BLUE CRUSH

Reel: Blue Crush is a coming-of-age female surf film where the main character, played by Kate Bosworth, wants to surf in a pipeline competition. The female surfers in the film work as maids at an upmarket hotel and spend their spare hours surfing. Featuring rivalry between local male surfers, cameos by professionals such as Keala Kennelly and a love story with an NFL player, this film was popular among surf-lovers and young adults. 

Real: Shot on Oahu, the film took advantage of the best surf spots on the island's north shore, which is locally renowned for fantastic surf. The pipeline competition was filmed on Makaha Beach – reputedly the best surf spot on the island. This is the place were big wave surfing was pioneered. North shore hotspots are included in the film – visitors can stop off at the church atop Waimea Bay and grab some lunch from Ted's Bakery on Sunset Beach. The hotel where the characters work as maids and where the NFL team stay was filmed at the four-star J.W.Marriott Ihilani at Ko Olina. 

50 FIRST DATES

Reel: This is a Hawaiian rom-com about a girl with amnesia (Drew Barrymore) and the man who has to remind her each day who he is – and that he loves her (Adam Sandler). He has a chance to woo her and employs different tactics each day until he works out which ones work best. As cheesy as it sounds, it is consistently voted one of the best films shot in Hawaii and captures the laid-back beauty of the destination.

Real: Filmed on location in Oahu, many scenes take place by the sea or on the beach. On the windward side of the island lies Makapuu Lighthouse, which is where the couple have one of many first kisses. It is also the easternmost point of the island and is close to Sea Life Park in Waimanalo, where Adam Sandler's character worked with marine animals. The marine park is a half hour's drive from Honolulu and has dolphin and seal shows. 

PEARL HARBOUR

Reel: This Hollywood blockbuster is about the game changer that was the Japanese bombing of the US naval base in Hawaii. The location is synonymous with the history of the attack on the island of Oahu. In this film, two pilots (Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck) fight for the affections of the same girl, a navy nurse (Kate Beckinsale) against the backdrop of explosions and emotion. 

Real: The USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor can be reached by boat only. It is a white structure that straddles the width of the sunken battleship which lies below and can be seen from the air. The sculpture sags in the middle and finishes either end with strength and structure. In total, the air raid on December 7, 1941 killed 1177 US servicemen. The monument is visited by around one million people annually.  

JURASSIC PARK

Reel: Who can forget the groundbreaking film Jurassic Park and the possibility of bringing dinosaurs back to life with the blood of a mosquito trapped in tree sap. Arguably Steven Spielberg's best film, the plot thickens as cloned dinosaurs escape and create havoc after a power shortage and the theft of dinosaur embryos.  

Real: The prehistoric environment of the film was shot on the island of Kauai. If you remember the dinosaur eggs that were discovered in Jurassic Park you may recognise the giant Moreton bay fig in Allerton Gardens on the south shore of Kauai where it was filmed. Remember the imposing wooden gate that locked the park in and the public out? That was filmed on Waikoko Forest Management Road in Wailua Mauka. Kualoa ranch is a 650 hectare property that is a working cattle farm that was used as a primeval wonderland in Jurassic Park and is now open to the public for tours. 

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

Reel: You may not have seen this classic 1950's film but you will know the cult love scene between the two stars Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling in the sand with water washing over them. The story centres on the military based in Hawaii and is overshadowed by the ominous prospect of the Pearl Harbour attack. 

Real: The beach where the passionate embrace takes place is Halona Cove on Oahu. Called the "peering place" for its intimate setting of narrow cliffs, it is also next to a blowhole. Down steep cliffs, you would drive right past it if you didn't know it was there. The volcanic history of the island is evident in the black lava rock shelves next to the sand as well as a long lava cave, a natural corridor built into the cliff face.