The Lost City had an exciting setting for its story, with the majority of its filming taking place on location. The Lost City is an archaeological adventure starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe, playing a billionaire villain. Rather than filming in a studio, The Lost City’s production team found several lush, gorgeous locations to set the film’s fictional island.
The Lost City sees Loretta, a popular romance novelist, kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax and taken to an unnamed island in the Atlantic. The adventure-comedy includes some stunning scenery: forests green and overflowing with trees, a volcano ready to erupt, caves, and a breathtaking waterfall. While the underwater scenes were filmed in Pinewood Studios in the Dominican Republic and the volcano was created with the use of CGI, the remainder of the film’s outdoor scenes were shot in the Samana province of the Dominican Republic.
The film, directed Adam Nee and Aaron Nee, sees the characters in a variety of locations, including caves and beaches, depending on what the scene calls for. Considering this is an adventure in the jungle, there are a lot of trees. The film goes for a lot of real-life locations rather than building out the fictional island through CGI. Here is every location in The Lost City explained.
The Jungle - Portillo, West Grove
In The Lost City, Sandra Bullock's Loretta and Channing Tatum's Alan run through the jungle a lot after escaping Daniel Radcliffe's Fairfax, climb up cliffs, and hide as they make their way to town. The jungle scenes were primarily filmed in Portillo, which is known best for its beach — part of Las Terrenas coast — while the jungle setting rests beyond the white sand. Abigail Fairfax’s excavation site, which as built by the film’s crew, and compound were filmed at West Grove, a coconut plantation.
The Village - Altos de Chavón
Loretta and Alan, the romance cover model, get close throughout The Lost City, and they dance together in the local village after escaping Fairfax the first time. The location where the blossoming couple enjoy each other’s company and relax for a bit in the hotel was filmed in the village of Altos de Chavón, which was modeled after 16th-century Mediterranean villages. Altos de Chavón is not far from the Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic.
The Waterfall - Salto de Socoa, Los Haitises National Park
The waterfall area where Loretta discovers Kalaman’s tomb was filmed at the Salto de Socoa, which is located in Los Haitises National Park. The waterfall itself is surrounded by the jungle and the water drops down into an enclosed pond. Salto de Socoa also has nearby villages and a valley that makes for a perfect view.
The Lost City Cavern - Iguabonita Cave, Scape Park
After escaping Kalaman's tomb and rushing out of the waterfall and caves, Loretta and Alan make their way out of a grotto before being found by Beth, Loretta’s manager. They wade in the water with the cavern entrance standing tall behind them, making for a gorgeous shot. This scene was filmed using different cave locations — Iguabonita Cave and the caves of Los Haitises National Park. Meanwhile, the underwater water scenes where Loretta and Alan swim towards the boat were shot inside Pinewood Studios on the island, which is equipped with a water tank.
The Beach - Samana, Las Terrenas
The beach scene where Loretta and Alan are seen at the end of The Lost City — as well as where Alan is shown riding a horse — was filmed in the Samana province region of Las Terrenas. The area is the perfect vision of a relaxing time, with sandy beaches, beautiful blue ocean, and palm trees.