by Ricko Tindage, Director of Sales and Marketing at Elite Voyages

The fan favorite HBO hit TV show White Lotus‘ season 3 in Thailand proved to be a runaway success. The series filmed at Four Seasons and Anantara resorts in Koh Samui and Phuket has triggered a significant “White Lotus Effect,” driving massive surges in luxury bookings (up 590% for some properties) and overall tourism interest from US and European markets. 

The White Lotus Season 3 will join the legacy of Thailand’s long list of many Hollywood hit movies such as The Man with the Golden Gun, The Beach, and The Hangover 2 (pictured below). 

While Thailand as we know it has the most beautiful landscapes, hence, the movie locations above chosen by Hollywood, they are also blessed with amazing culture and friendly people, however, their cuisine is next level. That’s how this blog will focus on this amazing gastronomy. This blog will dissect how Thai foods in America and worldwide are gaining popularity second only to Chinese food.  

My hometown of Los Angeles can be proud of calling themselves the place where Thai Food started its popularity. Unlike these days, in the early 80s finding good Thai restaurants were a challenge. Surprisingly, Hollywood played a big role in making Thai Food such a popular cuisine in America. Hence, you will find LA’s designated Thai Town in the Hollywood area. One such restaurant in Los Angeles with a strong Hollywood connection is Jitlada, a Southern Thai-style cooking. Siblings Jazz Singsanong and Tui Sungkamee are chef-owners of Jitlada. When Sungkamee passed away in 2017, Singsanong was the sole owner of this Thai restaurant to the stars.  

In the late 70s, while living in Jakarta, Indonesia during my college year in hotel management, I had the opportunity to do my internship at Brussels Hilton in Brussels, Belgium. Since the internship does not pay, to earn money I moonlighted in a restaurant owned by the sister of my co-worker at the hotel and her husband. This brand new and small Thai restaurant next to an antique shop on Chaussee de Waterloo is called The Blue Elephant. This was my first introduction to Thai food ever. Unbeknownst to me, and upon my return to the city in 1995, the restaurant had become an international success with five restaurants in London, Paris, Copenhagen, and Bangkok besides the original location in Brussels.  

Founder of Blue Elephant Group, Mrs. Nooror SOMANY-STEPPE is recognized as a leading Ambassador of Thai Cuisine and one of the five best Thai Chefs in Thailand. Mrs. Somany-Steppe was indeed the same restaurant owner when I was working part-time in her small restaurant in Brussels back in 1980. Now, she’s a world-renowned celebrity chef with restaurants in Bangkok (its flagship restaurant), Phuket, Malta, and Copenhagen. The restaurants in Bangkok and Phuket are also equipped with a cooking school where a certificate will be given at the end of the class. I was lucky enough to visit its two beautiful locations in Bangkok and Phuket (pictured below) during my last visit to Thailand in 2018.  

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has many projects overseas to keep promoting Thailand as a tourist destination and Thai cuisine worldwide, and Mrs. Somany Steppe is one of their most important ambassadors. Besides restaurants, Blue Elephant also produces Thai cooking mixes you can use at home, and you can find them easily in the grocery aisles near you.  

In line with our blog on Thai cuisine, you may also check out our Thailand Tour Program where we recommend dining options outside of your hotels. We also feature a cooking class at The Blue Elephant as an optional tour.

About the author:  

Ricko Tindage is Director of Sales and Marketing at Elite Voyages. His task, besides sales and marketing to the travel agent community, is also creating new tour products.  Originally from Bali, Indonesia, Ricko has called Los Angeles home since 1981.  His academic background was in hotel management. He has had hotel stints in Jakarta, Indonesia; Brussels, Belgium, and Los Angeles. Instead of a career in the hotel industry, the tour and travel industry has shaped the majority of his professional career.  He started in the travel industry in 1990s, Ricko has always been in the hospitality industry, even his spouse was a former director of sales at a major U.S. hotel chain. Before working for Elite Voyages he served in several major U.S. tour operators, namely UNIWORLD River Cruises and SITA World Tours. In between, he has developed and created small boutique-style tour operators specialized in incentive travels, honeymoons, destination weddings, luxury travels, and leasing private jets. One of these tour companies was Romance Travel Concierge, a luxury boutique outfit based in Pasadena, CA, and he was president of the company.  

About Elite Voyages:  

Bespoke journeys are our specialty at Elite Voyages. Founded in 2019 as a luxury entity for Chinatour.com (established in 2002), our parent company, we have been a strong believer in providing the most authentic and enriching tour experiences for our discerning travelers through the relentless commitment of our earnest and knowledgeable team before, during, and after all journeys. Nothing is left to chance when every itinerary is carefully planned – selecting the best accommodation guests can enjoy, exciting connoisseurs with select culinary exploits, and amazing travelers with must-see sights and entertainment – so that every guest can always be assured of top quality and uniqueness in travel experiences. 

The post A Tale of Two Cities on Thai Cuisine  appeared first on USTOA Blog.

By: Jamie Gallerani for EF Go Ahead Tours

If Southeast Asia guarantees anything, it’s to welcome you—and then to wow you, in that order. Here, wonder shows up as bowls of piping hot pad thai and plates of skewered satay, served by street food vendors at energetic markets. Or in the quiet of remote landscapes that only locals know about (but that you can visit if you know where to go). It’s a dynamic, intriguing part of the world, and the red thread of it all is the people who call it home. Here are six moments that bring the spirit of Southeast Asia to life. 

