I waded knee-deep into the cool river, heart pounding with excitement and a hint of uncertainty. Beside me towered a gentle giant – a rescued Asian elephant – lazily spraying herself with trunkfuls of water under the golden morning sun. She seemed to smile in her own way as droplets cascaded off her back. I gently splashed water on her broad flank, feeling the rough warmth of her skin.
In that moment, time stood still. I was there, bonding with one of nature’s most majestic creatures in a pristine jungle valley. It was an unforgettable experience – a human and an elephant sharing a playful bath – the kind of travel memory people cross continents for. But as her deep brown eyes met mine, a question lingered in my mind: Was this magical encounter truly harmless and respectful, or was I unknowingly part of something that could harm her?
I loved that morning — and it also sent me down a path of learning. I’m not an authority passing judgment, just a traveler who wanted to understand the bigger picture and share what I found. What follows is my attempt to hold two truths at once: the joy of being near elephants, and the responsibility to make choices that keep their well-being first.
Elephants in Tourism: A Complex History
Humans have admired and used elephants for millennia – from ancient warfare and temple ceremonies to logging and agriculture. In countries like Thailand, elephants are deeply woven into culture and history. However, this long relationship has a troubled side. By the late 20th century, with logging banned and traditional elephant work disappearing, many mahouts (elephant keepers) turned to tourism to afford the immense cost of feeding and caring for their elephants. Today, up to 75% of captive Asian elephants are used in the tourism industry, giving travelers a chance to get up close to these amazing animals.
Most tourists who book elephant rides, shows, or baths do so because they love animals, not because they wish to harm them. Ironically, it’s often that very love that has fueled a booming industry in elephant experiences – some benign, others heartbreakingly cruel. For decades, elephant camps offered trekking rides with heavy howdahs (seats) on the elephants’ backs, circus-like performances, and constant close contact. Public awareness has grown that activities like elephant riding are harmful; seeing elephants forced to carry tourists all day or perform tricks has rightfully raised ethical concerns. In response, many venues rebranded themselves as “sanctuaries,” marketing gentler interactions – bathing, mud baths, feeding, or walking with elephants – as an “ethical” alternative to riding or shows.
Yet even well-meant interactions raise questions. At some venues, direct tourist activities like riding or bathing are made possible by coercive training and tight control; at others, practices are changing for the better.
“Some camps force elephants into repeated bath sessions, which can be stressful — but in our case, Banana Leaf seemed relaxed and playful.”
Historically, some facilities have relied on harsh “phajaan” (the crush) methods to condition young elephants. Accounts describe calves being separated from their mothers and restrained until they submit to commands. In many places, standards are improving — and travelers can help by rewarding the best practices.
Control tools like bullhooks (sharp, hooked sticks), ropes, or chains have been used in some settings, and repetitive rides or bathing sessions can take a physical and mental toll. Constant exposure to crowds and fixed schedules may disrupt natural habits. It’s an uncomfortable truth: love for elephants has sometimes fueled experiences that aren’t ideal for them — which is why choosing well matters.
Questions Around Elephant Bathing
In recent years, “no riding” policies have become the gold standard for humane elephant tourism – but what about bathing? After all, elephants love water. In the wild, these giants bathe, splash, and mud-bathe regularly to cool off and protect their skin. From a distance, seeing an elephant wallow in a mud pool or submerge in a river is pure joy. This is one reason why bathing is commonly seen as benign, even beneficial – people assume “if elephants bathe themselves naturally, helping them bathe must be okay.” However, the ethical issue lies not with the bathing itself, but how and why it’s done in tourist settings.
Why could bathing be a concern?
Advocates point out a few risks. First, to get a 3–4 ton elephant to remain calm and let groups of tourists scrub her, some venues rely on conditioning and ongoing control. Second, elephants do not need us to scrub them; they have trunks for this. At true sanctuaries, elephants often coat themselves in mud (which acts as sunscreen and bug repellent) and later rinse off in a river, all on their own schedule.
Tourist bathing sessions, by contrast, are scheduled for visitor convenience, not necessarily when an elephant would choose a bath. Elephants might be brought from resting or eating to meet a new batch of visitors in the water. And while a short, occasional rinse might be fine, frequent daily baths with soaps or vigorous scrubbing can strip the elephants’ skin of natural oils, causing dryness or irritation. Mahouts who truly know their elephants will tell you these animals are naturally clean and don’t require scrubbing — certainly not multiple times a day.
