Marika Nanni is establishing a unique presence at the convergence of wellness, clean beauty, and sustainability from her base in Bangkok. With Thai and Italian heritage, Nanni returned to her Thai roots after three decades living abroad in Hong Kong and London. In 2019, she co-founded Moringa Project, a family-run, female-led spa and beauty brand that grows its own nutrient-rich moringa on Hua Hin farmlands. This homegrown crop is the cornerstone of the premium skincare line she first crafted from the living room of her Thonglor townhouse, after over 15 years of experience building luxury, fashion, and lifestyle brands in marketing and communications.
Today, Moringa Project is featured in publications like Vogue Thailand and selected for the treatment menus of Asia’s most discerning hotels and resorts, including the Mandarin Oriental, Anantara and Four Seasons. Nanni’s leadership extends from formulation to training spa teams across the region. The brand champions a core philosophy of natural efficacy, provenance, and slow beauty. As the global wellness market pivots decisively toward sustainability and transparency, Nanni’s venture offers a compelling blueprint: marrying the “miracle moringa” with Southeast Asian tradition and modern, global ambition.
Favourite local restaurants in your Bangkok neighbourhood?
Between Pridi, Thonglor and Ekamai areas you will find many restaurants tucked away in residential neighbourhoods. Zao serves up North-Eastern Thai Isaan food in a traditional wooden house setting. The food goes beyond the usual somtam and larb to dishes that are more exciting (aka pungent), rare to find in the city with fresh ingredients and flavours speaking to ‘real Isaan’. For southern Thai food – think yellow curry paste, sour soups and LOTS of spice, I go to Kua Kling Pak Sod in Thonglor.
El Willy Spanish Kitchen hidden on a quiet soi is great for a night out with friends if you want super tasty Spanish food, what Chef Willy calls ‘sexy tapas’, paired with a great wine selection.
Local hidden gem?
My hidden gems in the city tend to be green spaces as they aren’t easy to come across without making a bit of an effort. Bang Krachao is the ‘green lung’ and is literally a green island in the heart of Bangkok, best accessed by a long tail boat from Klong Toei pier. Cycle around the fields and explore all the coffee spots. Not so hidden but under-visited in my opinion is the new Benjakritti Forest Park smack in the middle of downtown Bangkok Lumpini area. Go for lush green marshes and lotus ponds with an elevated walkway and now a new sports complex in old tobacco factories.
Best local bars in Bangkok?
Freaking out the Neighbourhood in Thonglor is a small but serious vinyl bar for music lovers. You’ll find people sitting at the bar, usually solo, actually listening to the music. It calls itself a ‘listening bar’, so don’t go there in a big crowd expecting a karaoke night, this is a quiet place to appreciate and discover a wide genre of curated music over carefully prepared cocktails. For similar vibes, but you actually want to chat to your friends, Modern-Day Culture is another vinyl bar that is cozy but with a great atmosphere and a soundtrack of 90’s hip hop and R&B vibes to reminisce to.
Favourite places to shop?
Two things you can’t beat in Bangkok – malls and markets. I prefer shopping at the markets, Chatuchak Market for home interiors and decoration and Srinakarin Train Night Market to explore vintage finds. If i’m In Hong Kong then it’s HULA for pre-loved fashion, they have an amazing new space called Hub in Quarry Bay.
Hong Kong hotspots you always revisit?
Yardbird, Bar Leone, Grand Majestic Sichuan and finally China Club is an institution that reminds me of old Hong Kong days.
Tell us more about the Moringa plant and its place in Thai culture?
Moringa is one of the most nutrient-dense plants in the world, and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years but in Thailand it has become a bit of a forgotten ancient remedy, better known as a vegetable in gang som soup. For those that know Moringa, it can lower inflammation in the body, provide energy, boost the immune system and nourish the skin with its abundance of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Not surprising, it’s called ‘The Miracle Tree’. Our goal at Moringa Project is to re-introduce this very powerful plant to the people and educate on the benefits to heal and nourish, both inside and out.
We see a homegrown boom lately. What’s special about Thai wellness and beauty?
Thai wellness is deeply rooted in ancient tradition, herbal medicine and traditions but it’s now being reinterpreted by modern home grown brands that combine craftsmanship and locally sourced ingredients with modern techniques and contemporary design to make it more relatable and accessible. There’s an abundance of local Thai ingredients that are effective, and combined with expertise in holistic wellness is elevating the “Made in Thailand’ to a global audience.
Spa, health or wellness routine you swear by?
Making movement a daily priority whether that is a walk, yoga, pilates, spin and more recently tennis, preferably in the morning as it sets me up for my day. Frequent massages to detox and relax, luckily in Bangkok that’s easy to do and affordable and they also come to your home, too easy! If I have time I’ll visit a spa that also has an onsen. For my skin, moringa oil is a must, if I miss it my skin is not happy.
Travel spurge you’ll never forget.
A trip to Sri Lanka pre-kids took us to some incredible places in Galle, Kandy and Colombo. We travelled mainly by car and train and it was magical! I did all the hotel bookings, all of them way over budget. My husband only found out years later the real cost of that trip but totally worth every penny.
Where do you go for pure escapism?
A retreat somewhere on my own. The last few years I went to the Kamalaya Resort but this year I decided to do something different and go on a Vipassana retreat – it will be 2 very different types of ‘escapes’.
Where do you go for stimulation and creative energy?
Buzzing, creative energy is everywhere in Bangkok so I don’t have to go far. I love going to Pak Klong Talad, the wholesale flower market mountains of orchids and exotic flowers are so visually stimulating. The energy is electric, especially late at night when the real action happens. I find that that area in general, running along the Chao Praya River from Chinatown: Talad Noi to Song Wat, incredibly creative – a clash of contemporary culture, old nostalgia and architecture: its now dotted with cool restaurants and art galleries like Bangkok Kunstalle, Warehouse 30 and ATT19.
Where do you go when you need a creative reset?
Anywhere by the sea. That’s where I feel most at peace, grounded and open to new ideas and possibilities.
Favourite resort hotels in Thailand?
Baba Ecolodge is a very special place to connect to nature, fully disconnect and where time slows down. I find this very rare nowadays to fully switch off on holiday. Kamalaya in Koh Samui for their wellness programmes and The Sukhothai Bangkok for an escape from the city within the city.
Dream vacation, not yet fulfilled?
Bhutan has been on the top of my list for years. I would love to experience its rich culture and Buddhist traditions, set against a breathtaking natural landscape. My other dream vacation would be to sail across the Mediterranean starting from Spain to Italy, Croatia down to Greece and across to Turkey.
