What TV Shows and Films Were Filmed in the Cook Islands?
Where have you seen those beaches and atolls before? Well, if you have watched any reality TV shows about castaways in the last 20 years or old wartime movies from the ’80s then you might have seen the Cook Islands on film. That’s right, Rarotonga and the Cook Islands have appeared in, admittedly, mild quantities on TV and cinema screens over the years. Find out what and where in this list of TV shows and movies filmed in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands!
And if you’re looking for more famous places, albeit not TV-famous but perhaps Instagram-famous, then also check out our list of The 10 Most Famous Places in the Cook Islands.
1. Shipwrecked (2000-2019)
One of several “castaway” themed TV shows filmed in the Cook Islands, Shipwrecked is a British reality TV show where 18 to 24-year-olds are stranded on an island for 60-something days, battling it out for a cash prize. Most of the filming over the TV show’s and its iterations’ 19-year lifespan were filmed on Moturakau, one of the motu (islands) of Aitutaki.
© Zodiak Media2. Survivor: Cook Islands (2006)
When the Americans chose to get stranded in the Cook Islands, they too chose the islands of Moturakau in Aitutaki, as well as Motukitiu. Survivor: Cook Islands was the thirteenth season of the reality TV show where 20 contestants outwitted, outlasted and outplayed each other until one became Sole Survivor and won the $1,000,000 prize. Survivor is now in its 40+ seasons and is mostly filmed in Fiji.
© CBS3. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983)
The first of our list of movies filmed in the Cook Islands, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is an oldie but a goodie. Starring David Bowie, Tom Conti and Ryuichi Sakamoto, the 1983 movie follows a British colonel in his struggle to bridge the gap between a British P.O.W and a Japanese camp commander. Part of the movie was filmed in Rarotonga where a 2-3 acre set for the camp was built.
© Palace Pictures4. The Other Side of Heaven (2001)
A Disney movie starring Christopher Gorham and Anne Hathaway, The Other Side of Heaven follows a missionary from the US who travels to the remote islands of Tonga… Yes, not quite the Cook Islands but filming to depict its South Pacific neighbour was, in fact, on Rarotonga.
© Excel Entertainment Group5. Tatau (2015)
A supernatural murder mystery in the Cook Islands is the premise of this British TV mini-series. Although Tatau was far from critically acclaimed, it was completely filmed in the Cook Islands, making it an interesting watch for locations around Rarotonga.
© Touchpaper TV / BBC Three6. Paradise Cafe (2009)
A teen television series that aired in the UK and later in New Zealand, Paradise Cafe follows a family who open a cafe in Rarotonga with some “sea ghosts” thrown into the mix. The children’s TV series ran for two seasons and was almost entirely filmed on Rarotonga.
© BBC7. Jack Holborn (1982)
Another time the Brits were enamoured by the Cook Islands’ camera-ready scenery was for Jack Holborn. This TV mini-series, based on the book by Leon Garfield, is about a young orphan who wants to work on a sailship to avoid foster homes. Filming occurred in a number of countries, with the beach scenes being filmed on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.
© Berd Burgemeister, George Ass. Ltd.8. Stranded Pearl (2020)
One of the latest feature films to be shot in the Cook Islands, Stranded Pearl is a romance with a castaway theme. The movie was shot in Rarotonga and stars Kristy Wright, Aunanda Naaido and Robert Reitano. It’s full of island shots to put you in the mood for a Raro holiday!
© Mahayana Films & MNC Film Studios9. Gary of the Pacific (2017)
A New Zealand comedy romance about a guy, Gary, who unwittingly becomes the chief of a sinking island, is filmed both on Rarotonga and in New Zealand. With lots of Kiwi humour and gorgeous Raro shots, Gary of the Pacific is one to add to the movie list!
© Filmwork & Imagezone10. The Other Side of Paradise (1992)
Our final TV show that was filmed in the Cook Islands is another TV mini-series, The Other Side of Paradise. Starring Jason Connery and Josephines Byrnes, the show follows a doctor who is forced to work in the Cook Islands. It follows his mission to beat cholera in the islands, as well as, of course, falling in love with an island princess. Most of the show was filmed on Rarotonga.
© ITVMore About Filming Locations in the Cook Islands
Want to learn more about the TV show and movie locations we just discussed in this list? Check out our guides:
- 20 Best Things to Do on Aitutaki
- 50 Best Things to Do on Rarotonga
- Where to Take Pictures in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands: 10 Best Photography Spots
Finally, plan your entire trip to the Cook Islands using our trusty and comprehensive guide, The Best Cook Islands Travel Guide.
![The Complete Adults-Only Travel Guide to the Cook Islands 🍹 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=OTQ1OjQxNA==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgOTAwIDYwMCIgd2lkdGg9IjkwMCIgaGVpZ2h0PSI2MDAiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PC9zdmc+)
![The Complete Luxury Guide to the Cook Islands 🍸 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=MTAzMToyODc=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTIwMCA4MDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxMjAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjgwMCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "The Complete Luxury Guide to the Cook Islands 🍸 [2024]")
![The Best Cook Islands Travel Guide: Plan a Trip the EASY Way 🏝️ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=MTA1ODozMDE=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTIwMCA4MDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxMjAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjgwMCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "The Best Cook Islands Travel Guide: Plan a Trip the EASY Way 🏝️ [2024]")
![The Complete Adults-Only Travel Guide to the Cook Islands 🍹 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=MTA4NTozMTY=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTIwMCA4MDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxMjAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjgwMCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "The Complete Adults-Only Travel Guide to the Cook Islands 🍹 [2024]")