Naman Shrestha
Discovery+’s ‘Survive the Raft’ is a reality competition series that brings together nine contestants from different walks of life to sail through the open water on the Acali II for 21 days. During their time together on board, their teamwork and compatibility are tested as it is an experiment to see if the personal interests of the contestants outweigh the importance of working as a team and getting a chance to win a fortune together. Each week, the contestants are given a set of physical and intellectual challenges that are designed to cause a stir between the contestants and divide the group.
However, every successful mission earns them money that gets added to the communal cash pot, which is to be divided equally by the remaining contestants in the end. But they are also given the option to retain all the group members or swap one for a new participant. Apart from the unique format and drama that ensues on the raft, what makes the show all the more interesting is the presence of the host Nate Boyer. Moreover, with the picturesque scenery of the open waters and the islands, viewers tend to be curious about the actual filming locations.
Survive the Raft is Shot in The Pearl Islands
‘Survive the Raft’ is filmed right off the coast of Panama’s mainland, in the Pearl Islands. Reports suggest that the shooting took place over the course of 21 days, in the month of August 2022. Matching the appearance of the original Acali, the production team reportedly constructed its replica called “Acali II,” which had the same specifications. So, let’s get on board the raft and get a detailed account of all the specific sites that feature in the Discovery+ production!
Pearl Islands, Panama
The cast and crew of ‘Survive the Raft’ find themselves in the middle of the Gulf of Panama, on the Pearl Islands, for taping many portions of the competition series. Covering around 250 small islands, the Pearl Islands are widely recognized for their white sand deserted beaches, marine life, scuba diving, and delicate ecosystems, all of which are featured in different episodes of the reality show. During a conversation with Olean Times Herald, Summer Sawaya, one of the contestants of the debut season, opened up about her experience of being a part of the show.
Sawaya shared, “And it was just the craziest experience ever. It’s a really cool concept. It’s kind of like Survivor in a sense, so it was very difficult, but it’s more of a teamwork style to see if people can work together despite their differences — and everyone was so different. It’s different from anything out there in that sense. It’s still a reality show, but it’s more, can the community work together for the greater goal and also survive?” Elaborating on the same, Sawaya also said, “It was obviously very challenging, just physically and emotionally. You’re doing physical activities on no food or very little food, so it was very interesting. But all in all, it was probably one of the best experiences of my life.”
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