ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary (Ethical) tours

The tour guide's humorous and engaging explanations helped me better understand the characteristics of Asian elephants. Highly recommend this must-do experience in Chiang Mai, a rare opportunity. You can choose whether or not to play with the elephants in the water (you will get completely wet), and during the subsequent bamboo rafting, your lower body will definitely get wet. For shoes, you can bring flip-flops and wear comfortable shoes that are easy to change into at any time, or you can just wear flip-flops the entire time, like I did. Solo traveler friendly! 08:00 pick me up - 8:20 pick up other group members, including those meeting at the gathering point, and depart, driving towards the mountains - 9:45 Play with elephants - 11:00 Make vitamin balls - 11:50 Lunch (chicken curry/appetizing cold vegetable salad/chicken nuggets/watermelon) - 12:30 Head to a small waterfall to play in the water - 13:30 Rafting, a fun experience, very chill and peaceful, experience the tranquility of the small town drifting on the river - Around 16:00 Return to the city. Unfortunately, the driver forgot to take me back to the hotel, so I had to get back on my own.

The tour leader was extremely attentive, even providing towels, tea, water, and snacks while we were playing in the water, making our trip very comfortable. The bamboo rafting was a lot of fun, and the cool stream water combined with the sunshine was very pleasant. We were also lucky enough to see elephants bathing, which was a delightful surprise.

Really really good tour especially the bamboo rafting in the river and great nature. So beautiful. However the pickup takes a bit longer time due to city traffic. otherwise everything is so perfect 竹筏丛林漂流很舒服 大自然真的很美。接送的过程稍微时间拖得很长。

Itinerary: Pick-up from the hotel around 1 PM sharp. The vehicle is air-conditioned and the drive to the park is about 1 hour. After getting off the vehicle, you will be divided into two groups, one with a Mandarin guide and another with an English guide. After placing your personal belongings in a lockable locker, you will change into a Karen traditional shirt. Then, you will receive an explanation of elephant communication language and herbal ball making, after which you can feed the elephants and interact with them for photos (you can ask the guide to help take group photos). Afterwards, you will walk with the elephants in the jungle. At the river, you can apply mud to the elephants and bathe them. After the bath, you will return to the camp for a quick rinse, drink hot tea, and then take the original vehicle to their cafe for refreshments (fried rice, spring rolls, soup, and fruit are available). The cafe is located by the river, with a very relaxing atmosphere. Finally, you will be transported back to your Chiang Mai hotel. Guide: The whole activity is great, the staff are very friendly, and the interaction with the elephants is natural. They do not force the elephants to do anything. In addition, the park also has a baby elephant named Ai Ai, who is not yet three years old, and is very playful and cute.

It was a perfect tour. Before meeting the elephants, we were given explanations about elephant language and food, and the staff was very interesting and fun to listen to. We walked with the elephants, took photos with the elephants holding us, kissed our cheeks, and hugged us, which was very satisfying. They let us wear oversized clothes to prevent our clothes from getting dirty. The elephants go into the river to bathe, but the fountain from the elephant's trunk may get your hair and pants wet. It's okay as long as you're far away. At the end, the photos we took with the elephants are sold in frames made from poop paper. I think it was about 600 yen. We were the only ones on the zip line, so we were able to enjoy it smoothly. The staff took my phone and took good photos and videos. At the end, they gave us water. We had some time left, so we went to the long-neck village right next to it, as they told us it was there. It felt like an ordinary small village with no name on the map. We were planning to go to the long-neck village of Karen the next day, so we thought about buying souvenirs here too, but we thought it would help supplement their food, so we took photos with them and bought souvenirs before going home. I was very satisfied, so I recommend it.

This one-day tour of the old city was such a great value, and it's all thanks to our guide, Michael Jackson (who calls himself the Takeshi Kaneshiro of Thailand)! He was full of energy all day, and his professionalism was absolutely top-notch. He's Thai, but he speaks fluent Chinese and English. When he explained the dynasty history in Chinese, his logic was incredibly clear, and there were no communication barriers at all. What impressed us most was that he even prepared beautiful historical materials and before-and-after comparison images, allowing us to compare the current state of the historical sites with how they looked in the past. History instantly came to life, and it wasn't just about looking at stone buildings anymore. During the tour, he was also very patient in teaching us to speak Thai. Under the hot Bangkok sun, he always thoughtfully helped us find shady spots to take pictures and listen to his explanations, making the tour relaxing and comfortable for us. I really hope every group can meet a guide as excellent as Michael Jackson. He added so much to this trip! If you have the chance to join this tour, be sure to request this "Takeshi Kaneshiro of Thailand!"

When visiting Phuket, island hopping and water activities are definitely the most enjoyable, but the boat rides can be quite long. It's essential to get a good night's sleep the night before, otherwise, the next day's boat trip will be unbearable. I recommend purchasing your tour online in advance; they will contact you via email regarding hotel pickup times. We had a comfortable, spacious 9-seater shared van. Upon arriving at the pier, there were coffee, drinks, some small cookies, and toast available, which is great for anyone who didn't have time for breakfast. Bottled water is free on the boat, and lunch is a buffet served on Phi Phi Island. On the return trip, fruit is provided. You don't need to bring much money if you don't plan on making additional purchases. At the end, the guide individually asked for tips (though you don't have to give one), which felt a bit awkward, but I was very grateful to the captain and crew, so I did tip them.

Luxurious boat. Helpful staff to make people to snorkeling who are not so confident. Good food. Only drawback is since the boat is big it cannot go near the shore so you don't get to get down at any of the beach side.