Eighty years ago, the founders of OUTRIGGER Hotels & Resorts put down roots in Waikīkī, opening their first stand-alone hotel and quickly following it with three more. When the brand-new OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beach Resort debuted in 1967, the company became virtually synonymous with island hospitality, and that spirit of aloha has been traveling ever since.
But Hawai‘i is not the only archipelago where OUTRIGGER has planted its concept of barefoot luxury, family-friendly ambiance and ocean-focused sustainability. This year marked the introduction of the company’s fourth beach resort in Thailand. While its isles may lie nearly 7,000 miles from Hawai‘i, they hold a similar appeal for travelers, according to Monica Salter, OUTRIGGER’s vice president of global communications and social responsibility.
“Thailand checks every box for U.S. visitors —authentic beaches, deep culture and history, genuine hospitality and extraordinary value,” Salter said, adding that the company’s four resorts “each capture different sides of Thailand.”
Natural beauty to savor
Nature and privacy lovers will gravitate to OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort, which opened in May after a yearlong, eco-sensitive renovation. Accessible only by boat, “sits inside a protected national park with limestone cliffs and jade waters,” Salter noted.
The 63 spacious suites and villas, inspired by the restful Thai concept of nit thra, feature handcrafted furnishings and organic textiles with motifs from the indigenous Urak Lawoi people. Hilltop villas with Andaman Sea views also offer private infinity-edge pools, while other villas boast beachfront or tropical garden settings. The surrounding Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park is renowned as one of the planet’s most biodiverse marine environments, where divers routinely spot sea turtles and reef sharks. Take a leisurely picnic ride on a longtail boat to the island; tours are also available that visit the world-famous Maya Bay and Piley Lagoon.
The area’s marine life also determines much of the menu at the resort’s Edgewater Bar & Grill. Executive Chef Satya Beeknoo, an Iron Chef Thailand champion who also leads private cooking classes, estimates that around 60 percent of its seafood comes from the local Urak Lawoi fishermen and the rest from trusted regional counterparts.
With the help of herbs from the resort’s organic garden, Beeknoo prepares local lobster in a curry with Creole spices, serves seabass in toasted coconut flakes and showcases a variety of seafood and tamarind in pad Thai. “I let the seafood be the star of the dish and tell its own story,” said.
Meaningful family time
Opened in 2022, OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort “is your family-friendly, relaxed escape,” according to Salter. Nestled in lush gardens next to sandy Lamai Beach, its 146 rooms and suites include many connecting rooms and family rooms with bunk beds and a private garden terrace.
The whole family can enjoy the resort’s Edgewater Beach Club, which encompasses four swimming pools, a children’s water slide, restaurant, bar and three massage huts, or do friendly battle in Koh Samui’s only indoor laser tag venue. The Coral Kids Club provides a daily program of games and activities for younger guests, including learning about native plants and wildlife and making Thai-style crafts. while adults can join classes in Muay Thai boxing, batik painting and yoga.
Through OUTRIGGER Zone and local partnerships, the resort promotes restoration of the offshore seagrass meadows, which serve as critical habitat for marine life and help preserve the coastline, and supports sustainable fishing and other community conservation initiatives. Close to the resort, families can visit nearby Baan Tai Crab Bank, which released three million crabs last year, or learn about sustainable island farming at BannYa Suanpu Learning Center & Farm.
“Families want a vacation that feels restorative, but they also want their time together to mean something,” said Leah Matters, the resort’s general manager. “Koh Samui gives us an extraordinary natural classroom. Children can learn why seagrass matters, see how a crab bank supports marine life and explore the island alongside their parents. It’s simple, meaningful time together, and often what families remember most.”
Intimacy and adventure
Salter described the OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort, which opened in 2022, as “the adventure hub.” Set on 3.5-mile-long Bang Sak Beach in Phang Na, the resort makes an easy base for a day trip to the world-class diving destination of the Similan Islands or Khao Sok National Park, famed for its limestone mountains, ancient rainforest and cave-fringed Cheow Larn Lake.
English-speaking local guides lead treks through the park’s rainforest and tours of the lake by canoe, kayak and bamboo raft, while the nearby Elephant Hills sanctuary offers an “ethical elephant experience,” meaning the elephants are free-roaming and visitors do not ride them. “It’s these kinds of encounters, with real connection to the place and its nature, that make Thailand so special for travelers,” Salter said.
The Khao Lak resort has 151 rooms and suites, plus seven stand-alone villas—some with private plunge pools or terraces with spa bathtubs — ideal for honeymooners. Families will appreciate the many indoor and outdoor activities at the Coral Kids Club.
Opened in 2021, the boutique, 60-room OUTRIGGER Surin Beach Resort on Phuket “is intimate and walkable, right in the local rhythm of things,” Salter said. A short stroll to the sand, the resort includes two swimming pools, a fitness center, massage rooms and a surf-inspired restaurant with a loft bar noted for dazzling sunset views. Some of the suites offer two levels or private plunge pools. Explore the surrounding area with a half or full day guided city tour to see Phuket Old Town and nearby historic temples.
All of the OUTRIGGER resorts share in another part of Thailand’s appeal that may remind many of Hawai‘i. “The hospitality is genuine,” Salter said. “There’s a reason they call it the Land of Smiles — it’s authentic warmth and care, woven into everything.”