Phuket Elephant Conservation

A brilliant visit to the conversation site. Melly our guide was brilliant, very knowledgeable and friendly with a great attitude. She carefully explained the key differences between wild and domesticated elephants. Unlike the recent review which I don’t think understood the difference, elephants like horses have been domesticated for centuries while there are also wild ones out in the jungle. Therefore these elephants can happily live in a more “human” environment without being poorly treated. This certainly feels ethical and not the same as visiting a drugged up tiger or camel rides in the desert. The elephants here simply do what they do - eat, sleep, bathe, and interact with humans. Anyway, the elephants are alert but relaxed and genuinely cared for by their carers who live with them 24/7. There’s no beating, sticks, riding, shouting or coercive behaviour. In fact one elephant, rescued from a circus, still does the odd little head dance or pose as it was previously conditioned to do it for food, but the guides don’t encourage it and the other elephants haven’t been trained to do the same. This place is a safe bet.

Absolute fantastic time at the conservation, our resident expert Soma was absolutely fantastic with all the facts about these gentle giants, not a rope or chain in sight, the elephants where playful and hungry hahaha. This was one of our bucket lists and so happy we picked this place to tick this one off, would highly recommend visiting ..... you can also try thai cooking if you are one for that 😋 😍🙏🐘🐘

!!!! I am writing this review as a sincere and urgent WARNING to anyone considering a visit.!!!! This place presents itself as a loving, ethical “sanctuary,” but the reality is deeply disappointing and morally troubling. The elephants here are not living freely, not living naturally, and certainly not living in an environment suited to their needs. Instead, they are guided along short, steep, muddy paths that are clearly harmful for older or previously overworked animals. There is no real freedom of movement; the elephants are only allowed to stand or walk where a guide permits it. What struck me most was the atmosphere: the Thai guides were harsh, unemotional, and acted more like controllers than caretakers. There was almost no sense of compassion—for the elephants or for the visitors. The so-called “bathing” happens in a tiny kiddie-pool-sized basin that offers no depth, no relief, and no natural behavior. Brushing elephants under a garden sprinkler is nothing but a staged show designed to make tourists feel like they’re helping. It is completely unnatural. Even worse, visitors are encouraged to feed the elephants bananas and sugarcane, despite the fact that such sugary food is unhealthy and damaging. A real sanctuary would forbid this entirely, yet here it is marketed as an activity. What disturbed me most was the emotional manipulation: the owner and the female presenters speak warmly and convincingly, carefully explaining why all these harmful practices are supposedly “good” for the elephants. And many people believe it, because it is wrapped in kindness. But it is not kindness—it is marketing. This place relies on psychological tricks to hide the truth and turn animal suffering into profit. Anyone who spends money here is unintentionally supporting captivity, stress, and ongoing exploitation of vulnerable elephants. If you truly care about animals, please stay away from this place. Do not let friendly words deceive you. Real sanctuaries look completely different. This establishment may seem harmless at first glance, but by visiting, you are helping to maintain a system that keeps elephants in unnatural and harmful captivity. The animals have almost no grass to walk on — only muddy, clay-like ground. We were told they can’t let grass grow because the elephants might damage the Ferrari on the neighboring property. They even laughed about it. The elephants were also secretly pinched behind the ear to make them “cooperate.” The presenter mentioned that she previously worked at a tourist elephant camp. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if these were the same elephants or even the same company (pure speculation). Look at my pictures. The elefant is falling on the mountain and they do like it’s normal.