Home to a variety of elephants

Thailand's designated national animal is the Thai elephant. The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus), a subspecies of the Asian elephant, is the type of elephant that can be found in Thailand. There were reportedly 100,000 captive elephants in Thailand at the beginning of the 20th century.

In Thailand, elephants are revered as sacred animals, which is one of the reasons to visit Thailand. Elephant statues, artwork, and symbols are placed everywhere, which tourists quickly notice. Elephants are revered in Thai tradition as a sign of prosperity, and tourists interested in getting up close and personal with these stunning animals can visit elephant sanctuaries.

Thailand is now putting more of an emphasis on ethical elephant sanctuaries that give visitors a more passive and instructive experience. These initiatives have made it possible for tourists to interact with elephants in much nicer ways. Elephants retiring from the forestry and tourism industries are saved and rehabbed in these locations. Through our GHA Discovery excursions, Outrigger fully supports these initiatives in Phuket and Koh Samui. Visit one of these preserves to observe elephants happily ambling and interacting with one another.