The White Lotus Snake Farm & Cobra Show

Step onto the White Lotus snake-show set

The snake-show scene in Season 3, Episode 3 of The White Lotus was filmed at the Samui Snake Farm on Koh Samui. In it, Rick (Walton Goggins) frees a group of snakes from their tanks, and one of them bites Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Goggins is openly afraid of snakes, and he was bitten during filming by a non-venomous snake. The cinematographer has said the shot of Chelsea's bite used a prosthetic leg with a real snake. This tour takes you to the venue where the scene was shot.

A working reptile centre in Taling Ngam

The farm is in Taling Ngam on the southwest coast of Koh Samui. It has operated for more than 26 years as a rescue and rehabilitation centre for native reptiles. It also appears in the Guinness World Records for the longest stays with scorpions and with centipedes.

The main attraction is the live cobra show, which runs every hour from 11:00 to 18:00, eight shows a day. Experienced handlers demonstrate venom extraction. They also stage close encounters with cobras, including kissing a cobra on the head and facing one in an open arena, and these echo moments from the televised scene. Private round-trip transport is arranged for tour groups.

Meet the residents

• King cobras and monocellate cobras, shown in live venom demonstrations
• Giant non-venomous pythons that guests can hold or drape over their shoulders
• A crocodile enclosure
• Terrariums with scorpions and centipedes

The farm describes its approach as welfare-led. It keeps its animals in spacious enclosures that imitate natural habitats, with regular veterinary checks and structured feeding and breeding programmes. Each show also explains the role snakes play in the ecosystem.

For fans of the series

A movie-set photo stand recreates the look of the filmed snake-show scene, so you can take a picture in the same setting. The snakes in the show can also be read as symbols of control, fear and freedom, and the scene fits the series' themes of identity clashes and spiritual unease.

The snake-themed shop

After the show, the on-site shop stocks snake-venom creams and supplements, which are Thai wellness products inspired by antivenom medicine. It also sells jewellery, scarves, T-shirts and other accessories with snake motifs. A multilingual catalogue is available in English, Thai, Chinese, Russian, German and other languages, and multilingual staff can answer questions about the products.