Filming Locations West Oahu – Step Into the Movie Magic with Wild Side
🎥 Makaha Beach – Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride
Get ready to surf through your childhood memories! Makaha Beach, featured in the famous “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” sequence, is one of the filming sites you’ll cruise past on our wildlife safari. With golden sands, rolling waves, and a laid-back local vibe, this beach captures the spirit of Lilo’s world perfectly — and it’s even more breathtaking in real life.
🐢 Turtle Cleaning Station – A Hidden Gem Onscreen
Just off the reef where our snorkel stop happens, you’ll find a natural turtle cleaning station — a vital part of the marine ecosystem and a quiet filming location used for underwater scenes in the live-action film. Watch honu (Hawaiian green sea turtles) glide through crystal-clear water while reef fish nibble gently to keep their shells clean. It’s nature’s version of a spa day — and you’ll be front-row and snorkeling with sea turtles as well!
🌊 Make It Your Own Disney Adventure
Whether you’re traveling with keiki (kids) or are a lifelong Disney fan, this tour brings a little extra magic to your west-side experience and things to do near Ko Olina. And with wild dolphins, sea turtles, and even the occasional pilot whale, it’s a marine safari worthy of its own movie.
🎬 Other Famous Films & Series Shot Along Oʻahu’s West Coast
The west side of Oʻahu isn’t just home to breathtaking coastlines and marine wildlife — it’s also been the cinematic backdrop for major movies and series. Here’s your guide to the star-studded scenery you can cruise past with Wild Side:
🌺 Live-Action Moana 2 – Pōkaʻī Bay
Disney chose the serene crescent of Pōkaʻī Bay as a primary location for filming Moana 2, thanks to its protected waters and authentic connection to Hawaiian voyaging history. Look familiar? That’s because the bay’s peaceful shoreline now carries echoes of Moana’s oceanic journey.
🎭 Windtalkers (2002) – Mākua Valley
Starring Nicolas Cage, this WWII film used the lush, remote Mākua Valley as a stand-in for Pacific island battlegrounds. The valley’s dramatic ridgelines and isolation made it an ideal film location — and a conversation starter on our tours when we pass the area.
🛡️ Chief of War (2024) – Starring Jason Momoa
This Apple TV+ historical drama was filmed in and around Mākua Valley, bringing to life early Hawaiian resistance and leadership. The west side’s rugged terrain and untouched coastline make it a powerful setting for stories of aliʻi (chiefs) and ancient battles.
🌊 Blue Crush (2002) – Mākaha Beach & Four Seasons Oʻahu
This cult-favorite surf film was shot primarily at Mākaha Beach, a surf mecca on the west side, and scenes were also filmed near today’s Four Seasons Resort Oʻahu – Ko Olina. The movie showcased the raw surf culture and world-class waves of this region — a vibe still alive and well.
🌴 Hawai‘i (1966) – Starring Julie Andrews
This epic historical drama based on James A. Michener’s novel featured scenes filmed in Mākua Valley, representing 1800s Hawai‘i. The film’s sweeping views and cultural depictions helped introduce the west side’s landscape to global audiences long before it became a filming hotspot.
🕵️♂️ Chief of War, Magnum P.I., Lost, NCIS: Hawai‘i & More
From the Jacob’s Beach (This was where Ben killed Jacob.) in Lost to investigations in NCIS: Hawai‘i, and the rebooted classic of Magnum P.I., the west coast has been the unsung hero behind the lens — providing drama, beauty, and unmatched authenticity.
🚤 See the Reel-Life Coastline with Wild Side
Join us to explore where movie magic meets real-life aloha. Whether it’s dolphins in the surf or scenes from your favorite film, we’ll show you the west side of Oʻahu the way only locals (and a few filmmakers) know it.
👉 Book a Tour and experience the cinematic coast for yourself! Mention in the booking comment box – or onboard – that you’d like to see filming locations.
