THAILAND


Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort


Review :


You’ll discover a special blend of luxury and adventure at Anantara Golden Triangle (pictured). Rising discreetly from a


forested ridge in the jungle, an hour’s drive from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, Anantara offers intimate elephant encounters along with unique overnight and culinary experiences. Overlooking the Mekong on the border with Laos and Myanmar, this spectacular mountain sanctuary is


surrounded by bamboo forest and gardens, where you can responsibly walk with elephants rescued from the logging and entertainment industries, and dine high in the sky with Anantara’s new Canopy Tree Top Dining Experience. Elephant and Buddha statues evoke a sense of calm as soon as you arrive, and the zen ambience extends to the Samsarn restaurant, which serves Thai, Laotian and Burmese cuisine; the Lanna Resort spa; and the Elephant Bar and Opium 6GTTCEG YJKEJ QXGTNQQMU VJG NCTIG VTCPSWKN KPƂPKV[ RQQN Rooms and suites are decorated with Asian art and


textiles, and furnished with explorer-style desks, complete with binoculars for spotting birds and elephants in the forest. And for the ultimate sleepover, spend a night in one of Anantara’s Jungle Bubbles: transparent, domed en- suite bedrooms, with private decks for observing the elephants munching on bamboo before they settle down to slumber – just a stone’s throw from your door.


“Tourists pay to visit commercialised elephant camps, which are designed as entertainment attractions,” explains Limprayoonyong. “Here, they can pet, feed, ride, wash and take photographs of elephants, or watch them perform tricks in circus-like shows. Unfortunately, almost all of these elephants experience cruelty and poor welfare conditions at these venues.” Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp &


Resort (see box), a luxurious mountain retreat near Chiang Rai on the border with Laos and Myanmar, ÜoÀkà ÜiÌh Ìhi non-«ÀowÌ


ol`in /Ài>n}li ƂÃi>n


Elephant Foundation. It is home to 20 rescued elephants, which roam the property’s 65-hectare bamboo forest, offering guests a range of unique, low-impact and meaningful interactions. Visitors can learn about the historical and


cultural relationship between elephants and mahouts, discover more about the animals from the resident vet, walk with them through Anantara’s beautiful gardens, watch them bathe and even observe them by night via the resort’s exciting ‘Jungle Bubble’ experience. “Responsible tourism can have really positive LiniwÌà voÀ /h>il>n`½Ã ili«h>nÌÃ]» Ã>Þà ݫiÀiinVi Travel Group’s Sam Clark. “As we saw during the pandemic, elephants can suffer badly without tourist revenues to support them and their upkeep. “Doing your research on the experience, booking with a reputable tour operator and asking questions is essential, and will help to ensure the lives of these incredible animals continue to improve in the future.”


BOOK IT: Experience Travel Group offers a two-week tailor-made trip, including two nights at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort near Chiang Rai, two nights at The Tubkaak Boutique Resort in Krabi, three nights at Tamarind Village in Chiang Mai and three nights at Mahouts Elephant Foundation near Mae Sot, from £5,950 per person. The price is based on two people travelling and includes B&B, transport, activities and international flights. EXPERIENCETRAVELGROUP.COM


70 ASPIRE JANUARY 2025


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


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