In the early days of “Lost,” ABC’s plane-crash survival saga, a few of its stir-crazy castaways are seen gazing up at an all-encompassing drapery of majestic green mountains when one of them flashes a look of utter terror and asks, “Guys, where are we?”
Anyone familiar with Hawaii immediately could have told them that they were on the island of Oahu–and more specifically, somewhere in Kaaawa Valley region, not all that far away from civilization, some hot showers and really refreshing shave ice.
More Top Picks classicmoviecorner.com
But then again, why spoil the fun? They’re supposed to be lost, after all.
Since its debut in the fall, “Lost,” with its twisty plots and mind-blowing mysteries, has been one of prime-time’s hottest shows.
At least some of the credit should go to the Aloha State, according to co-creator and executive producer Damon Lindelof.
“We could have shot it in Southern California or somewhere else, but we figured that if you’re doing a show about a plane wreck on an island in the South Pacific, you really need an island in the South Pacific,” Lindelof says. “The jungles and the mountains and the way the water looks are all unique to Hawaii. If the audience doesn’t buy the illusion, they check out.”
Clearly, the audience has bought it, and now some of the show’s fervent followers are starting to express an interest in “Lost” production sites.
“The show has such a powerful pull, and people, in some way, want to be a part of it,” says Honolulu film commissioner Walea Constantinau, who has fielded numerous inquiries about the series. Her office, along with the Oahu Visitors Bureau, is planning a special Web link to help tourists get “Lost” while they’re visiting Hawaii.
Several sites, including the plane-crash beach, are open to the public and offer all sorts of enticing diversions that go beyond just some Hollywood make-believe. Here’s a rundown:
Mokuleia Beach
Located a few miles west of the fabled beaches of Oahu’s North Shore and in a mostly undeveloped area near road’s end, Mokuleia is often overlooked by tourists.
John R.K. Clark, author of “Oahu’s Best Beaches,” says that’s what makes it a “haven for anyone seeking some solitude and a perfect place for all those castaways to get lost.”
Indeed, Mokuleia is where the TV show’s plane–or at least its hulking fuselage–performed its explosive crash-and-burn.
Kualoa Ranch
This 4,000-acre working cattle ranch, which spreads from breathtaking mountain cliffs to the sparkling Pacific, is an outdoor lover’s paradise that offers horseback riding, ATV rides, kayaking and more. It’s no wonder, then, that Hurley (Jorge Garcia) picked this spot to lay out his makeshift two-hole golf course.
“We’ve had some people ask us when it is that we’re going to put in an actual golf course, but I don’t think that’s in the plans,” says ranch owner and general manager John Morgan.
Waimea Valley Audubon Center
A three-quarter-mile walk from the park entrance will lead you to lovely Waihi Falls, which dumps into a cool jungle pool. Visitors are invited to take a dip, but “Lost” fans might think twice. This, after all, is the pond where Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) took what they thought would be a refreshing swim, only to come upon two submerged corpses still buckled into their airplane seats.