Neil Aronson Banyan Tree Samui, one of Thailand’s leading luxury resorts and a trailblazer in sustainability and eco-friendliness, marks its 15th anniversary in July.
Located at the southeasternmost point of the island of Koh Samui and tiered into a verdant hillside, the 38-acre property is rich in flora and plant life, commands its own private palm-fringed beach, and is flanked by coral reefs.
In its 15 years as a landmark on the tropical island — recently in the spotlight as the film location for the US hit series The White Lotus — Banyan Tree Samui has won a string of awards and accolades for sustainability and environmental policies, and renown as a readers’ choice favourite in international travel magazines such as Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.
Both Banyan Tree resorts in Koh Samui and Krabi have established a code of conduct that prioritizes the sourcing of products from local suppliers who have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability. Seafood, cage-free eggs, fruit and vegetables are all sourced from nearby producers, while coffee and tea is purchased from northern Thai farmers. The resorts also provide an outlet for local artisans and vendors to sell homemade wares to guests.
The resort’s milestones:
2010: Banyan Tree Samui officially opens on 1 July.
2011: The “Seedlings” programme is launched with scholarship grants for three students. Over 15 years, Banyan Tree Samui sponsors 12 students. Banyan Tree Samui is selected in the TTG Travel Awards as “Best New Beach Resort Hotel”.
2012: At the Thailand Spa & Wellbeing Awards, Banyan Tree Spa Samui wins the People’s Choice Award for Amazing Resort Spa, while the Rainforest Indulgence scoops the prize for Innovative Spa Treatment.
2013: Banyan Tree Samui receives the first of six consecutive awards for Health & Wellness Tourism from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
2014: Recognising the resort’s commitment to sustainable hotel practices, Banyan Tree Samui is awarded Green Hotel Award Gold Certification by Thailand’s Department of Environmental Quality Promotion.
2015: The resort launches marine excursions on its private speedboat, Sense of the Sea, giving guests the opportunity to visit some of Thailand’s most idyllic islands and lagoons.
2016: The resort’s signature restaurant, Saffron, is listed among Thailand’s Best Restaurants by Tatler Magazine.
2017: Banyan Tree Samui is welcomed into Virtuoso, the leading global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, and becomes accredited with American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts.
2018: Two of the students from the Seedlings programme graduate high school. Banyan Tree Samui continues supporting them until they each graduate university five years later.
2019: Banyan Tree Samui becomes the first and only hotel in Thailand to be awarded “Gold Certification” at a single-property level by EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism. Five years later, the resort would be granted “Platinum Certification” — once again the first hotel in Thailand to achieve this distinction.
2020: A giant sea turtle lays eggs on the resort’s secluded beach. Six weeks later, some 300 baby turtles are born under the watchful gaze of the hotel’s resident marine biologist and sustainability manager, Thepsuda Loyjiw, and her team.
2021: Banyan Tree Samui opens its Wellbeing Sanctuary, offering guests a tailor-made vacation dedicated to holistic and wellbeing pursuits.
2022: Following severe storm damage to a local school on Koh Samui, the hotel donates funds for reconstruction. General Manager Remko Kroesen and several volunteers from the hotel roll up their sleeves and help out with landscaping and other labour-intensive tasks.
2023: Leading US travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler reveals its “Best Hotels in Thailand” readers’ choice awards. Banyan Tree Samui comes in at Number 3 hotel in Thailand.
2024: The MICHELIN Guide recognises Banyan Tree Samui as a “Two-Key” hotel in its inaugural Thailand edition, while at the TTG Asia Awards, the resort wins the prize for Best Luxury Hotel in Koh Samui. The MICHELIN Guide also lists Saffron among its prestigious restaurant recommendations in Thailand.
Banyan Tree Samui Launches Speedboat Tours to Thailand’s ‘White Lotus’ Islands
In the final captivating scene of The White Lotus, the lead characters of the hit HBO series — or should we say “the survivors”, following a cascade of deadly shoot-outs at the ill-fated mythical hotel — are seen departing Koh Samui on a motorboat and sailing into the sunset, and presumably towards some form of redemption; such is the dark humour of this wonderfully popular satirical TV drama.
Set-jetting fans of The White Lotus and visitors to the tropical island of Koh Samui can now recreate this voyage among the lush islands and limestone cliffs of Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park courtesy of a luxury hotel, Banyan Tree Samui, and its new speedboat, Sense of the Sea.
The 5-star resort, renowned for its dreamy pool villas and spectacular views, is arranging tours and day trips to the archipelago — famed for its 42 islands, dramatic limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, white sandy beaches, and dense tropical forests. The national marine park was chosen by The White Lotus producers as the backdrop for the opening scene and that memorable finale, as well as other sequences from the third series, which was filmed entirely in Thailand and primarily on and around Koh Samui.
Guests at Banyan Tree Samui, which is located in a private bay in the southeastern corner of the island, can now experience an eight-hour excursion (maximum 15 persons, plus three crew members) around Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park in the 12-metre Sense of the Sea, a custom-built 400HP speedboat which has been adapted to cater for luxury day trips, picnics, and celebrations.
Other excursions among the diverse marine ecosystem and azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand include a 6-hour round trip to Koh Phangan, site of the infamous Full Moon Party portrayed in The White Lotus in hedonistic fashion.
Voyagers who prefer more sedate sightseeing might instead opt for the 5 Islands Sunset Cruise or a 4-6 hour boat trip to Koh Taen and Koh Matsum, two small and barely inhabited islands, the latter being dubbed Thailand’s “Bay of Pigs” due to the drift of wild but tourist-friendly pigs that live on the beach.
All speedboat tours can be tailor-made for private groups or special occasions, and include ample time to anchor for swimming, snorkeling, siestas and champagne. The islets are abundant in monkeys and monitor lizards, not to mention coral reefs, and the marine life includes turtles, dugongs, sharks, and numerous species of tropical fish.
Banyan Tree Samui has also announced a series of in-house innovations to celebrate the growing popularity of the island under what has quickly become known as “The White Lotus Effect”.
From the locally-infused welcome amenities guests receive upon arrival at the resort to the on-site Wellbeing Sanctuary programs with yoga, meditation, fitness and healthy cuisine; reminiscences of The White Lotus abound.
Last month, Banyan Tree Spa Samui introduced a “Sense of Lotus” spa package — a 120-minute rejuvenating treatment that begins with a White Lotus Polisher, where fine bead powder from lotus seeds gently exfoliates and renews the skin.
A Sanctuary for the Senses
The resort’s 88 spacious pool villas, each with its own private infinity pool, provide a serene and secluded oasis where guests can unwind and reconnect with nature. Designed to seamlessly blend with the surrounding landscape, the villas feature contemporary Thai architecture and are adorned with locally sourced materials and artwork, creating a truly authentic and immersive experience.
The resort hosts three restaurants including Saffron which was recently listed in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide. Other onsite facilities include an award-winning spa with Banyan Tree’s signature Rainforest hydrotherapy facility, a fitness center, a kids’ club, a meetings and events centre, and a library.
Resources
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Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a waterfall tour to scuba diving, jungle trekking to cooking classes.
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