Sappraiwan Elephant Sanctuary Program
My husband and I attended a half day elephant program (program D) at Sappraiwan Grand Hotel and Resort in Phitsanulok. We decided to go in the morning, because we didn’t know what to expect and if it would be disappointing we’d only lose half a day of time.
The one thing I feared the most was that no mahout would speak english. That wouldn’t be much of a problem for me, but that wouldn’t be fun for my husband. I know when I’m doing something I like, I tend to forget to translate for him. My fear was not necessary. We were picked up by a female mahout who immediately spoke english to us. Her name was Puy and she had been to Belgium to work in Pairi Daiza (a zoo in the french speaking part of Belgium). Her english was good enough to teach us about the elephants and being a mahout.
At 8h30 we started with feeding the elephants. For guests it is 100 baht per basket, but if you attend the program it is free. Puy told us how much the elephants eat and what kind of food they eat. She told us a little bit about these elephants in particular, so we got to know them a bit better. Than she assigned both of us a suiting elephant to ride on.
The mahout told us how to get on the elephant, where to sit and where to hold on. It was nice to see they never use a howdah (a carriage positioned on the back of an elephant). After a walk to the forest the elephants were stopped at a bamboo hut. We descended from the elephants and they were released in the forest. The elephants immediately started to look for food.
On our way to the place where they wash the elephants some of the little once couldn’t resist the lake and took a dive. Our mahout, Puy, told us how to wash the elephants and why that is necessary. She showed us how to wash the elephants. The elephants liked it when you spray the water directly in their mouth. It’s so cute to see the baby’s enjoying it. After the elephants were washed, we fed them pineapple leaves. The leaves are donated by pineapple farmers, who don’t use them anyway.
After the elephants ate, we were told that they switched to target training instead of using an elephant goad (hook). The funny thing about that is, we were told they switched to this methode, because foreigners didn’t approve the method with the elephant goad. We were taught how to do the target training and reward the elephant when he obeyed.
I’m also a proponent of not using an elephant goad if not necessary, but the Thai children are sometimes beaten with a bamboo stick at school when they are being naughty. That sounds cruel to us too, but it’s effective and for the better good. I’m not saying they should hurt the elephants (or children), but in my opinion these mahouts seem to respect their animals. The mahouts told us elephants are wild animals and sometimes they get aggressive after they are released in the forest and they only use the elephant goad to protect themselves sometimes. Maybe I’m being naive, but I do believe these mahouts carry it for protection.
After the target training they showed us how to make a traditional Thai Bamboo set lunch. We were set at a table facing the elephants and we were served a nice prepared bamboo set lunch. When we finished eating we could take more pictures of the elephants and choose to walk back through the forest or get picked up by a car to go back to the hotel.
I really enjoyed my time with the elephants and the mahouts and for me this was the closest I’ve ever been to free elephants. I would definitely recommend to take the elephant program.
You don’t have to be a guest in the Sappraiwan Grand Hotel and Resort to attend a program.
The half day program D costs 1500 baht per person. The money is is used for the cost of raising and feeding the elephants.