Elephants Trail Phuket @Elephant Beach — Attraction in Patong

Any place that allow people to ride on an elephant, especially in the ocean, it's not respecting the animal! I was sittting on a restaurant above this cliff and when I looked down I saw these baby elephants brought in the OCEAN water carrying children on their back and forced to play " tricks" with the children, like lifting them up with their trunk, lower themselves down so the kids could hop on and off, etc, while sometimes had to half submerge their heads in the water....well, do you ever see an elephant do that on nature? No, salt water stings their eyes and elephants have sensitive skins , so this is really abuse....the guys handling them kept yelling and hitting them with a stick....it probably didn't hurt them but how they get these animals to learn these tricks? Usually by hitting them! But the worse part of all is that these were babies! I counted four babies and one a little bigger. They were probably wo to four year olds! So most likely they were not orohans rescued from any show or circus, but probably bred to do this! Which means somebody is doing this because there is a demand: stupid turists! People that don't know what the implications of their support for this type...

Just finished an incredible experience at The Elephant Trail in Phuket with my wife and daughter — truly one of the highlights of our trip!

The location was absolutely stunning, surrounded by lush greenery with breathtaking views, and the elephants were so gentle and well-cared for. The best part? Getting to swim with them in the ocean — something we’ll never forget!

The team here was incredibly friendly and made the entire experience smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. Pricing was reasonable: THB 1,300 per person without photos, THB 1,800 with a photographer, and THB 2,000 with a photographer + videographer. Duration is 20 minutes. But they were pretty flexible with that when there aren’t anyone else waiting. We opted for the photo package and the pictures turned out beautiful — definitely worth it!

Morning low tide, after 2pm high tide. High tide will be nicer. You can buy tickets onsite.

There’s also a cozy little café onsite, Blue Harbour Café, perfect for relaxing after the trail. It’s right by the beach with a great view and good food.

Highly recommend this experience for families, couples, or anyone looking to connect with nature in a meaningful and...

I went to a cafe near this place and witnessed the awful treatment of these poor elephants. It's such a shame that places like this still exist, and even more shocking that tourists are still actually supporting them!

The elephants are tried up on such short ropes that they can't even move/walk anywhere. They are constantly swaying from side to side (a behaviour they do when they are severely stressed and frustrated).

You'll notice that the trainers are always shouting at them, hitting them with sticks and pulling their ears - they use (hidden) sharp pins to poke into their ears to help control them and make them perform. It's horrific. Elephants have sensitive skin and are in constant pain when treated like this.

Please do not contribute to such a cruel, unethical company just so you can get a cool photo for your Instagram.

Instead, visit an ethical sanctury (like Phuket Eleohant Sanctury) where you can walk around with the elephants that have been rescued from these types of places, and are being treated with the love and respect that they deserve after a...