1. Seek out dragons and coral-dusted beaches on Komodo island in Indonesia 

The intrigue of Indonesia hits a high note on the island of Komodo, where pink-sand beaches unfurl around rugged hillsides and tropical forests. Here, in the UNESCO-listed expanse of Komodo National Park, you can glimpse the largest species of lizard in the world: Komodo Dragons. In fact, this is the only spot on Earth where travelers can see these famed reptiles in the wild. It’s a place fit for a bucket list—and a swim, since the coral-rich, turquoise waters off the coast are magical, too. Pair dragon spotting with sun soaking on Pink Beach, and you’ll return home with memories of two uniquely Indonesian experiences.  

2. Contribute to local livelihoods at an innovative dairy farm in Laos  

Authentic moments are easy to come by in Laos. Very few tour operators visit this off-the-beaten-path destination, so if you get the chance to go, grab it with both hands. You’ll be rewarded with some of the best community-centric, cultural experiences in Southeast Asia. One of them? Stopping at the Laos Buffalo Dairy Farm, which is the first place in the country to sell buffalo milk dairy products. Expats started this sustainable, ethical enterprise in Luang Prabang after realizing that Laos had an abundance of water buffalo that weren’t being used for milk. So, they began renting female buffalo from local farmers, and the rest is history. Responsible travel and animal welfare are the name of the game at the farm—and visiting is a do-good, feel-good dance, since you’ll be supporting local livelihoods in a direct way.  

3. Weekend like a local in Ninh Bình, Vietnam 

Vietnam is a stunner no matter where you go, but seeing places that the locals themselves seek out is a treat. Cue: Ninh Bình. While most people have Hạ Long Bay on their can’t-miss-it list, not everyone goes to this hidden gem. Vietnamese travelers make their way here on weekends to boat down rivers that wind past limestone mountains—and if anybody knows the best places to go in Vietnam, it’s the locals. Take in all the beauty, and then soak up even more at Bich Dong, a temple-style pagoda that’s surrounded by lotus flowers and vines.  

4. Step into the storied traditions of Mae Kampong in Thailand 

See rural Thai life in vivid color at Mae Kampong, a village that’s sitting pretty in the mountains east of Chiang Mai. Here, an indigenous hill tribe farms for coffee, mushrooms, and bai miang, a type of tea that has flourished in the area’s fertile soil for more than 200 years. There are scenic cafes that offer bird’s-eye views, and the villagers also collectively own and run an eco-tourism experience that centers around welcoming visitors for homestays. It’s a balanced, beautiful dynamic that guarantees an authentic look at local traditions, and directly benefits the locals who share them. That paired with all the greenery and scenery of the landscape makes for a memorable visit.  

5. Gain historical context at the Landmine Museum in Cambodia  

Impactful history seeps from every corner of Southeast Asia, and understanding the region’s story starts with stepping into the past. That’s especially true in Cambodia, where decades of conflict have left an unforgettable mark on the country and its people. Traces of the Khmer Rouge regime and Vietnam War are still felt, and some of the darkest moments are laid bare in the Cambodian Landmine Museum. Former Khmer Rouge child soldier Aki Ra founded the organization, which is dedicated to removing landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXO) from the country. Cambodians are still impacted by these dangerous remnants for war, and the entrance fee for your visit supports the UXO’s continued removal. 

6. Wind through famous hawker markets in food-centric Singapore 

Energy buzzes in what’s known as the Lion City, where futuristic architecture, neon art installations, and chrome skyscrapers sidle up next to orchid-dotted greenspaces and meandering rivers. Even with all those marvels, some of the most culturally rich places are the famous hawker markets. These open-air foodie havens have colonial roots and offer up a diverse culinary scene, which reflects the influences of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, and Indonesian immigrants. Stalls sizzle with Singaporean staples like Hainanese chicken rice and fried carrot cake, diners chat elbow-to-elbow at communal tables, and daily life ticks along in a whirlwind of shared stories, chess games, and busker performances. Visit for an inside look at social life in Singapore—and discover just why these hawker markets have earned a spot on UNESCO’s list for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.  

About the author 

As a Senior Copywriter for EF Go Ahead Tours in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Jamie Gallerani has been sharing the magic of seeing the world with others for more than nine years. Her love of travel took root during a homestay in Mannheim, Germany, and has since taken her to 20 countries and counting. From studying in Florence to sipping corn beer with Peruvian Highlanders in the Sacred Valley, she’s found inspiration and connection around the world—and strives to capture the wonder of experiencing new cultures in her work. When she’s not writing about guided group travel, she’s looking for her new favorite memoir, visiting her family on Cape Cod, and reminiscing about how blue the water on the Amalfi Coast is. 

About EF Go Ahead Tours  

EF Go Ahead Tours offers more than 200 guided trips across six continents. Every tour is carefully planned with a maximum group size well below the industry average and has the perfect balance of guided sightseeing and free time to explore. EF Go Ahead Tours is a division of EF Education First, the world’s largest international education company, which was founded in 1965. The company’s mission is to open the world through education, and they have more than 600 offices and schools in 50 countries. 

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