Elephant Sanctuaries in Krabi: Good? Most Ethical One?

In Krabi, an elephant sanctuary is a great place to add some animal encounters beyond the fun beach activities.

With 20+ elephant camps in Krabi, how can you select an ethical elephant sanctuary to make sure that your money goes to support elephants? What is the most ethical sanctuary in Krabi?

Scroll down to check out the insider tips based on our clients' feedback and on-site visits.

Is Krabi a Good Place to Visit Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Southern Thailand?

Yes, Krabi is a great place to visit an elephant sanctuary, even if you're looking for the strictest no-touch sanctuary.

In the southern islands of Thailand, Krabi is the only place that houses a fully hands-off elephant sanctuary.

Most sanctuaries in Krabi offer short interactions with elephants, like 2-hour sessions and half-day tours. For similar elephant experiences, Krabi is also more budget-friendly than places like Koh Samui and Phuket.

How to Choose an Ethical Elephant Sanctuary in Krabi?

In Krabi, you may encounter elephant camps that offer riding options, which we strongly advise against. Based on our research on local elephant sanctuaries, there is a little trick for you to identify these riding camps: avoid those with Camp or Park in their names.

When selecting a real elephant-friendly one, we follow a basic rule first: no elephant riding, no shows, and no use of chains or bull hooks.

Then, prioritize camps that limit visitor numbers. Smaller groups lead to less stress for the elephants and a more personal experience for you.

Finally, look for sanctuaries that provide a large natural environment for retired and rescued elephants, allowing them to play and roam freely.

What Are the Top 2 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Krabi?

After reviewing over ten ethical elephant sanctuaries in Krabi, we've handpicked the following two that stand out as the most ethical choices for you.

1. Following Giant Elephant Sanctuary: Most Ethical, No Touching

If you're looking for the most ethical option in Krabi, Following Giant is the sanctuary to visit. It is one of the few sanctuaries in Thailand that meet the highest welfare standards of World Animal Protection: no touching, no feeding, and no bathing.

Everything for Elephant Welfare: Jungle Camps and Limited Visitors

Strictly adhering to a hands-off philosophy, you could only observe and walk alongside the elephants in an undisturbed distance.

Following Giants has two camps in Krabi: Ao Nang, Krabi (5 elephants, 80 acres), and Koh Lanta (6 elephants, 45 acres). Both camps provide large, jungle-like environments for elephants to play, roam, and bathe (in natural rivers or pools) freely.

Both camps have participant limits to guarantee elephants' comfort. The Krabi camp has a maximum of 12 people, while the Lanta camp can accommodate up to 10 participants.

What do they offer for an elephant experience?

Following Giants offers varied programs based on time duration: jungle walks, half-day tours, full-day tours, and a week-long volunteer program (Koh Lanta only).

• Jungle walk with elephants (the base of all programs)

For all programs within one day, jungle walk is the only session to see and observe elephants: 90 minutes in Krabi and 2 hours in Koh Lanta.

You would watch an educational video about the sanctuary's journey, follow elephants in a hilly jungle walk, and learn about their natural behaviors from the guide.

If you're looking for special moments with elephants, choose Krabi Camp. It offers scenic sunrise or sunset walks with elephants.

Insider tip: Physical fitness is required as you have to walk up and down on wet and dirty roads.

• Other experiences beyond the jungle walk

Taking a jungle walk as a base, you would make and shoot seed balls to plant trees for elephants during a half-day tour. (This is the highlight of our visit! Flinging seed balls with catapults reminds us of our childhood and it's also a fun way to release any pent-up frustration.)

If you take a full-day tour, you would take extra programs: making elephant dung paper and outdoor adventure—kayaking in Krabi or tiger cave waterfall hiking in Koh Lanta.

If you prefer an immersive experience with elephants, take the volunteer program at Koh Lanta camp. You would take part in the daily elephant care, help to guide other daily visitors, and construct the campground.

Insider tip: The short-time jungle walk and half-day tours are most popular, especially in the Ao Nang campsite. So book at least 1 month in advance.

