Nishitha Dutta
Netflix’s ‘Finding ‘Ohana’ is a family film that follows two siblings Pili (Kea Peahu) and Ioane (Alex Aiono), who set off to the island of O’ahu for the summer to spend time with their grandfather. The duo initially struggles to adapt to the drastic change in lifestyle. But they’re soon distracted by a larger issue because of which their grandfather is on the verge of losing their family home.
Pili then comes across a journal that leads them to a treasure hunt, which might be the solution to the old man’s problem. The movie is a charming concoction of adventure and humor that sweeps across breathtaking scenery within the confines of the island where they visit. But where was it actually filmed? Let’s find out.
Finding ‘Ohana Filming Locations
‘Finding ‘Ohana’ started filming on September 26, 2019, and wrapped up in November 2019. The movie was shot in different locations all over the world. Let’s dive into specific details.
Hawaii
The movie began filming in September 2019, in the Kualoa Valley on the east side of O’ahu, which is an island in the Central Pacific that houses the state capital, Honolulu. Another filming location is Hālona Beach Cove, a small expanse of sand situated on the souheastern shore of O’ahu. Director Jude Weng was captured surveying the area, which was used as a beach on Mokoli’i island. Mokoliʻi is basically a basalt islet located less than a mile offshore of Kualoa Point. The cast made its way to the island, and the whole sequence was shot using an upgrade in camera equipment.
A few scenes were shot in Wahiawa, a census-designated place in Honolulu County, on O’ahu. Honolulu, the hub of entertainment in Hawaii, also served as a filming location.
Thailand
After a long filming phase in Hawaii, ‘Finding ‘Ohana’ shifted base to Thailand. The majority of scenes were shot in beaches and caves within Phuket and Krabi. The production also staged a setup inside a rocky mountain, as stated by the cinematographer Cort Fey. He also said it was challenging to install cameras inside a cave.
The production team hired some local people who served as crew members by assisting in building setups inside the caves. The caves were thoroughly engineered to meet the needs of the movie, and one of them was so big that they had to use drones to capture the scenes. Cort shared a post that roughly describes the process. A few scenes take place in Bangkok, the most vibrant city in the country.
Dominican Republic
The adventure movie surprises and thrills the audiences with its extravagant display of different locations in the world. A few scenes were also filmed in The Dominican Republic, a Caribbean nation known for its beaches, resorts, and golf. It is a wonderful country comprising rainforests and highlands.
New York City, New York
‘Finding ‘Ohana’ was also filmed in New York City. The scenes beyond the confines of the duo’s holiday locations were filmed in the hustle of the Big Apple.
Read More: Is Finding ‘Ohana a True Story?
