Where was Cast Away filmed?

This survival drama struck a chord precisely because of its isolation, stripping life down to one man, the elements and a stretch of empty Pacific sand. For travellers, the fascination is knowing that the deserted island at its centre is not a set or a composite but a genuine, uninhabited speck of land you can actually reach by boat today.

That island is Monuriki, part of the Mamanuca group in Fiji. Tiny and uninhabited, it is where the marooned hero washes ashore and survives alone, the real Pacific castaway isle of the film, ringed by the bright water and tropical light that make the story's loneliness look almost paradisiacal.

Set-jetters can join a day trip from Fiji's main islands or the nearby Mamanuca resorts, snorkelling the reefs and walking the same sand before heading back to comfort by nightfall. It makes a memorable half-day add-on to a wider Fijian holiday of island-hopping, beaches and warm Pacific water, no volleyball required.