A beach vacation can be more than beautiful. It can leave travellers with a deeper understanding of the people, traditions and natural environments that make a destination worth visiting in the first place. That desire is growing: according to Booking.com’s 2025 global research, nearly seven in 10 travelers (69%) want to leave the places they visit better than when they arrived. Across four resorts in Koh Samui, Khao Lak, Phi Phi Island and Phuket, OUTRIGGER brings that intention to life through locally shaped experiences centered on ocean health, cultural connection and the well-being of beach communities.
Each destination tells a different story. In Koh Samui, food waste becomes nourishment for a local farm and baby crabs are returned to the sea. In Khao Lak, guests can help restore mangrove forests and learn about native sea turtles. On Phi Phi Island, the traditions of a seafaring community reveal a culture shaped by the Andaman Sea. In Phuket, an early-morning walk along Surin Beach becomes an opportunity to care for its shoreline.
Together, these locally shaped efforts are part of OUTRIGGER Zone, the company’s overarching conservation initiative guiding action to protect ocean health and support coastal communities across its global resort portfolio.
“Caring for the ocean also means supporting the people, traditions and local knowledge that have shaped these destinations for generations,” said Damian Clowes, Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group. “By working alongside local partners, we can help guests experience southern Thailand in a way that feels more personal, meaningful and connected to place.”
OUTRIGGER PHI PHI ISLAND: BAREFOOT LUXURY & CULTURE SHAPED BY THE SEA
On Phi Phi Island, connection to the sea is expressed through the traditions of the Urak Lawoi, the seafaring people of the Andaman whose history is closely intertwined with the islands. At the newly opened OUTRIGGER Phi Phi Island Resort, handcrafted bead bracelets and other locally informed details recognise the Urak Lawoi community’s relationship with the sea and its place within the island’s living cultural identity.
That connection to place will also inspire a activity on 18th September at Loh Lana Bay, where 50 OUTRIGGER hosts, students from Laem Tong School and neighboring hotel teams will join a beach cleanup in celebration of World Cleanup Day. Following the cleanup, participants will take part in a two-hour upcycling workshop, turning collected waste into useful items and exploring practical ways to reduce waste and give discarded materials a second life.
These efforts form part of the resort’s wider sustainability programme, which includes on-site edible gardens and organic waste composting that supply the kitchens, wastewater recycling for irrigation, elimination of single-use plastics through reusable supplier packaging, Aqueous-Ozone cleaning systems that replace harsh chemicals and chlorine-free saltwater pools. Local sourcing is prioritised throughout, from Thai teak furnishings and Phuket-made villa amenities to seafood landed by the Sea Gypsy community on the resort beach, while electric vehicles support daily operations.
OUTRIGGER KOH SAMUI: FOLLOWING THE CONNECTION FROM LAND TO SEA
At OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort, caring for the coast begins well before the shoreline. The resort works with Suk Por Tao Farm, founded by Kanit Somwong, which redirects food waste to help feed hundreds of ducks, chickens, pigs, goats and cows. The farm currently manages more than 10 tons of food waste each day, demonstrating how discarded food can be put to productive use within the local community.
The resort will continue that commitment this September with a Food Waste Management activity on 15th September at BannYa Suanpu Learning Center. More than 30 OUTRIGGER hosts will prepare food waste to feed farm animals and turn fruit waste into natural liquid fertilizer, extending the resort’s focus on keeping food and organic materials in productive use within the local community.
Closer to the ocean, the resort supports the Baan Tai Crab Bank, where community members nurture crabs before releasing their young into the sea. The initiative released a reported three million baby crabs last year, helping replenish local waters and support an ecosystem important to coastal livelihoods. The resort also supports seagrass restoration, with more than 24,000 seedlings planted. Often overlooked, seagrass provides habitat for juvenile crabs and fish, protects coastlines, stores carbon and supports water quality.
OUTRIGGER KHAO LAK: PLANTING THE FORESTS THAT PROTECT THE COAST
At OUTRIGGER Khao Lak Beach Resort, guests can roll up their sleeves and help care for one of southern Thailand’s most important coastal ecosystems. The resort supports the restoration of mangrove forests, which store carbon, protect coastal communities from storms and erosion and provide essential nursery habitats for fish and other marine species. More than 3,000 mangrove trees are planted each year.
On 21st September, hosts will put that connection into action during a Sea Turtle Nursery Pond Cleaning at the Phang-Nga Sea Turtle Conservation Center, Royal Thai Navy. The activity will bring hosts together to clean the Sea Turtle Pond and Sea Turtle Nursery Pond, supporting the conservation work highlighted through the resort’s turtle-focused experiences.
Guests can also learn about native sea turtles through release and pond-cleaning programmes connected with leatherback, green, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles found in the region. Participation and release timing are determined by conservation needs and seasonal conditions.
The setting offers plenty of reasons to stay longer. Located directly on tranquil Bangsak Beach, the resort has spacious rooms and suites with balconies or terraces, along with seven standalone villas—four featuring private plunge pools. From May through October, seasonal swells bring Khao Lak’s emerging surf scene to life. Guests can spend the day catching waves nearby or taking part in a Muay Thai class before settling in for fresh seafood and sunset views at Edgewater.
OUTRIGGER SURIN: CARING FOR THE SHORELINE, ONE MORNING AT A TIME
At OUTRIGGER Surin Beach Resort, one of the most meaningful guest experiences begins with a simple walk along the sand. Guests are invited to join early-morning cleanups on Surin Beach, helping remove waste from the shoreline while learning more about its effect on beaches and marine environments. The experience offers an approachable way to give something back to the place guests have traveled to enjoy.
The resort is also extending its care for the local community beyond the beach. On 18th September, 30 hosts will take part in “From Waste to Warmth,” a month-long recycling campaign that encourages locals to collect and sort recyclable waste from home. The recyclables will be sold to SAO Cherngtalay, with proceeds exchanged for eggs to support bedridden patients in the local Bangtao community.
Further inland, the resort works with a local elephant sanctuary, where guests can learn from conservationists about the care of rescued Thai elephants and the importance of responsible wildlife tourism.
Experiences and conservation activities vary by resort, season and partner availability. For current schedules, rates and reservations, please visit OUTRIGGER.com.
Source: Organisations & Operators - breakingtravelnews
