فیل پناهگاه توسط ECO KHAO LAK ADVENTURE

We liked the place an the team working there. Yes, it’s still touristic, but they need of course money to feed the rescued animals.
We took a Tuc Tuc to get there and booked the entrance fee (2.000 per person for 2h feeding and walking) there.

Really nice place where you can interact with the elephants. They like food alot 😀 you can chose from different tours, we chose the shorts one for 1200 bath, each. That included feeding the elephants, having a parrot on your arm, if you like. Hoseing the elephants ang then getting drinks and a picture in a frame. The elephants looks like they have a good time, and the people takeing care of them are kind and nice to the elephants. You get to touch the elephants also and it was all a great expierence.

We really enjoyed the experience in a small group. Our guide Non, was great. Kind, positive, helpful, a lot of knowledge (even Finnish language vocabulary 😄). Just an amazing great person. No hurry at any place. Not crowed. It was very interesting and also relaxing day. The restaurant worths the visit.
And the best part: by visiting this place, you contribute to the protection of elephant and turtles.

I have been exploring the Khao lak area and really wanted to see some Asian elephants. I have been reading up on nearby places where you could interact with elephants. My criteria was to not support animal abuse and any kind of mistreatment. Been going through the reviews, and I can say I was surprised. It seems that a lot of the bad reviews are meant for the other elephant attraction, which is just by the road.

As far as I understand there are multiple activities that you can take part of, my goal was to just take a stroll in the area and maybe feed the majestic creatures. Entrance fee was 1200 baht, and I feel that it is worth it, as the upkeep is pretty expensive for animals that need to be fed every 15 minutes. I know that there are other packages that include walking with the elephants and making a vitamin bomb from fruits for them as well, however I don’t know the price for that.

My guide and all the staff were very helpful and super kind. Offered to take pictures for me and even printed a photo, and framed it in a frame which is produced locally with the help of the elephants ☺️ (frame is made of elephant dung). After feeding the elephants, you get a chance to bathe them with a hose from a platform, then you get to enjoy the view from the relaxation area, where you can stay indefinitely. The staff provides some beverages and fruits for you, while you get to ask more questions and appreciate these friendly giants. The guide spoke English well, and explained to me that the elephants have a larger area that they can roam in.

From what I saw, there are no signs of any mistreatment of animals. It is very hard work to take care of these giants and requires lots of attention, care and resources.

We’ve just returned from the most incredible experience at the Elephant Sanctuary in Khao Lak. Our guide, Non, was a kind, patient, and very knowledgeable local with a genuine care for the elephants here. Our experience included making elephant food before feeding it to them by hand. Learning about the elephants and their history, including how they came to be in the sanctuary and what it takes to keep them happy and healthy (a lot). Jon was so passionate about his local town that he squeezed in as much of the local experience as possible including a foot soak and flower art after a beautiful Thai meal at a multi-year Michelin rated restaurant. We also stopped at the Tsunami memorial and bought some handmade items to help support the recovery of the area. All of this but delivered in a calm, considered way without pressure or rushing us at all. None of these things were included in the original booking so were a very pleasant and appreciated surprise. I highly recommend this experience for anyone wanting to get up close and personal with elephants but in a humane and thoughtful way (you may just get some extras thrown in for good measure too).

Small sanctuary with 8 elephants.
We had the opportunity to prepare their food and feed them. We walkef with them, gave them some fruits and watched yhem bath. It was a great experience. So so nice...