The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico – home of a rather famous fight scene…
With new Bond film Skyfall out at the end of October, the spotlight will again fall on the exotic locations that have lit up the 007 movies over the last 50 years. But for all the spots James gets to, it’s often the baddies who hang out in the most spectacular places. After all, they can afford to with the money from their evil schemes…
From Japan to Puerto Rico and India to Guatemala, I’ve tracked down some of the most memorable Bond villain lairs to hit the big screen.
James Bond Island, Thailand
Perhaps the most famous Bond location of all, Ko Phing Kan was Scaramanga’s lair in the Man With The Golden Gun. More noted for the little islet – Ko Tapu – on the approach to it, the island is part of the Ao Phang-Nga Marine National Park on the Andaman Coast. The marketing potential has not been lost on the locals, who have changed the name to James Bond Island, and attempt to sell any old tat to tourists arriving by boat. They’ll not try and shoot you, however, which is an improvement on Bond’s experience.
Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico
The climax of Goldeneye sees a lake drain to reveal a huge, potentially deadly satellite dish. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond and Sean Bean’s Alec Trevelyan fight to the death above the giant dish – which just so happens to be the largest single dish radio telescope in the world. It’s not in Cuba, as the film suggests, but Puerto Rico. The jungle setting is just as spectacular in real life, and the gigantic dish is part of a space communication complex. If we manage to trace signals of alien life, it’ll more than likely be the Arecibo Observatory that picks them up. www.naic.edu
Meteora, Greece
In For Your Eyes Only, fiendish villain Kristatos hangs out in an almost unreachable mountain hideaway. Almost unreachable, that is, unless you’re Roger Moore. In the movie, the eyebrow-raising 007 attempts to shimmy up the sheer cliff-face, while dastardly minions try to kick him off. The lair is actually the Monastery of the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity), and unless you’ve got the climbing equipment, the only way up is via 140 rather steep steps.
Schilthorn, Switzerland
Blofeld’s mountain-top “allergy research centre” in the Swiss Alps from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is actually a revolving restaurant – and the producers had to stump up for the technology to make it spin as part of the filming agreement. Piz Gloria is only accessible by cable car or helicopter – but the snowy mountain views make getting there worth it. And there are no evil henchmen to put you off your meal. www.schilthorn.ch
The Las Vegas Hilton
Blofeld returns in Diamonds Are Forever, posing as reclusive billionaire Willard White. His penthouse is at the top of what is now the Las Vegas Hilton. At the time of filming, it was the biggest hotel in the world. The suite was also Elvis’ home during his time in Las Vegas, and unless you’re a high roller, the $15,000 a night price tag is likely to be off-putting. Other rooms, of course, are much more affordable. www.thelvh.com
Shinmoedake, Japan
In You Only Live Twice, Blofeld’s lair is inside an extinct Japanese volcano. In real life, that volcano is somewhat feistier. A major eruption of Shinmoedake in 2011 has seen a two kilometre exclusion zone set up around it.
That doesn’t mean you can’t see it though – some of the best views come from the hiking trails of the Kirishima mountains around it. Shinmoedake is about as far south as you can get in Japan, overlooking the sea in the Kagoshima prefecture on the island of Kyushu.
Tikal, Guatemala
Before Moonraker goes totally ludicrous and sends Roger Moore into space, Bond has to find Hugo Drax’s Amazonian research facility that just so happens to be a rocket-launching station as well. The huge stone temples that mark the entrance are not in Brazil, however – they’re part of the ancient Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala. All that is left is ruins surrounded by jungle – but the ruins are huge and sprawling, making it one of the most impressive ‘lost’ cities in the world.
ESO Residencia hotel, Paranal, Chile
Daniel Craig’s previous outing as Bond saw him track down baddy Dominic Greene to his Atacama Desert hideaway, destroying the building and leaving Greene for dead. It was actually a model of the hotel that was destroyed – and the real thing still stands. The Residencia is largely built for astronomers at the European Southern Observatory – it’s where they stay whilst studying the universe under the clear skies of the Chilean desert. Members of the public can stay, but it requires a fair bit of setting up in advance. http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/bond/Residencia.html
Monsoon Palace, Udaipur, India
Used as the base of devious Kamal Khan in Octopussy, the Monsoon Palace sits high on the hillside overlooking Lake Pichola. One of many formerly royal palaces in Rajasthan, it has not been lived in for some time – and looks a little the worse for wear as a result. Aside from the 007 buffs, most visitors who make it up to the Monsoon Palace are coming for the views rather than the building itself.
Maiden’s Tower, Istanbul
Stood on a small islet in the Bosphorus – the stretch of water that divides European Turkey from Asian Turkey – the Maiden’s Tower is a former watch tower and quarantine station. In The World Is Not Enough, however, it’s terrorist Renard’s operations base. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond almost ends up garrotted to death in there by his former lover, Elektra King. , but modern day visitors should have a more pleasant experience – it’s now a restaurant and café.
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