THAILAND – Phuket – Observe Gentle Giants at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Description

Elephants have been part of Thai culture for centuries, and they play a central role in the country’s history. But while local people highly respect them, they are often used to help with hard manual labor because of their size and power. After the ban on teak wood logging, these majestic elephants found a new home in the tourism industry, which unfortunately did not always mean an improvement for the elephants in terms of living standards. Luckily, several places approached elephant tourism from an ethical point of view, putting the elephants’ well-being first.

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is the first place on the island to take this approach. During a visit, there will be plenty of time to learn about these majestic creatures and how Phuket Elephant Sanctuary tries to help them. A unique opportunity to see these friendly giants up close in an ethical environment.

Selling points

• Minimal interaction, focused on observation
• A well-established elephant sanctuary in Phuket, the pioneer when it comes to ethical elephant tourism
• A nice activity for young and old

Level Of The Excursion

The Impact Of This Excursion

Social/cultural Impact

Environment Impact

Economic Impact

Additional Information

Positive impacts

• The sanctuary provides a safe and ethical environment for elephants that have been previously abused, promoting the well-being of these animals.
• The sanctuary follows environmentally sustainable actions, reducing its ecological footprint and promoting responsible tourism.
• Visitors are given the opportunity to learn about elephant conservation and the importance of ethical wildlife tourism, raising awareness for animal rights and environmental sustainability.
• The sanctuary supports the local economy by providing jobs for the community, contributing to socio-economic sustainability.

Negative impacts

• The presence of tourists, even under strict rules, could cause stress in the animals.

Sensitive character

• Even with ethical standards, the sanctuary involves keeping elephants in a controlled environment, which may not fully replicate their natural habitat or allow complete freedom of movement.

Conclusion:

The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary demonstrates a strong commitment to ethical wildlife tourism and animal welfare, providing a safe haven for abused elephants while promoting sustainable and educational tourism. However, despite the sanctuary’s efforts, the fact that the elephants are kept in captivity and exposed to tourists could be viewed as a limitation, even with strict welfare guidelines in place. Overall, the sanctuary’s efforts largely contribute positively to both the environment and local community.

Time And Transportation

Duration

Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes (from 09:30 until 13.00, or 13:30 until 17:00 excluding transfer)

Min pax

1

Max pax

40

How to sell it

• As an opportunity to see elephants up-close in an ethical setting
• A fun activity for young and old that can be a great break from beach/sea activities
• As a sustainable elephant interaction

Why this activity

• To have a sustainable elephant activity in Phuket in our database
• To have more variety in terms of experiences in Phuket
• To have an activity offer in Phuket that caters to a wide public

Good to combine with

• Evening activities, but do keep in mind that it will make for a tiring day.

Do not combine with

• Other elephants activities (including in other parts of Thailand)
• Other half-day or full-day activities that overlap with the timings.

Market suggestion

Competitor comparison

• This is not an Easia Signature activity, all competitors offer this activity

Pros

• A sustainable activity
• Can help to make a long beach stay at Phuket more varied
• A well-established supplier that offers a quality experience

Cons

• Similar to other elephant experiences as they can be found in other parts of Thailand, nothing special related to Phuket
• Even though they claim to be a sanctuary, they are a business and there is a commercial aspect

Information

• The program is focused around observation, there is no riding or bathing with the elephants
• There is a bit of walking, but it is accessible to anyone in general good condition
• The elephant camp allows for a total capacity of up to 100pax, so possible for special interest groups with a budget
• It is a sustainable camp, inspired by and linked to the famous Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai
• One meal is included as well as some snacks

Alerts

• The place is very famous and the capacity is limited, so in peak season advance bookings are absolutely necessary
• The program takes place, rain or shine. During the rainy season rain coats and umbrellas will be provided if necessary.

Price range

Starting at 2800THB

Quotation guideline

ERP

Phuket –> Activity –> Phuket Elephant Sanctuary –> 01. A Morning with the Elephants (incl. join round trip transfer)/03. An Afternoon with the Elephants (incl. join round trip transfer)

Inclusion

• Food & Beverage (Snacks, Cold & Hot Drinks, 1 Vegetarian Meal)
• Feeding the Elephants
• Mosquito Spray
• Umbrellas, Wellies Boots & Rain Coat

Exclusion

• Tips
• Personal purchases and expenses

Possible Extra

• There is the possibility to privatize the programs at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. This is not privatization of the place, but there will be a private guide and more personal attention

Remark

The pickup time will depend on the location of the hotel. This information can be found here: https://www.phuketelephantsanctuary.org/en/faq/

Contact

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary Co., Ltd.
Address : 100 Moo 2, Paklok Sub-District
Thalang District, Phuket 83110

Email : bookings@phuketpes.org, info@phuketpes.org
Phone : 076-529-099

English

Observe gentle giants at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

You will be picked up at your hotel and drive to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, the island’s first real ethical elephant sanctuary. Upon your arrival you will receive an orientation briefing that will provide you with all the necessary background information to make the most out of your visit. Then, it will be time to marvel at the sanctuary’s inhabitants from a safe distance as the focus of Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is on observation with as little interaction as possible. Ater that, you can let the amazing memories sink in as you enjoy a healthy meal before returning back to your hotel.

