Travel to Thailand and leave without seeing an elephant
Don’t you think it’s a pity?
Thailand as the Land of Elephants， there are many places where you can see elephants.
But in recent years，People are becoming more and more aware that animals also need human protection. So safe and elephant-friendly play is our best choice
In order to let the little friends who love elephants not be disappointed, we recommends two kinds of friendly ways to get close to elephants.
Elephant Sanctuary
Elephant sanctuaries are currently the most recommended way to get close to elephants.
The elephants here are rescued from circus camps. In the elephant sanctuaries, they will no longer be mercilessly beaten and do not have to worry about their daily food and livelihood issues. They can live according to their natural instincts, carefree and without worries.
The existence of the elephant protection camp gives elephants hope for survival, and it also allows everyone to play with elephants at ease.
When you come to the elephant protection camp, you can only be an elephant breeder for a day, walk with it, feed it, bathe it…
Not only can you get in touch with elephants, but you can also really understand the living habits of elephants and experience being close to elephants The wonderful feeling that arises from time to time~
Chiang Mai Elephant Nature Park
The Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai is currently the most respected elephant conservation camp in Thailand by Western tourists, and it is not one of them.
That’s because, it’s the first sanctuary in Thailand that’s really dedicated to protecting elephants!
Since 2003, the Elephant Nature Park has had a complete system for rescuing elephants and has its own foundation. It has been highly recognized and supported by many international organizations and has attracted animal advocates from all over the world.
There are only two ways to get up close and personal with elephants at the Elephant Nature Park: as a volunteer or by choosing an experiential tour. Due to high demand, it’s best to make reservations one month in advance.
There are one-day tour, two-day one-night tour and short-distance one-day tour optional. The main activities are bathing elephants, making and feeding elephant food, walking with elephants in the fields…
But watch out! There is no elephant riding here.
If you choose to be a volunteer, you need to stay in the elephant park for seven days. During these seven days, I will take care of the elephants wholeheartedly, learn from the mahout to feed the elephants, clean the pens, repair the facilities, lead the tourists on the experience tour…
It is hard and tiring, but there are still many people vying to be volunteers every year.
In addition to elephants, tourists can also experience activities such as hiking, mud bathing, and visiting villages. The rich items are also particularly novel and interesting among the many elephant protection camps in Chiang Mai, and staying for a week will not be boring.
Address: 1 Ratmakka Road, Phra Sing, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Opening hours: 07:00-17:00
Elephant Retirement 9 Dee
Elephant Retirement 9 Dee in Phuket is currently the most popular elephant conservation camp on Phuket.
Here we call for hugging and companionship instead of riding an elephant, and treat elephants in a kind and gentle way, from which we can find better fun.
And Naidi Elephant has customized a complete travel experience for tourists, and is more considerate in service.
Full pick-up and drop-off, as soon as you arrive at the elephant camp, there will be exquisite snacks, coffee and tea provided.
During the process of enjoying snacks, the staff will explain the precautions. I also carefully prepared the special national costumes of the elephant camp to avoid getting my clothes dirty.
A day as an elephant keeper goes like this:
The first is to prepare a meeting gift for the elephants – DIY elephant snacks by yourself. During the feeding process, you can touch the elephants and stroke their trunks to gradually get acquainted.
Afterwards, give the elephant a Thai herbal massage, feed the elephant’s favorite banana sugar cane, and interact closely with the elephant.
Go for a walk with the huge elephants in the jungle, and listen to the stories of each elephant introduced by the staff.
Then there is the mud SPA, where you apply skin care products for elephants in the mud, and return to the three-year-old in a second to play in the mud.
Go to the small stream with the mud elephant to take a bath. In the process of washing and brushing, there is a splashing battle with the elephant, and there are constant laughter.
There are staff members taking pictures for free throughout the process to capture the most vivid and natural images.
