 |
| Where Was Moana Filmed? Every Beautiful Shooting Location Explained. (Credits: Disney) |
The breathtaking scenery in Moana (2026) has quickly become one of the film's biggest talking points alongside its colourful adventure and emotional story. While Walt Disney Pictures has revealed several key filming locations, the production understandably kept some details private during filming to avoid disruption on set. That means not every camera position or beach has been publicly identified, but the major locations behind the live-action remake paint a fascinating picture of how the South Pacific world was brought to life.
Online reactions have been just as lively as the ocean itself. Some fans were convinced every scene had been created entirely with visual effects before discovering just how much was actually filmed on location.
Others have already started adding Hawaii to their travel wish lists, while a few joked that they would happily paddle an outrigger canoe for five minutes before immediately asking where the nearest café was. Either way, the stunning landscapes have become stars in their own right.
Oahu, Hawaii
 |
The heart of Moana (2026) was filmed across Oahu, where many of the movie's sweeping coastal landscapes were captured. The island offered the perfect mix of dramatic volcanic scenery, turquoise waters and lush tropical vegetation, allowing filmmakers to recreate the fictional island of Motunui with remarkable authenticity.
Rather than relying entirely on digital backgrounds, the production embraced Hawaii's natural beauty to ground the fantasy in real-world landscapes.
Pokai Bay, Waianae
One of the film's most recognisable outdoor locations is Pokai Bay in Waianae. Its calm waters and gently curving shoreline became the primary beachfront for Motunui, serving as the backdrop for village life, canoe launches and several emotional moments involving Moana and her family.
 |
The peaceful atmosphere makes it easy to understand why the production chose this beach instead of somewhere with towering waves that would have sent everyone running for dry land.
Kaʻala Mountain
Towering above the coastline, Kaʻala Mountain provided the dramatic inland scenery for Motunui's rugged interior.
Its green slopes and volcanic ridges helped establish the mysterious landscapes that play such an important role throughout Moana's journey. The mountain's striking profile adds a sense of scale that no studio backdrop could realistically imitate.
Honolulu Offshore Waters
The waters off Honolulu became the setting for practical sailing sequences featuring traditional outrigger canoes. Filming on open water allowed the cast and crew to capture genuine ocean movement and natural lighting before visual effects enhanced the final adventure.
It is proof that sometimes real waves deliver better performances than computer-generated ones, even if they refuse to follow the shooting schedule.
 |
Kualoa Ranch, Oahu
Another memorable Hawaiian setting featured during production is Kualoa Ranch, whose dramatic cliffs and valleys have appeared in countless major films over the years.
Its expansive landscapes complement the island's more remote scenery and help create the rich natural world surrounding Motunui. The location's cinematic reputation makes it a fitting addition to a Disney adventure inspired by Pacific mythology.
Atlanta, Georgia
While Hawaii delivered the spectacular outdoor scenery, much of the technical filmmaking took place in Atlanta, Georgia.
Large-scale productions frequently use the city's advanced studio facilities, giving filmmakers complete control over lighting, weather and elaborate visual effects work that would be nearly impossible to achieve on location.
Trilith Studios
Trilith Studios served as the production's primary studio base. Massive soundstages housed full-scale village sets, mechanical boat rigs and extensive green-screen technology used throughout the film.
Many of the movie's complex scenes were assembled here, proving that even magical ocean adventures occasionally need four walls and a ceiling.
 |
Controlled Water Tanks
The studio's specialised water tanks played a crucial role in filming several of the story's most challenging sequences.
Storm scenes, crashing waves and dangerous ocean moments could be carefully choreographed in a controlled environment while maintaining the realistic look established by the Hawaiian location photography.
French Polynesia
Although the principal cast filmed primarily in Hawaii and Georgia, French Polynesia helped shape the movie's visual identity.
The production gathered environmental reference material from the islands to capture the authentic colours, vegetation and coastal landscapes that inspired the original animated classic.
Tahiti
Among those locations, Tahiti stands out for its crystal-clear lagoons, volcanic mountains and dense tropical forests. Environmental footage and landscape references from the island were blended into the film's broader visual design, helping create the vibrant South Pacific atmosphere that defines Moana's world.
Directed by Thomas Kail, with a screenplay from Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, Moana (2026) combines practical filming with advanced visual effects to retell Disney's beloved story.
Catherine Laga'aia leads the cast as Moana alongside Dwayne Johnson, who returns as Maui in live-action, while John Tui, Frankie Adams, Rena Owen and Jemaine Clement round out the ensemble. The result is a film that balances authentic landscapes with ambitious studio craftsmanship to recreate one of Disney's most recognisable adventures.
Some filming locations remain undisclosed, as productions often keep certain sites private during filming to protect the cast, crew and local communities from disruption. Until additional official information is released, the locations above represent the principal filming sites that have been publicly identified.
From the beaches of Oahu to the impressive soundstages of Atlanta and the breathtaking inspiration drawn from Tahiti, Moana (2026) transforms real places into an unforgettable cinematic journey. If you had the chance to visit one of these destinations, which would make it onto your travel bucket list first?