The “White Lotus effect” is real. Despite the dark nature of Mike White’s zeitgeisty social satire, the beautiful locations where the HBO series is set—five-star resorts in Maui (season one), Sicily (season two), and now Thailand—inspire a spike in tourism, no matter how many sordid murders occur on the show. Season three, set at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok (which celebrates its 150th anniversary next year), the Four Seasons on the island of Koh Samui, and the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas on the island of Phuket, is sure to inspire the same frenzy.
White Lotus’s latest setting dovetails with Thailand’s emergence as an increasingly buzzy creative hub, particularly its capital, Bangkok. The country’s new Destination Thailand Visa, which allows travelers to stay up to 180 days, is luring young remote workers, while locals are innovating and supporting a dynamic art and food scene.
The multiday Wonderfruit festival outside Bangkok, now in its 10th year, has become Southeast Asia’s answer to Burning Man, incorporating everything from meditation workshops to music performances to art installations. Nature also meets art in the serene Khao Yai Art Forest,bordering a national park north of Bangkok. It was founded by art patron Marisa Chearavanont, who has also helped spark the revitalization of Bangkok’s Chinatown with Bangkok Kunsthalle, an ambitious contemporary-art space housed within three conjoined Brutalist buildings and overseen by former Hauser & Wirth director Stefano Rabolli Pansera. The structures, which were once partially gutted by a fire, were intentionally left in disrepair; invited artists are encouraged to work within the site to bring the buildings back to life.
Not so long ago, expat chefs like David Thompson were getting all the attention (and Michelin stars). But a new generation of Thai chefs is taking center stage. A crew of Thompson’s protégés is behind Charmgang,a vibey spot with an unassuming shopfront that serves elevated Thai comfort food. For upscale street food, take a seat at Samlor, overseen by couple Napol “Joe” Jantraget and Saki Hoshino, and order one (or two) of its fluffy Thai omelets. And to experience the coolest juice bar in the city (with a side of live music), head to the artist-run F.V on the fashionable Song Wat Road.
A boom of hotels has accompanied Bangkok’s exploding cultural scene. Dusit Thani Bangkok, an iconic hotel originally built in 1970, reopened last fall with a gilded facade and modern, warm interiors. Those in the know often prefer to stay along the Chao Phraya River, which is lined with temples, markets, and shiny high-rises and offers stunning reflective views of the city. The 39-room The Siam, a perennial favorite, is set amongst gardens and filled with Thai art and antiques. Plus, what could be more White Lotus than getting inked by the hotel’s Sak Yant master?
This article was originally featured in the March 2025 Issue of Harper’s Bazaar