After splashing water, change into your own clothes after washing, and you can go to the restaurant to enjoy delicious Thai food. The restaurant provides the opportunity to learn how to cook Thai food. After eating, we formally bid farewell to the lovely elephants and took a special car back to the hotel.
The activities are rich and interesting, and you can experience so many impressive projects in just half a day. It is very suitable for tourists with tight schedules.
Address: 228 Thanon Si Sunthon, Cherngtalay Thalang District, Phuket 83110
Opening hours: 08:30–16:30
Elephant Resort
In addition to going to the elephant protection camp to get close to elephants, there are several hotels in Thailand that also provide contact with elephants. Living under the same roof with an elephant is a special experience!
Chai Lai Orchid
This Chai Lai Orchid resort in Chiang Mai seems to have been written by Xiao Taitai several times, but every time it writes about elephants or the most special homestay, it is always not to be ignored in the list.
The advantages and disadvantages of this homestay are very obvious. The elephant calls early, it is interesting and special, and there are many play items. But it is far away from downtown Chiang Mai, the environment is primitive, the living conditions are not good, and there are not many options.
Despite this, many people still choose to stay at this homestay. I think they must truly love elephants!
In fact, the Karen tribe, who live in the mountainous area where the homestay is located, used to make a living by logging with trained elephants. However, in 1989, the government ordered a ban on logging, and in order to make a living, the Karen people had to sell their elephants to circuses and elephant performance camps.
In order to rescue the elephants, the homestay owner collaborated with the Karen tribe, allowing them to bring the elephants to the homestay every day. Homestay guests could then feed and bathe the elephants, improving their lives while also helping the Karen people earn income without having to sell their elephants.
And thus, the Elephant Homestay was born!
Every morning for guests staying at the homestay, an elephant will knock on the window to wake you up and ask you for bananas.
Walk with the elephants in the jungle in the morning, feed the elephants in the grass shed at noon, and play with the elephants in the Repulse Bay in the afternoon to take a bath.
With such a special and humanized accommodation experience, it is no wonder that you will be very moved.
In addition to elephant activities, there are other activities such as bamboo rafting, secret exploration, and visits to Karen villages. The play items are very rich!
Address: 202 หมู่ที่ 9 Tambon Mae Win, Amphoe Mae Wang, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50360
Price: 1,150-2,100 baht , elephant morning call service 1,500 baht per room.
Transportation: You can make an appointment for homestay pick-up, 800 baht one way, 1400 baht round trip, it takes about 30-40 minutes from the ancient city of Chiang Mai to here.
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort Chiang Saen
Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Chiang Saen should be the earliest famous elephant hotel!
The group to which the hotel belongs has specially set up an elephant protection fund. In order to protect Asian elephants, this elephant protection camp hotel was established in Chiang Saen.
There are nearly 30 elephants in the hotel. As soon as you enter the hotel lobby, there are two elephants in front of the door, waiting for guests to feed sweet sugar cane. The other elephants just carry passengers around the forest a few times a day without carrying heavy loads or performing acrobatics. They can move freely at other times.
In the hotel, we can also see elephants and young elephants walking in the bamboo forest together, playing in the water by the stream to cool down, enjoying their own joy of life.
As a high-end five-star hotel, Anantara Hotel exudes luxurious taste indoors and outdoors. It uses Thai wood and gorgeous Thai silk. The warm brown tone makes the hotel full of the unique temperament of the Golden Triangle.
The hotel’s restaurant, swimming pool, and all guest rooms overlook the Mekong River and the valley of the Golden Triangle.
The hotel’s SPA room is one of the three most famous SPAs in Thailand, and you can experience the subtleties of the most classic Poo Loey SPA.
You can also choose where you want to eat. You can have lunch with elephants on the viewing platform overlooking the Mekong River, on the terrace of the rice fields, or in the elephant camp.
The hotel has achieved the ultimate in comfort and service, of course, the price will not be cheap!
Address: 229 Moo 1, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand
Price: 17,750-43,300 baht