The last time I was in Thailand was the year Alex Garland published The Beach.
The cult novel, later adapted into a film by Danny Boyle that starred Leonardo DiCaprio, was set on an untouched Thai island where a group of backpackers sought to create their own private utopia.
Paradise quickly turned dark and then darker, Lord of the Flies-style, but that did not stop the flood of international budget travellers who for years went on pilgrimage to the idyllic island beach where the movie was shot.
Koh Samui Credit: Surat Thani-Ko Samui
Now, a quarter of a century later, The White Lotus is set to replicate that effect – but this time in Thailand’s luxury travel sector. The upcoming third series of the darkly comic drama is set in Thailand – and specifically the southern island of Koh Samui.
Temple time: Surat Thani-Ko Samui-Wat Ratchathammaram
Samui has long been a highlight for visitors to Thailand’s southern regions, but has come a long way since the mid-1990s when I corresponded with my family via aerogramme and limited selfies to the number of exposures on my camera roll. Now it is likely to see an even bigger influx if the success of the previous seasons of the hit show are anything to go by.
The first two seasons were a massive boost to the locations where they were shot, Hawaii and Sicily, so there is little doubt that trend will continue. HBO is tight-lipped about the production, refusing to reveal when it will air or where it was filmed. But one hotel mentioned in online speculation is the Anantara, a Thai-owned luxury hotel chain.
Having failed to glean any intel from HBO, I tried quizzing Anantara staff. “All I can say is this is somewhere they’d like to film,” a manager cryptically told us at check-in. I took that as meaning they didn’t film there – my sons reached the opposite conclusion. Either way, there’s no doubt it would provide fertile ground for the dramedy. Dotted around the lavish resort, from the concealed entrance to the infinity pool with swim-up bar, are sculpted monkeys posing cheekily. It’s easy to imagine these coming to life with a wink in the opening credits.
My husband and I were visiting as part of a larger post-exams journey with our three sons aged 16, 18 and 20.
Though definitely an upgrade from our youthful shoestring travels, the overall trip was more adventure than indulgence.
Until we showed up in Bo Phut, an upmarket region in Samui’s north-east.
Anantara’s motto is ‘life is a journey,’ but once here, the prospect of leaving becomes almost unfathomable. From the moment you step over the threshold every whim is catered for, all responsibilities evaporate. Staff – from gardeners and chambermaids to executive management – met us at every turn with a big smile, a bow and the gender-appropriate version of the sawadee greeting.
The vibe is lush tropical, as the reception opens onto a host of Instagrammable vistas featuring towering palm trees, picture-perfect lily ponds and canopied wooden hangouts. Chief among them is the open-air deck at the unexpectedly themed South American restaurant, Guilty, serving a fusion of Latin flavours with Nikkei influences, which to our delight included sushi, a zingy mango salad and sea bass wrapped in banana leaves.
Delicious though dinner was, it had nothing on breakfast, an endless buffet catering for every definition of the morning meal, including a pad Thai station. We over-indulged so much on our first morning I feared we might sink while on a longtail boat trip. Arranged by Anantara, we were driven south from where we boarded the sleek wooden vessel kitted out with white leather interiors.
Swine dining: wild hogs on Pig Island Photo: Benji Albert
Porcine: hogs on Pig Island Photo: Benji Albert
It was a short sail to Koh Madsum, otherwise known as Pig Island owing to the wild hogs roaming the beaches. But there’s only so long you can coo at portly pigs begging for treats and rolling in sand before the water beckons. Back on board, we headed out to sea where our sons had their first snorkelling experience.
They loved it, so we were planning on a longer trip to the coral reef of nearby Koh Tao, but the weather overruled us: the downside of travelling “off season”, I guess. Fortunately the hotel provided ample entertainment. Besides flopping down on a sunbed, the not-quite-private beach offers kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and beach football. And in a hidden corner lies the spa, spread over 3,000 sqm of oriental gardens where I was treated to Anantara’s 90-minute signature massage, featuring traditional Thai techniques.
While I floated on a cloud, our boys were pumping with adrenaline in a private Muay Thai class. They had been spectators at a traditional boxing match earlier in our trip, so were thrilled to have the chance to try it out – and kick each other.
It’s easy to stay put at the Anantara, but there’s plenty to see on Samui, including at the adjacent Fisherman’s Village. Here you find swanky beach bars, Irish pubs, tour agencies and a night market selling everything from fake handbags to the elephant patterned trousers worn by virtually every tourist in Thailand.
Finding bad food in Thailand takes effort, with many of the noodle and soup dishes cooked on the street rivalling the fare at top restaurants. But if it’s White Lotus luxury you’re after, choice on Samui is plentiful.
The Kimpton Kitalay, another Thai-owned luxury resort, is nestled on the shoreline of the Gulf of Thailand in the island’s north-east corner. Equally resplendent, the hotel has five bars and restaurants and we were lucky enough to dine at the FishHouse, which does what it says on the tin, with ample alternatives for the non fish-eaters among us.
Surrounded by water – from the dazzling infinity pool to the lapping sea – it felt like all our eyes were glittering as soon as we sat down in this fine dining establishment crossed with a beachside eatery. Eating is not a requirement, as the laid-back vibe is equally welcoming of social drinkers to the bar who want to enjoy the views and the atmosphere, but for my hungry family, dinner was a must.
Each dish was beautifully presented and our waitress did a fine job in recommending some specialities: salmon carpaccio wakame, barbecued halloumi and king mackerel in lemongrass and ginger sauce. Cocktails were delicious, but it was the overall experience that won us over - as it must have done for the authors of the Michelin Guide, who feature it in their 2024 edition.
Also featured is Saffron, the jewel in the crown of another five-star hideaway: the Banyan Tree, nestled amid the landscaped jungle of a private bay in the eastern Lamai region.
When my husband and I arrive for a tour and a meal, we cannot help feeling we’ve been slightly slumming it. The Banyan Tree is an all-villa resort, each of which features its own private pool.
Yet there is hierarchy to this luxury, as prices vary depending on position, size and view.
Visitors here relish their privacy, as “rooms” are spaciously dotted up and down the surrounding hills. The view from the lobby is truly spectacular, but the undulating terrain means golf buggy is preferred mode of transport from A to B and indeed to Saffron where the floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of the garden of Eden-like setting, while inside doubles as a stage for traditional Thai dancers who provide entertainment between courses.
Saffron promises “authentic Thai flavours at their finest in an atmosphere of understated, yet refined, elegance” and it most certainly delivered… and delivered… and delivered during the sumptuous tasting menu, which the chef kindly adapted for our dietary requirements, but luckily still featured mango sticky rice, a simple Thai dessert that the whole family had fallen in love with. While the exact filming location of The White Lotus season three may not be known, one thing is clear – if it’s a high-end holiday you’re after, the world is your oyster when it comes to Koh Samui.
As JC2 went to press, HBO confirmed that while filming for The White Lotus took place on Koh Samui, it wasn’t at Anantara
Rooms at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort start from around £285 with breakfast and taxes
www.kimptonkitalaysamui.com/koh-samui-restaurants/fish-house-restaurant-and-bar/
