5 Stunning Film Locations We Love

5 Stunning Film Locations We Love

When I first went to New York in 2000, I wasn't sure if I would like it. It loomed large and vivid in my mind, woven from a hundred films I had seen in the past. The noise, colors and outsized personality portrayed on screen was certainly a disappointment - how could it not be?

Of course I was wrong. I absolutely loved New York. Even before September 11th, the city was lively and inviting. The food, the energy, the delicious September weather was exhilarating and romantic, just like in the movies.

Surprisingly, it's a theme that persists in most of the other filming locations I've visited. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Monuriki Island, Fiji – Shipwreck

Two days ago Peter and I boarded a boat on Malolo Island for our morning island hopping. We stopped at several of Fiji’s “Mamanuca Islands,” each as predictably beautiful as the last. After an hour we sailed to Monuriki, the set of the Tom Hanks film “Cast Away”. We grabbed our snorkeling gear and jumped into the clear blue water. As we neared the shore, the choppy tide caught us and literally washed us ashore: a fitting start to our exploration of this tiny uninhabited island.

Since we were the only two people there, Peter had me record a special message for his old colleagues, especially the aptly named Mr. Wilson (if you've seen the movie, you'll understand).

Peter got me to record a special message for an ex-colleague, the aptly named Mr. Wilson (if you've seen the movie you'll understand)

We spent an hour on the stunning island, resisting the urge to climb its summit, the same summit that Tom Hanks' character climbs to attempt suicide. Apparently the actor was flown up in a helicopter. We could understand why: the blazing sun and white sand made physical exertion almost impossible. We did the only thing we could do: laze around for an hour before the boat returned to pick us up.

2. Petra, Jordan – Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

As Peter and I sat at the High Place of Sacrifice overlooking Petra, I turned to him and said, "Imagine if our cities were like this instead of the ugly concrete jungles we have created." Of course, in reality it would be completely impractical to build cities like Petra, but it's hard to accept that I'll probably never see such a beautiful city again.

The mountainous curves of the Siq, the vibrant sandstone of The Treasury and the sheer scale of the landscape were absolutely breathtaking. The fact that humans carved this city out of stone is a testament to the tenacity of our species.

We arrived early in the morning and had large parts of the area all to ourselves. At £55 per person we were annoyed at the price, but at the end of the long day we realized it was a small price to pay for one of the most amazing travel experiences we have ever had.

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3. Angkor Wat, Cambodia – Tomb Raider

We arrived just before sunrise, like most tourists, to watch the sunrise over the iconic outline of Angkor Wat. Luckily, our tour operators (ABOUTAsia) specialize in keeping clients away from the teeming crowd. Instead of positioning ourselves at the temple entrance, we were taken to the back where there were a handful of people. We watched dawn break over the temple's silhouette and spent the morning walking the grounds.

The place's quiet spirituality may be at odds with the dubious action film starring Angelina Jolie, but locals told us it's good for their country; that the film – and Jolie's subsequent adoption of a Cambodian orphan – raised awareness of Cambodia, attracted tourists and boosted the economy. Maybe making the film wasn't such a bad mistake after all...

4. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt – The Return of the Mummy

The Great Pyramids will always be on everyone's ultimate travel list. They are, after all, an incomprehensible feat of human achievement and one of the enduring mysteries of history. I visited Tahrir Square shortly after the protests and, despite having been warned of numerous dangers, found it welcoming and friendly - albeit with a few casuals trying their luck with inexperienced tourists.

Due to recent unrest, the pyramids and the rest of Egypt have been relatively quiet. In fact, at one point I had Tutankhamun's tomb all to myself. Climbing the Pyramid of Cheops into the dark, echoing chamber at its core was eerie and otherworldly, but absolutely amazing.

5. Sagrada Familia, Spain – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

After writing, languages, travel and technology, there isn't really room for another passion of mine, but if there were, it would probably be architecture. If my life had taken a different course, I would rather think that I might have become an architect. I'm fascinated by interesting buildings, from the Gothic Gaudí to imposing brutalist structures like Montreal's Habitat 67 or Tower Hamlets' own Balfron Towers.

On several occasions I have stopped at a London building – the Royal Courts of Justice, the Zimbabwe House on the Strand – to simply stare. In that sense, Barcelona was simply incredible for me. The jewel in his crown, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, was every superlative I could imagine. I have often thought that I was lucky to live in Europe with so many wonderful cities in close proximity and was not convinced that I would have taken individual trips to the various cities if I had been born in the States. However, Barcelona is one of those cities that's worth crossing an ocean to see - it's simply stunning.

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