Inside Chiang Mai: Family Travel

When in Chiang Mai, you can guarantee a fun filled time for couples or families by visiting a working elephant camp. We went to the Chiang Dao camp, a bit more than an hour's drive north of Chiang Mai. It's been in existence for more than 40 years.

First you see where the elephants are kept and trained, you are allowed to feed the elephants bunches of bananas, and then you are taken down to the river where the mahouts (each elephant has a "driver" that remains with him for years) bath the elephants. Then you go into a small amphiteater where the mahouts put on a brief exhibition with their elephants. The elephantscarry logs, march in columns, follow commands, and one elephant even draws a painting with a set of paints and brushes. The paintings are for sale if you're interested.

Then they attach a seat atop each elephant and you go in pairs on an elephant ride through the forest for about 90 minutes. You sit in the seat and the mahout sits in front of you on the neck of the elephant to guide him/her. You stop halfway to visit a small village and then return to the camp.

To end the half day's activity, we went on a bamboo raft trip several kilometers down the river. You go over a few mild rapids, but it's really a fun experience that it is entertaining for young and old.

• Important Phrases
  
• Be prepared
  
• Tipping & Etiquette
  
• Art and Galleries
  
• Day Trips
  
• Family Travel
  
• Health & Safety
  
• Local handicraft
  
• Nightlife