In the Footsteps of “The White Lotus”

Flight to Thailand and First Impressions

Houses scattered in a tropical palm grove, tranquil and breathtaking lagoons, coconuts, mangoes, and especially passion fruit everywhere you look, spicy Thai curry and color-exploding food, huge monitor lizards, and ever-smiling Thais. Welcome to Koh Samui – the island of coconuts and monkeys. The island became even more famous thanks to the new season of the popular series THE WHITE LOTUS, which was filmed here this year. The only thing missing in real life was the monkeys! Anyone who watched the series this year will agree that there is at least one monkey or snake in almost every shot. The monkeys are a thing of the past, so we were kept company by colorful chattering birds and rather large monitor lizards that inhabited the banks of the river in Bangkok. Amazing swimmers, by the way!

Bangkok: Tropical Gardens, Curry, and Landmarks

My first impression of Thailand was the intense heat, high humidity, and a very long flight! Not for a lover of a temperate climate who hates flying 😀 I hesitated for a while, and in the end, it was my colleagues who persuaded me to visit far-off Thailand. The theme of the entire business trip, which was focused on meditation, wellness, and a healthy lifestyle, was also appealing. “My cup of tea”!!

The big day arrived, and I set off for Prague’s airport with a nervous stomach. Those who know me well know that I love to travel, but I hate and am afraid of flying—a bit of a paradox, right? One person’s advice was to take a nerve pill, another’s was to have some alcohol and sleep through it. In the end, I didn’t take the pill, nor did I fall asleep, so I relied on alcohol to dull my dark thoughts about the plane plummeting into the depths of the ocean. Tipsy and tired, I managed the first part of the flight. In Istanbul, I was supposed to meet up with other participants from Romania and Bulgaria, who at least partially distracted me from the long flight.

River Cruise and Mango Refreshment

After an approximately 10.5-hour long and sleepless flight, we safely landed in the hot and humid 12-million-person metropolis. After checking into a skyscraper on the 30th floor (hoping it would withstand another potential earthquake, which had hit Bangkok just about 14 days before the planned trip) and a well-deserved shower, we finally went for some traditional Thai delicacies. Finally, all my travel stress fell away, and I collapsed tired into bed and finally fell asleep! The new day greeted us with nothing but heat, but also with lots of experiences. The first stop was a visit to the family-run Natura Café, located in the middle of a tropical garden full of banana trees, lime trees, and strange-looking tropical Jackfruit trees. The Poomjai garden was founded by a local family of gardeners who transformed their hundred-year-old family garden into an eco-cultural destination in Bangkok. The family cares not only about tradition but also about sustainability and organic resources. Coffee enthusiasts will be thrilled, as they will find a nice collection of unconventional coffee cocktails here! The café hosts many workshops, especially focused on preparing traditional Thai dishes. Our group was tasked with preparing the most traditional delicacy: Thai curry and pomelo salad. The entire process was done using the original method, especially grinding the curry in a mortar. The food was, of course, excellent, a bit like an explosion of flavors in the mouth. Afterward, we cruised for about 2 hours through the tranquil canals of the Chao Phraya River, saw traditional houses on stilts, and, last but not least, had the opportunity to admire two of Bangkok’s most famous landmarks: Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and the Giant Buddha at Wat Paknam. The landmarks are nice, of course, but in 40°C heat, your brain doesn’t take in all the information 😀

Wellness Fair and Traditional Thai Cosmetics

So the command was clear: find a refreshing spot, preferably with air conditioning! And since we are all mango lovers, and mango is a national fruit in Thailand, it didn’t take long for us to find a perfect mango bar that prepared mango in about 50 different ways! On the way back, we returned through the local streets, where you could smell not only curry but also other Bangkok delicacies. At sunset, with a view of the majestic temple, another traditional Thai dinner was served. We couldn’t have asked for a better end to the day!

