Baanchang Elephant Park

Our last full day in Chiang Mai was spent at Baanchang Elephant Park.  I really wanted to go to a place where the elephants were treated well and not exploited in any way.  Of course, there really was no way for me to know for sure what happens when the tourists leave... but reviews of Baanchang were good and it was recommended to us by the owner our guesthouse.  

On our way to the elephant park, we made a brief stop at an orchid farm to pick up more passengers for the tour.

As soon as we arrived at the park, I was in awe...  Elephants are such gorgeous and intriguing creatures.  Our tour guide told us a lot about the elephants at the park - 21 in all.  The owners have made the park a sanctuary for the elephants.  They adopt and rescue elephants who have been treated poorly or exploited for money.

Elephants love to scratch themselves up against trees - it's like a self massage!

We had to wear these hideous clothes so the elephants think 

we are their mahouts (trainers) - then they will listen to and respect us

We got to feed the elephants their favorite treat: bananas!

We learned how to command the elephants to go

forward, turn left/right, stop, and lay down (to mount/dismount)

Then it was time for a bareback ride through the jungle!

Finally, we got to bathe the elephants, which is their 

other favorite activity (besides eating bananas)

Such a wonderful, once in a lifetime experience!!

I will definitely post more pictures of these amazing animals when I return home to Hawaii (I must have taken about 100!).  There were two elephants at the park that were a "couple" (we rode the male) - and the female was pregnant!  They were so adorable, they went off and ate together and they stayed together in the water. Tugged at my heartstrings a little :) 

We had one more morning in Chiang Mai, where we visit the oldest temple in the city... then, it was onward to Bangkok!  When all was said and done, Chiang Mai was by far one of the most exciting, interesting, and awesome places I've ever visited.

- Meredith ♡

["Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind." - Seneca]