphins at the grassy coastline of the (improbably) French-influenced town of Akaroa. Turn your back to the Southern Alps as you film the moody windswept beaches which run down the west coast, or stare in awe at the sheer beauty of the fjordlands, but shiver a lot less than at their northern hemisphere namesakes. In the warmer climes of the North Island the descriptively named Hibiscus Coast, Bay of Islands, Hahei Marine Reserve and Cathederal Cove all give a taster of the wide variety of locations you’ll find there.
Conjuring up thoughts of the private islands owned by James Bond villains, Hong Kong is actually the second biggest of a group of 236 chinese islands. Cool and dry in the winter and hot, humid and rainy in the summer, the area is prone to monsoon weather which brings hit-and-miss conditions, albeit with an impressive variety of wildlife and geology. Less then 25 per cent of Hong Kong is developed and a large area is maintained as lush, emerald-green national parks. Many kilometres of coastline also means a lot of small bays with beaches, though water quality has worsened in recent years, so it’s probably best to send the stunt double swimming.
Beach is perhaps not the first kind of location that springs to mind when thinking of Singapore, yet East Coast Park, Sentosa Island and Pulau Ubin have all been featured on various travel programmes and TV series. The water is calm and the beaches pleasingly lined with palms, though the equatorial temperature makes it feel a little unpleasantly like bathing in a lukewarm bath. That would be nice in the UK, but in humid Singapore, it’s about as refreshing as squeezing sweaty socks on your face. Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but there are other lovely places to shoot where the perks are more than duty-free shopping and gin cocktails. (Not that there’s anything wrong with duty-free shopping and gin cocktails.)
Take Thailand, for example, with poor old Phi Phi Leh Island now practically synonymous with Di Caprio and his mates from The Beach. The best time to go to Thailand in general is December to March and the worst, May to October when heavy rains hit the area, the west coast in particular which is hardest hit June to September. Noisy unsilenced taxi-boat engines will spoil your shoot, so keep an eye out for them, so you can stop rolling before you hear them.
Phuket Beach is the most touristy of all Thailand’s beaches, but you should easily be able to give it a wide berth when there’s Nai Thon beach, the quietest of them all. Extremely natural and isolated in feel, it has white sand, very few bars and no package tours passing by – yet still all of the facilities that you’ll need to make light of the hard work that it is, filming in paradise.
The Indonesian archipelago has Sumatra, full of shimmering white sandy beaches; Java, with its almost unreal beaches; and Carita and Anyer provide classic scenes of white sand and swaying palms - with an added bonus of the ominous smoking cone of Anak Krakatau lurking on the horizon. Borneo island has Sumba, a dry island south of Komodo, distinguished by megalithic gravesites and the peaked houses indigenous to the area.
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