Koh Samui: The Island of Relaxation and a Healthy Lifestyle

The last day in Bangkok was dedicated to a fair focused on wellness and a healthy lifestyle. It took place in the luxurious 5* Ritz Carlton hotel, and during it, we had the opportunity to try traditional Thai products and cosmetics, listen to various lectures on healthy living, and, last but not least, have face-to-face meetings with partners who represent wellness and Ayurvedic resorts. At the end of the day, there was a tour of the 5* luxury hotel itself. An evening ride in a traditional rickshaw and dinner in Chinatown concluded the hot, humid, and fragrant day in Bangkok.

An early wake-up and transfer to the airport—that’s what the 4th morning in Thailand looked like. The flight to Koh Samui island, which is 800 km away from Bangkok by land, took only about an hour, and I was surprised that Bangkok Airways offered a full meal, including drinks, even on such a short flight! European airlines could learn from the Thais! I was also surprised by the condition of the local roads, which are on a much higher level than any other European roads! Our first stop was a boutique wellness resort focused on solo travelers. The Absolute Sanctuary hotel offers yoga, pilates, detox programs, and serves no alcohol and no smoking! It is a complete cleansing of the body and soul. This was followed by a stunning and breathtaking lunch in “The Nature” garden, which is essentially a large farm with a restaurant and café where you can enjoy traditional Thai dishes bursting with colors, aromas, and indescribable flavors!! Everything is fresh, organic, and goes straight to the plate. For the first time, for example, I tasted a lotus flower, which I didn’t even know was edible! We then moved to the 4* Celes Samui hotel, a beachfront hotel located on the north coast of the island with an infinity pool. After a short tour, a one-hour relaxation period followed, so the command was clear—jump into the sea, despite the fatigue! Although I felt like I was bathing in tea, just the feeling of tasting the waters of the Gulf of Thailand was enough! After relaxing, a more adrenaline-filled experience awaited us in the form of a Muay Thai lesson with a professional instructor. The Thai boxing lesson began with a warm-up, followed by a series of typical fighting positions and moves that even complete beginners like me could handle. A “1 on 1” fight followed, and out of our large group, only 3 women were left—the biggest fighters, haha! So I have to say I did well and I can’t even say how many calories I burned in the 1.5-hour lesson! The disadvantage of such an intense workout is that the body keeps burning for another half hour! So on the way back from the training, I was sweating like a pig, with red splotches all over my face, wearing a dress (I was supposed to go to a famous Michelin-starred restaurant “as a lady”), but instead, I walked into Phensiri Thai as a totally dewy creature 😀

Muay Thai, the Sea, and a Michelin-Starred Restaurant

The restaurant is a MUST-visit place on Koh Samui, so don’t forget to book a table when you’re on the island!

Yoga, an Ice Bath, and a Luxurious White Lotus-Style Villa

Day 5 was made for me. It started with a morning yoga lesson with a sea view at Vikasa Yoga Retreat, the most famous yoga studio on the island. After a healthy and delicious vegetarian brunch, we had about an hour to relax. I went to check out the local beach, swam in the pool, and just soaked up the necessary vitamin D. A big challenge followed in the form of an ice bath, which is intended to relieve pain and fatigue. Honestly, I couldn’t do it the first time, because I was simply convinced I couldn’t. The second time, I convinced my brain that I could do it, that it was healthy and beneficial for the body and mind, and I lasted an incredible minute and a half in the jacuzzi filled with ice cubes!! Then we moved to the luxurious 5* Banyan Tree Samui hotel, located on a hill with scattered villas all over the slope—that’s when the “wow” effect finally hit me. This was the real WHITE LOTUS! Each villa was sensitively integrated into the environment and tropical garden, so you felt completely alone, guaranteeing 100% privacy. The cherry on top is the RAINForrest spa, which was specially created just for this resort and is a holistic hydrotherapy wellness experience designed to heal and soothe. But you must not forget your swimsuit, like I did 😀 Anyway, they also think of these cases and will lend you some communal shorts and a t-shirt. It’s basically several sectors and pavilions where you are massaged by water jets, inhale steam, cool down in a pool, etc. The bonus was one of the best Thai massages I have ever experienced! I can still feel it in my mind—I didn’t even deserve such relaxation! The resort also has a beautiful and calm beach and several pools. The last 2 nights we were at the 5* Silawadee resort—where the second “wow” effect hit me. Villas with thatched roofs scattered on the hillside, chill music, and a smaller beach with a backdrop of large pebbles. The rooms were beautiful and spacious with a welcome package consisting of tropical fruit and chocolate; they know how to take care of guests here! Dinner was served at the famous Lamai beach at the Sabienglae restaurant, which specializes in seafood. I fell asleep excited about how I would enjoy breakfast at the WHITE LOTUS resort.

