When I was in Bali last year I rode an elephant.
This is something that I now deeply regret.
While planning our trip to Bali, my friend proposed a visit to an elephant park outside Ubud. I thought that riding an elephant would an incredible experience. I did some research on the park and it mentioned that the animals had been rescued from areas in Sumatra where logging was destroying the natural habitats of the animals and where many elephants were forced to work in harsh conditions. In my naive state, I thought they must have it much better toting around tourists all day in Bali. Without a second thought, we booked an all day tour to experience the elephants.
We were picked up from our guest house in the morning and after an almost hour drive along winding roads and through terraced rice fields, we arrived at the park. Newly built lodges and restaurants made to look like something you’d see on a safari, a museum, a gift shop, and an endless loop of commercials featuring the birth of some baby elephants at the park and advertising special events reminded me more of a theme park than an animal conservatory.
Once outside, I immediately caught a glimpse of a baby elephant standing inside a pen. As someone who is a self professed animal hater and generally calm person, I was surprised at my intial reaction of “OH MY GOD THAT’S THE CUTEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN!” But I went with it and hurried over toward to the big, precocious baby. There was a line up to take photos next to the elephant and as my turn grew nearer, I was a little nervous. I’m terrified of something as tiny as a cat and even though this thing was a baby, it was a heck of a lot bigger than any cat. My curiosity trumping fear, I handed my camera to the mahout and stood next to adorable animal it while he flapped his trunk around in front of me. I’d call this love at first sight.
We wandered around a little more and saw more babies! They were practicing for a show. You know, one of those shows where elephants do amazing tricks and the tourists watch on slack jawed. Once the practice was over the elephants were allowed to play. With each chomp on a piece of food, spray of water, and playful flick of the trunk, I became more enamored with these gentle giants.
I was plotting ways to bring one of the babies home with me (would’ve fit perfectly in my Korean studio apartment), when it was our turn to try riding an elephant around the park. My friend and I climbed onto a large chair like saddle that was strapped around the elephant’s gigantic belly and the mahout guided our elephant into the line of elephants already carrying their squealing tourists.
An elephant’s gait is not smooth and the entire 15 minute ride felt like we were being slowly shaken up. The ride was uncomfortable, to say the least, and I was left wondering if there was any reason to ride an elephant other than just to say you had. Which really isn’t a good reason to do much of anything.
We dismounted our elephant and walked over to the nearby pavilion where we enjoyed an all you can eat buffet, included in the ticket price. While we ate away and relaxed, our elephant returned to the queue of people to pick up another heavy load.
Even after I returned to Korea, I couldn’t stop thinking about these striking creatures. As I read more and more about them, I learned about their intelligence, kindness, and sense of community. My love affair had turned into an almost obsession.
I then stumbled onto a lot of information about the dark side of elephant tourism. Elephants, even those who were rescued, are wild animals which means they had to be extensively trained to play the the roles of docile ride givers and perfect performers. I don’t know about the training methods used at the park I visited, but the training is often peppered with horrific abuse. While elephants are able to carry a significant amount of weight, the total load of the saddle, mahout, and two or more passengers can easily overburden the animal. The weight, combined with the hours they are forced to cart people around, is often bordering on overwork and is detrimental to the elephant’s physical and mental well being.
While I now regret riding an elephant, I am grateful that I visited the park. It opened my eyes to these beautiful and awe inspiring creatures, and also to the horrifying reality of the ever so popular elephant tourism business in Southeast Asia. I now look forward to visiting other parks, such as Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, that focus less on entertainment and more on true elephant rescue and rehabilitation.
Have you ever done anything you regret while traveling? What do you think about animal tourism? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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I remember thinking this would be something I would want to do if I ever made it to Southeast Asia but then I read a similar article explaining that no place with elephant rides is operating in a humane fashion. I think I would try and visit an elephant preserve where the elephants are allowed to do as they please, all day long.
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That’s what I’d like to do the next time I’m down there. There’s one near Chiang Mai that is known to be completely against elephant riding and although it’s pricey I will definitely be shelling out to spend time up close (but not on) with some elephants.
