7. Elephant Hills

Awesome elephants, well-behaved monkeys and giant frogs. Plus, did you know that there IS such a thing as a white elephant? 

Following episode 6 exploring Thailand, May focusses on the country's Elephant Hills - a unique experience for the visitor -  with advice on everything from eating to accommodation to conservation.

Transcript

Awesome elephants,  well-behaved monkeys and giant frogs. Plus, did you know that there is such a thing as a white elephant? Welcome to episode seven of travels with May.

hello, I'm May Swan-Easton. And in this episode, our destination is elephant Hills Thailand. As the next 40 minutes, you'll hear about the real destination with facts only in local wins. Let's get straight into the conversation I had with Quain who is the marketing manager at telephone Hills. Welcome quaint.

Hi guys. Thank you so much to everyone who tuned into trowels with may show a podcast today. So my name is . I have been working at elephant Hughes for five years, and today I'm going to be running through some information that you will be interested. And I'm going to begin with who we are. Elephant Hughes, uh, Thailand first luxury tented jungle camps combining the camp idea of African national park with the Thai tropical rain forest environment.

And we are offered two to four days. Nature, soft adventure tours in an Earl, the stunningly beautiful council national park area with the luxury tens for nighttime accommodate. And, um, we have two camps. So first can we call the elephant camps and the rainforest camp, both camps are situated in. Council national park in south, in Thailand, approximately two hours apart from each other and close to the famous beaches and holiday destination, like Paquette Cadillac, grubby even got some way.

And our transfer work in perfectly to accommodate the ultimate family. And now for our transfer, the idea to complete any package holiday, as we can pick you up from your beach break and take you into the jungle and then drop you off to your next destination, we can pick you up from popular. Tourist destination in the Southern of Thailand.

As I mentioned before, such as Puckett Cadillac, grabby Can-Am even got some way and all transfer will be provided in the comfort of our air condition, meaning Benz and all the transfers, private or shared. It's a chat transfer and efficient to do our transfer. So our elephant hues are fully inclusive of luxury things, accommodations activities.

Meals as well as service of an hour, English speaking tour guide, and, um, the elephant camp, they are comprised tailor, made luxury tents, and has successfully been overrated over 20 years now and becoming a popular destination for. Family and couples vacations. How many tenths do you have? Uh, we have 66 pins at the elephant camp and we have 20 tents at the red forest camp.

And how many maximum people will they take these tents? So at the elephant cam it's weekend. About maximum three adults in one tent. And then for the families, we can fit two adults and two children in one tenths. So we have the roll on bed so we can put it in there that the tent is there a minimum ice age for children to stay at elephant Hills.

So the minimum age at the elephant camp, our camp at the Midland, then the kids have to be the at least minimum four year old. Yeah. And then at the rainforest, can they have to be seven years of age and there's no maximum age, no vaccine, so everyone can call them. So yeah, for our accommodations, uh, is, will be in, um, luxury style glamping.

Which is a type of holidays, not for like everyone who gets to experience. So in the 10 quilts or routing off the rainforest. So you can create your own spot treatment by listening to the sound of the rainforest. And yeah, we offer one only one room type, which is a luxury tents and a have either one big double.

Or two separate twin beds. And yeah, as I told me, before, we can accommodate up to a three. In case I wrote on there, his request, this family up to 4% can be accommodated. Our luxury camping tents are equipped with plenty of space for your luggage and the whole family. So you will have your own private unsweet with wetlands by amenities, hardwood, and floors and comfy bed.

Yeah. And, uh, one of the highlights. For everyone is our ethical elephant experience. So you can get up close and personal to the beautiful, gentle giants, which is one of my favorite things to do as an employee at elephant Hills. I like to see, and then I don't know, every time when I go work there, I like to just sit on the balcony at our elephant cafe and just look out and see the elephants.

It's like 20 relaxing meal and, um, yeah, you can interact with them by preparing the food and feeding. And at our elephant park, we do not offer elephant riding. Instead, you will get to feed animals. With the Asian largest land animal during your unique award winning elephant experience at our elephant park.

And how many elephants do you have at elephant Hills? At the moment we have 12 elephants and they are all ladies and what's. Um, what's the age ranges between the elephants, the young, the youngest one is seven years old and the oldest one is 76 years old. I'm waiting to. Come from where'd you where'd you find, are they wild elephants?

Where did they come from? Some of them, uh, used to work in the locking industry before, but after 1989, the locking industry got banned in Thailand and they end up like being on the street with the elephant caretaker. And then we brought them to our elephant camp to make that life better so they can just be elephant again, so they don't need to work anymore.

