Fans of The White Lotus, the popular HBO anthology miniseries, have speculated since early last year that the third season will likely be set in Thailand, but no one knew exactly where it would be filmed.
Now, with production having begun earlier this spring, the shoot locations in Thailand have been revealed. Filming is taking place in the capital city of Bangkok and on the islands of Phuket and Ko Samui, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and HBO revealed in February.
“We are pleased to partner with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to execute Mike’s creative vision and showcase all that the beautiful country of Thailand has to offer, as the next group of guests check in to The White Lotus,” Janet Graham Borba, executive vice president of production for HBO & Max, said in the statement.
Given that the last two seasons were filmed at Four Seasons hotels, many expected this season to be filmed at a Four Seasons as well—and they were right. Thai tourism authorities have recently confirmed that season three is being filmed at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, set among the rolling, lush hills of the island of Koh Samui. Accommodations at this ultra-luxurious property range from villas with their own private pools to multi-bedroom sprawling residences where families and groups can spread out.
But Four Seasons Koh Samui won’t be the only resort featured in the upcoming season. The Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, a collection of luxury villas on the island of Phuket, will also serve as a backdrop to some upcoming scenes.
Created by Mike White, who also serves as executive producer and director, The White Lotus is a satire-cum-dramedy set in the fictional and luxurious White Lotus resort in popular tourist destinations. There, dysfunctional guests and hotel staff reveal new sides of themselves, all the while skewering insensitive tourists. Season 1, which debuted in 2021, was set in Hawai’i and filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, while the second season, which was released at the end of 2022, was set in Sicily, this time filming at San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel.
The locations and the hotels themselves saw a massive boom in visitors both during those seasons and since they aired, and the show is one of the drivers of the so-called set-jetting trend, in which travelers go to filming locations of their favorite shows or movies (see also The Crown, Ted Lasso, Outlander, and Lord of the Rings). It’s reasonable to expect that Thailand—already a popular tourism destination—will be no different.
“We are honored to have amazing Thailand featured as the filming location for the highly anticipated upcoming season of The White Lotus,” TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said in a statement. Thailand’s “exotic natural beauty, rich historical sites, and diverse landscapes are the perfect settings to share our fascinating culture, fantastic cuisine, top-notch wellness and luxury offerings, and most importantly our people and Thai hospitality. Thailand has long been considered one of the world’s favorite filming locations.”
The series is known for new casts each season, and the one character who was in both Seasons 1 and 2 will not be returning for the third season—fans mourned the demise of Tanya, played by Jennifer Coolidge, at the end of the second season. While it was known she wouldn’t return, the rest of the new season’s cast was shrouded in mystery until recently. It has been announced that the third installment will star Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, and Natasha Rothwell, as well as two Thai actors, Dom Hetrakul and Tayme Thapthimthong. Rothwell is the only returning cast member—she played the spa manager Belinda in season one.
The White Lotus Season 3 is slated to premier on HBO and stream on Max in 2025.
This story was originally published in February 2024, and was updated on May 10, 2024, to include current information.
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