As luck would have it, Star Wars fans absolutely do not have to own a Milliennium Falcon to travel to a galaxy far, far away to experience the franchise’s alien worlds. While CGI has inevitably played a large role in creating the fantastical sets, creator George Lucas found plenty of otherworldly landscapes right here on planet Earth to bring us into the Star Wars universe. To celebrate the release of the new Star Wars movie tomorrow, we’ve decided to compile a list of locations they’ve used in the Arab world, particularly Tunisia, to help make this world come to life.
Tataouine, Tunisia
The town’s name inspired George Lucas for the name of Luke Skywalker’s home planet, Tatooine. The town has reportedly become increasingly unsafe, as it is a waypoint for ISIS fighters traveling to and from training bases in Libya.
Matmata, Tunisia
Matmata is a small Berber speaking town in southern Tunisia. Some of the local Berber residents live in traditional underground structures, the same way people in Star Wars do…
Hotel Sidi Driss, Tunisia
You can now stay in Luke Skywalker’s home, which has turned into a hotel in the small town of Matmata and wander around the desert.
Sidi Bouhlel, Tunisia
Judland Wastes, which is a popular region on planet Tatooine was shot in Sidi Bouhlel, near the town of Tozeur, and was featured prominently in Episode IV: A New Hope, and returns in Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Djerba, Tunisia
Located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia, Djerba is where Luke and Obi-Wan meet Han Solo and Chewbacca for the first time.
Kasr Awlad Soultan, Tunisia
Kasr Awlad Soultan is a fortified granary that’s located in the Tataouine district in southern Tunisia. It is now a tourist destination as the scene at the slave quarters of Mos Espa, where shot there, where Anakin Skywalker lived as a boy.
Rub’ Al-Khali desert, UAE
In the recently released The Force Awakens, we meet everyone’s favorite heroine Rey on planet of Jakku. These scenes were filmed in the Rub’ al Khali desert in Abu Dhabi.