If you're wondering where was crazy rich asians filmed, you've come to the right place.
The movie features breathtaking mansions, luxury hotels, gardens, and city skylines that make many viewers curious about the real places behind the story.
In this guide, you'll learn where the movie was filmed, which locations appear on screen, and why the filmmakers chose them.
I've carefully researched the official filming locations and production details to make this guide accurate, easy to follow, and helpful.
I'll also cover the famous landmarks, filming venues, and places you can still visit today. If you're a fan of the movie or planning a trip, you'll find everything you need in one place.
Overview of Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 romantic comedy based on Kevin Kwan's bestselling novel of the same name.
The story follows Rachel Chu, played by Constance Wu, as she travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young, played by Henry Golding, only to find that his family is among the wealthiest in Asia.
The movie made history as the first Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast since 1993's Joy Luck Club. It is known for its luxurious settings, grand homes, rooftop parties, and beautiful city views.
While most of the film was shot in Singapore, several important scenes were also filmed in Malaysia and Penang.
If you're searching for where was crazy rich asians filmed, knowing these real locations offers a closer look at the places that helped bring the story to life.
Where Were the Main Filming Locations?
Many of the movie's most memorable scenes were filmed at real landmarks, luxury hotels, historic buildings, and private estates across Singapore and Malaysia.
Singapore
Singapore is the primary filming location for Crazy Rich Asians and serves as the backdrop for most of the story. The production showcased the city's modern skyline, historic neighborhoods, luxury hotels, rooftop bars, gardens, and cultural landmarks.
Many scenes were filmed in recognizable locations that highlight Singapore's mix of contemporary architecture and rich heritage.
From upscale parties to bustling streets and waterfront views, the city plays an important role in establishing the film's glamorous atmosphere.
By filming on location instead of recreating these places in a studio, the movie gives viewers an authentic look at one of Asia's most recognizable destinations.
Malaysia
Although the story is set in Singapore, several important scenes were filmed in Malaysia. The country provided larger estates and historic buildings that matched the grandeur needed for the Young family's luxurious lifestyle.
Production teams chose Malaysian locations because they offered impressive architecture and spacious grounds that were difficult to find in Singapore. These locations blended seamlessly with the Singapore footage, making it nearly impossible for most viewers to notice the transition.
Malaysia's contribution helped create some of the film's most memorable settings while maintaining a consistent visual style throughout the story.
Singapore Changi Airport
The first filming location viewers see is Singapore Changi Airport, where Rachel and Nick land after flying from New York. Consistently ranked among the world's top airports, Changi is a destination in its own right.
The connected Jewel Changi Airport features the Rain Vortex, said to be the world's tallest indoor waterfall at 131 feet, along with gardens, a butterfly habitat, and a 24-hour movie theater.
Visitors flying into Singapore will pass through this location before they even leave the terminal.
Newton Food Centre
Right after arriving, Nick takes Rachel to Newton Food Centre for a hawker center meal. The scene captures Singapore's vibrant street food culture, which was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.
Kevin Kwan, who wrote the novel the film is based on, has said in interviews that Newton Food Centre is his personal favorite street food spot. Dishes ordered in the movie include hokkien mee, satay, and sambal stingray.
The center is open to visitors and remains one of Singapore's liveliest dining destinations.
CHIJMES
One of the movie's most iconic locations is CHIJMES, a historic complex in central Singapore. Its beautifully restored Gothic-style chapel served as the setting for the film's unforgettable wedding scene.
The architecture, stained-glass windows dating to the 19th century, and peaceful courtyard created the perfect backdrop for one of the movie's most emotional moments.
Production designer Nelson Coates transformed the former convent and school into what appears on screen as a $40 million wedding venue.
Today, CHIJMES is a popular lifestyle destination filled with restaurants, cafés, and event spaces while still preserving its historic character. Fans of the film often visit to see the famous wedding venue and experience one of Singapore's best-known landmarks in person.
Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay appears during the wedding reception scenes, where its towering Supertrees served as the backdrop.
The Supertrees grow up to 160 feet tall, harness solar power, and double as vertical gardens. The attraction is famous for its waterfront gardens, striking architecture, and free nightly light show at the Supertree Grove.
The filmmakers used the location to highlight Singapore's blend of nature and modern design. Its appearance helped reinforce the luxurious atmosphere of the movie while introducing viewers to one of the country's most visited attractions.
