Surgery, recovery & the trip — booked together

Five cities

Where to have surgery abroad

Compare five cities for surgery abroad: Bangkok, Seoul, Istanbul, Manila and Taipei. Explore procedures, travel arrangements and recovery options in each destination.

Start with the city pages for Bangkok, Seoul, Istanbul, Manila and Taipei. Your coordinator can help you compare the options around your procedure and travel plans.

A golden temple and the Bangkok skyline along the Chao Phraya river at blue hour, a longtail boat in the foreground

BKK — BANGKOK

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok offers body contouring, gender-affirming care, and orthopedics. Your coordinator helps you consider hospitals against our written vetting standard and plan a recovery stay in the city.

Body · GAS · Orthopedic

Surgery in Bangkok

What we ask of partner hospitals

  • Before referral, we require JCI accreditation and an in-person hospital visit.
  • Operating surgeons must be board-certified by the Medical Council of Thailand, with years in the specialty and annual case volume confirmed in writing by the hospital
  • Our standard is follow-up check-ins with patients after their procedure and regular hospital review.
Gyeongbokgung palace gate in Seoul with modern glass towers behind, pedestrians crossing the square

ICN — SEOUL

Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is known for facial surgery and non-invasive treatments. We look for hospitals and clinics with experience in your specific procedure and ask for credentials and case volume before referral.

Facial · Non-invasive

Surgery in Seoul

What we ask of partner hospitals

  • Before referral, we require a site visit; clinics that do not meet the standard are not offered.
  • Facial surgeons must be certified by the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, with revision rates requested and reviewed alongside case volume
  • A Korean-English medical interpreter is arranged for every consult we book
A ferry crossing the Bosphorus in front of Istanbul's domes and minarets under a pastel dusk sky

IST — ISTANBUL

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is widely known for hair restoration — 'getting it done in Turkey' has become shorthand in the industry, and people have been flying in for over a decade. Its JCI-accredited hospitals also cover body contouring and major orthopedic surgery such as limb lengthening.

Hair transplants, body contouring, and limb lengthening.

Surgery in Istanbul

What we ask of partner hospitals

  • Before referral, we require JCI accreditation and a visit to orthopedic wards and rehabilitation floors.
  • Limb-lengthening and joint surgeons must have documented case volume verified against hospital registries, not self-reported
  • Before travel, we ask for a written physical-therapy plan; our standard includes follow-up check-ins after the procedure.
Palm trees lining the Manila Bay promenade with the city skyline across the water at sunset

MNL — MANILA

Manila, Philippines

Zero language friction — English is the language of business and medicine here. Manila's biggest advantage isn't discretion — it's that there's no language barrier at all, which matters more than people expect when you're already nervous about surgery.

Vision · Dental · Bariatric

Surgery in Manila

What we ask of partner hospitals

  • Before referral, we require JCI accreditation or Philippine Department of Health licensing and an in-person hospital visit.
  • Ophthalmology and dental leads must be board-certified, with device and lens brands confirmed in writing
  • Before referral, we require confirmation of English-speaking clinical support.
Taipei 101 rising above the city skyline under a moody blue-grey sky, seen from green hills

TPE — TAIPEI

Taipei, Taiwan

A full executive health workup compresses months of US appointments into a single visit. Taipei's executive health screening draws in international professionals who treat a once-a-year full-body workup the way they'd treat any other high-value service — quietly, efficiently, without missing a week of work.

Health Screening · Orthopedic

Surgery in Taipei

What we ask of partner hospitals

  • Before referral, we require a visit to screening units, including imaging and lab facilities.
  • Internists and orthopedic leads must be specialty board-certified at accredited hospitals, with equipment age and accreditation dates checked
  • Before referral, we ask hospitals how patients can obtain translated screening reports and discuss them with their clinician.

Side by side

Compare destinations

Pick a procedure focus, then up to three cities. Weigh procedure fit against the recovery experience and the logistics of getting there.

BKK

Bangkok

Best for
Body contouring, gender-affirming care, orthopedics
Typical savings vs US
72%
English-language ease
8 / 10
Flight from US hub
~19 hrs (1 stop)
Visa (US citizens)
Visa-free, 60 days
Recovery setting
Private serviced residence near Sukhumvit hospital district

ICN

Seoul

Best for
Facial surgery, skin technology, non-invasive
Typical savings vs US
58%
English-language ease
7 / 10
Flight from US hub
~14 hrs (direct)
Visa (US citizens)
Visa-free, 90 days
Recovery setting
Design-led apartment in Gangnam, steps from clinic row

Still torn? Talk to a coordinator about two cities — your coordinator can help you compare them, side by side.

Coming soon

Two more countries, on the way.

We're building out partnerships in Mexico and Colombia next. Here's what each will specialize in — and if you don't want to wait, tell us what you're looking for and we'll start looking into it now.

Mexico

Coming soon

Monterrey · Guadalajara · Mexico City · Cancún

Guadalajara
Mexico's broadest specialty range in one city: cardiac surgery, oncology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, bariatric surgery, and cosmetic surgery, at JCI-accredited hospitals.
Mexico City
The deepest bench for advanced, complex care: cardiac, oncology, and neurology, at hospitals that rival top facilities anywhere in Latin America.
Monterrey
Modern hospital infrastructure and a strong reputation for advanced-technology care.
Cancún
Dental care, cosmetic surgery, orthopedic surgery, and fertility treatment, with a genuine beachfront recovery setting few other destinations can match.

Colombia

Coming soon

Bogotá · Medellín

Medellín
Colombia's aesthetic surgery capital, and one of the highest-volume cosmetic surgery markets in the world: BBL, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, mommy makeovers, hair transplants, and dentistry, performed by SCCP-certified surgeons. Colombian surgeons pioneered HD liposuction using VASER and J-Plasma technology — now standard here, not a premium add-on.
Bogotá
The broadest multidisciplinary backup for complex cases: cardiac, oncology, orthopedics, and fertility treatment, alongside a strong cosmetic surgery market of its own.

Can't wait? Tell us what you're looking for in Mexico or Colombia, and we'll start looking into your specific request as we build out these markets.