THAI FEST

Some events entertain, and others transport. Thai Fest belongs to the second category.

Every year, for a single day, Banyan Tree Mayakoba not only organizes a festival: it creates another country on its own. The aromas, the colors, the sounds... everything changes. The resort's Thai architecture comes alive with live music, iconic tuk-tuks cruise the trails as in Chiang Mai, and a spice market makes you feel like you've crossed the world without leaving the Riviera Maya.

This 2025 will be its seventh edition. For many in the local community, it is a must-see tradition. It is a long-awaited event that combines gastronomy, culture, rituals, and surprise with a level of rarely seen detail.

What is thai fest at Banyan Tree Mayakoba?

Thai Fest is a celebration that honors Banyan Tree's Thai roots and allows them to flourish on Mexican soil. For more than a decade, the resort has been a bridge between two ancient cultures, and Thai Fest is its most vivid manifestation.

The team prepares for months. Chef May and her team begin designing the menu four months in advance. Traditional costumes arrive thanks to the support of the Thai Embassy in Mexico. Everything is set up to recreate the spirit of a typical day in Bangkok... but with the warmth of the Caribbean.

It is not a show. It is an experience to live with all five senses.

Connecting two cultures through the senses

Thai Fest is more than a gastronomic celebration; it is a cultural immersion. From the moment you cross the resort's threshold, you are surrounded by details: the aromas of incense, the traditional calligraphy, the decor, and the architecture of the lobby that evoke Thai temples. The atmosphere invites you to slow down, observe, to feel.

The hotel's Thai architecture serves as a natural backdrop, but the spirit transforms it. On this day, Thailand is not a theme; it is an essence.

Why Thai Fest is an eagerly awaited tradition every year.

Thai Fest has earned its place on the local agenda not because it is exclusive but because it is authentic. It allows you to live, for a few hours, in another part of the world. You can dance, explore new flavors, learn about an ancient culture, and hopefully meet someone who also came looking for the same thing: an experience with a soul.

And that's why, every year, people come back.

Thailand is closer than you think

Thai Fest doesn't seek to impress. It aims to connect. With the culture, with the community, and with the more human side of traveling without moving.

That's what has made it one of the year's most anticipated events, and that's what makes it a signature Banyan Tree event.

Our last edition.

Last June 7, 2025, we celebrated the seventh edition. In front of our emblematic lobby with its Lily Pond, we could taste the best Pad Thai, the traditional Som Tum papaya salad, shrimp wrapped in crispy noodles with spicy mango sauce, Goong Sarong, green curry with chicken and eggplant, Gaeng Kiew Wang Gai, to mention some of the traditional dishes of Saffron, our flagship restaurant.

One more edition has passed, and what makes us most proud is seeing how the ritual of gathering around the table is repeated. We are moved to welcome so many diners who return year after year to enjoy this evening, which has already become a tradition. Thai Fest is, in essence, a gathering to share, laugh, and celebrate.

With our hearts full and our palates grateful, we are already counting the days to welcome you for the eighth edition.