So at our elephant park, they can just. Scratching, um, playing in the mud pool and then, yeah, just be yelling. Along with our ethical elephant experience. So you and your family will also get to experience our, can know safari down to the sock river with your own pattern, man. So you don't need to paddle by yourself.

You can just sit back and relax and enjoy the scenery along the way. So it is the great opportunity to get the, your family and the kids outdoor and expo nature. Along with our jungle trekking through the lush rain forest and, uh, yeah. To see the council national park, you have to be quite fit to be able to, to do the tracking through the rain forest are of the, our activity.

I decided to be soft adventure so everyone can participate in any age group and a fitness level. Going back to the accommodation. Do the tents have their own private bathrooms? Yeah, they all have, uh, unsweet private bathroom and it's um, what tends by toilet? So, yeah, I know some people, they might have to visit some hotel in Thailand before, and then they found out like they have to do the squat toilet, but yeah.

Yeah. Uh,

Yeah. Um, and can they access Wi-Fi in the tent? Yes, we have the high-speed wifi in the 10 and also in the common area. So, so you mentioned two, uh, two camps. One was the elephant camp and the other one was the river camp. Did you say? Yeah, the, the rainforest came that I will going to in a, in a second. Yeah.

We also offer a great range of the evening activity. Um, that's include the movie presentations, dance performance from our local school kids and cooking demonstrations, where you can learn how to make a traditional Thai dishes like Thai green Curry or papaya salad. What did you have at our camp last time when you, we say, I think had a bit of everything.

Cause the food was so delicious. I know. So moving to our second property, we call it a rainforest camp. So is this the, one of the world's only luxury floating painted camps and it's was open in 2011. So it's been like more than 10 years now. And, uh, it's also. In the council area on the MRO green water, Sheila lake.

And as I told you, before, we have 20 luxuries safari tents, and it's directly placed on the Emerald green water of Sheila lake. Provide. The base of you to explore the south in Thailand and tropical rain forest. And it's fully furnished with an unsweet bathroom with hot and cold showers. I love in shampoo collections and yeah, a solid sale mate.

Oh, two twin beds, electric city, and a lots of more detailed too, like currently to you, the comfort you desire. And, um, the rainforest camp is the perfect place to explore the stunning jungle. Because it's brought on the water as well. It's allowing it's very beautiful and to protect the nature. Our rain forest camp is designed in a highly responsible and sustainable way by using solar energy and using a unique waste management system as well.

Do you use plastic at all at the, yeah, the lodges? No, we don't use plastic at all. Um, two years ago we decided to reduce our plastic use. So when every guests arrive at our camp, we will hand, hand out them the standard stainless bottle. So they can refill at our camps like this all the time. They, when they stay at elephant hue.

So, and also we use the stainless straw when they order some drinks. So we don't use any plastic cup or plastic. At the moment, no food at the, at the camp. Is it based upon a full board, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or is it all inclusive? Does it include drinks as well? Uh, it's full board. So it's a wet turnstile, uh, with turn and high style buffet.

So. For the breakfast, lunch and dinners is all inclusive and it's all included in the package except alcohol drink and stuff. Um, what's the average cost for a, say a beer or a glass of wine. BIA is just like one power 50. Yeah. It's quite quite XIV. Yeah. I know. We have like fully. Stock it all the alcohol drinks.

So yeah, you can see on the, some pictures on our website, like it's really like most, I remember

it's tipping included, um, for the food and drink. Oh, not, it's not included. That's at your own discretion? Yes. Okay. So can people visit for the day, um, or, or are there two durations, do you do, um, certain numbers of nights, um, tours. So, um, you, you can't, you cannot reset for a day trip. You have to stay at least for one night, two days.

And all of our elephant, he was tours, uh, family. And affordable. And, uh, besides our accommodations and activities, we also running the at CSR projects at elephant Hills. So first one we have the student projects and, uh, our company objective at elephant news has always been to work close closely with the local community.

And over the years, we have done our best to focus on, um, helping towards improving, improving shooting education in rural areas. And we are a tourism business in it, but we hope that the revenue from the operating nature tour and funds donated by our guests can, and partner can make, uh, like a different.

Life of the less privileged children and yeah, as we are based in one of the world's most magnificent rainforest area, our aim is also to help the local student to learn about the importance of the constellation of nature and environments. So if you are planning to visit us at elephant hill, so be sure you pack with proposed so you can bring something for the children, such as the second hands, basic English book at the time.

