Day 12 - Chiang Mai, Thailand (23.01.2020)

Five days ago, we set off for Chiang Mai in northern Thailand on a night bus. After an 11-hour journey in a truly comfortable bus, we arrived in the city known for its nearly 200 Buddhist temples.

The temperatures here are much more pleasant than in stuffy and humid Bangkok, thanks to the surrounding mountains.

Every Sunday, the Night Market takes place in Chiang Mai. One of the largest in all of Thailand. Many artists sell their handmade goods here and there is plenty of delicious street food to try :)

However, our absolute highlight in Chiang Mai was visiting the Save Thai Elephant Park.

We spent a whole day with Suparb (26 years old), Hong Fah (62 years old), and Dok Mai (30 years old). The three elephants were rescued from a tracking camp by Emmee, the daughter of a veterinarian.

Especially in southern Thailand, riding elephants is still a popular tourist attraction. The animals are mistreated and kept in very poor conditions there. However, the Thai government has not been able to pass a law banning this practice, as the camps are a lucrative source of income for many operators.

The Save Thai Elephant Park provides the elephants with the opportunity to recover from the years of suffering in the tracking camps. Since they would not be able to survive in the wild anymore, they can spend their later years here with other members of their species in their natural environment.

In small groups (maximum 10 people), tourists have the opportunity to spend a day with the animals and help with their care and feeding to support the park.

Our day consisted of preparing food (watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and bananas), feeding the animals (an adult elephant eats about 250-300kg per day), taking a walk, bathing in the river, and taking a mud bath.

An absolutely unique experience that we can highly recommend to every Thailand traveler!

Tomorrow, we will continue our journey to the south of Thailand, to the island of Ko Phangan, where the sun, beach, and sea await us.

See you soon!

Bianca & Michael