Tourist Elephants in Koh Samui
There are two tourist elephants in Koh Samui options available for the tourists. The options for tourists elephants are Trekking or an Elephant Sanctuary. The trekking and the sanctuary in Koh Samui Thailand are popular activities on the island. It is a personal choice to decide what is an ethical tourist elephants option.
Trekking Experience 2012 – Tourist Elephants
In 2010 the only option for tourists elephants in Koh Samui was trekking in the jungle and the forests of Koh Samui. The entrance to the trekking housed a baby elephant under the shade tied with a chain. The baby elephant was swaying from side to side. The tourists could take photos and videos of the baby elephant. At the trekking experience, the elephants are accessed via a purpose-built platform. I purchased bananas to feed the elephant and he stopped at regular intervals for a banana snack. The walk through the jungle on the elephant did not offer any views of the island. The experience at the trekking in the jungle was not what I thought it would be. The ride on the tourist elephants in Koh Samui was short and there was no real interaction with the elephant.
The Sanctuary Experience 2018 – Tourist Elephants
There were fifteen visitors to the elephant tour. The sanctuary staff talked about the history of the elephants and the on-going care. A video was shown to the guests about the elephants and their lifestyle. For the feeding experience, we were introduced to the elephants through the metal fencing. The fencing for the feeding is a safety aspect for both the elephants and the visitors. The larger elephants overpower the smaller elephants at feeding time and the fencing ensures they all get fed.
We walked with the elephants to the swimming pool area. The walk through the scrub land is another chance to feed the elephants. During the walk, the elephants nudged the guests for the food in the bags. In the swimming pool, the elephants splashed and trumpeted. After the pool, the elephants walked to the mud baths to massage themselves on the trees. There are opportunities to take pictures and video of the elephants throughout the tour. A Thai style lunch follows the tour in the communal area. There is a small gift shop on-site at the elephant sanctuary. The goods on sale are ethically handmade gifts.
Tourist Elephants in Koh Samui Summary
The Sanctuary Summary
In comparison to the wild, the elephant sanctuary is a small enclosure. The herd are free to roam the sanctuary enclosure. Interacting with the tourists is optional for the elephants. The tour at the Sanctuary lasted for 3 hours.
The Trekking Summary
The trekking ride is a set 15min route in the jungle of Samui. The elephants trek the path like pre-programmed robots. The cost of the elephants bananas is not included in the tour price. The mahouts use ropes to tie the seating to the elephants back. Throughout the day the elephants wear the seats without respite. The seat safety chain is not efficient if there was a fall.
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