In Koh Samui and wondering if the Samui Elephant Home experience is worth it? This post will go over and review the Samui Elephant Home tour based on my experience. I hope this post helps you decide to experience it, and gives you all the information you need to know to help better prepare you for your visit. I also provide some useful tips so you can spend more time enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime elephant encounter.
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Intro
Having a meaningful elephant encounter in Thailand is a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list experience. In Koh Samui, Thailand, the Samui Elephant Home is one of the best ethical sanctuaries and wildlife encounters you can do.
Samui Elephant Home is an ethical elephant rescue that takes a humane approach. Here, you can interact with rescued elephants in a respectful and enriching way. You will learn about elephant conservation, and also participate in hands-on activities, such as feeding and bathing these gentle giants. So check off a bucket list item and have an ethical elephant encounter at Samui Elephant Home!
This review will go over my experience on the Samui Elephant Home tour detailing everything from feeding the elephants, walking alongside them, and even joining them for a bath in the pool. I also provide some tips to make the most of your adventure.
Samui Elephant Home Tour Tickets
To experience this unforgettable elephant encounter, I strongly recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time. The tour is always likely to sell out and booking ahead ensures you go on your desired date and time. Book your tickets to the tour I went on here, or in the widget below:
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Why Samui Elephant Home?
The elephant encounter with the Samui Elephant Home, now called Samui Elephant Home Caring & Education Center (SCEC), is one of my most favorite experiences I’ve done abroad! I can’t recommend it enough.
What I loved about it was that it is an ethical Elephant Home committed to animal welfare, elephant care, sustainability, and education. All the elephants were rescued from unfortunate situations where they were forced to work in hard labor and for the enjoyment of people. They were living in poor conditions or used for entertainment against their will, and were then rescued from their cruel situations.
Since they lived most of their lives in captivity around people, they are no longer fit to survive fully as wild animals. So, they are taken in by the caretakers at Samui Elephant Home to live a happy, fulfilling, and peaceful life in a natural environment.
The elephants are able to roam the large spaces freely, are able to mud and bathe at their leisure, are provided enrichment, and fed well. The key to this Elephant Home being ethical is that all the elephants are not forced to do anything for the people visiting. The elephants will eat, walk, mud, and bathe all on their own free will if they want to.
Not only that, but the staff members teach you about the lives of these elephants, their instinctual behaviors, unique personalities, and fascinating facts. It was really eye-opening and mind-blowing just how beautiful and intelligent these gentle giants are! Now let’s dive in and review my experience at Samui Elephant Home!
Samui Elephant Home Experience
Hotel Pickup & Arrival at the Samui Elephant Home
The tour allows convenient hotel pickup which you can provide either at the time of booking or afterwards. We were picked up promptly at our hotel (Ozo Chaweng Samui) in the morning at our designated pickup time, Then we were loaded in the back of an open-air truck bed with benches on both sides of it. It was an unexpected mode of transportation but I enjoyed the open-air breeze all around!
Once at Samui Elephant Home, we were brought to an area with tables and benches. Here, we were given a short briefing about Samui Elephant Home, it’s mission, and what we’re expected to do on the tour.
Samui Elephant Home • photos by Jeanie A
Elephant Food Preparation
After the briefing, we were then situated at long tables with a large empty bowl and food in front of each of us. Those in pairs stayed paired up. The first activity of the day was to prepare the elephant’s food! Using our own hands, we smashed bananas and mixed it well with all the other ingredients. Your hands WILL get dirty! Then after the staff member confirmed our mix was good, she then directed us to roll the mixture into several balls.
Preparing Elephant Food • photos by Jeanie A
Elephant Feeding
After everyone finished making their food, then it was time to meet the elephants and feed them what we made! The guides separated us into smaller groups and lined up to wait for our elephants. Then amazingly, the elephants, each with a caretaker, started to walk towards us! All the elephants were so huge that I was just in awe at how big they are up close.
Each smaller group had a dedicated elephant to feed. So for our elephant, each person started taking turns to feed her. We each gave her the food balls we made, and the guide gave us bananas and leaves to feed as well. It’s incredible to see how the elephant’s trunk really is an extension of them, like how our hands are to us. She was able to gently grab the small food items with the tip of her trunk and throw it into her mouth. Seeing the elephants reach out and their excitement for a nutritional treat was so heartwarming.
When our group’s food had ran out, the guide told us we could touch and pet the front of the elephant’s trunk. She also gave us information about the elephant’s rough and tough skin as we were feeling it. The skin was way rougher than I thought it would be, but it was incredible to be able to feel it!
Feeding the Elephants • photos by Jeanie A
Elephant Walk
After the feeding, the elephants walk away and everyone is given a sling-bag to hold belongings, and a straw hat. These items are for the next part of the experience: a walk alongside the elephants!