When I went to Madrid a few years ago, I watched a bull fight. I knew nothing about bull fighting so I was really surprised when I found out (by watching) that the bull dies in the end (that’s how they know the round is over and another matador comes out). I wouldn’t call myself an animal rights activist, but I couldn’t stand to watch anymore. I guess it’s rude to leave midway though the show, because some Spaniard starting yelling at us as we left and the only word we understood was ‘tourist’.
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Yeah, I definitely don’t consider myself an animal rights activist by any stretch of the imagination, but there are some things that are just too painful or displeasing to watch. And it sounds like this bull fight was definitely on that side of things
We are headed to SEA in the summer and while checking out the elephants has always been on my must-see list, I have read a lot about the abuse they can endure. There are some good places though that are supposedly taking care of the elephants the right way. I would say you are probably doing more good by promoting the inhumane way they can be cared for then by any bad that came out of you actually going to the park.
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Thanks for the comment! I have read about some of these places and hope to check them out when I’m down there. I’d love to support the people doing it the right way. And spend more time up close with elephants.
Wow I visited an elephant refuge in Laos to ride an Elephant – the creatures are amazing but you have made me think twice about riding them.
The experience made me look at it in a completely different light as well.
We’re in the same boat. We rode an elephant once and never will again. I was never really keen on it but riding them was (oddly) bundled into the ticket price of a hiking trip we were doing. It wasn’t awful but it wasn’t enjoyable.
I’m happy to know they’re somewhere safe doing whatever they want but after seeing places that offer rides multiple times I find the whole idea of riding them bizarre.
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I feel the same. I just kind of went along with it because it sounded neat, but I didn’t like how I felt after. There are other ways to rescue elephants other than forcing them to perform. Thanks for the comment. I’m glad others agree!
Just on MY experience:
I think there ARE good places that I think are legitimately concerned with their elephants. Dan and I rode an elephant when in Southern Thailand. We had a really good experience actually and I know we were lucky after looking at other experiences that make you pay a LOT of money in the northern Thailand area. It seems to be like the Cambodian orphanages, that they can charge anything they want because its the “new thing” for flashpackers. We got to know the elephant we were riding and the people that were taking care of him- the women, who was about 50 years old, talked about the elephant like a child almost, his personality, what he liked to do, what he liked to eat, etc. We saw their other elephants grazing in a nearby field, the babies playing, and she explained that they each only took people through the jungle once a week, and the rest they get to relax. The man who brought us on our walk was her son (it was a fairly small family business it seemed) through the jungle which was supposedly older than the Amazon, and he brought a dull blade to cut branches that he found on the path, but I was scared he would use it on the elephants. But he just talked to the elephant in Thai to direct it, and the elephant would usually respond with a little noise!
I mean, this all could be a lie that they tell/show people and I just believed it because the elephants DID seem happy- especially on their days off! I haven’t done it since, I am terrified that they do mistreat the elephants after all the reading I’ve done. Horses are also ridden by humans though and they used to be wild.
I do agree that elephant rescue centers that charge high prices have become pretty trendy among travelers, whether that is good or bad, I don’t know. It does sound like you had a good experience and the fact that they work only once a week makes it a lot better than what I experienced. The worst part about the riding is supposedly when they wear that seat. From what I’ve heard if you want to ride, it’s better bareback as it is less weight and pressure for the animal.
I don’t judge what other people do on vacation, though
And I would never tell someone what not to do, I just know that I won’t do it again 
Really helpful reading your review, I am going to Indonesia soon and dont intend on visiting the park. Do you know of anywhere that I can visit that is kind to elephants? I love the look of the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, so have bookmarked that for when I eventually visit Thailand.
I’m not sure of any places in Indonesia. Check out the Save Elephant Foundation (http://www.saveelephant.org/), though, in Thailand and Cambodia. They run Elephant Nature Park and may have some resources about Indonesia. I’m glad you’re being elephant aware in your travels!
Good for you, girl. I can’t even bear to ride a horse, let alone an elephant. That baby elephant is soooooooooooo cute! <3
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Yay! I love other people who agree!
