The Beach with the Golden Sun!

The availability of elephants, exotic jungle, relatively low production costs and a mature film industry, all make Thailand an attractive location for cinematographers. But it is the kingdom’s astonishing coastal scenery, with its pristine beaches, swaying palms and rugged capes that is the real movie magnet.

Calm, inviting waters, colorful marine life and lush forests of wild coconut palms and mangroves are just some of the natural charms of the southern Thai islands that have played backdrop to famous blockbusters. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Roger Moore, was shot on location in Thailand, and famously features the stunning sands of Phang Nga Bay in Phuket.

Scaramanga, (“He's not like other men... he has three...”) the film’s triple-nippled ace hitman, has his island hideout on a tiny jungle-covered limestone pillar called Koh-Ping-Kan in the remote and picturesque bay. More recently, The Beach (2000) based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Alex Garland and starring Leonardo Di Caprio, also featured the tropical shores of the Andaman Coast for its island escape.

The film-makers of The Beach scouted locations in Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines before finally settling on Phi Phi Le island in Krabi. Surrounded by stunning limestone karsts, the tropical paradise of Maya Bay provided the perfect setting for the film’s fictional hidden Utopia.

Today, long after the film crews have gone home, both locations are still a major draw for tourists who flock to see the magical natural beauty that inspired their favorite flicks.

Finding the perfect beach isn't a mission impossible...