In this post I’ll be writing about our visit to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, a park that rescues elephants at the end of their lives or who have suffered injuries from forced labour.
When we first visited Thailand in 2016, we went to an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai that I loved – the Elephant Nature Park.
The Elephant Nature Park is a rescue and rehabilitation centre for elephants rescued from situations such as circus performances and exploitation in the logging industry, where they often suffer physical injuries and psychological trauma. During our visit, we were able to observe the elephants in their natural habitat and had the opportunity to feed them at the end of the tour. You’ll also hear the individual stories of each elephant and their mahouts (caretakers), giving you a deeper insight into their background and recovery.
Unfortunately, as I write this post in October 2024, the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai has been affected by one of the worst floods in the last 30 years. The northern region of Thailand has been severely flooded and the park will need a great deal of support, especially when it reopens to visitors.
When we visited Phuket, I was keen to take Maria Rita to an elephant sanctuary. During my research I found many recommendations for the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary and learned that it was inspired by the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai.
The founder, who used to exploit elephants for tourist rides, decided to create a space that would promote ethical tourism and provide a peaceful life for elephants after years of abuse.
Find out everything about the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary here. I booked the tickets in advance through their website because I didn’t want to take any risks. At the time of booking, I paid a deposit of 30% of the total booking amount. On the day of the visit, we paid the remaining balance at the ticket office, along with any transport costs. The sanctuary also organises transport from the hotel to the park. In our case they picked us up in Khao Lak and later dropped us off at our hotel in Phuket’ old town. We left our luggage at the park reception during our visit.
The tour itself is very well organized. While waiting for the visit to start, drinks, fruit and snacks are available. There is also a buffet of vegetarian Thai food and drinks at the end of the tour.
And don’t worry about footwear, as they give you wellies to walk comfortably in areas where elephants roam, including muddy places. We chose the ‘An Afternoon with the Elephants’ programme from the various tour options available.
I highly recommend this activity while in Phuket!
Check out more suggestions on Things to do in Phuket and find all the posts about our trip to Thailand here.