I feel the same way! I went to Thailand so excited to ride an elephant because it seemed like something that would be amazing. But as we did an hour ride in the jungle on the back of one, I had to keep fighting the urge not to feel horrible about what I was doing. But it was hard to ignore the feeling as the mahout was hitting the elephant on the head SO HARD with a bull hook every time the elephant wanted to stop and rest or eat a bit. Its skin was rubbed raw where the bars from the big heavy cage used to carry people was placed on its back
I had no idea when I arrived at the park that the elephants were made to work all day and treated like that. I should’ve done further research 
In 2009, my husband and I road the mules down the Grand Canyon. We did a shorter tour, about 1/2 way down to Phantom Ranch, 4 hours one way. I’ve never ridden a horse or anything before, and was a bit nervous just being on this giant animal, who I had to trust wouldn’t toss me over the edge. The mules love to hug the outer edge of the trail and so I was praying most of the way, and not really concerned about the animal I was sitting on. When it came to going back up the trail, the mules really seemed exhausted. One of them kept lagging way behind the rest of us. I could feel the mule straining to climb back up the switchbacks and guilt started setting in pretty quickly. I hadn’t considered these mules and what they endure for our entertainment. I just wanted an adventure and some cool photos. When I went back to the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago, the mule rides down to the ranch were no longer available though I’m not sure why. And I have to say, I’m happy about that.
I agree with you 100%! If the place has animals performing tricks and shows and working I have no respect at all for them.
If you rescue an animal it should be to protect ir and give it a second chance to behave as animals, not to exploit them to do tricks for people’s amusement.
I regret deeply going to sea world once. I was already a scuba diver but knwe nothing about this abusement parks. I went there and felt sooo bad that I had to leave, I just couldn’t stand there watching those pure, gigantic and intelligent creatures living in tanks and not in the ocean…
Eight after this freak show I witnessed there I watched The Cove (and now Blackfish) and I started to tell my friends and spread the word, because many of them were as nauve as I was back then. When I explain to them the truth about this places they give up instantly going there. I saw the Ubud elephant park in a Brazilian TV show and I felt sooo bad and thought that it is just like sea world or anywhere they make money at the animal’s expense.
I must believe that there are some serious places. Another one I visited and didn’t feel bad about was disney’s animal kingdom, just because they have this big reservation and a safari that goes around a small portion of it. But since the animals live there able to be wild and free and they don’t bring you there for our amusement, I tought it was nice. They even say that since they live as they please it is not guaranteed that you will see them in the safari. And they say they bring only animals who were injured and has their family killed by poachers, they have a lot of educational videos too…
Well, but I’m the kind of person that doesn’t even goes to the zoo. Hope people start to understand that places that do this animal shows, rides etc have nothing but their profit in mind. Hope we stop to give money to this kind of tourism soon enough!
Thanks for the post,!
Thanks for the comment Luisa! I completely agree with everything you’ve said- I also don’t really go to zoos. You should check out Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand as a great example of animal tourism that does things right. I really need to watch Blackfish- after I watched The Cove everything I thought about sea animals changed. Vert eye opening!
Nice sharing Amanda,
I think you need to do more research by visiting all the Elephant park in Bali, nice sharing, i like your blog
Thanks Wayan.
Éléphant nature park in thailand, is the place where i have s’en happiest éléphant in the worldwide !!
Dose anyone know where there is a place lime thaïs in Indonésia ?
Hi Amanda , we are going to Bali and I also wanted to ride the elephant after reading your story , we shall go and have a look and get a photo. Kind regards renae
I’m glad you’ve decided not to ride an elephant, but if you really do care about the elephants well being I would encourage you not to pay the entrance fee to any park like this. If you pay to get in, even if you don’t ride the elephants, you are showing you support this kind of treatment with your money. Enjoy your vacation!
Hi Amanda,
These sort of activities are always tough. We had some reservations about the tiger temple in Thailand as well as one elephant park that we were close enough to to visit. We decided on The Elephant Village when we were in Luang Prabang, Laos. We had a great experience with the elephants and their mahouts. We would recommend this organization to anyone traveling in the area.
