Written By: Colin Hinshelwood/ CPA Media
There’s a moment in the final scene of The White Lotus that lingers: a handful of characters, bruised by betrayal and chaos, set sail from Koh Samui into the open sea. It’s a sunset-soaked image that captures everything the HBO hit series excels at—beauty, irony, and just enough dread to make you wonder what’s next.
Now, guests at Banyan Tree Samui can recreate that cinematic escape—minus the melodrama.
The luxury resort, tucked into a private crescent-shaped bay on the island’s southeastern shore, has just unveiled Sense of the Sea, a custom-built 12-metre speedboat designed for immersive day trips around the lush, otherworldly islets of Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park—the same place featured prominently throughout Season 3 of The White Lotus.
Set-jetting is no longer a niche. It’s a travel movement. And with Thailand’s Gulf Coast playing host to the series’ third season, Banyan Tree Samui is leaning in—with style.
“From the locally-infused welcome amenities guests receive upon arrival at the resort to the on-site Wellbeing Sanctuary programs with yoga, meditation, fitness and healthy cuisine; reminiscences of The White Lotus abound,” says the resort.
The Archipelago Behind the Aesthetic
Mu Ko Ang Thong—translated as “Bowl of Gold”—isn’t a fantasy. It’s a real-life marine park made up of 42 dramatic islands: craggy limestone cliffs, turquoise lagoons, and impossibly perfect beaches that feel untouched by time. It was here that the show filmed its sweeping opening sequence and sun-drenched finale. And now, travelers can experience the same cinematic journey for themselves.
Banyan Tree’s eight-hour excursion aboard Sense of the Sea carries up to 15 guests (plus three crew members) and offers a full-day tour across the archipelago. It’s more than just a sightseeing cruise—think luxury picnic stops, snorkeling amid coral reefs, champagne toasts at sea, and encounters with everything from monitor lizards to wild monkeys.
For those chasing the show’s party scenes, there’s also a 6-hour round trip to Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon Party, which The White Lotus portrayed in a haze of hedonism.
Prefer a more serene kind of indulgence? Try the 5 Islands Sunset Cruise, or a lazy day hopping between Koh Taen and Koh Matsum, where wild pigs sunbathe beside unspoiled beaches.
All trips are private or customizable—ideal for celebrations, honeymoons, or simply living your White Lotus fantasy without, hopefully, any plot twists.
Wellness, White Lotus Style
Beyond its new speedboat and bespoke excursions, Banyan Tree Samui has layered its entire guest experience with subtle nods to the White Lotus effect.
Last month, the resort’s award-winning spa launched a “Sense of Lotus” treatment—a 120-minute rejuvenating ritual beginning with a White Lotus Polisher, where lotus seed powder exfoliates the skin. The treatment is one of several wellness offerings at the resort’s Wellbeing Sanctuary, which also includes yoga, meditation, and plant-based cuisine.
Even cocktail hour got a makeover. The new White Lotus cocktail is a tropical mix of vodka, white rum, lychee juice, lime, coconut milk, and dried Damask rose petals. It’s decadent, exotic—and very Instagrammable.
Where to Stay
Set on a 38-acre property rich in native flora, Banyan Tree Samui is made up of 88 hillside villas, each with its own infinity pool. The resort’s private beach is flanked by coral reefs, offering snorkelers easy access to marine life including turtles, dugongs, and tropical fish. Dining options include Saffron, recently featured in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide, and guests have access to a hydrotherapy spa, kids’ club, fitness centre, and more.
Thailand’s Tourism Reimagined
It’s no secret that Thailand is riding a cultural and tourism high. Thanks to global streaming hits and ambitious national campaigns, Koh Samui—long a favorite for honeymooners and yogis—is now attracting a new kind of visitor: the narrative-driven traveler, the fan-tourist, the Instagram flâneur chasing plotlines and place.
Banyan Tree Samui’s new speedboat offering is more than a clever tie-in. It’s a signal of how luxury hospitality is shifting—faster, more flexible, and deeply cinematic. And while the White Lotus characters may have fled the island in chaos, today’s travelers are arriving in style.