Today, Gardens by the Bay remains a must-see destination for tourists and movie fans alike.
Raffles Hotel
The historic Raffles Hotel Singapore is another famous location featured in Crazy Rich Asians. In the film, it serves as the fictional Kingsford Hotel where Nick and Rachel stay.
Known for its colonial architecture, classy courtyards, and world-famous hospitality, the hotel has long been one of Singapore's most prestigious landmarks. Its timeless design made it a natural fit for the film's sophisticated atmosphere.
Beyond its appearance in the movie, Raffles Hotel is also famous for being the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail. Visitors can visit parts of the hotel, relax at the Long Bar, and experience one of Singapore's most iconic destinations.
Esplanade Park
theatre.
Esplanade Park, near Marina Bay Sands, is where Nick first proposes to Rachel.
One of Singapore's oldest heritage parks, it has a completely different feel from the hotel glamour seen elsewhere in the film. It is a public park that is free to visit and looks equally good during the day and at night.
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands appears throughout the film and takes center stage in the final scenes. Its world-famous rooftop infinity pool, 57 floors above ground, is where the synchronized swimmers perform.
The hotel's Sands SkyPark observation deck also appears as the setting for Nick and Rachel's engagement celebration. Designed by architect Moshe Safdie, the three-tower structure topped by a sky garden is one of the most recognized buildings in the world.
Hotel guests can use the infinity pool, while all visitors can access the SkyPark observation deck for panoramic city views.
Chinatown
Two important scenes were filmed in Singapore's Chinatown area. The conversation between Rachel and her friend Peik Lin was filmed at Humpback Restaurant on Bukit Pasoh Road.
The walk that Eleanor takes to meet Rachel at the mahjong parlor was filmed in the Ann Siang Hill neighborhood, known for its colorful shophouses, restaurants, and street life.
Both areas are easy to visit and give a feel for a different side of Singapore than the luxury hotels and gardens.
Carcosa Seri Negara
The lavish Young family mansion was filmed at Carcosa Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This historic colonial estate provided the grand exterior and beautifully landscaped grounds needed to portray the family's impressive home.
Its spacious gardens, perfect architecture, and secluded setting perfectly matched the scale described in the story. While visual effects and additional set design enhanced certain scenes, the estate itself supplied much of the luxurious appearance seen on screen.
Choosing this location allowed the filmmakers to create one of the movie's most recognizable settings without building a mansion from scratch.
Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
The bachelorette party scenes were filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi in Malaysia, not at a private island resort in Indonesia as depicted in the film. The crew spent six weeks filming at the property.
The resort sits within Southeast Asia's first UNESCO Geopark and offers a 1.8-kilometer stretch of beach, a thatched-roof spa, and 48 acres of tropical gardens. The spa where Rachel and the girls get a massage also has a brief moment on screen.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Blue Mansion), Penang
One of the film's most memorable scenes takes place at the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang, Malaysia, widely known as the Blue Mansion. This is where the famous mahjong showdown between Rachel and Eleanor, played by Michelle Yeoh, was filmed.
The indigo-blue heritage property is a striking piece of 19th-century Chinese architecture and is open to visitors. Guided tours run through the mansion, and guests can even book overnight stays.
Where Were the Indoor Scenes Filmed?
While many scenes were filmed at famous landmarks, the movie also used classy interiors, luxury hotels, and carefully selected buildings to create its glamorous settings.
Sound Stages and Studio Work
Unlike many large productions, Crazy Rich Asians relied very little on traditional sound stages. Instead, the filmmakers chose to shoot most interior scenes inside real buildings whenever possible.
Some controlled studio work was used for technical shots and scenes that required special lighting or production equipment, but the majority of the movie's interiors were filmed on location.
This decision helped maintain a natural look throughout the film while allowing actors to perform in authentic surroundings. Using real spaces also reduced the need to recreate luxurious interiors from scratch, giving each scene a more believable atmosphere.
Real Mansions and Luxury Hotels
Many of the movie's classy interiors were filmed inside real mansions, luxury hotels, restaurants, and historic buildings across Singapore and Malaysia.
These locations featured grand staircases, spacious ballrooms, beautifully decorated dining rooms, and impressive architectural details that perfectly suited the story.