2. Elephant Sanctuary Krabi Thailand: Feed and Bathe Elephants with Limited Visitors

In addition to Following Giants, other ethical elephant sanctuaries in Krabi typically offer experiences like feeding, walking and bathing sessions with elephants. Among this type of ethical sanctuaries, we highly recommend Elephant Sanctuary Krabi Thailand.

They offer half-day tours twice a day and keep the group size of each tour to a maximum of 12 people. This small size helps maintain a peaceful environment for the elephants, allowing them to feel comfortable without being disturbed by large crowds.

For a single half-day tour, you would help to make protein balls, feed the elephants, play mud spa with them, bathe them and enjoy some tea/coffee before departure.

Instead of observing only, you would interact with elephants in a respectful way. In their palm tree-surrounded campground, the elephants there can stroll free with no chains, barriers, or riding, bathe and eat as they're pleased.

(On our visit, we could take photos with elephants during the photo sessions. The mahout just stopped us when he found one elephant showed signs of distress. During the program, the staff also helped to take photos of us and sent them to us free of charge by email afterward. So we could fully concentrate on the experience. )

Insider tip: Don't mix this elephant sanctuary up with Krabi Elephant Sanctuary, which has already closed down during COVID-19.

How Much Does It Cost to Visit an Elephant Sanctuary in Krabi?

In Krabi, the short 2-hour sessions, like feeding elephants or walking with them, usually take about 1000 to 1700 THB (30 to 51 USD) per person. Hotel transfers are likely to be excluded.

For the most popular half-day programs, their prices typically range from 2,300 to 2,900 THB (68 to 86 USD) per person, while full-day experiences cost about 4000 THB/119 USD. These fees generally cover hotel transportation, guided tours, and time with the elephants.

While these prices are higher than at riding camps or circuses, your money goes directly to caring for and rescuing these animals, which makes a big difference.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Krabi?

Krabi has a consistent temperature around 30°C (86°F) year-round. But the rainfall varies.

So for guaranteed sunny days, the dry season (November to April) is the best time to visit Krabi. You could perfectly enjoy outdoor activities like water sports and visiting elephant sanctuaries.

But during the hottest months (March to April), you'd better schedule your outdoorsy adventure during cooler early mornings or late afternoons. Elephants might be not so active during the midday as well.

During the rainy season (May to October), you are likely to encounter rainfall every 2 days. They are usually short-lived, lasting about 30 minutes to an hour. So except beach activities, other activities are less affected. In fact, visiting during this time can be quite nice, as it tends to be quieter.

Where Should You Stay in Krabi?

Most ethical elephant sanctuaries in Krabi are located near the Ao Nang area, so it's advisable to stay at nearby beaches such as Klong Muang Beach, Ao Nang Beach, and Railay Beach.

Hotels in these areas are only about a 15-minute drive from most elephant sanctuaries, with the farthest one, Following Giant, taking nearly half an hour to reach, making it easy for you to visit.

• Ao Nang Beach: Main hub for island-hopping tours and easy access to transportation, dining, and shopping.
• Klong Muang Beach: A quieter, more serene beach with luxury resorts.
• Railay Beach: known for soft sand and rock climbing.

How Do You Get Around Elephant Sanctuary in Krabi?

Most elephant sanctuaries could be easily reached within a 30-minute drive from popular hotel areas, such as Krabi Town, Klong Muang Beach, Ao Nang Beach, and Railay Beach.

If you choose half-day and full-day activities, most elephant sanctuaries would take care of the hotel transfers by a shared van. However, if you opt for a shorter 2-hour activity, you need to arrange your own transport to and from the sanctuary.

You could simply choose the most comfortable private transfers from a reliable agent or taxi. As taxis in Krabi don't use meters, it's essential to negotiate the fare with the driver beforehand to avoid any surprises.

You might also see that many blogs recommend renting a motorcycle. But honestly, renting a motorbike isn't the best idea for most people. The traffic can be overwhelming, especially from November to April, and those winding mountain roads to some elephant sanctuaries can be tricky if you're not an experienced rider.

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