WALKING WITH GIANTS
Jillian Bolger heads to Thailand and meets a few friendly elephants
It’s 7am in northern Thailand and the morning sun is streaming through a mist-shrouded valley. In the distance, below, elephants move about gently, drinking water and grazing by rice paddies. A ribbon of gold, the Ruak River, cuts through the forest, racing to meet the mighty Mekong that snakes close by. Here, at this jungle junction in Asia’s Golden Triangle, three great countries meet, and I’ve a bird’s eye view over them all.
Built atop a ridge, and nestled into the tropical foliage, my Chiang Rai hideaway affords me serene and sweeping views of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. I’m sipping coffee on my balcony, mesmerised by the green patchwork before me. Tucked into the hillside, this luxury resort is one of the most famous in Thailand, thanks to its rather special neighbours. The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), next door, is a sort of elephant rehab, set up for abused and traumatised pachyderms.
Many of the elephants, once wild, come from the streets, others from illegal logging camps, trekking camps or elephant shows. Partnering with Anantara and another neighbouring hotel, the GTAEF rents the elephants from the mahouts (handlers) and provides them with food, a forest environment, shelter and the care of vets. The mahouts and their families benefit also, moving here where they enjoy food, accommodation, education and healthcare.
We’ll be meeting the neighbours later, but first there’s time to acclimatise to the highlands and explore the resort. The décor is Lanna-influenced, referencing the many indigenous cultures that made up this ancient kingdom. Teak floors, wood carvings, handwoven silks and ornate handicrafts are married with modern luxuries to create a beautiful and atmospheric sense of place. There’s a deep terrazzo bath in my room that begs to be filled and a generous balcony that Instagrammers will delight in, offering views of the paddy fields and mountains below.
This leafy terrain is home to 39-yearold Bo – as handsome as she is gentle – and her elephant buddies. We are introduced to all three animals on an afternoon trip, getting up close and personal in a thrillingly intimate encounter. Accompanied by their mahouts, and with a staff member as a guide, we stand close by learning about this endangered species, the challenges of habitat loss and exploitation, and the new lives these creatures enjoy here today.
The urge to sing Colonel Hathi’s Elephant March is strong, as we stroll along, Jungle Bookstyle, behind these mighty elephants en route to the Ruak River for a bath. They roam freely through grasslands, eager to cool off and wallow in the water. Like most children, they don’t want to leave the river after bath time, playfully spraying water as they clamber up the banks, oblivious to the delight they are spreading.
“Like most children, these elephants don’t
want to leave the river after bath time,
playfully spraying water as they clamber
up the banks.”
Such access to elephants is rare and offers a great way for tourists to understand the foundation’s significant work. It costs $18,000 to look after one elephant for a year, so the support from the Anantara Resort is essential.
Tourists coming to the Golden Triangle – a name coined by the CIA – hoping to spy poppy fields, pipe smokers or clandestine activity will leave disappointed. The rugged highlands were once the centre of the world’s opium trade, but the Thai royal family has made it their mission to eradicate the illegal activity, with a programme that has seen the indigenous hill tribes encouraged to cultivate coffee, tea, tomatoes, potatoes and other organic crops, all grown as part of the restorative Royal Project.
Across the road from my hotel is the impressive Hall of Opium, a purpose-built contemporary museum offering an interactive tour of opium’s startling history. From the East India Trading Company and Anglo-Chinese Opium Wars to crop cultivation, the royal museum is fascinating. The accessible history, devastating facts of heroin addiction and engaging multimedia displays deliver a thought-provoking perspective that leaves a lasting impression.
In Chiang Rai for three nights, there’s plenty to do once you’ve made friends with the charming neighbours. There will be ample time for the glamorous infinity pool and lolling on sun loungers. There will be a perfect window to slip away and surrender to the skills of a masseuse at the serene Anantara Spa Sanctuary. There will be chilled-out evenings taking sundowners on the Opium Terrace and tucking into delicious dinners of northern Thai cooking or surprisingly good Italian fare.
An early morning trip to the nearby market at Chiang Saen with executive chef Jino is one of the trip’s highlights. We meet busy locals plying their wares – slabs of fresh fish, exotic fruits and vegetables and armfuls of fragrant herbs. Tempting snacks beckon, from satay to banana leaf-wrapped treasures, golden corn on the cob to unrecognisable grilled meats. We sip sweet coffee before returning to Spice Spoons, the resort’s beautiful cookery school, armed with fresh supplies. Here we enjoy a cookery demo with Jino before he lets us loose to whip up our own versions of tom kha gai, chicken coconut soup, and classic pad Thai.
We may have impressed ourselves at lunchtime, but nothing could prepare us for the Dining by Design meal we would enjoy later that evening amongst the resort’s emerald rice paddies. A private dining experience in a sala – an opensided pavilion – is preceded by an unforgettable surprise. It seems we are to feed two charming elephants who have joined us for apéritifs. Before we can tuck into our feast of local cuisine – fragrant curries, silky noodles, spicy vegetable dishes and tropical salads – we shall be serving freshly cut sugar cane and bamboo to these two gentle giants. An elephant may never forget, but, after this incredible experience, nor too shall I.