A glimpse into the filming locations of the third season of The White Lotus

The stunning pool at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Amidst the soft chirping of birds and stridulation of insects, mist lifts to reveal a tranquil pond with pink and white lotus flowers at a swish villa in Phuket. Despite the picture of calm it exudes, a sense of foreboding hangs in the air, especially for those who have watched the previous two seasons of HBO’s popular series The White Lotus. They know that the new set of guests arriving at the fictional resort in the third season of the satirical comedy-drama will be witnessing plot twists, drama, chaos and even murder.

For a show that shares its moniker with the name of a resort, the filming location is crucial — more so because the hotel’s setting and the culture of the country seeps into the narrative, almost as if they are the central characters.

After exploring Hawaii and Sicily, the series is now exploring Thailand for its latest season. Director Mike White has chosen three Anantara Thailand resorts to shoot the show’s third season as the landscaped gardens, pools, villas and architecture of these resorts present an authentic picture of Thai hospitality. The peaceful sanctuary of the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and its spa, which is shown in the first episode of the latest season, lulls the audience into a false sense of security, right before the drama unfolds.

Like us, if you have been to the iconic Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, located on the pristine shores of Bophut Beach, and were spellbound by its charm, you would realise why Mike must have set his sights on this property. The spectacular landscaping, which spotlights lotus ponds and a spa garden was designed by renowned landscape architect Bill Bensley.

The infinity pool overlooking the calm, blue waters and the resort’s proximity to the popular Fishermen’s Village are another draw. So is the lush, tree-lined driveway that leads to a fountain with monkey figures, the grand Thai-style lobby and a lotus pond that looks just as Instagrammable in the daytime as it does during the night.    

Take the monkey-fountain at the lobby entrance, for instance. Multiple scenes in the series have been shot at this location, which forms a stunning backdrop and is also a reminder of the presence of monkeys in Thailand as well as in the show.

Scenes featuring the high-ceiling lobby with its grand chandelier, the lush driveway and a jewellery store, which actually is a reading room next to the lobby, are sprinkled throughout the show. 

Although the third Anantara Thailand property only appears once in the third season, the conversation scene featuring Aimee Lou Wood and Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon has given us a term which we are likely to see popping up often in pop culture — LBH or Losers Back Home. The backdrop for this interesting sequence is the Singing Bird Lounge at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort. To get to the lounge, visitors must climb a couple of easy steps and find themselves amidst the branches of a 120-year-old tree, with a panoramic view of the ocean and the lush green landscape below.   

While the view of the ocean and the greenery are missing from the frames — owing to it being a night scene — the circular bar and lanterns hanging from the trees illuminating the lounge are clearly visible as Aimee, who plays Chelsea in the show, sips a Martini sitting at the bar and is soon joined by a beautiful stranger played by Charlotte.

The buzz around the show has ensured that there is already a healthy curiosity around its filming locations and if episode one (the only one to have dropped so far — the next one will be screened on Sunday, February 23) is anything to go by, the next few are sure to make you want to pack your bags and set off for Thailand. Sawatdee Kha!

The White Lotus is being streamed now on JioHotstar.