Lord of the Flies BBC filming locations: The exact ‘remote’ island and why the show never says where it takes place
Lord of the Flies follows a group of schoolboys stranded on a tropical island, but we never find out exactly where – so, where on...
Lord of the Flies follows a group of schoolboys stranded on a tropical island, but we never find out exactly where – so, where on Earth was it filmed?
Everyone (well, most people) knows the story: a bunch of young boys find themselves alone on an island after a plane crash. No grown-ups, no rules, and as far as they can see, nowhere else to go.
The BBC’s new adaptation, penned by Adolescence writer Jack Thorne, is a faithful retelling of the classic novel.
It has everything you’d expect to see, right down to its breathtaking, ominous beach setting – and this is where it was all filmed.
Where does Lord of the Flies take place?
Lord of the Flies takes place on a mysterious, uninhabited island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.
There are a few flashbacks set in England. One begins at the airport before they take off, and another shows Ralph’s home life. Otherwise, the four episodes are almost entirely set on the island.
As islands go, it’s on the smaller side – but it’s dense and dangerous. The woods are thick with bushes, trees tower over the boys, and ascending the tallest hill can be perilous (in one scene, we see how catastrophic it’d be if you slipped off the cliff-edge).
This may sound pretentious – and it is, but who cares – but the island is almost a character in itself.
Think about it: its sprawling beauty lures the boys into a false sense of gleeful freedom, but it doesn’t take long before nearby cracks, splashes, and noises brew fear among the ‘littluns’.
Even in the book, it’s suggested that the island is actively triggering the boys, with “heat seeming to increase till it became a threatening weight”.
It’s also a lovely beach with awe-striking scenery, so don’t let us (or the series’ barbarity) put you off.
Lord of the Flies filming locations: Is it a real island?
Yes, Lord of the Flies was filmed on a real island!
Specifically, it was filmed in Langkawi (also known as the Jewel of Kedah). It’s an island located around 30km off the coast of Malaysia.
Fun fact: it dates back as early as the 15th century, and its name is said to mean the island of the reddish-brown eagle (lang means eagle, kawi is a red stone).
In Lord of the Flies, it seems much smaller than it actually is. Langkawi is technically an archipelago of 99 islands (plus five smaller ones only visible at low tide), spanning almost 500 square kilometres. Lord of the Flies was filmed on one of its uninhabited islands, just a boat trip away.
It was also a haven for pirates in the early 1900s, until the British took control in the 1940s. Malaya regained its independence in 1957, so it didn’t last long).
Can you visit Langkawi?
Yes! Langkawi has billed itself as a must-see tourist destination, and it’s not as desolate as Lord of the Flies would have you believe.
The Sky Bridge (which you can access by cable car) is one of its most popular attractions. It’s a 125-metre curved bridge that allows you to admire the island’s rainforest and ocean views from above.
Elsewhere, there’s the Seven Wells Waterfall, which has natural pools you’re allowed to swim in.
To be clear, though, it’s not a party island. Cast your eye across Trip Advisor and Reddit, and they all say the same thing: it’s a laid-back, relaxing holiday destination. Plus, it’s a duty-free island – yes, that means airport alcohol prices!
Why was Lord of the Flies filmed in Langkawi?
Lord of the Flies was originally supposed to be filmed in Australia. That’s not surprising, given it was co-produced by Stan, an Australian streaming service.
However, for reasons that aren’t clear (likely related to budgeting and safeguarding for the kids), the crew had to look elsewhere. They looked in Mauritius, but they ended up finding the perfect island in Malaysia.
Ahead of the show’s release, director Marc Munden explained how Malaysia has “the most incredible, dense rainforest and great uninhabited islands, but that made things challenging with its impenetrability and remoteness”.
“Also, the weather – extreme humidity and heat. Everyone was soaking wet every day, either through sea water, torrential rain or sweat,” he said in a press release.
Winston Sawyers, who plays Ralph, didn’t have any problems with the conditions. “I loved my beach,” he said.
“It’s so nice because it was such an open space. I feel like it’s completely different to a regular film, I used to think, ‘How could anyone ever act on a set?’, because often it’s all green screen.
“I know it’s acting, I know you have to imagine things, but at the same time, I prefer having real things there. So Lord of the Flies was a great experience, because everything was there in real life. You feel the breeze, hear the birds, and the insects – which are super loud as well.”
Why doesn’t Lord of the Flies say exactly where it takes place?
All we need to know is that Lord of the Flies takes place somewhere in the Pacific. Its geography is important, but a specific location wouldn’t have any bearing on the story.
After all, the island’s layout (Castle Rock, the bathing pool, and the mountain, among other spots) was conjured by Golding in his original novel. It wasn’t based on an existing island (aside from its weather conditions and wildlife).
However, the story’s placement in the Pacific isn’t random. Remember, the Pacific theatre saw some of the most barbaric and cruel behaviour of the Second World War.
As Brian Ireland noted in his paper, a Marine who fought in WWII once said that the “fierce struggle for survival… eroded the veneer of civilisation and made savages of us”.
The boys in Lord of the Flies don’t have wartime enemies. Yet, they still make monsters of themselves when left to their own devices.
Read more: Lord of the Flies ending explained and everyone who dies
