I Stayed at 3 Thai Beachfront Resorts Featured in White Lotus—Here’s What They’re Really Like

Travel writer Anna Haines reports from Thailand to share some of the best filming locations from the third season of the hit HBO show.

Courtesy of Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort A Two Bedroom Villa at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

Courtesy of Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

A Two Bedroom Villa at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

For everyone who watched the premiere of White Lotus last night and is now planning a Thailand vacation—albeit one without the drama—staying at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is an obvious choice. The first season of White Lotus filmed at the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea in Hawaii; the second season shot at San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel in Sicily. The spike in tourism to both destinations (and hotels) even became known as “The White Lotus effect.”

But as a devoted fan of the show and repeat visitor to Thailand, I instead chose to start my White Lotus tour at Anantara BoPhut Koh Samui, because it's the first hotel I spotted in the new season’s trailer. During my White Lotus-inspired trip, I stayed at three resorts where the new season filmed: Anantara BoPhut Koh Samui, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui, and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket. For travelers who want a similar experience, Anantara just launched the “Lotus Awakening Escape" package, which includes stays at two of the resorts and a slate of White Lotus–inspired activities that I tried. Here's what the stays were like, what I recognized from the show, and how to plan your own White Lotus-inspired Thai adventure.

I entered Anantara BoPhut Koh Samui through a walkway suspended over a lotus-dotted pond and instantly spotted two filming locations: the spirit house (a traditional Thai shrine) and the venue where the show built a security office. I continued down the lush winding road, which hosts a chase scene, to arrive at three enchanting monkey fountains, which felt very on theme, as monkeys are used symbolically throughout the new season.

Courtesy of Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort Aerial view of the main pool at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

Courtesy of Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

Aerial view of the main pool at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

Once inside the lobby, I saw the chandelier and black picture frames that will appear in the show, and the attached library which serves as a fictional jewelry shop. At the stunning spa, my treatment room—an airy double-bed suite with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a sun-speckled courtyard—was similar to one used in the show. The only drama here was the theatrical cry of an Asian koel—a red-eyed black crow that looked like it could be a Hollywood creation. I tried the Lotus Indulgence treatment, which I'd like to think White Lotus spa manager Belinda Lindsey (played by Natasha Rothwell) would have approved of; it kicked off with a soothing lotus petal foot bath followed by a 90-minute massage with calming lotus oil and then a hot cup of lotus petal tea.

While the recurring lotus motif throughout the hotel came long before White Lotus, new experiences geared toward fans like me highlight how significant the flower is to Thai people. My Passage of the Lotus day excursion (included in the “Lotus Awakening” package) began with a meditative lotus-folding class to learn the many ways Thai people fold the flower's petals before presenting them as an offering to Buddhist monks, which I did afterward at Wat Plai Laem temple. As I admired a fortification of pink-painted lotus petals encircling the ornate temple, I wondered if director Mike White—who has hinted the new season will explore Eastern religion and spirituality—did this, too. After hearing the show’s filming was interrupted by wildlife like elephants, it felt only fitting to end the day at an ethical elephant sanctuary. Feeding the gentle giants was a humbling experience I think the show’s more ill-intentioned characters could benefit from.

That night, I had dinner on the resort's quiet stretch of Bophut beach, feasting on delicacies like gai hor bai toey (pandan-wrapped fried chicken). After, I wandered to the neighboring fishermen’s village night market and nightly fire show at Coco Tam’s beach bar. The mesmerizing movement of men tossing sticks of fire on the sand and people pulsing to the beat in a haze of hookah smoke felt like a scene plucked straight from the show.

Courtesy of Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort Treehouse at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

Courtesy of Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

Treehouse at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

While I'm not sure the White Lotus beach party was filmed on Bophut beach, I confirmed another evening scene was filmed at nearby Anantara Lawana Koh Samui, my next stop on the “Lotus Awakening” retreat. After striking the “good fortune” gong (something the White Lotus characters could use), I ventured into the resort and what began as a verdant jungle opened up to reveal an infinity pool overlooking the aquamarine sea. The striking vista was best experienced from Treetop Tops Signature Restaurant, where White Lotus filmed. Built around a 120-year-old tree, the resort’s fine-dining restaurant offers celebrity-level exclusivity with each table set in its own private tree house. After lotus-themed cocktails and miang kham (colorful lotus leaf hand wraps) in The Singing Bird Lounge, I tucked into an eight-course tasting menu with juicy Wagyu striploin and calamansi lotus sorbet, all set out on a gorgeous table with scattered white lotuses and serviettes folded into lotus flowers.

PETER BAAS/Courtesy of Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas The main lobby at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

PETER BAAS/Courtesy of Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

The main lobby at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

I didn’t think the Anantara filming locations could get more White Lotus until seeing Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, the last stop on my cinematic journey. The arched entry pathway lined with flaming torches is used in the show. As I checked in, I admired the resort’s lotus-filled lagoon that was used in a spa scene and the surrounding lobby, which was turned into a spa for the show. The resort’s real spa, a series of treatment rooms connected by wooden paths hanging over the resort’s lagoon, is featured as well. One character even falls into the lagoon—which, during my visit, was quite serene, with blooming lotus flowers on the water’s surface and harmless—but surprisingly large—monitor lizards lurking underneath.

While soaking in my villa’s outdoor infinity bathtub, connected to an opulent green-tiled swimming pool, spacious sundeck, and outdoor shower, I wondered which of the resort’s 113 suites housed the cast when they filmed here. I didn’t see the other villas—they’re all sheltered in their own gated courtyard—but I wasn’t surprised to learn one similar to mine was Belinda’s room in the show.

After pink lotus cocktails at Bua Bar (bua means lotus in Thai), it was time for one last dinner on the resort’s quiet seven-mile stretch of Mai Khao beach. As nightfall transformed lotus-engraved paths into a mystical maze of dramatically lit bamboo and palm trees, I imagined the resort was the perfect backdrop for a suspenseful night scene. I walked past the pool, with floating loungers that appeared in the show, to a dreamy string light–adorned table on the sand, where I tasted every part of the lotus—from the root to stem to petals.

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