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I’m glad you found a place that encourages responsible animal tourism. It’s always a difficult decision!
Thank you so much for this blog – without over-sensationalisation it shows the reality behind that popular “must-do” that many tourists want to tick off on their bucket lists. Your article has helped to change minds and educate, something these tourist places don’t do. And I hope you do get to the ENP in Thailand – it was a brilliant experience that allows you to get close and learn so much about these gorgeous animals first-hand – and a truly ethical alternative to the cruelty of elephant riding.
Thanks for the comment Barb! I’m glad you enjoyed the article. I actually did make it to ENP last year and it was a lovely day.
Hi Amanda,
If you really wanna see the best elephants in there habitat please visit South India -kerala and karnataka,Back in India as a Hindu we consider elephants as allmighty “God” and before starting any cermony its mandatory to bow down to elephant god ie “Ganesha” and do the rest.
- TMK
Thanks! I hope to make it to India someday
We are hoping to see elephants in the wild in Kerala this June. Is there anyplace to see rescued elephants in captivity in Kerala where they are being treated humanely?
Thanks!
Hi Kate! I’m not really sure about Kerala as I’ve never been to India. I would definitely do some Google research into that. Good luck!
Hi Amanda,
I enjoyed reading your post, was very insightful and I hope others find this post to have a read so hopefully they think twice about whether or not to participate in an elephant excursion. I’m heading to the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai next month to volunteer for a month, hopefully when I’m finished, I would have gained more knowledge to continue raising awareness on the welfare of elephants.
Enjoy your time there! I was only able to go for the day, but it was a wonderful experience.
Hello!
I read your comment about going to helpout at an Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai!
Did you go? how did you find the experience?
This is something I would love to do!
Were the elephants well taken care of?
Kind regards,
Jess
I did go, but only for a day visit as I was pressed for time. The elephants are very well taken care of and are given time to do what they want. Definitely google them and check out their website/social media!
As someone who has been to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, I can personally vouch for the unconditional love the elephants there recieve. They all have their own personal mahout who love the elephants. Most elephants there, even though not related, have formed their own little families. Lek Cailert, the founder of the park, is one of the most wonderful people you will ever meet. ENP is tthe best place to go when wanting to visit and experience these gorgeous creatures. Thank you for your story.
I got to visit ENP in 2013 and I agree, it is a wonderful place and was one of my favorite experiences in SE Asia.
We didn’t get the chance to go to Elephant Nature Park in Thailand because it was already overbooked until long after we’d leave now we are in Bali and still longing to hang out with some elephants, but of course without the torture. I’m wondering if that is possible in Bali…
Marina from MadeinMoments
When I last looked into it, I couldn’t find anything in Bali but that may have changed. Good luck and I hope you can find something!
In August 2010, during my most recent backpacking jaunt through Southeast Asia, I rode an elephant in northern Thailand. I didn’t think twice about it as the activity was part of a package tour. However, I would never ride an elephant again especially during the course of my Master’s program, I learned how the weight of human beings very much harm elephants. I certainly wish I had been reading travel blogs regularly before riding an elephant.
In addition, I’m not sure if I’d call this a regret but in 2004, I attended the Full Moon Party. But I’m not sure if I could attend another one – especially since I learned about how the event negatively affects Ko Phangan.
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I think many travelers learn during the course of their travels that things they did before may have been not the greatest decision which I guess is a good thing in the end!
Thanks for the insight. Your blog and others comments makes total sense. I guess if deforestation stopped the elephants would still be living in there natural habitat. The increase in production of Palm oil is having a disastrous effect on animal welfare. I will not be riding an elephant during my Bali stay. Great blog!
Thanks! I’m glad you did research and made that decision.
