Elephant Nature Park Chiang Mai

Probably the highlight of my trip to Thailand.

Elephants have been a very important figure in Thai history, helping in agriculture, work and in general to develop the country. Nowadays they are used mainly for touristic reasons. You can go an see them working with logs of wood, or even painting with their tusk. Or you can ride them on an organised jungle trek. However here are some reason why you should NOT DO these activities.

Working and painting elephants are usually trained in extremely painful ways, since they are babies. The way they are trained is by being poked with stick with nails at the end when they don't follow orders, and being their skin quite tough they get poked where it hurts: eyes and ears. They showed us a video at the Elephant Nature Park and it was painful just to watch it.

Feeding the Elephants "the proper way" at Elephant Nature Park

Riding elephants is not that bad, but the huge saddle they put on their backs to comfortably carry you around is quite heavy and uncomfortable for them, often leading to back problems (like in the case of the elephant Khun Min). On top of that they have to endure never ending shifts to support the tourists demand, and in worse cases they are trained like the “painters” elephants, sometimes drugged to endure long shifts and generally mistreated.

The worse thing you could do as tourist is support the cruel activity of bringing elephants to big cities as a tourist attraction by feeding the elephants on the streets of Bangkok or Chiang Mai. It doesn't take a genius to understand that the center of a huge, noisy and polluted metropolis is not the best environment for a baby elephant. If you look at these small elephants you'll see them rocking forward and backward at all times. A clear sign of stress. So once again don't support the people behind this business by buying overpriced bananas and sugarcanes to have a picture of yourself feeding them.

So what do you then at the Elephant Nature Park then? Well you spend a day simply.. hanging out with the elephants. Looking after them and learning all explained above and a lot more about these great creatures.

I booked online through the official website, saving on agency or hotel commission. They come and pick you up wherever you're staying. First stop then is a the fruit and veg market, where you browse around a bit before helping loading trucks with the elephants lunch. Would you believe they eat 250kgs of fruits and veg a day? I struggle with my 5-a-day!


Then after a bit of a ride you arrive to the Park. The place is basically a sanctuary for mistreated elephants. While there you get to know them (personally), feed them (the proper way) and hear their stories (well, not from them). Some of them have a very rough past, and it's great to see them fully recovered and happy. The Elephant Nature Park acts like a hospital as well, curing the elephants from any injury their past owners gave them. Each day the workers and volunteers (yes you can volunteer and spend a week or two there) have a list of tasks to do, like disinfecting injuries or administrating eye drops.


After a delicious lunch (worth the entrance fee alone) comes the fun part: everybody down to the river to bath the elephants. Inevitably, due to the kids around, the heat and the fun atmosphere, there will be some kind of water fight.


During the day you'll also meet Lek, the founder of the Park. Make sure to get a chance to chat to her. Lek is an extraordinary woman indeed (2005 Time Magazine 'Asian Hero of the year'). She's tiny, but radiates her passion and strong will like an aura around her. Lek also started a project related to the Nature Park. It's called Jumbo Express and consist of rescuing and giving medical care for elephants in remote areas. Part of your admittance fee (which is a bit more expensive than other tourist elephant activities, but indeed worth every penny) goes to the project.


When the time comes to go back to your accommodation (and that is after a second bathing session and watching a documentary about the cruelties elephants still endure in Thailand) you'll be sorry to leave such a oasis where people and nature co-exist so well. And maybe you'll even consider going back to spend a few days there (accommodation available) or even to volunteer there. I did consider it as well, but then forgot that I could only stay 30 days in Thailand with my visa. It was time to go back to Bangkok, and after a few days there fly to Singapore.

Read more about my Adventures in Chiang Mai or Bangkok...

Chiang Mai: A Guide to Avoid Tourist Hordes

For many Chiang Mai is the second Thai must see destination after Bangkok; at least if you're on a cultural trip rather than a sun & beaches trip. It sounds intriguing indeed, with less stress, traffic and confusion than Bangkok, and many temples (30 just inside the small old city) to be visited. The countryside, with tribe villages, jungle treks and rivers to explore bamboo rafting are just outside town too. Altogether a real picture of “life in Thailand outside the Bangkok metropolis”.


Well I can say that definitely many people go there. I wasn't really able to fully enjoy the magic of the place, feeling at all time a tourist between the tourists. Many of them were the worse type: huge groups in all-organised tours, or Lonely Planet worshipers. I don't think I've ever seen so many guidebooks in one place and time. Honestly, these people wouldn't step a meter further without consulting their guidebook. They didn't have the guidebook in their bag, opening it at a crossroad or in front of a temple. The guidebook would be always, constantly in front of their face, often covering the real sights.


Many told me how until not too long ago Chiang Mai was not this popular and was a little paradise. I guess the two main culprits are the above mentioned guidebooks and a direct flight from Phuket, bringing the worse kind of tourist in town: the Phuket holiday makers, that now can tell their friends how their holiday was not only laying on a beach, they “saw a lot of Thai culture” too).

My main goal as a consequence became avoiding the masses of white flesh (definition borrowed from this interesting post) and trying to find some nice secluded spots. So here's my:

Guide to avoid tourist hordes in Chiang Mai

Night Market
One of the most popular spots in town. Hundreds of stalls selling basically everything, although mostly t-shirts and souvenirs; don't expect the variety of Bangkok street markets. Be there from 6 to 8, while the masses are having dinner. After 8 Spanish, Italian and French will be the only languages you'll hear, and it will be almost impossible to walk around.

Famous Temples
Yes, while you're there you want to see the most famous ones. Be there early in the morning (you can take beautiful pics of the begging monks going around town too), or choose a rainy day. Go, don't expect to be in an environment to contemplate the beauty of the temples or meditate, try not too have too many random tourists in your pics and leave.


Not Famous at all Temples
My favourite past-time. Start walking, at some stage get off the main road and get lost. Best way to find the odd temple with nobody in there. Nobody, sometime a dog or cat having a nap just outside. Not even the monks inside. All for you. Bless. Admire the Buddha statues, have a look at the paintings. Take your time. Sit down and have a bit of me time. You could even bring a book. And experience a Buddha smile appearing on your face thinking of the people fighting to take a picture of the “recommended” temple.

City Arts & Cultural Center
I would normally avoid museums. As Coelho said talking about travelling in his blog: “if you are in a foreign city, isn’t it far more interesting to seek out the present, than the past?”. This one is abit different. First of all it's an almost tourist free oasis. When I was there we were in all 5-6 visitors, scattered through many floors, baconies and verandas. The museum will give you a good insight on history, culture and significance of Chiang Mai. Plus a couple of very nice shrines.


Tours to typical villages (including Long Neck tribes)
Unfortunately to avoid most of them. Best case it's just a tourist trap. Some "be the first one to visit" villages are just a series of gift shops. Villagers are sometime exploited, like the sad case of the Long Neck Karen tribes; people who've been in the villages described it as a human zoo.

Dining
Loads of pretty girls calling you for food, drinks and company on the main road. They say "welcome" like if you were already in (while it's clear you have no intention to go in) and offer the best burgers and pizzas. No thanks. Find a local with a good menu with lot of things to try out, and no girls calling you. Stick to the place. After a few times you'll become a local, and it's nice to chat to the staff, see how they see the world, and what is it like to live in Chiang Mai. Some old expat might be around too, usually with better English than the residents and the vision of someone who has not simply seen but lived in both East and West of the world. Usually a good chat.

If you're going to Chiang Mai I hope this little guide is helpful. If you're just following my adventures.. well that's how I did it folks!

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