The 'Survivor' Season 42 Filming Location Will Look Familiar to Longtime Fans

Less than three months after Erika Casupanan secured victory with an almost-unanimous jury vote on the finale for Season 41 of Survivor, the grueling, long-running competition series is officially back with a new set of castaways and a few major twists.

The 18 Season 42 contestants will be divided into three tribes: Taku, Ika, and Vati. Like the Season 41 players, they'll only have 26 days to outwit, outplay, and outlast the others in the competition due to the scheduling complications stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the sole survivor is named, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the Season 42 filming timeline, the shooting location, and some of the returning twists.

Though some aspects of the game are newer to the show for Season 42 (more on that later), the filming location has stayed fairly consistent in recent years.

For the 10th season in a row, Survivor filmed in Fiji. For Season 42, host Jeff Probst joined the 18 castaways in the Mamanuca Islands, which has become a popular tourist destination. Season 33 of the show, which was Millennials vs. Gen X, also shot in the Mamanuca Islands in 2016.

Like the season before it, the Season 42 contestants only filmed for 26 days instead of the usual 39-day schedule as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Seasons 41 and 42 were filmed back-to-back so Jeff and the other crew members would not have to complete multiple 14-day quarantines.

The 42nd season filmed entirely in the spring of 2021, from May 16 until June 10. Though the contestants didn't have to brave the elements for as long as the castaways from the other 40 seasons did, changes were made and twists were added to make the competition a level playing field.

In Season 41, the team members on the losing tribes would have to give up their flint after challenges, which meant that it was more difficult for them to make new fires at camp.

Plus, they also weren't given a steady supply of rice, so they began to experience deep hunger fairly early on. The contestants would often go days without eating anything of substance, which made the immunity challenges and the tribal council meetings all the more intense.

The tribes would have to earn rice and other food/survival supplies by winning challenges. This continued in Season 42.

The three strange phrases, which can activate an immunity idol when they are all said before a challenge, are also still around in the new season. This type of immunity idol was first introduced in Season 41 as well.

Who will win Season 42? You'll have to tune in to find out.

Survivor airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. You can also stream the series on the CBS app, or with a Paramount Plus subscription.