It was a sleepless night where I just closed my eyes to rest and accumulating a 2 to 3 hours of sleep. Being a light sleeper, I need a quiet environment in order to sleep. Unfortunately, any noise will disrupt my ability to sleep.
It was 6am and I was already awake. Looking out of the window, the sun was just about to rise and the street was quiet. This marked the beginning of a new day in Phuket.
By 6.30am, the sky has brightened up. When I had nothing to do, I can be seen at the balcony, gazing at the spectacular view, absorbing the morning glory of the town.
Our stay did not include breakfast as I initially assumed there would be nearby options. However, after exploring around yesterday, we did not discovered suitable breakfast spots nearby. Hence, we went down to Amor Restaurant in the lobby for the morning buffet at 8.30am. We got a deal at 400 THB (or S$16.26) for 2 pax.
The breakfast buffet served from 6.30am to 10am daily. Guests can enjoy a wide selection of international, local foods, snacks and beverages. The morning buffet included cooked dishes, egg station, bread and pastries and fruits station.
My preference leaned towards bread and pastry and these were what I had for breakfast. I initially wanted scrambled egg but there was a queue at the egg station, prompted me to take the ready fried egg instead. The selection was just nice for my morning appetite. We just took our time to enjoy the one hour breakfast.
We went back to our room for half an hour rest before venturing out. Glad that we had a sunny morning because I had planned a day at the outdoor.
Besides being known for their beaches, Phuket is also house to numerous elephant sanctuaries as elephant is the national animal of Thailand. However, the ethical treatment of the elephant varies among sanctuaries, with some exploiting them for profit. In my search for an ethical sanctuary, I discovered Bukit Elephant Park, that was half an hour drive from our hotel.
We opt for a mini half day guided tour program "Walk and Feed" scheduled from 11am to 1pm, offered an experience consisting of three activities at 1,600 THB (or S$65.04) per pax. Free transportation was provided at various locations including Patong Beach and Phuket Town. The van came to pick us up at 10.20am from our hotel and we were the only visitors from Phuket Town. Visitors from the same location will be arranged in the same vehicle.
Perhaps it was a Saturday, the guided tour was in a big group of over 20 pax.
The first activity was feeding the elephants with bananas. Placing the banana near their nostril, the elephant will bring it to their mouth. This was my first time being so close to an elephant and the excitement of feeding the elephant up close left a deep impression.
Elephants hold great significance in Buddhism and Thai culture. Many of the elephants have a very sad past, they worked in logging camp where they had to drag substantial timbers, provide rides to tourists or performed in circus. I'm glad some of these elephants found themselves a safe sanctuary at Bukit Elephant Park where the professional mahouts take good care of the elephants and shield them from any forms of cruelty.
The second activity was learning the nature and behaviors of elephants. Bukit Elephant Park has a total of six elephants. One thing I learnt was a distinctive feature for distinguishing between male and female elephants was the tusks. The absence of tusks mean the elephant was female like the one above.
To observe the elephants, we had to walk the uneven trails to different sections of the park. It was recommended to come in comfortable walking shoes. There was also umbrellas available on loan to aid in walking or shield from the scotching sun.
With the second eldest elephant in the park.
We learned a fascinating method to tell an elephant's age which was by examining the pink-orange spots around their head, trunk, and body. The more spots they have, the older the elephant. When standing so close to them, I realised the elephant also have hairs on their head.
The guide shared with us that the elephants have huge food intake until Phuket is unable to meet the demand for bananas and they have to import bananas from other places. The park has plans to take in more elephants, but the financial aspect for the elephant posed a significant consideration.
Nestled in the Chalong sub-district, Bukit Elephant Park is surrounded by lush greenery, plentiful for the elephants to explore and makes them feel as if living in the wild. The experience at the park deepened my understanding of elephants and admiring the captivating landscapes of the region.
My eyes lighted up in awe when this elephant came close to us while we were seeking shelter in one of the huts. Not all elephants like being close to humans, perhaps it thought we have food for because it extended its trunk towards us.
The land has a natural pond where the elephants can enjoy their bath time. Some elephant sanctuaries offer the activity of bathing with elephants, this experience is not available at Bukit Elephant Park. The park prioritised the well-being of the elephants, recognising that they prefer to bathe alone. Being in the pond with humans can cause them stress. When the elephants are under stress, they could behave differently which means that our safety is in danger in the pond.
The park was located right next to Klong Kata reservoir, making the park even more attractive with the view behind. The weather was really sunny, we just stayed in the hut with a complimentary mineral water, observing the natural beauty surrounding us and elephant.
This was the most friendliest elephant in the park, so we were allowed to have more physical contact with this elephant. It was an unforgettable experience that left me with lasting memories of joy in the company with the elephant.
The hut looked just fitting for the elephant to seek shelter with us, its body almost reaching the wooden plank ceiling.
Being surrounded by the lush greenery, Bukit Elephant Park provided a great place to unwind with the simplicity of nature. The atmosphere exuded a laid-back way of life, the elephants and mahouts don't need much here to live a happy life.
We finished with the observation of the elephants. Catching one last glimpse of the photogenic scenery of the secluded park, we trailed back to the starting point for our last activity.
The last activity was preparing rice balls for elephants. We peeled the banana, broke them into small pieces, and mixed them with rice, pineapples, and watermelon, shaping the ingredients into multiple ball forms. Once done, we proceeded to feed the elephant again. However, this time, we placed the rice balls directly into their mouth (instead of passing from trunk), fostering a connection with the gentle giant.
After we concluded all activity, we headed back to the reception area where designated vans awaited us based on our respective hotel locations. By 1pm, we were back at our hotel.
The short 2 hours program has became the highlight of my trip. It offered more than just photo opportunities but the chance to be so up close and interacting with the elephants. I highly recommended this experience.
Bukit Elephant Park
78/10 หมู่ที่ 6 Chalong, เมือง Phuket 83130, Thailand
Operating hours: 8.30am to 4.30pm daily
Package for "Walk and Feed": 1,600 THB (or S$65.04)
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