The penultimate day was focused on spirituality and holism. After a delicious breakfast, we went to the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa Resort, which offers holistic health solutions for stress and anxiety associated with today’s fast-paced world. Imagine a place where you are surrounded by nature and where you can reconnect with your inner self, and rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit. They have a unique approach to wellness here that combines ancient Eastern healing traditions with Western medical research. It’s like Thai Ayurveda, just a little milder than, for example, in Kerala, India. The food here was also excellent, everything grown from local sources, without sprays and chemicals! A Mindfulness lesson also awaited us, the goal of which is to achieve greater concentration, mental well-being, stress reduction, and better management of difficult situations. Emotions and thoughts were allowed to flow freely here, and more than one eye did not remain dry! In the afternoon, we returned to the hotel, and I finally had the opportunity to try the beach. Despite the slightly difficult entry into the sea and a few strokes + of course, dozens of photos, I got ready for our last farewell dinner, this time unconventionally at an Italian restaurant! The food was very good, but given that we also had some Italians with us, they didn’t enjoy it as much.

Spirituality, Ayurveda, and Mindfulness

After dinner, we went to buy fresh fruit, pack our suitcases, and say goodbye to beer by the pool at one of our participants’ villas, who was lucky enough to get a villa with a pool!

On the last day, I skipped breakfast and decided to have it right on the villa terrace, to the sound of chirping birds and the rustling of the sea—I couldn’t have asked for a better farewell to the island! We moved to the Dipabhāvan meditation center, which is located on a slope and where lessons are led by real monks. It’s not a luxurious residence but a simple and functional facility where you are accommodated, fed, and attend meditations completely free of charge! The goal is to find peace of mind without unnecessary and modern luxuries. Before flying to the airport, we also stopped for a snack at the Jungle Club restaurant, which is located on a hill with a breathtaking view of Chaweng beach, the airport, and the surrounding hills. Here, the final evaluation of the whole FAM trip took place, with comments and recommendations from our side to the partners. This was followed by a transfer to the airport, a flight from Koh Samui to Bangkok, and then another long flight to Istanbul. Almost, that is :/ About an hour before landing, the captain announced from the cockpit that we would have to divert to another airport, in Ankara—370 km from Istanbul. Suddenly, everyone’s attention sharpened, the flight attendants became nervous, and when one of them blurted out that we had a technical problem, I turned pale as a sheet and my forehead began to sweat. Again, various episodes of air disasters came to mind, and various scenarios ran through my head. In addition, it was a very unpleasant feeling to land without visual contact from the window (at the end of the row, in the middle of the tail, it somehow didn’t work). The plane touched down, and only afterward did we learn that we had run out of fuel!!! They said it happens quite often, especially during strong turbulence or headwinds, when the engines consume more. After an hour of refueling, it was clear to everyone that we would not make the connecting flight, and after about 45 minutes, we finally landed in Istanbul, and that’s when the chaos began. It was as if some people thought they could make the transfer in 10 minutes! Naive. I was lucky that they sent me on the next flight to Prague right away, so I waited for the connecting flight for about 4 hours.

Farewell to the Island and Drama on the Way Back

Despite the relatively short business trip and the terrifying experience on the way back, I ultimately enjoyed Bangkok and Koh Samui, absorbed all the sensations, flavors, and colors, and took away only positive experiences.