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Lost movie cover Movie Locations Guide

Where was Lost filmed?

City Locations

Oahu, Honolulu

Location Types

Beach/Oceanview, NatureScapes, Studios

Location Styles

Exotic/Tropical, Beachfront, Retreat

About Lost

“Lost” aired on ABC from 2004 to 2010, and the suspense-filled series stands as one of the network's most successful shows. The surreal and fast-paced drama contains gripping supernatural, surreal, and science fiction elements.

The premise revolves around the passengers of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 who find themselves marooned on a remote island after the plane crashes. They band together to navigate the mysterious tropical island, more so after finding out that they are not alone.

Along the way, they discover that the island is riddled with mysteries and grave danger. From an ominous black smoke figure to a peculiar hatch and cryptic other-worldly population, the series excelled at immersing viewers in the mystery-solving experience.

The mystique surrounding the plotline is the first element that reeled viewers in. As frustrating as it was, the storylines appeared to never really go anywhere but each episode concluded with an edge-of-the-seat cliff-hanger that kept viewers coming back for more. New mysteries always cropped up without warning which further added to the intrigue.

Flashbacks, foreshadowing, flash-sideways, and flash-forwards were some of the creative techniques used to weave everything together. "Lost" also had a large international ensemble cast and in the first season alone, the 72 passengers aboard Flight 815, including a dog, appeared in various episodes at some point. However, the core story was driven by 14 main characters including Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard and Evangeline Lily as Kate Austen.

Like the best cult-favorite shows, some loved the last season’s finale episode while critics found it somewhat disappointing. In a single statement, viewers realized that all the show’s events painted the picture of what purgatory would look like.

Lost Locations

Filmed almost entirely on the Hawaiian island of Oahu; the location itself was a character in the show. The tropical beauty added to the cinematic appeal and drummed up the overall intrigue.

The pilot episodes were filmed on Mokulē'ia Beach, and later, secluded spots around the island's North Shore were the settings for beach scenes. Stand-in locations around Honolulu as well as New York, Nigeria, South Korea, Iowa, Paris, Iraq, Thailand, Australia, Berlin, the United Kingdom, and the Maldives were also used to film various scenes.

The Hawaii Convention Center stood in for the Sydney Airport scenes and a "Grey's Anatomy" hospital set in Los Angeles was borrowed for one of the season 3 finale scenes. A Buddhist temple located near Kahekili Highway in Kāneʻohe served as the filming location for the flashback of Sun and Jin's wedding.

Paradise Park in Mānoa was the setting for the Hydra Island scenes when Sawyer and Kate were kidnapped. Here is an in-depth rundown of some of the best scenes in "Lost" and where they were filmed in real life. You may have watched this series long ago, but we’ll throw a spoiler alert in just in case!

Fun fact:

Some of the characters on "Lost" were not originally a part of the show’s outline. After impressing the showrunners during the auditions, they had characters specifically written just for them! That includes Hurley, portrayed by Jorge Garcia, Naveen Andrews’s character Sayid, and Sun who was personified by Yunjin Kim. Impressed by the fact that she spoke Korean fluently, Kim’s character Sun was added to the storyline. Her on-screen husband Jin, played by Daniel Dae Kim, was subsequently created days later.

Dr. Jack Shephard delivers a moving speech scene in Lost

Mokulē‘ia Beach

Dr. Jack Shephard delivers a moving speech scene in Lost

Following the Flight 815 crash, Dr. Jack Shephard quickly displayed his strengths and leadership skills. It was an uphill task given that they were all coming to terms with their new normal, on top of dealing with a group of people with conflicting characters.

One of the most iconic “Lost” scenes happened in the fifth episode of the show's first season dubbed "White Rabbit." Shephard gave the survivors a moving speech summed up by sharing the sentiment, “if we can’t live together, we are going to die alone." In cinematic fashion, the words resurfaced as the premise of the second season's finale episode titled "Live Together, Die Alone."

