CC: Escaping to The White Lotus? You Might Be Missing the Point

Spoiler Warning - May contain spoilers of Season 3 of the White Lotus

Ultra-wealthy travelers escape to a luxury resort, their stories subtly intertwined, all unfolding under the shadow of an impending catastrophe. As we get to know the guests and staff, their absurdities slowly surface, intensifying as the story unravels. 

If that setup rings a bell, you’ve likely watched The White Lotus.

Created by Mike White, the series blends dark comedy with social satire, critiquing the ignorance of the wealthy Western vacationers. Magnifying the frivolous lives of the elite—often through the watchful, obedient perspective of the resort staff—the show exposes their dysfunction and delusion. Each season follows a new group of privileged tourists and struggling resort staff in a different tropical setting. Though one thing never changes: someone’s bound to end up dead. 

While the first season is set in Hawaii and the second in Palermo, the newest installment ventures outside “the Western world” to the beautiful Thailand. This allows for even sharper satire and critique of neo-colonial tourism and performative spirituality. While the holiday experiences of The White Lotus’ resort guests inevitably spiral into chaos, and the show humorously mocks the wealthy Western tourist, it has had a significant impact on tourism, sparking what’s now known as the “White Lotus effect.”  

Ironically, the show's critique of luxury tourism has fueled real-life tourism to its filming destinations. Announcements of the third season being set in Thailand immediately surged airline searches and hotel bookings in Phuket and Koh Samui. One of the main filming locations, the Four Seasons resort in Koh Samui, experienced a 40% booking increase according to Hotels.com. Similar trends were seen with the previous seasons, where the season two set, the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, was fully booked for 6 months when it reopened after filming. In similar fashion, the Hawaiian White Lotus, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, had an increase of 386% in availability checks following the original season's release.

What happens when satire that’s meant to critique tourism ends up accelerating it?

The irony of the “White Lotus Effect” becomes especially stark when we examine how the show critiques the very industry it fuels. Season three leans heavily into the themes of neo-colonial tourism and performative spirituality. The guests treat Thailand as a beautiful backdrop for their dramas, rarely engaging with the country outside their bubble at the resort or their occasional yacht ride. The limiting encounters the guests do have with the local population – resort staff or local monks – are shallow, the guests viewing them as mere accessories. The resort’s wellness persona commodifies and westernizes Thai traditions, repackaging local spiritual and healing practices for the pleasure and self-actualization of its guests.

The show deepens its critique of performative spirituality through the character arc of Piper Ratliff, a religious studies student who travels to Thailand to explore Buddhism. Piper’s spiritual quest contrasts sharply with her materialistic and out-of-touch family, whom she often critiques for their ignorance. Yet, despite her initial enthusiasm, her Buddhist journey comes to an unexpected halt in the finale, when she admits she doesn’t want to become a Buddhist after all, simply because the temple food did not meet her standards. This is mirrored in her appearance, dressed in humble attire when arriving in Thailand, but leaving extravagantly dressed like the rest of her family. This moment reveals the limits of her commitment and underscores the show’s satirical take on the superficiality of some Western spiritual seekers.

Tourism’s Real Impact in Thailand 

While The White Lotus satirizes the attitudes of Western tourists, the real-world effects of tourism in Thailand extend far beyond what’s depicted on screen. The country’s reliance on tourism brings complex economic, environmental, and social consequences - many of which are not immediately visible to visitors.

Tourism has placed a significant strain on Thailand’s environment. In a similar “White Lotus Effect”, the Maya Bay was made famous by the Hollywood film The Beach. Its sudden popularity drew thousands of tourists daily, resulting in severe ecological damage. Over 80% of the bay’s coral was destroyed due to pollution from trash, boats, and sunscreen, as well as the physical impact of overcrowding. In response, Thai authorities closed Maya Bay to allow the ecosystem to recover. This underscores the urgent need for sustainable tourism practices. 

Moreover, the development of luxury resorts along Thailand’s coastlines often leads to the privatization of beaches, restricting access for local communities. In places like South Cha-Am and Pak Nam Pran, the construction of seawalls and resort infrastructure has displaced local businesses and fishermen, forcing many to seek alternative, often less stable, sources of income. Similarly, the construction of luxury resorts like the White Lotus drives up prices, often making it too expensive for local residents to remain in their own communities. 

Although The White Lotus stops short of explicitly addressing the environmental and social consequences of tourism, its critique of Western privilege and escapism gestures toward broader, real-world dynamics. In places like Thailand, these dynamics play out in tangible ways, with lasting effects that extend far beyond the resort walls. 

Still feel like visiting the White Lotus?

While it’s understandable that the show’s breathtaking scenery might inspire viewers to visit Thailand, I hope audiences aren’t simply tempted to recreate the extravagant vacations of The White Lotus guests. This isn’t a call to stop traveling or to abandon dreams of “finding yourself in Thailand”. Rather, it’s a reminder to let the show's satire serve as a reminder to travel with mindfulness and respect. Being a responsible guest means thinking twice before chartering a massive yacht over fragile coral reefs, booking a resort that displaces local communities, or interrupting sacred rituals just for a social media post.