As The White Lotus airs from Thailand, we give you an inside look at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.

The White Lotus is renowned for being filmed at opulent resorts that become bucket list destinations. Contrasting dreamy holiday destinations with satirical storylines, the wildly popular show has turned each filming location into a bona fide star, with destination tourism booming once it airs.

But what is it actually like to stay at one of the resorts deemed worthy of the show? For season 3, the drama is unfolding amidst the aquamarine waters and lush landscapes of one of  Thailand’s most luxurious resorts, and I was lucky enough to experience it firsthand.

Season 1 was filmed at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Kihei, season 2, San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily, and The White Lotus season 3? Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.

Location

Located on the north-west corner of the island on a lush green hillside, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui spans 228 square kilometres and includes a private beach with snow-white sand and bright blue waters.

“Sawasdee ka, Miss Parker." I’m welcomed with a cold towel and hibiscus iced- tea at the open-air check-in after a 40-minute drive from Koh Samui airport. As I step through the doors, I’m engulfed in panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand. There are pale blue, sun-drenched skies as far as the eye can see, with an archipelago of verdant tropical islands dotted in the distance. Put simply, it’s paradise.

The island was once known as the Coconut Capital of Thailand, and Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui resides on a former coconut plantation, with the elevated terrain of vibrant green palms making it impossible not to feel at peace.

Style and character

Immersed in the elements, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui Resort combines indoor and outdoor living seamlessly. With minimal walls used in the design to maximise the spectacular scenery, it’s rare not to feel the warm breeze on your skin or inhale the crisp, earthy air.

Renowned landscape architect and interior designer Bill Bensley and Jirachai Rengthong (partners in life and work) designed Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, impressively retaining all 856 coconut palms from the original orchard.

The resort’s interiors feature dark tropical hardwood throughout, along with elements from the island’s natural landscapes including orchids, palm trees and wallpaper of long-tailed macaques, which are found in the Koh Samui’s jungles.

The Room

I’m chauffeured to my private villa on a golf buggy, which is the main mode of transport at the resort. We zoom down the winding hills, greenery blurring past until we arrive at my accommodation: The Serenity Pool Villa.

Opulent yet relaxed, my villa is spacious and surrounded by tall palms, with glimpses of the vivid ocean waters below. The private deck includes a lounge and infinity pool, complete with a fish-headed fountain.

The plush king bed is layered with crisp white bedding and enveloped by a white mosquito net, ensuring a deep and restful night’s sleep, while the stone bathroom opens up to let nature in.

I feel completely Zenned out while lazing by my pool. My only neighbour was a Finlayson’s squirrel, who occasionally disrupted the serenity from the deck by leaping between palms and shaking the branches.

The overall vibe? Luxurious, peaceful and deeply connected to nature.

Facilities

Close to some of the best snorkelling spots in the Gulf of Thailand — Angthong Marine National Park, Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Phangan and Koh Tan and Koh Madsum — Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui offers boat trips, dives, and luxury yacht charters with a private Four Seasons chef onboard — if lounging on the deck is more your tempo.

At the resort, there’s a plethora of health and wellness activities: morning yoga and pilates, a 24-hour gym, tennis, beach volleyball, beach soccer and personal training, paddleboarding, snorkelling and even a lesson in Thailand’s national sport, Muay Thai.

In a one-on-one private session with Aan, an extremely charismatic Muay Thai champion with impeccable manners, I get a firsthand experience of this ancient art. The lesson covers Muay Thai techniques, philosophies, plus multiple rounds in the ring competing against Aan himself. Moving quickly and silently, Aan strikes the top of my thigh with his shinbone, which I learn can be used as a weapon in self-defence. I let out an involuntary yelp as my leg buckled underneath me. “You alright, Ma’am?" he asks politely, flashing a gold-toothed grin.

It’s easy to see why this experience is popular, Aan’s charms and passion for the sport make it an unexpected highlight. How often can you say you have gone head-to-head with a professional fighter on a tropical island?

I spend the rest of the day idling by the beachside pool in true island style, sipping. Tiki rum cocktails from the poolside bar, CoCoRum in between afternoon dips.

That evening, under a starlit sky on the beach, I’m treated to a mind-melting treatment from the Spa and Garden Day Spa: The Secret Night Ritual. Listening to the waves lap at the shore, I embark on a healing journey that combines a four-hands Thai massage, Tibetan singing bowls and warm lava shell, leaving my mind in a meditative-like state of tranquillity. Buddhist chanting offering protection completes the two-hour experience and brings me back to earth. I’m sad it’s over but I shouldn’t be.

I return to my villa to discover a path of petals and tealights, leading to the bathroom where a coconut milk and lotus flower bath is waiting for me, thoughtfully prepared by the Spa Healers. Sinking into the warmth of the milk, I feel completely rejuvenated and free of any tension or stress.

Food and drink

Southern Thai cuisine, local produce and incredibly fresh seafood feature heavily throughout the restaurants.

The lowkey, beachfront Pla Pla is perfect for a lazy lunch. I ate seafood ceviche and phad kra phao as I sipped a cold glass of Thai Colombard from Hua Hin Hills, located about 200km south of Bangkok.

At the highest point of the resort, Koh Thai Kitchen & Bar serves up authentic Thai dishes and is a must for sundowners (I recommend the signature Green Sunset of blanco tequila, pomelo juice, coriander syrup, soda). For dinner, I enjoyed the Gaeng Poo Bai Cha Plu (Whole Blue Crab Curry), Paneng Goong (Dry Red Curry Prawns with Sweet Basil, Lime Leaves, and Peanuts), and Mango Sticky Rice.

The buffet breakfast is ample, offering seasonal tropical fruits, endless fresh juices, cold-brew coffee from Chiang Mai, plus coconut French toast, Thai omelette, wok-fried noodles, and more. I opted for the classic Eggs Benedict and pink guava juice to start my day.

At the Fisherman’s Barbecue, I sit on the beach at a white linen table, eating grilled octopus and lobster, prepared just moments before on the open barbecue, all while listening to a charismatic local band perform. Local artists sell Southern Thai artwork at beachside stalls and fire-twirlers perform an impressive show as we dine.

The Vault is a freestanding, beachside tasting room and Asia’s first and only library of rums from across the world. I spent a delightful afternoon tasting rum with Oat, the resort’s resident connoisseur.

Is the Four Seasons Koh Samui family-friendly?

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is extremely romantic, while also managing to be very family-friendly. Kids under five dine free at the restaurants and there’s babysitting services, a kids library and a beachfront kids centre with activities available year-round. The day spa even has a ‘kids-special’ facial and Aan takes Muay Thai lessons just for kids.

Access for guests with disabilities?

For guests with disabilities, there are accessible guest rooms designed to be wheelchair friendly, with wider doorways and grab bars in the bathroom. Public areas including restaurants, the pool and the beach feature ramps, while transportation on the island can be arranged through reception.