Top 5 Elephant Activities in Chiang Rai
Branches snap as broad gray feet climb the hill, navigating slippery rocks, mud, and twisted roots with ease. Here’s a jungle dweller who doesn’t need a machete to cut through the thick vegetation of the forest that surrounds Chiang Rai. His elephant companion is in his natural habitat, and you can accompany him on the journey.
One of the most exciting and peaceful experiences to have in the famous Golden Triangle area of Northern Thailand is interacting with the local elephants. While the best-known way to do this is to take an elephant ride through the jungle, there are plenty of ways to make new friends with these giant beauties. While your Chiang Rai resort can help you explore the many options for meeting elephants, here are the top 5 tips to get you started.
5. Train to be a ‘mahout’, or elephant handler: Before you go on an elephant trek through the jungles around Chiang Rai, learn how to drive and guide an elephant the way mahouts do, or traditional elephant trainers, with a series of soft commands and subtle movements. You’ll be amazed at how easily one of these gentle giants responds to the slightest touch!
4. Learn more about local elephant rescue and conservation efforts: Anyone who encounters an elephant in the Golden Triangle, whether through their resort in Chiang Rai or elsewhere, is bound to feel an urge to protect these creatures from negative human interference and destruction of their natural habitat. Fortunately, there are foundations in Chiang Rai, like the Golden Triangle Asian Elephants Foundation, who are working hard to help the elephants of Thailand, and are always happy to talk about the situation and how you can help.
3. Bathe the Elephants in the River – Literally get dirty with your new friends when you help the mahouts bathe the elephants in the local rivers. Particularly during the hot season in Chiang Rai, elephants love to splash around in the water even more than their human counterparts, so grab some old shorts and get ready for a bathing experience like no other.
2. Watch the annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament: For the past several years, the Golden Triangle has hosted one of the most unusual and exciting sporting events in the world: elephant polo. On the stunning hillside polo fields of Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, a Chiang Rai resort in the heart of the Golden Triangle, teams of three battle it out as the elephant, mahout and player must work in harmony to reach the goal. . For 2010, the tournament begins on March 15 and promises to be as exciting as ever.
1. Go on an elephant trek – While there are obviously a number of ways to engage with elephants while visiting Chiang Rai, nothing beats a trek through the jungle on the back of one of these magnificent creatures. See them in their natural habitat, surrounded by lush vegetation, wild orchids, hidden rivers, and even other forest animals. At once breathtaking and relaxing, rocking on the back of an elephant while walking through the forest and by the water is an unforgettable memory of your trip to the Golden Triangle.