If you’re a fan of The White Lotus, you know that each season inspires travel to the filming location, and the latest season’s views of Thailand should be no exception. Here are some of the stunning set locations for your own Thailand travel inspired by The White Lotus.
Season one, our introduction to the popular HBO series, had the cast arriving by boat to a gorgeous location that turned out to be the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Hawaii. Season two transported viewers to Italy, where director Mike White treated us to the sun-drenched locations in and around San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel in Italy. The highly anticipated third season—as much for the location as for how the series would continue without Jennifer Coolidge’s popular portrayal of Tanya McQuoid-Hunt—was filmed in Thailand, with Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui cast in the role of the fictional hotel The White Lotus.
If you haven’t finished watching the latest season (the finale aired in Canada on Sunday, April 6), then spoiler alert, we’re going to explore some of the gorgeous places this season’s characters were seen visiting.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand and HBO confirmed rumours when filming began last spring, revealing the new installment of The White Lotus was being shot in various locations in the capital city of Bangkok and on the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui.
The characters arrive by boat to an idyllic resort location, shot on Ya Nui Beach in Phuket along with scenes of Ko Law Yai near Shang Nag Bay, Phuket and Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park in Koh Samui.
Once again a Four Seasons hotel sets the scene for our characters, this time at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is a sprawling property set among the lush green hills of the island of Koh Samui. It’s an ultra-luxury resort that includes villas with private pools and multi-residence units where families and groups can spread out. Several of the pool, restaurant and room scenes were filmed here.
While Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui acts as the main stage for the characters (and the cast actually stayed there during filming) scenes were also shot at a handful of nearby hotels. Anantara Bophut Koh Samui was the scene for shots on the long, tree-lined driveway and security station, as well as the jewellery store where the burglary takes place. Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort was filmed for bar scenes at their The Singing Bird Lounge, and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket is where Belinda (portrayed by Natasha Rothwell and returning from season one) has her room scenes and spaces of the spa were also used. Rosewood Phuket was the location for dinner scenes, shot at their Ta Khai restaurant.
A premise of one of the storylines of season three, is a visit to a Buddhist monastery to complete character Piper Ratliff’s college thesis. Piper (played by Sarah Catherine Hook) manages to turn the project into a family vacation and with her parents Timothy and Victoria (Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey) visits Wat Phu Khao Thong, a colourful Buddhist temple in Koh Samui with an iconic dragon staircase. Scenes are also shot at Cape Fahn/Pi Samui in Koh Samui and the garden at Dusit Dhewa in Koh Samui.
Mystery builds as we watch character Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins) tell his girlfriend Chelsea (played by Aimee Lou Wood) that he may need to visit Bangkok for a few days. What pressing business could take Rick away from the glorious resort we’ll leave for you to discover when you watch, but while in Bangkok Rick can be seen at a few iconic locations.
Rick’s arrival in Bangkok is a the Way Pho Pier, located near the iconic Way Pho Temple on the Chao Phraya River.
The lobby of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is where Rick meets his old friend Frank (played by Sam Rockwell) to talk business, and they proceed to the hotel’s Bamboo Bar for a scene that has Rick’s jaw hit the hotel bar table.
Scenes aboard a private yacht offer some incredible sights of the region, and a group of the characters decide to party into the night and head to a Full Moon Party. The Full Moon Party is a famous, monthly all-night beach party on Haad Rin Beach in Koh Phangan, Thailand. Celebrated on the night of the full moon, the party attracts thousands of travellers for music, lights, and festivities until sunrise.
A trio of childhood friends check into The White Lotus season three, on a girls trip to reconnect and recharge. Armed with designer baggage filled with perfectly curated resort wear and matching wide-brimmed hats, we watch Laurie (Carrie Coon), Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Kate (Leslie Bibb) book massages and share back-handed compliments until they decide it’s time to seek fun outside of the resort.
The ladies seek adventure, and find themselves in one of the most popular tourist areas in Koh Samui, The Fisherman’s Village. It’s a lively area dotted with small shops, restaurants, and trendy beach bars. Laurie, Jaclyn and Kate soon find themselves caught in a Songkran water fight, and dash into a shop to escape the soaking. Songkran, Thailand’s New Year festival, is famous for its massive, joyful water fights, where people use water guns, buckets, and hoses to playfully splash each other, symbolizing the washing away of bad luck and the start of a fresh year.
Later, the trio meets up with a hotel employee and his friends for a night of dancing and drinks. These scenes are set at Cafe del Mar in Phuket, a popular destination for private parties and larger events located on Kamala Beach. Laurie sets a date for the next night that finds her enjoying at night of Muay Thai boxing at the Bangla Boxing Stadium Patong, Phuket.
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