The scene was amongst those filmed at Mokulē‘ia Beach, alongside others depicting the first instances when viewers get acquainted with the 48 Flight 815 crash survivors. Located on Oahu's northwest tip, it’s a great place for snorkeling, surfing, skydiving, kayaking, and gliding.

It's close to the Dillingham Airfield on North Shore Oahu, where you can still find the burnt-out fuselage of Flight 815 in a caged enclosure. That makes the beach highly accessible and bus 76 will also get you there.

Locke, Jack, and others open the hatch scene in Lost

He'eia Kea State Park

Locke, Jack, and others open the hatch scene in Lost

The first season ended with an epic cliff-hanger when John Locke (Terry O'Quinn), Jack, Kate, and Hurley blew open the hatch door. It would be months before the second season aired and fans finally found out what was hidden behind the large steel entrance.

Boone Carlyle (Ian Somerhalder) and Locke had discovered the hatch on one of their hunts for Ethan Rom (William Mapother). They spent weeks excavating the site trying to uncover what was hidden within before finally letting the rest in on it. When the scene picked up in the second season, it perfectly captured Locke's words from the " Deus Ex Machina," episode. “It was a dream, but... it was the most real thing I've ever experienced.”

Also known as The Swan, a Dharma Initiative station, The Hatch scenes were shot at the He'eia Kea State Park. The area was excavated for filming and once the “Lost” production wrapped, the area was restored back to its original form.

Open seven days each week, the Park is a lovely place to go for family picnics. The picturesque views of the nearby Ko'olau Mountains are visible from the grounds which also house a garden filled with diverse flora to explore.

Get to He'eia Kea State Park via Bus 60 or 65 from the Honolulu - Ala Moana Center. It's a four-minute walk from the Kamehameha Hwy + Heeia State Park.

Volkswagen bus ride scene in Lost

Kualoa Ranch

Volkswagen bus ride scene in Lost

Episode 11 of the third season titled "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead" is summed up as the calm before the storm. Hurley is able to get the broken-down Volkswagen van running with Sawyer (Jim LaFleur), Jin, and Charlie lending a hand.

Hurley is portrayed as a highly perceptive person, even when he gets a good chuckle out of viewers by saying things like “maybe the dog can find water. I mean, dogs can find pot and bombs, so I’m sure they can find water.”

That's why he saw the act of fixing the van as having faith in teamwork as well as an opportunity to redeem himself after several initial fumbles. The Kualoa Ranch lent its grounds to the van fixing scenes alongside other scenes like the golf course, The Tempest and The Arrow stations, and the security fence.

You can visit the "Lost" locations on one of their Hollywood Movie Sites & Ranch Tour. The Jurassic Adventure Tour takes you on a thrilling journey around the Hakipu’u and Ka’a’awa Valleys to check out spots where the "Jurassic World" and "Jurassic Park" films were made.

Getting to Kualoa Ranch is a breeze with options including the 88A, 8, 60, 19, 42, 20, or 23 buses from Waikiki.

Episode 11 of the third season titled "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead" is summed up as the calm before the storm. Hurley is able to get the broken-down Volkswagen van running with Sawyer (Jim LaFleur), Jin, and Charlie lending a hand.

Hurley is portrayed as a highly perceptive person, even when he gets a good chuckle out of viewers by saying things like “maybe the dog can find water. I mean, dogs can find pot and bombs, so I’m sure they can find water.”

That's why he saw the act of fixing the van as having faith in teamwork as well as an opportunity to redeem himself after several initial fumbles. The Kualoa Ranch lent its grounds to the van fixing scenes alongside other scenes like the golf course, The Tempest and The Arrow stations, and the security fence.

You can visit the "Lost" locations on one of their Hollywood Movie Sites & Ranch Tour. The Jurassic Adventure Tour takes you on a thrilling journey around the Hakipu’u and Ka’a’awa Valleys to check out spots where the "Jurassic World" and "Jurassic Park" films were made.

Getting to Kualoa Ranch is a breeze with options including the 88A, 8, 60, 19, 42, 20, or 23 buses from Waikiki.

