10 Movies Shot in Phuket

<p>Plenty of movies have been shot in Phuket and its nearby areas. This is both because of the region’s beauty and because Thailand is always eager to attract Hollywood and the international film industry as a way to promote tourism.</p><p>The Thai film industry itself has produced some excellent movies in the past few years, but only really gained international recognition when <em>Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives</em> won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Thailand boasts a number of professional technicians who can be hired for the production of international movies, plus a wide choice of incredibly gorgeous locations. Here are some popular movies made in and around Phuket since the ‘70s, let’s check them out.</p>

1. The Beach

A sun-drenched adventure with dark twist

Good for: Adventure, Couples, Photo

Shot in 2000 and directed by Danny Boyle, The Beach is based on the eponymous Alex Garland novel. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, this movie made a small cove of Maya Bay on the western side of Koh Phi Phi Leh world famous. Funnily enough, the island mentioned in the novel is located in the Gulf of Thailand near Koh Samui, whereas the island featured in the movie is in the Andaman Sea, on the other side of the isthmus.

The hotel at which Leonardo DiCaprio stays in the early part of the movie is the On On Hotel in Phuket Old Town. Visit it while sightseeing, or book a room at Memory at On On for a superfan experience.

Location: Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi Leh

2. The Man with the Golden Gun

Classic British spy thriller set in a white-sand paradise

Good for: Couples, History, Photo

<p>Shot in 1974, <em>The Man with the Golden Gun</em> was the 9th James Bond movie. Featuring Roger Moore as the iconic British spy and Christopher Lee as the villain, Francisco Scaramanga, the film was predominantly shot in Asia: Hong Kong, Macau, and Thailand.</p><p>One of Scaramanga’s secret bases is hidden in Koh Ping Khan in the beautiful and magnificent Phang Nga Bay. The islet has since been renamed James Bond Island and is a popular landmark, visited by hundreds of tourists every day. You’ll easily find a boat tour to take you there.</p> Read more

Location: Phang Nga Bay

3. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Romantic comedy sequel takes in some iconic locations

Good for: Adventure, Couples, Luxury

Shot in 2004 and directed by Beeban Kidron, this sequel to the wildly successful Bridget Jones’s Diary reunites beloved cast members Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver. This time, Bridget’s romantic entanglements take her to sunny Thailand, but what she hoped would be a peaceful getaway soon escalated with a dramatic twist.

The movie’s plot takes the group to Bangkok, including scenes shot along the infamous Soi Cowboy, and on to Phuket Island with Phuket International Airport and Nai Yang Beach making an appearance. Phang Nga Bay provides the backdrop for romantic cruise scenes just off Panyee Island, so head there to recreate the moment.

Location: Phuket International Airport and Phang Nga Bay

4. Heaven & Earth

Thai backdrop used in seminal Vietnam War film

Good for: Budget, History, Photo

Shot in 1993, Heaven & Earth is a superb film by Oliver Stone about the Vietnam War and its consequences. Based on a true story written by Le Ly Hayslip, who was played by Hiep Thi Le in the movie, the plot relates the life of a young Vietnamese woman and her march through the horrors of history, from Vietnam to America and back.

The Sino-Portuguese house featured in the movie is Baan Chinpracha which is open to visitors and located in Phuket Old Town. Scenes of Vietnamese rural life were shot in the beautiful province of Krabi, only a 2-hour drive from Phuket. Read more

Location: Phuket Town and Krabi

5. Cutthroat Island

Superb location for a pirate-themed movie

Good for: Adventure, Couples, Photo

<p>Shot in 1995, <em>Cutthroat Island</em> is a romantic-comedy action movie starring Geena Davis. The film was a big flop at the time of release, credited for ending production of any pirate-themed Hollywood movies until the <em>Pirates of the Caribbean</em> series. Its plot relates the quest of Morgan Adams, played by Matthew Modine, for the missing parts of a treasure map in 1668 Jamaica.</p><p>The superb setting of Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi Leh was used for a good deal of the exterior views, which is probably the highlight of the movie and makes it worth watching.</p>

Location: Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi Leh

6. Tomorrow Never Dies

James Bond defeats villains in Thai resort stand-ins

Good for: Couples, Families, History, Photo

Shot in 1997 and directed by Roger Spottiswoode, Tomorrow Never Dies was the 18th James Bond movie of the series, and the second using Thai locations to represent other Asian countries: The Ho Chi Minh City scenes were shot in Bangkok, and Koh Ping Khan, in Phang Nga Bay, was used for the second time in a James Bond movie for a scene.

One Phuket-based junk was also used in the movie: June Bahtra. This junk is still available for day and sunset cruises in Phang Nga Bay, a beautiful way to round off a day of sightseeing. Read more

Location: Phang Nga Bay

7. Around the World in 80 Days

Globe-trotting adventure stops off in Thailand

Good for: Budget, Families, Photo

Directed by Frank Coraci, Around the World in 80 Days is the American blockbuster version of Jules Verne’s novel published in 1873. It’s one of Verne’s most acclaimed works and relates to the race around the world by Phileas Fogg, played by Steve Coogan, and his valorous valet Passepartout, played by Jackie Chan, after being challenged by friends in a £20,000 wager to circumnavigate the globe in fewer than 80 days.

The scenes depicting a Chinese rural village were shot in Krabi Province in southern Thailand. Despite the story not actually taking place in Thailand, several other 80 Days adaptations have shot scenes in the country.

Location: Krabi

8. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

Thailand takes its place in the Star Wars galaxy

Good for: Adventure, Families, Photo

Shot in 2005 and directed by George Lucas, the 3rd episode of the world-famous Star Wars movies saga has a few scenes filmed in southern Thailand. The unspoiled landscapes and dramatic rock formations have an otherworldly quality that’s a great fit for sci-fi.

The tall, limestone cliffs and lush vegetation of Krabi Province were used to represent Kaashyyk, the home planet of the Wookiees, during the battle in which Yoda escapes from the Republican Commandos’ treason. Other scenes took advantage of picturesque James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay. Of course, the use of computer-enhanced images makes the landscapes look a little different on screen.

Location: Krabi and Phang Nga Bay

9. Stealth

AI warplane goes rogue in this action flick

Good for: Adventure, Couples, Photo

Shot in 2005 and directed by Rob Cohen, Stealth is an action movie in which Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, and Jamie Foxx are 3 US Navy pilots selected to test a brand-new jet equipped with an artificial intelligence prototype. The EDI needs to learn how to maneuver by itself from the most talented pilots. However, things don’t go as planned when the EDI starts to think for itself.

The pilots’ rest and recuperation scenes were shot in Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi Leh. The gorgeous turquoise waters enclosed by steep green hills offer a striking contrast to the threat at the center of the movie.

Location: Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi Leh

10. The Impossible

True life disaster tale shot on location

Good for: Families, History, Unusual

Shot in 2012 and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, The Impossible is based on the true story of a British family that was staying in a Khao Lak beachfront resort for Christmas 2004, when the tsunami occurred. The Impossible has been praised by critics and described as “beautifully accurate” by Simon Jenkins, a British survivor of the disaster.

The tsunami sequence took a year of work, combining on-location shots, the use of a giant water tank in Spain, and a sprawling miniature of the beach resort. It’s hard to believe now, as you tour these incredible landscapes, that a disaster on this scale ever occurred.

Location: Khao Lak

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