A superb sanctuary hidden away in southern Phuket, set within a very peaceful forest and home to just a handful of elephants rescued from the tourism industry. Visitor numbers are purposefully kept low, and the sanctuary is run to very high ethical standards on a no-touch, observation only basis.

First of all, it's unhygienic, but more on that below. Allowing humans to crowd around a bathing elephant is also unnatural behaviour. It's not a natural environment for this basic act of self-care. In such conditions, elephants may become nervous or scared, and that's unsafe for all involved.

True sanctuaries never buy, sell, trade, breed, exploit, or profit from elephants. They never use bullhooks or punish elephants in other ways (even out of tourists' sight), and they don't force animals who naturally avoid humans into close contact with them.

Highly recommend and I think this is one of the most ethical businesses allowing tourists to visit the elephants up close. If you want to visit an elephant sanctuary, THIS is the place - the rest is fake tourist places owned and paced by bigger tourist organizations for the money - not the elephants.