Notes:

• Meals included: lunch or dinner (depending on the time of the activity)
• Supplier: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – A Morning with the Elephants – An Afternoon with the Elephants (incl. join round trip transfer)
• There is a full day option available but it is not recommended

French

Observer les géants doux au Phuket Elephant Sanctuary (activité en groupe)

Vous serez pris en charge à votre hôtel puis conduit au Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, le premier véritable sanctuaire éthique pour éléphants de l’île. À votre arrivée, une séance d’orientation vous sera proposée afin de vous fournir toutes les informations nécessaires pour profiter pleinement de votre visite. Vous aurez ensuite l’occasion d’admirer les éléphants du sanctuaire à une distance respectueuse, l’accent étant mis sur l’observation avec un minimum d’interactions. Après cette expérience enrichissante, vous pourrez savourer un repas sain tout en laissant les souvenirs de cette rencontre inoubliable s’imprégner, avant votre retour à l’hôtel.

Remarques :

• Repas inclus : déjeuner ou dîner (selon l’heure de l’activité).
• Fournisseur : Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – Une matinée avec les éléphants – Un après-midi avec les éléphants (transfert aller-retour inclus)
• Une option d’une journée complète est disponible, mais elle n’est pas recommandée.

Spanish

Observad a los gigantes gentiles en Phuket Elephant Sanctuary (tour compartido)

Seréis recogidos en vuestro hotel y trasladados a Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, el primer verdadero santuario ético de elefantes de la isla. A vuestra llegada recibiréis una charla introductoria con toda la información necesaria para aprovechar al máximo la visita. Después podréis admirar a los habitantes del santuario desde una distancia segura, ya que Phuket Elephant Sanctuary se centra en la observación con la menor interacción posible. Luego podréis relajaros y asimilar esta experiencia inolvidable mientras disfrutáis de una comida saludable, antes de regresar al hotel.

Notas:

• Comidas incluidas: almuerzo o cena (según el horario de la actividad).
• Proveedor: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – Una mañana con los elefantes – Una tarde con los elefantes (traslado de ida y vuelta incluido)
• Existe la opción de un día completo, pero no se recomienda.

Italian

Osservate i giganti gentili al Phuket Elephant Sanctuary (tour condiviso)

Sarete prelevati dal vostro hotel e accompagnati al Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, il primo vero santuario etico per elefanti dell’isola. All’arrivo riceverete un briefing introduttivo con tutte le informazioni necessarie per vivere al meglio la visita. Successivamente potrete ammirare gli ospiti del santuario da una distanza di sicurezza, poiché il Phuket Elephant Sanctuary si concentra sull’osservazione con la minima interazione possibile. In seguito potrete rilassarvi e lasciar sedimentare i ricordi di questa esperienza mentre gustate un pasto salutare, prima di rientrare in hotel.

Nota:

• Pasti inclusi: pranzo o cena (a seconda del periodo dell’attività).
• Fornitore: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – Una mattina con gli elefanti – Un pomeriggio con gli elefanti (trasferimento di andata e ritorno incluso)
• L’opzione dell’intera giornata è disponibile ma non è consigliata.

German

Sanfte Riesen im Phuket Elephant Sanctuary beobachten (Sammelgruppe)

Sie werden an Ihrem Hotel abgeholt und zum Phuket Elephant Sanctuary gefahren, dem ersten wirklich ethischen Elefantenschutzgebiet der Insel. Nach Ihrer Ankunft erhalten Sie eine Einführung mit allen wichtigen Hintergrundinformationen, damit Sie Ihren Besuch bestmöglich genießen können.

Anschließend beobachten Sie die Elefanten aus sicherer Entfernung, da im Phuket Elephant Sanctuary der Schwerpunkt auf respektvollem Beobachten mit möglichst wenig Interaktion liegt. Danach können Sie die besonderen Eindrücke dieses Erlebnisses bei einer gesunden Mahlzeit in Ruhe auf sich wirken lassen, bevor es zurück zu Ihrem Hotel geht.

Anmerkungen:

• Mahlzeiten inbegriffen: Mittag- oder Abendessen (je nach Zeitpunkt der Aktivität)
• Anbieter: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary – Ein Morgen mit den Elefanten – Ein Nachmittag mit den Elefanten (inkl. Hin- und Rücktransfer)
• Es ist auch eine ganztägige Option verfügbar, die jedoch nicht empfohlen wird.

• Product Photos
• View more photos in Media Library