There are many reasons why Hawaii might be found near the top of anyone’s bucket list for a dreamy, tropical vacation.

Did you know that this natural paradise was used as a filming location for some of your favorite movies and TV shows?

That’s right. This glorious archipelago of islands serves as the backdrop for blockbusters such as Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Hunger Games, just to name a few.

Such as one of the most acclaimed TV series: Lost, which ran from September 2004 until its final episode on May 23rd, 2010. This legendary series filmed solely in Hawaii for six whole years.

This week we are paying homage to it by delivering an ultimate guide to the iconic lost filming locations  in Hawaii – and how to visit them.

The numerous scenes set in the Lost survivors’ beach camp were actually split between two secluded beaches in Oahu. Both of them are  reached easily by car or on foot from the nearby town of Haleiwa.

A picturesque stroll along either Mokule'ia or Papailoa, will bring you memories from the infamous crash of the Oceanic 815 flight- and all six seasons that followed it.

Bonus: both of these beaches are known for being excellent locations for turtle-spotting!

This impressive small-boat harbor between Honolulu and Waikiki offers some dazzling views across the waterfront. If you’re a Lost fan, you would definetly want to recreate Desmond and Penny’s iconic photograph in front of it.

You may also recognize the location as the harbor where Shannon and Boone argued in Australia. Or where Sun threatened Ben with a gun in season five episode-This Place Is Death.

The harbor has also been featured in episodes of Hawaii 5-0, as well as the opening sequence for the 60’s sitcom Gilligan’s Island.

Ala Wai is also a fantastic place to catch a catamaran cruise across Hawaii’s crystal-clear waters. There are even moonlight cruises on offer for ‘Firework Fridays’.

This 4,000-acre ranch nestled in the Ka’a’awa Valley is so famed as a filming location that it’s been dubbed “the back lot of Hawaii”.

In the Lost universe, panoramas of this sweeping valley were used for multiple landscape shots of ‘The Island’. However, it also provided the setting for scenes such as Hurley’s island golf course in season one’s Solitary. Also,  Ana Lucia’s murder of Goodwin in season two’s The Other 48 Days; and the fun-filled DHARMA van drive through the jungle taken by Charlie, Sawyer, Hurley and Jin in season three.

You may also find yourself expecting to see dinosaurs roaming the valley. You’ll recognize Kualoa as the backdrop for fan favorites such as Jurassic Park, Godzilla, 50 First Dates, and You Me & Dupree.

We recommend taking a Kualoa bus directly to the remote ranch from Waikiki. The valley is closed to the public but you can book on a VIP ‘Hollywood’ school bus tour. In this experience you will visit the most famous  Lost filming locations. Including an  astonishing WWII army bunker-turned-museum, which also stood in for one of Lost’s DHARMA stations.

Passing through trickling streams and groves filled with eucalyptus, bamboo, and guava- you’ll feel like you’re joining the Lost survivors on one of their many jungle missions. Follow their footsteps down this popular Oahu hiking route.

Scenes from every season were filmed here, including Jacob’s cabin scenes, and the death of Mr Eko in the season three episode.

The marked entrance to the mile-long Judd Memorial Trail, can be found on Nuuanu Pali Drive. At the end of the trail, you can take a refreshing dip in the spectacular Jackass Ginger Pool,  one of the most breathkaking Lost filming locations. This breathkating place is surrounded by waterfalls and natural, mossy rock slides.

Remember when Kate and Sawyer were captured by The Others at the start of season three, and held captive in cages for several episodes?

The site of their imprisonment is actually Paradise Park. A former exotic bird zoo that closed down in 1994 and was deserted.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire, also made use of this ghostly location and the surrounding jungle when they filmed in Hawaii in 2012.

We know, we know, Huleia wasn’t used as a filming location in Lost, but we just had to sneak it in for all the Indiana Jones fans out there.

Huleia River and the jungle surrounding it served as the setting for much of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

A 2-hour tour with Kipu Tours, will take you through acres of jungle, bamboo forest, and hidden waterfalls. They all contributed to the scenery of the 1981 blockbuster – you can even stop and have a go on the famous Indiana Jones rope swing over the river!

The forest surrounding Turtle Bay Resort, is home to the North Shore’s famed Banyan Tree.

This astonishing network of canopy and tree roots was used on multiple occasions in Lost. Kate hid from the monster there in the Pilot episode and at the end of the first season, Charlie was left to die there by Ethan until he was saved by Jack.

You may be surprised by the many movies that chose to shoot in this area too. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides made use of the exact same Banyan Tree that was featured in Lost, with the surrounding grove becoming the ‘mermaid’s lair’.

Catching Fire, the second installment in the Hunger Games trilogy, also took advantage of the forest. The secluded, pale sands of nearby Kawela Bay offered an ideal destination for the Quarter Quell arena.

Meanwhile, 2008 rom-com Forgetting Sarah Marshall, went a step further and actually filmed inside the hotel at Turtle Bay Resort for many of its scenes.

More commonly referred to as ‘Jurassic Falls’ due to its presence in the legendary Jurassic Park franchise. This breathtaking waterfall cascades from over 400-feet high down a sheer cliff edge, bedecked with lush greenery on both sides.

The falls are located on private property so it is inaccessible on foot. However, for a truly sensational experience, take a helicopter tour of Kauai. You will be able to take an amazing aerial view of the falls.

We suggest booking a tour with Island Helicopters. It is  the only helicopter company with permission to land at the foot of the falls, allowing guests to get up close and personal with this magnificent waterfall.