When we were all ready, we made our way out and into the jungle. Unlike traditional tourist attractions, the Elephant Home does not force the elephants to follow any commands. So we were observing them in their natural state, doing what they just wanted to do. At this time, the elephants were roaming around freely and eating the tall grasses and vegetation. We observed and watched them grab and rip the tall grass from the ground with their trunks and eat it.
Walking next to these gentle giants was so surreal and the guide also provides fascinating facts about each elephant we came across and more interesting information
Elephant Walk • photos by Jeanie A
Elephant Mudding
After the walk, we made our way back to the main area where we could catch the elephants mudding! Elephants naturally like mudding because it keeps their skin protected from the sun and insects.
We watched some of the elephants go into the mud and start putting mud on themselves. Some of the staff members also helpedwet and throw mud on them as well, but we were not directed to help mud them so we observed them in awe. Seeing the elephants enjoy the mud and splash themselves with a trunk full of mud was such an unreal sight.
Elephant Mudding • photos by Jeanie A
Elephant Bath/Rinse
Then whenever the elephants felt done with their mudding, they walked to the shallow pool which is the next activity of the experience: bathe/rinse the elephants! The staff let us know that we can join the elephants in the pool, grab a ladle or bowl, and help rinse the water off the elephants.
Being able to be with the elephants in the pool was such a memorable experience I’ll never forget! They were so calm and gentle, and let us be near them to help rinse them. Helping splash water on them was a rewarding experience I’d love to do again.
Then of course whenever the elephants felt ready to leave, they simply got up and walked out on their own. The fact that the elephants are able to do everything on their own free will and at their own pace without having to be forced or directed to do any of these things is really appreciated. It’s because of this I really can’t recommend this tour enough. This experience alone gives Samui Elephant Home a 5-star review.
Elephant Bath/Rinse • photos by Jeanie A
Light Lunch & Wrap Up
After the elephant bath, we were provided a light lunch which includes fried rice, sandwiches, egg rolls and refreshing watermelon!
Once we all finished eating, we were then directed to the TV screen where we were presented a nicely-edited video of our tour group’s experience. They also had shirts for sale! Since I loved this experience, I ended up purchasing the video and a shirt as a memento of this incredible elephant encounter hehe.
When we were all done, we then loaded back into the truck bed and made our way back to the hotel.
Tips to Make the Most of Your Adventure
1. Book in Advance
The Samui Elephant Home tour books up quickly and is always likely to sell out. To not miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience, I strongly recommend to book your tickets in advance! This also ensures you go on a desired day in your Koh Samui itinerary.
Book your tickets to the tour I went on here, or in the widget below:
2. Be Respectful & Listen to Guide’s Directions
Be respectful to the elephants. Don’t try to startle them and always listen to the guide’s directions at all times. The elephants are still animals with natural instincts too so they can act or react unexpectedly under stressful conditions.
The Samui Elephant Home is also not a petting zoo so only touch them with the permission and direction from the guides. The guides will let you know when a good time to touch them would be too.
3. Wear your Bathing Suit
Wear your bathing suit under your clothes. The elephant encounter does include getting in the shallow pool with them (if you want) so wearing a bathing suit already under your clothes will be extra convenient so you don’t have to change into it. At minimum, your legs will get wet from just being in the pool. It’s possible to not get your top wet though since the pool is really shallow, but you might get water splashed onto you.
4. Wear Sandals
Wear sandals so that you can easily take your shoes off before getting into the pool with the elephants. Wearing shoes and socks is fine too though, but it just seemed a lot to take off and put back on. Also, a towel wasn’t provided either, so you would have to deal with wet feet or find a different way to dry your feet before putting socks and shoes back on
5. Bring a Small Personal Towel, or Napkins
During my visit, after we exited the pool, we were not given any towels or napkins to dry our legs and feet. If you don’t want to wear sandals/flip flops to this experience, then bring a small personal towel or some napkins/paper towels so you can dry your feet before putting your socks and shoes back on. If you do wear sandals, the heat will likely help dry you easily
6. Bring a Personal Fan
It was hot and humid when I went so having a personal fan worked wonders to help keep me cool during the entire elephant encounter. It was especially helpful during the elephant walk too! So I recommend bringing your own personal fan to keep cool while out in the heat.
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Final Words: Absolutely Worth It!
The Samui Elephant Home is a must-visit for animal lovers! It is an educational, responsible, and meaningful experience with rescued elephants. Samui Elephant Home being an ethical establishment that prioritizes elephant well-being over tourist entertainment makes it absolutely worth it! It truly is one of the best ways to learn and observe these gentle giants in their natural setting. Not only that but the hands-on activities and up-close elephant encounter is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t miss. I hope this review urges you to visit the Samui Elephant Home and experience it! Bon Voyage!
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Have you been to Samui Elephant Home?
What was your experience like – I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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