The island’s inhabitants witness the plane crash scene in Lost

YMCA Camp Erdman

The island’s inhabitants witness the plane crash scene in Lost

The third season opened with a literal bang seen in the first episode titled "A Tale of Two Cities." It opens with Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell) leading a book club which is soon interrupted by the commotion caused by a crash.

As everyone floods out of their houses to witness the incident, viewers get a different perspective of the 815 crash. The inhabitants of the island, known as The Others, had just gotten a front-row seat to the tragic event. As the season progresses, they are introduced as a civilized community, and we learn that Juliet is a fertility doctor. Hence her later statement, "doctors make the worst patients.”

YMCA Camp Erdman served as the backdrop of "Dharmaville," which The Others forcefully took over from the Dharma Initiative workers. Located on the North Shore of Oahu, the property hosts day and summer camps for kids, weekend family camps, and group retreats. There are plenty of fun activities offered on-site including health and fitness programs.

Best still, Camp Erdman provides optional transportation to and from the grounds via 1441 Pali Highway and Honolulu HI 96813. They can also arrange airport transfers from the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (KHNL).

Charlie and Claire imaginary peanut butter scene in Lost

Hawaii Film Studio

Charlie and Claire imaginary peanut butter scene in Lost

Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin) and Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) eventually move to the caves alongside other survivors. The seventh episode of the first season titled "The Moth," took viewers on Charlie's journey battling addiction issues.

He eventually beats the heroin addiction and later, in the tenth episode titled "Raised by Another," Charlie tells Claire “if I can kick drugs, I can deliver a baby.” It was also the episode when the two were kidnapped, but leading up to it, they had shared a lighthearted moment.

Not able to find peanut butter for Claire, upon her request as an incentive for moving to the caves, they bonded over an empty jar pretending that it was filled with the delicious treat. Despite their circumstances, the two had formed a genuine friendship and were able to make the smallest things feel special.

A soundstage constructed within an empty Xerox parts warehouse was used for the cave scenes in the first season. For the second season, the sound stage was relocated to the state-owned Hawaii Film Studio which also doubled up as the production offices. That's where the iconic "Swan Station" scenes were filmed on the “Lost” film set as well as the third season's "Hydra Station" scenes.

You can get to the Hawaii Film Studio via bus 9, 2, 3, or 2L.

The church scene in Lost

St. Margaret Mary Chapel at Sacred Hearts

The church scene in Lost

The church scene is one of the most heartwarming scenes from "Lost," and it also served as a pivotal point in tying loose ends. In the story, the Los Angeles church was a Dharma station known as The Lamp Post and it was one of the outside locations used to connect to the island.

Another great payoff for viewers was watching Jack move on along with his loved ones and the other 815 survivors. The underlying message was that the meaningful bonds formed between the individuals transcended death, as captured by his father's words.

Christian Shephard (John Terry) told him " Nobody does it all alone. You needed them, and they needed you." The St. Margaret Mary Chapel located within the Sacred Hearts Academy was the setting of the show's flash-sideways ending, which confused many but was a beautiful way to wrap up the show nonetheless.

The same location served as the setting for the exterior shots seen in the same episode. Located at 3253 Waialae Ave in Honolulu, the Line 1 bus can get you to Sacred Hearts from Honolulu Airport.

Conclusion

The Lost Virtual Tour fan website is worth a visit for any hardcore fan who wants to revisit other real-life "Lost" filming locations.

If you are putting together an itinerary of your own for a Walkabout tour inspired by the show, a visit to the Mānoa Falls Trail should make it on your list. It forms the Honolulu Mauka Trail System, which was the setting for the rainy, slippery jungle where the survivors found Charlie after he and Claire had been kidnapped.

The other half of 815 ended up at the waterfall and pool at Waimea Valley Audubon Center. Papailoa Beach served as the survivor's base camp from the second season. The Poka'i Bay Beach Park and Makua Beach were also featured on the show.