SFtravlr

. Starting 3 nights in Bangkok, then I have 3 days to try out the inland nature of Thailand before heading to Phuket/Phi Phi.
I'd like to see the elephants and other Thai animals and have a nice day of whitewater rafting. I'd like the resort to be memorable as well, having beautiful rooms/cabins and all typical 4 star and up offerings. Saw the Four Seasons Chaing Lai. Beautiful but can't swing the price

dannii

Please read what Dr. Joyce Poole, elephant researcher of 37 years, has to say about elephant rides:

“The brutal truth is that most elephants are trained for elephant back rides or safaris through a practise no elephant owner will talk about. The elephants' spirits are broken through unbelievably gruesome methods, while they are tied up or chained in a pen where they cannot move….. With the growing number of tourists and many ignorant travel agencies and tour operators, the life and well being of hundreds of elephants both in Asia and in Africa is at stake.” Her entire statement: http://tiny.cc/rides-evo

The elephants thank you.

khunwilko

Anything to do with wildlife in
thailand is brought with problems - there is NO legislation to protect animals in Thailand.
however if you want to get info on these 2 subjects, try Thorn Tree - the Lonely Planet site.
most of the posters here would sink any raft and if they managed to climb onto an elephant would probably slip discs in both themselves and the elephant.

crosscheck

We went to elephant camp at the Anantara north of Chiang Rai, and although I am no expert, it seemed as if the elephants were treated humanely. The camp offers elephant driving, elephant bathing and forest living skills, plus you get to visit the baby elephants who live and roam freely in a large, gated area on the gorgeous grounds of hotel overlooking the Ruak river (which runs into the Mekong). No slipped discs, but my son did slip off his elephant and fall in the river while bathing his elephant.

The elephant camp is run by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, which also adopts orphan elephants - http://www.helpingelephants.org/home.html

We have not rafted in Thailand, but we are avid rafters (haven't sunk any rafts yet). Our friends went in Phang Nga near Khao Lak, which is very far from where the golden triangle where the elephants are - However, I believe there is also rafting near Chiang Mai on the Pao river. Not certain about the safety standards in either of those places, but I can say the elephant experience was a peak travel experience.

crellston

Unfortunately, the comments and link posted by dannii are spot on. Tourists taking elephant rides within Thailand are undoubtedly helping to perpetuate the mistreatment of these amazing animals. There are exceptions of course http://www.elephantnaturefoundation.org/go/foundation near Chiang Mai does dome good work as does a similar place at Lampang.

Rafting is available at lots of places around CM and even better further out at Pai and Mae Hong Sorn, although, with only 3 days this is a long way to go. Safety standards will of course be variable to non existent in many of the rafting places so if this concerns you choose your operator carefully. NB the dry cool season Nov - April probably won't provide much whitewater excitement.

Cattail

Yes, unfortunately we tourists, usually unknowingly, add to the elephant's plight. Fortunately, I was alerted to the situation in time to book at the spot crellston mentions - we're going there in two weeks! Here you may get the opportunity to trek with them, just not on them.

khunwilko

It is hardly likely that anyone trying to make money out of an elephant is going to openly mistreat it in front of the customers -especially if they are farang.

However the very existence of an elephant in captivity means that it has been "broken" - this can involve some of the most unbelievably horrendous treatment of the animal.
Try googling to find out - with captured wild elephants it is truly horrific!