Emotional well-being is also at stake. Elephants are highly intelligent and social, with strong autonomy. Forcing them to repeatedly endure crowds of strangers splashing water on them can be stressful or even humiliating. (In our case its once a day, unless its sunny and warm which is twice and in a timely manner)
Some sanctuaries describe routine tourist baths or showers as often a “stressful and uncomfortable experience” for the elephant, undermining her dignity and sense of autonomy.
Finally, there’s safety to consider. Elephants are massive, unpredictable wild animals by nature, even if they’ve been raised in captivity. During one “elephant bathing” experience in Thailand, a tourist was tragically killed when things went wrong. This rare incident underscores a truth we must never forget: an elephant may be tolerant, but she is not a toy.
“Elephants are large, unpredictable wild animals and should never be used for tourist entertainment… Such practices not only endanger the safety of tourists and mahouts but also negatively impact the welfare of the elephants involved.”
Voices of Wisdom: Wild Animals Deserve Respect
Around the world, experts and advocates are increasingly speaking out for more compassionate wildlife tourism. Saengduean “Lek” Chailert – a renowned Thai conservationist and founder of Elephant Nature Park – has been especially vocal.
“Elephants don’t need tourists to bathe them… Tourists throw buckets of water in the eyes of elephants and believe it’s ‘ethical’ if they ride bareback rather than in a heavy basket. Either way, the elephant is abused.”
Under Lek’s leadership, Elephant Nature Park (one of Asia’s first true elephant sanctuaries) completely stopped all tourist bathing sessions in 2018. Now, the elephants at ENP bathe themselves with no visitor interaction – a policy change explicitly aimed at letting elephants live more naturally. They even built a riverside observation deck so visitors can still enjoy watching the elephants splash and play from a respectful distance.
“We hope you enjoy the beauty that this natural experience allows.”
Lek Chailert’s influence has inspired other camps to transform into true sanctuaries. Some formerly exploitative camps have removed riding seats, thrown out the circus tricks, and cut back on forced interactions. At Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve (an accredited ethical sanctuary in southern Thailand), for example, tourists are not allowed to bathe the elephants at all. The reserve keeps only a small number of rescued elephants and focuses on observation, education, and sustainability, following best practices in animal care. Visitors might get to feed the elephants or walk alongside them, but the elephants’ daily routines and socializing are respected. Similarly, several top-rated sanctuaries around Thailand (Boon Lott’s, BEES, and others) have a strict hands-off policy: no riding, no touching, no bathing – just witnessing these magnificent beings living as naturally as possible.
Even global leaders have chimed in on how we treat animals. Over a century ago, Mahatma Gandhi offered a moral yardstick that still rings true today:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
In other words, our compassion (or lack thereof) toward animals reflects the very soul of our society. This famous adage challenges us to rethink practices that cause suffering to any living being, no matter how much tradition or tourist money might be behind them. If we aspire to be a “great” and moral society, surely we owe gentle giants like elephants the dignity and respect of not exploiting them for a few Instagram photos.
Banana Leaf at Buathong: A Small-Scale Experience
On our visit to Buathong, the experience felt personal and unhurried. Banana Leaf looked relaxed — soft eyes, slow ear flaps, playful splashes, and plenty of time to explore with her trunk. There was no riding, no chains in sight, and caregivers stood nearby to read her mood. Most importantly, she could step away at any moment; no one asked her to lie down or submit to scrubbing, and no soap or hard brushes were used. Our video reflects that small-scale reality — a handful of guests sharing space with an elephant who set the pace — not a mass tourism “bath show.”
Finding a Gentle Balance: Coexistence Over Exploitation
Standing in that river with the elephant, I felt a conflicting mix of elation and concern. It was incredible to touch and interact with her – an experience I’ll never forget. But everything I’ve learned since has convinced me that any wildlife encounter must prioritize the animal’s well-being above our desires. So, where does that leave the idea of “ethical elephant bathing”? Is there a gentle middle ground between no contact at all and outright exploitation?
