Ticket to Paradise is a romantic comedy starring George Clooney and Julia Robert. They play a divorced couple who meet in Bali for their daughter’s wedding and discover they have something in common; they don’t want her to marry young, a mistake they made 25 years ago. And so, the ex-couple conspire to stop the wedding from going ahead.
Despite being mostly set in Bali, the film was never shot there. All Balinese scenes in Ticket to Paradise were filmed in Australia’s Paradise, the Whitsundays.
Choosing to film in the Whitsundays was a Covid safe way of ensuring the production ran smoothly. And of course, as most of you reading this will know, the Whitsundays are an ideal location for anything set in Paradise!
Where can I see the locations in Ticket to Paradise?
Palm Bay Resort, Long Island
The most prominent location in the film was Palm Bay Resort on Long Island. Remarkably, the production crew constructed Balinese-style huts and scenery on the beachfront.
Qualia
Qualia was used as a location for the pre-wedding getaway and celebration. The five-star resort also served as a production base and accommodation for some crew.
Photo CO Queensland Tourism and Events
Haslewood Island
Katie’s Cove and Chalkie’s Beach on Haslewood Island were used for some smaller scenes.
The white sand at Chalkie’s was perfect for a scene where David gets dragged up the beach after being bitten by a dolphin (a CGU dolphin, actually).
Katie’s Cove on Hasslewood Island, an idyllic remote beach, was used for a scene where Georgia (Roberts) and David (Clooney) arrive in “Bali” to meet daughter Lily.
Catseye Beach, Hamilton Island
Catseye Beach and its views over the rainforest-filled islands were used for a pre-wedding party around the Bougainvillea Pool and an impromptu soccer match on the sand.
Other Australian locations included Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island and the Spring Hill Centenary Pool in Brisbane.
Whitsunday Rent a Yacht’s small part
Whitsunday Rent a Yacht had a small part to play in the production of Ticket to Paradise. Our Shute Harbour base and private jetty are incredibly close to the islands, making our facilities an ideal mainland base for the crew to travel from.
In pre-production and while filming took place, we had various crew boats coming and going. It’s amazing to see what goes on behind the scenes!
Where the stars stayed and dined
George Clooney and Julia Roberts spent six weeks living on Hamilton Island while filming in the Whitsundays. They stayed in two luxury private properties near One Tree Hill.
George hired a luxury yacht Alani to get to various filming locations among the islands and for fun family time.
Julia preferred to get to set by private twin-engine helicopter.
The cast and crew enjoyed celebrating at the Hamilton Island yacht club for the wrap party.
How can I visit Ticket to Paradise’s filming locations?
The best way to see the locations used in Ticket to Paradise is to hire a bareboat.
Charter a yacht or catamaran for a minimum of three nights and live aboard your floating hotel, cruising at your pace and setting your itinerary to include locations used for Hollywood Blockbusters.
For those not keen on chartering a yacht, you could opt for a resort-style holiday, staying at Hamilton or Hayman Island, where George Clooney was relaxing. Or book a cabin at Palm Bay Resort (note that Children must be over 16 to stay at Palm Bay).
Alternatively, you could stay at Airlie Beach and take a day tour out to the Islands. Whitsunday Paradise Explorer can customise a tour to take you to each location.
What other films have used the Whitsundays as a location?
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dean Men Tell No Tales used Whitehaven Beach for some famous scenes with Johnny Deep in 2015.
Fools Gold, starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, was shot on Whitehaven and other remote beaches around the Islands.
The dystopian 2022 Netflix film, Spiderhead starring our own Chris Hemsworth, was also filmed around the Islands. CGI effects were used to create a futuristic world.
Ticket to Paradise opened on the 29th of September 2022. Or if seeing a film is not your thing, why not book your own ticket to Paradise and plan your escape to sail the Whitsundays?