And the Katy toys and games, school stationeries, or even warm clothes for the children who living in the mountains in the north of Thailand. The second one is the elephant conservation projects. So the elephant and elephant Hughes, they are happy and content with that days considering of free roaming eating, scratching, socializing, and immersing themselves in the cool cooling pawn and the mud pit.

But, uh, yeah, unfortunately, Oh, elephant in Thailand, um, as lucky as ours. So we ask that our elephant conservation projects over 10 years ago within this project, we try to help to improve the welfare of the domestic elephant by supporting the government by, uh, to run the elephant hospital. And we also contribute the white elephant conservation by helping the.

Sanctuaries and the national park to prevent humans and elephant conflicts or the wild elephants in Thailand in decline. Yes, they're in decline. So about 10 years ago, we have more than. Pinballs bowels and elephants, but today we have only two to 3000 elephant elephant left. Yeah. In the Y I mean, like, not must jungle left in Thailand, so big because people, they cut the trees and everything.

So the elephant, they don't have much food, so yeah, they're in up to steal some food from the farmers and they. Yeah, I got killed by the farmers. So that's why we at elephant who were trying to help with that problem to, uh, making some salt lake earlier, too, to make them lead them, to go find some area for the food or something there in the jungle near not nearby the farmer elephants see a lot food on a daily basis.

Yeah, they eat. Can you guess how they eat? I couldn't, I wouldn't. I have no idea up to 200 to two 50 kilograms per day. So basically to eat all day, whatever you, you give it to, to them, they're gonna like straight into that. Yeah. And, and this is what this is part of the, um, experience that people will have when they come into elephant Hills, that they help prepare the elephant's food.

They can see what they eat and they get to feed them. Um, I mean, when I went, I was lucky enough that we washed the elephants down, which was such an amazing experience. And certainly once in a lifetime too, That up close and personal to an elephant. It was, it was quite, um, uh, it was very, very emotional. I must've met these beautiful, huge animals.

Um, so, so gentle. Yeah. So one of the highlights for elephant hue, so everyone who visit elephant Hughes, any package that you pick to come, so you. You will get to experience the elephant experience at our elephant park. And they live in the Hills as received many international wards over the years, haven't they including one from national geographic, but understand you were awarded a hundred percent rating for your animal welfare from global spirit.

And who are the animal in tourism, especially. That's quite, that's quite an achievement. Yeah. We achieved that for two times already. So they, they do it every two years. So we actually like to, into consecutive years and, uh, yeah, we are the only one. Um, the first elephant camp globally to achieve 100% of minimum requirements in the category of the enclosure and environmental complex complexity.

And, um, The Whitten Ari can yeah. Movement for animals. Yeah. We are the only one come in the, in global. And is there a good time or a bad time to visit elephant Hills? So, um, you can come to elephant Hughes just anytime of the year, but, uh, yeah. Uh, please note that that, uh, in council are located in council area and it's too wet test area in Thailand.

So the rain can be, it can be ran any day of the year, but it's. Just right in five minutes and then it stopped one hour and it stopped. It's not going to rain light all day. And it's the 28 rain warm shower. So compared to the rain in England, I think you prefer the rain in household. So true. So recreational facilities at elephant Hills, do you have a swimming pool?

People can call down. Oh yes, we have swimming pools. So yeah, you can just. Gentlemen who the swimming pool have some glass of Mohito and you can look out from the swimming pool. We have like a stunning limestone mountain wheels, so, oh yeah. It's quite, and it's warm. We have a swimming pool at the other lodge or is it just at the elephant lodge?

Uh, we have only at the elephant camp at the rainforest. Can you can just jump right. Just right in front of your balcony, into the lake. What should somebody wear when visiting elephant Hills? So you can wear Casio claws flip-flop and when you go to the jungle checking, you can wear like some trainers.

Yeah. Make sure you bring some old trainers are like. Cheap trainers because it can get like very muddy when you go. So what are the animals will people say at elephant hill was in the rainforest and at the rainforest, can you get a chance to see Han booze? You get to see if you are lucky enough, you will get to see the wildlife.

They come down and yeah. And then just string the water just right in front of our tent. And we have some like cows, it's like a big bull. Yeah. They just came down to drink and have some grass. We also have Malayan Sunday, but they are quite like deep, deep, deep in the jungle. So when you go into jungles or some sort of animal, they can smell you from far away and they try to.