I appreciate your perspective and it is disappointing that this sanctuary seems to be so commercialized. But as a horseback rider, I don’t agree with the assessment that an elephant would be overly burdened by the seat and the weight of its riders. In horseback riding there is a well-known equation which is that a horse can carry up to 15-20% of its weight including saddle and rider. Therefore, a 1,000 pound horse can theoretically carry 200 pounds. Asian elephants range from 6,600-11,000 lb so it stands to reason carrying one or more riders should not have a huge impact on them. Of course, your comment on why to ride an elephant is well-taken, and training methods need to be considered. I personally did a trail ride in Mexico many years ago and I regret it very much. The other horses being ridden by our grop seem Ok, but the small mare I was riding seemed undernourished and unhealthy. I have since done another trail ride in Mexico, but this time I did ample research into the locations and found a place that had well-trained and loved rescue horses. We had an excellent time on this trip and I even donated some bits that can be difficult to find in Mexico. Happy travels!
I can agree with you about the weight not really being a burden, but it’s more about the fact that these are wild (unlike horses) animals that do not exist for our entertainment and the abuse that goes into training them to be a tourist attraction. Thanks for your input though. It’s always nice to hear other sides.
The simple fact that they are trained does not automatically mean there is cruelty or ‘abuse’ involved. Do we abuse dogs and horses by training them?
The difference between dogs/horses and elephants is that dogs and horses are domesticated animals, while elephants are now.
and what were all animals originally…?
So you say you have since read about how these types of places ‘can’ be in humane and cruel, yet you have no evidence that this place in particular was treating the elephants badly? They have signs all over the place in the park explaining everything from how they train them (they are not forced to do anything and are trained purely on a reward system) to how they limit the weight the elephants carry and how they would not move if there was too much weight on their backs. I fear you may be criticising something that could be a positive thing in that the elephants are rescued, without having any actual evidence of foul play. I saw no evidence of the keepers treating any animal badly, they were very affectionate with the animals, and the numerous signs state that keepers found mistreating an elephant will be immediately dismissed. I am a massive animal lover and wouldn’t stand up for somewhere that I felt was doing wrong by the animals. I feel your criticism is based on nothing and that you should be more careful about trying to force your opinions as ‘fact’
After having done much more intensive research since writing that post I can say without a doubt that in order to train an elephants to perform the way they do at this park they are NOT treated humanely, no matter what sort of posted placards exist there. Elephants are wild animals and do not serve the purpose to entertain people. If they have been rescued, they shouldn’t then be forced to continue to work, even if it’s far less labor intensive than logging it’s still work. Rescued elephants should be allowed to live like they would in the wild. Take a look at the Elephant Nature Park model for an example of how rescued elephants should be treated.
Sorry but I still disagree, and I also still feel that your initial post had no factual basis. I did not get any kind of bad feeling from this place. You have to take each place on its individual merit, and whilst I agree that there are bad places out there, I strongly feel that this is not one of them. Training an animal does not automatically involve cruelty, wild animal or not.
That’s your opinion. Even if they weren’t trained with cruelty, I still don’t believe rescued (or any wild animal, really) should be put to work or used for the amusement of humans. You might not have gotten a bad feeling, but I did, and after doing more research realized that I don’t agree with this type of animal tourism. Not necessarily this place, but any like it.
Thanks for sharing your story and spreading awareness. I read a story about Asian elephants, especially in Thailand tourism, who are treated terribly. Their souls are broken through a process called “The Crush” which ultimately leads to these elephants becoming worker drones. Very sad what people will do for a buck – the thing is most tourists have no idea or they’d never jump on an elephants back in the first place.
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My wife and I each rode a donkey up to the magnificently carved Monastery building in Petra ,Jordan a couple of years back. The ride was over a 1000 steps up, and took approximately 20 minutes. You start at the bottom, near the Restaurant and Roman ruin areas , and work your way up to near the Monastery.. A truly fabulous ride through history. We of course bartered for this ride, and the man we bartered with actually jogged/ran/walked the entire trip with his animals. He called his donkeys Bedouin 4 x 4′s. The deal is to ride up and then later walk back down, The animals were always munching on food and looked well fed. He said he does 3 or 4 trips a day, early in the day. Not too many people walk up 1000 steps after lunch in the warmer part of the day.
We were there in the early spring. Temperatures were shirt and light sweater.
His cousin Rosa tried to sell us some beads , necklaces, and earings on the way down, What a great memory.