Many in the animal welfare community argue that truly ethical elephant tourism means minimal human contact: observe rather than intrude. And indeed, the most stringent sanctuaries follow that principle strictly – humans stay out of the elephants’ personal space most of the time. However, some experts believe a balanced approach is possible, especially for elephants already in captivity who cannot be released into the wild. The key is consent and moderation. For instance, some ethical camps still allow visitors to help bathe elephants in limited, controlled ways – not as mass entertainment, but as a form of enrichment for the elephant. This might mean a short, supervised session where a couple of caretakers and visitors splash water on an elephant who walks into the river on her own, at a time she seems to enjoy. If the elephant wants to wander off, she is allowed to leave; if she wants to soak alone, so be it. In these cases, the mahouts closely watch the elephant’s mood and body language for any signs of stress. No one uses soap or brushes, and no one forces the elephant to lie down or submit to scrubbing. The emphasis is on being present with the elephant, rather than dominating her. Such experiences can be very moving for visitors, yet fundamentally different from the assembly-line elephant baths at unethical venues.
Ultimately, each traveler must decide what their conscience is comfortable with. If you’re considering an elephant experience, do your homework. Look for sanctuaries that put the elephants first – places that rescue animals from abuse, ban riding and performance, and limit any tourist interactions. Ask questions: How often are the elephants made to interact with visitors each day? Are they ever chained or disciplined with bullhooks? Can they roam freely and choose what to do? A truly ethical outfit will be transparent and proud of its policies. Remember that if an experience is sold as “once-in-a-lifetime” for you, it should not be a lifetime of work for the elephant.
Coexisting with Respect: Our Promise and Invitation
After my deep dive into this issue, I have come to a personal resolution. Elephants are not here to serve us; we are here to learn from them. The joy we seek from being near these animals is real – I felt it intimately that morning in the river – but I believe we can experience that joy without causing them distress. It starts with a mindset of coexistence instead of dominance. These days, when I visit or recommend an elephant sanctuary, I look for one where the elephants set the pace of interactions. Maybe we’ll walk behind an elephant as she strolls through the forest, or stand a few feet away as she grazes. Perhaps we’ll get to feed her some bananas (with her permission – her trunk will let us know if she’s interested!). And if she decides to wander into a mud wallow and submerge herself, we’ll watch, thrilled just to be in the presence of such an event. We might get splashed by her trunk – and that’s okay. She’s having fun on her terms.
Our own Elephant Sanctuary Tours have embraced this philosophy fully. We believe that creating beautiful memories for visitors and ensuring a good life for elephants are goals that must go hand in hand. On our tours, the elephants are never forced to do anything for show. If you’ve seen our recent video (featured above) of an elephant bathing, you’ll notice something important: there are no tricks, no handlers pushing her – she is simply enjoying the water, free and happy. This was a personal, small-scale moment — not a staged mass-tourism bath show. We merely had the privilege to witness and gently participate under the caregivers’ guidance. By keeping groups small and interactions mindful, we ensure each elephant can be herself – playful, curious, or sometimes stubborn – and that each guest comes away inspired by the encounter. Our guides share the elephants’ rescue stories, their quirks and personalities, and the broader conservation challenges these animals face. It’s an educational experience as much as a fun one.
In the end, the true reward of ethical elephant tourism is not the perfect selfie scrubbing an elephant’s back. It’s the understanding and connection you gain by seeing these magnificent beings respected as the wild animals they are. When you look an elephant in the eye without an agenda – not as a performer, not as a prop, but as a fellow traveler on this Earth – it can profoundly shift something in your heart. You realize, as I did, that we don’t need to dominate nature to appreciate it. We can coexist, watch, protect, and cherish.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi
So, if your travels bring you to the land of elephants, we invite you to join us in redefining what an elephant encounter means. Come walk with these gentle giants, listen to them, watch them splash and trumpet in delight. Come learn what it truly means to share this world with such incredible creatures. We promise you: the fewer demands you place on an elephant, the deeper your appreciation for her will grow. Coexisting with respect isn’t just good for elephants – it just might turn out to be the most soul-enriching adventure for you as well.
Together, humans and elephants can share moments of joy that leave no scars – only mutual trust and awe. That is the heart of ethical elephant tourism, and we’re excited to foster that experience with every visitor who believes in a better way. Here’s to many more magical mornings watching elephants being their playful, magnificent selves – and to us humans learning to be gentler, more humble companions to the giants who have graced our world for so long.
❤🐘