Keep the 10 and be away from you. And, uh, yeah, we have some macaques, um, monkeys and they are not naughty monkey. They are nice monkey. So you might have like, seen some monkey in like, in some tempos before they try to. Grab your bottles and drink your bottle or something like that. But yeah, this monkey they're like nice monkey.

What about around the elephant Hills itself as you're walking around? What sort of animals will I get to see there? Mostly you can see. Just like monkeys, some, but, um, some Hondas and, uh, that's it exactly. That's what I was going to say. You've got the biggest frogs I've ever seen. I know. So big. Have you seen it, um, on the way on, uh, when you do the Kendall safari or outside my tent?

Um, at night with my torch, um, on the ground. In the middle of the path. Yeah. We have the, the big one that like, I haven't seen in any way before. It's so big, but I'm not sure that he's still there. He's a quite famous, quite popular among our, I think I met him. I'm sure it was him,

so, yeah. And you can spot many animals at elephant Hills. Yeah. And is it in a malaria area? Are we not in the Murray area. So it was quite safe to stay at elephant hues, but, uh, we always suggest, um, guests to just go and check with their doctor before to come to Thailand. Yeah. But 100% like safe is Maria safe area.

So in a nutshell, why should elephant Hills beyond everyone's wishlist to visit? So yeah, obviously we have elephants and then yeah. Everyone would love to see elephants. And, um, we are the, I can see, like, I can say that elephant Hughes, we are like, uh, Ethical elephant experience camp in Thailand. And, um, yeah, you can see from, it can currently from our awards that we've been received, we have like elephant welfare awards.

We have the Thailand tourism award in term of the animal welfare. And we also have the have gone, um, the national geographic world legacy awards in term, the author conserving the nature walls and to make sure like we run our company, but with the sustainable and as possible. In what ways do elephant Hills practice environmental sustainability?

Yeah. At elephant Hughes, we are a big nature and enthusiasts and try to constantly find ways to lower our impact on the environment. We are proud to say that I will share our passion. And we try to make that stay with us as sustainable as possible. And over the past few years we have, uh, for instance, reduce our plastic.

Drastically drastically and plant thousands of tree to offset CO2 emissions. And we also educate our staff on sustainability aspect and hoping to inspire them and their friends or their family to consider. And why are men in the everyday lives? And as I mentioned earlier, our floating 10 resort is designed in a highly responsible and sustainable way by using solar and wind.

And running an exceptional waste management system. And each of our luxury tents has its own solar panel generating electricity and always water is collected and treated in a septic tank and we bring it to the Midland. So we not release anything into the water. That sounds fantastic. I wish are we sure to accommodations hotels resorts all over the world would, would follow, uh, you know, the same.

Um, things that you're doing. That's brilliant. So do you take cash or is it just called elephant Hills? Oh, we accept only cash at elephant Hughes because you are in a jungle. So yeah. To have cards. Like are hot for us too. Sometimes the connection is not work, so we accept them. And of course you've got a gift shop, so there's lots to buy in the gift shop and, and for doing so that's the two things that you would, uh, you would need cash for.

So what would be your top tip for anyone visiting elephant Hills. Oh, okay. So make sure you have your cameras. We, you can get the pictures with our elephants and sometime you can spot some. We just let the red animals, so you can like have your camera in hand and then yeah, if you, uh, Lova. So we also have the minor Cola for you to borrow, so you can just order from us and then just spot some birds and elephant hues.

And then, yeah. So thank you so much for joining us today. Quain all the way from Thailand and sharing all your knowledge and expertise on a very, very special place. Thank you. Can I say one more thing? Yes, of course. You can say one more thing. This is like very important part. So yeah, about the awards that we have got from the travel card.

Oh yes, of course. Yeah. Yeah. And, uh, elephant use, we been awarded a preferred partner award. Travel counselor as the relationship leisure suppliers of the year for 2018 and 2019. And yet it wasn't a great honor for us to receive this award at the tribal council conference in Glasgow in 2018 and in, uh, in Manchester in 2019.

And yeah, it was a very easy choice when we get that choice as to who we enjoy working with and, and who. You know, we have a good relationship with, um, elephant Hills with myself and all my colleagues. You came out top. So it was a well-deserved, um, accolade and award that you received. Definitely. So here's the, the next few years that you win it again?

I'm sure you will. Yeah. Thank you so much. Next time on travels with me, we had to sunny Southern California. Well, so Cal for short, taking in San Diego, greater Palm Springs and Santa Monica, a fantastic three center fly drive option with my guests, Ben, Gary, and Todd, to make sure you don't miss it. Click follow on this podcast to ensure each episode arrives into your podcast app, every fortnight.

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