A beach holiday in southern Thailand can now include mornings spent planting mangrove seedlings, releasing baby crabs into the sea or clearing waste from a stretch of sand shared with sea turtles, work that gives travellers a tangible stake in the places they are visiting rather than a passive backdrop to admire.
Four OUTRIGGER resorts across Koh Samui, Khao Lak, Phi Phi Island and Phuket have built conservation and cultural activities into their guest programmes as part of OUTRIGGER Zone, the group’s broader initiative to protect ocean health and support coastal communities. The timing reflects a wider shift in traveller expectations: Booking.com’s 2025 global research found nearly seven in 10 travellers want to leave the places they visit better than they found them.
Culture shaped by the Andaman Sea on Phi Phi Island
At OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort, connection to place runs through the traditions of the Urak Lawoi, the seafaring people of the Andaman whose history is closely tied to these islands. Handcrafted bead bracelets and other design details throughout the resort reflect the Urak Lawoi community’s relationship with the sea.
On 18 September, the resort marks World Cleanup Day with a beach cleanup at Loh Lana Bay involving 50 OUTRIGGER hosts, students from Laem Tong School and neighbouring hotel teams. A two-hour upcycling workshop follows, turning collected waste into useful items and giving guests a practical look at reducing waste at the source.
The resort’s wider sustainability measures include on-site edible gardens, organic waste composting, wastewater recycling for irrigation, chlorine-free saltwater pools and Aqueous-Ozone cleaning systems in place of chlorine and harsh chemicals. Seafood served on the beach is landed by the local Sea Gypsy community, and furnishings draw on Thai teak and Phuket-made amenities.
Beyond the resort, Phi Phi’s limestone cliffs and the ancient art inside Viking Cave, within Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, give travellers a reason to explore further afield.
From farm to sea in Koh Samui
At OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort, the connection between land and ocean starts inland. The resort works with Suk Por Tao Farm, founded by Kanit Somwong, which redirects more than 10 tonnes of food waste daily to feed ducks, chickens, pigs, goats and cows. On 15 September, more than 30 OUTRIGGER hosts will join a Food Waste Management activity at BannYa Suanpu Learning Centre, preparing food waste for farm animals and converting fruit scraps into natural liquid fertiliser.
Closer to shore, the resort supports the Baan Tai Crab Bank, where community members raise crabs before releasing the young into the sea, a program that released a reported three million baby crabs last year. The resort has also supported the planting of more than 24,000 seagrass seedlings, a habitat that shelters juvenile crabs and fish, stabilises coastlines and stores carbon.
Set on Lamai Beach, the resort leans family-friendly, with four pools, a children’s water slide, a kids club, laser tag and Muay Thai classes, alongside hands-on craft workshops run by Bangkok’s Cave Craft.
Mangroves and sea turtles at Khao Lak
OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort focuses on one of southern Thailand’s most valuable coastal ecosystems: mangrove forest, which stores carbon, buffers coastal communities from storms and erosion, and provides nursery habitat for fish and other marine life. The resort supports the planting of more than 3,000 mangrove trees each year.
On 21 September, hosts will take part in a Sea Turtle Nursery Pond Cleaning at the Phang-Nga Sea Turtle Conservation Centre, run by the Royal Thai Navy, cleaning the Sea Turtle Pond and adjoining nursery pond. Guests can also learn about native leatherback, green, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles through release and pond-cleaning programs, with participation and release timing determined by conservation needs and the season rather than a fixed schedule.
Set on Bangsak Beach, the resort’s seasonal surf breaks run from May to October, and its four standalone villas include private plunge pools. The property is certified in Child-Safe and Friendly Tourism and runs a Coral Kids Club alongside its conservation activities.
Community and conservation on Surin Beach
At OUTRIGGER Surin Beach Resort in Phuket, the entry point is simple: an early-morning walk along Surin Beach, joining a guest cleanup that removes waste from the shoreline while explaining its impact on marine environments.
The resort’s community work extends further inland. On 18 September, 30 hosts will launch ‘From Waste to Warmth’, a month-long recycling campaign encouraging locals to collect and sort recyclable waste from home. Proceeds from the recyclables, sold to SAO Cherngtalay, are exchanged for eggs supporting bedridden patients in the local Bangtao community. Guests can also visit a local elephant sanctuary, where conservationists explain the care of rescued Thai elephants and the principles behind responsible wildlife tourism.
The boutique, 60-room resort channels Surin’s laid-back surf culture, with accommodation ranging from pool-access rooms to suites with private plunge pools.
All four resorts hold 2026 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, and three, OUTRIGGER Khao Lak, Koh Samui and Surin, hold Green Key certification.
