I Went To Thailand & *Had* To Visit The Four Seasons (Aka White Lotus)

The White Lotus Season 3 is headed into awards season as the most-nominated TV series at the 2026 Golden Globes. You know what that means? It’s a great time for a rewatch — and to finally book that trip to Thailand, where the show was based, to see some of the filming locations IRL.

In November, I had the opportunity to do just that, thanks to EF Ultimate Break’s 22-day Thailand trip inspired by The White Lotus. The budget-friendly journey for adults 18-35 included a stop on Koh Samui, the island where you’ll find the Four Seasons Resort that served as The White Lotus in Season 3. Even though the EF Ultimate Break itinerary didn’t include a night at the hotel, our tour director made it possible for our group to dine at one of the restaurants on property. As someone who traveled to Thailand as a set-jetter hoping to see as many White Lotus filming locations as possible, I couldn’t wait to eat in the same spot the Ratliffs enjoyed breakfast each morning.

An Actual Budget-Friendly Way To Visit The White Lotus

A stay at the Four Seasons Koh Samui would set you back around $1,816 on a weeknight in March, and that’s just for Belinda’s more affordable two-bedroom villa on property. To live like the Ratliffs did in Season 3, it’s closer to $11,419 a night.

As much as I would *love* to be a guest at the Four Seasons Koh Samui, our EF group kept it more affordable and decided to enjoy a nice meal at the resort’s Koh Tai Kitchen instead.

The open-air restaurant atop the palm tree-covered hill is where the White Lotus guests enjoyed their early meals. You might remember it as where Victoria (Parker Posey) pretended to not remember Kate (Leslie Bibb) in Episode 2, despite the two going on a bachelorette trip together.

Koh Tai Kitchen is open for both breakfast and dinner, and serves Southern Thai cuisine with views of the water below. It’s not just a gorgeous place to chow down, but the menu is spectacular, featured in the 2024 Michelin Guide, and was wayyy less expensive than you’d probably think. Sure, it’s pricier than going to a night market and getting street food, but I expected to pay more than $100 for a decent meal at a Four Seasons Resort and my three-course dinner at Koh Tai Kitchen was actually ~$60 (tip not included).

I shared the crispy duck spring rolls appetizer (~$7), and ordered the massaman nua (Thai beef curry, $40) for my entree with the mango sticky rice ($12) for dessert. Everything was about $59, which is what an average entree would cost at a fancy restaurant where I’m from in Los Angeles. The food was so within my budget that I decided to treat myself to the Koh Thai Sour cocktail ($19) as well.

This was probably my favorite meal in Thailand. The duck spring rolls were such a hit at our table that some people ordered a second round, and I loved how flavorful the massaman nua was with such tender wagyu beef. The mango sticky rice was also delicious with coconut ice cream. That would have been my favorite dessert, but the mango sticky rice I got from a street vendor on Koh Pha Ngan was hard to beat.

Don’t Be Scared To Try The Colada

After having dinner and taking some pictures of the view, our group went down to the beach and then the poolside bar, CoCoRum, to explore more of The White Lotus filming locations. I couldn’t believe I was standing on the same beach where Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Rick (Walton Goggins) had their adorable reunion in Episode 8, and got to lounge by the pool just like Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger).

We even had time to order drinks at the bar. The minute I saw there was a Coral Reef Colada ($12) on the menu, I knew I had to get it in honor of the near-poisoning of the Ratliffs. Instead of a piña colada made by Timothy (Jason Isaacs) with “bad milk,” this was a mocktail with avocado, mango, calamansi lime, and Thai pineapple that was sweet, fruity, and refreshing.

TL;DR

By the end of our visit, I was pleased to find how easy it was to keep to my $100 budget and feel so satisfied. I spent around $90 (plus 10% for tips, which were added to the bills) on delicious food and drinks while pretending I was a guest at the White Lotus for a few hours. Other people in my group kept it under $50 between dinner and drinks, so you don’t even have to spend as much as I did.

If you’re thinking of visiting Thailand after seeing Season 3, this is the cheapest way to visit the main filming location from the show without breaking the bank. It was so much fun for a fangirl like myself to walk around where the cast filmed for months, and I can’t wait to visit another White Lotus Resort (aka Four Seasons) on my next set-jet vacation. Now that Mike White has confirmed France for Season 4’s setting, that may be where I’m taking my passport in 2026.