Rather than constructing elaborate sets, the production team selected existing venues that already reflected the lifestyle of the
Young family. The authentic décor, natural lighting, and rich interiors helped create the movie's signature look while showcasing some of Southeast Asia's finest properties.
Why Real Locations Were Preferred
The filmmakers wanted audiences to experience the genuine beauty and luxury of Singapore and Malaysia, making real locations the preferred choice.
Authentic hotels, heritage buildings, and private estates offered architectural details and textures that would have been difficult to reproduce in a studio. Filming in actual locations also allowed the cast to interact naturally with their surroundings, helping many scenes feel more realistic.
This approach highlighted the region's culture and design while giving the movie a polished appearance that matched its story without depending heavily on artificial sets.
Studio Filming vs. On-Location Filming
Crazy Rich Asians combined limited studio work with extensive on-location filming to achieve its distinctive visual style.
Real locations supplied stunning architecture, city skylines, gardens, and luxurious interiors, while occasional studio filming provided greater control for technically demanding scenes.
This balance allowed the production to capture authentic settings without sacrificing production quality.
By using actual hotels, mansions, and public landmarks alongside minimal studio work, the filmmakers created a seamless viewing experience that made the world of Crazy Rich Asians feel both believable and visually memorable.
Why Did Crazy Rich Asians Film in Real Locations?
The filmmakers chose to shoot Crazy Rich Asians in real locations to capture the authentic beauty and atmosphere of Singapore and Malaysia.
Luxury hotels, historic buildings, gardens, and private estates provided the perfect backdrop for the story without requiring extensive studio construction. Real locations also allowed audiences to experience the region's architecture, culture, and city life in a natural way.
Filming on location gave actors genuine environments to interact with and helped many scenes feel more believable. While some visual effects and limited studio work were used, the production relied mainly on actual places to create its distinctive look.
This approach added depth to the film and showcased many of Southeast Asia's most recognizable landmarks to audiences around the world.
Can You Visit the Crazy Rich Asians Filming Locations Today?
Yes, many of the filming locations featured in Crazy Rich Asians are open to visitors and remain popular tourist attractions.
In Singapore, places such as CHIJMES, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Raffles Hotel, Newton Food Centre, Esplanade Park, and the Chinatown neighborhoods welcome guests throughout the year.
In Malaysia, Carcosa Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur can still be viewed, the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is open for stays, and the Blue Mansion in Penang runs daily guided tours.
If you're planning a trip, it's a good idea to check opening hours and visitor guidelines before you go.
Fun Facts About Crazy Rich Asians Filming
The movie used real landmarks, luxury venues, and carefully chosen locations to create its memorable settings.
- Most scenes were filmed on location: The production used real hotels, gardens, restaurants, and historic buildings instead of relying heavily on studio sets.
- The film made Hollywood history: It was the first Hollywood production with an all-Asian cast since 1993's Joy Luck Club, and it earned $34 million within its first five days of release.
- Singapore is the movie's main backdrop:Many of the city's most famous landmarks appear throughout the film, giving viewers an authentic look at the destination.
- Marina Bay Sands appears throughout the film:Its famous rooftop infinity pool and SkyPark observation deck appear in the film's final scenes.
- Gardens by the Bay added a futuristic touch:The landmark's Supertrees and landscaped gardens showcase one of Singapore's best-known attractions.
- Singapore's hawker culture is UNESCO-recognized: The Newton Food Centre scene highlights a food tradition listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2020.
- Many locations became popular with tourists: Fans often visit the filming sites to recreate scenes and experience the places featured in the movie.
Conclusion
I hope this guide answered your questions about where was crazy rich asians filmed and gave you a closer look at the real places behind the movie.
I always enjoy learning how filmmakers use actual locations to tell a story, and this film is a great example of how beautiful settings can add so much to the experience.
If you ever visit Singapore, Malaysia, or Penang, some of these locations are well worth seeing in person.
Have a favorite scene or filming spot? Leave a comment below, share this guide with other fans, or try our other filming location articles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Young family mansion located?
The exterior of the Young family mansion was filmed at Carcosa Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The historic estate provided the grand appearance needed for the family home.
Where was the mahjong scene filmed?
The famous mahjong showdown between Rachel and Eleanor was filmed at the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, also known as the Blue Mansion, in Penang, Malaysia.
Where was the bachelorette party filmed?
The bachelorette party scenes were filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi in Malaysia. The film crew spent six weeks on location there.
