Whether they are the main event, activity, or additional sideshow, elephants are a feature at many of Pattaya’s most popular tourist attractions.
For better or worse, things you can do in Pattaya with elephants include:
- Elephant rides and trekking
- Visit an elephant sanctuary
- Bathe with elephants
- Feed and mingle with elephants
- Watch elephant shows
- Watch elephants swim
How you choose to see or have a fun experience with elephants in Pattaya is up to you. However, if you are also interested in the welfare of elephants, you should ask yourself:
- Is it cruel to ride elephants?
- How do they train elephants to perform stunts and tricks?
And be sure you read the visitor reviews about any place before visiting yourself.
Elephant Trekking in Pattaya
The most well-known place for elephant riding is the Elephant Village in rural East Pattaya, where you can take a short or long trek through the countryside.
At least part of the trek from the Pattaya Elephant Village takes you through pools of water within a dense forest.
For non-riders, there’s the Mong Chang Cafe’s (Watch Elephant Cafe) nest-style seating and tables perched over the water, where you can observe the elephants and their passengers while enjoying a drink and a bite to eat.
Other places you can ride elephants in Pattaya are Nong Nooch Gardens, where you can take an elephant-back tour, and the Sanctuary of Truth, which offers short elephant rides.
Watch an Elephant Show in Pattaya
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Gardens in Pattaya is famous for its vast and beautiful gardens. There’s much to see, including an impressive collection of automobiles and classic cars. However, the equally renowned elephant shows are the main attraction for many visitors.
During the main show, you can watch elephants perform all manner of tricks, skills, and stunts, including:
- Painting pictures
- Playing basketball and football
- Throwing darts
- Riding tricycles
- Doing handstands
You can’t help but wonder how they train elephants to paint, play basketball and football, and ride tricycles.
Visit an Elephant Sanctuary in Pattaya
Due to it being considered detrimental to the elephants’ well-being and health and training methods that are regarded as cruel, there are no shows, and riding is prohibited at reputable elephant sanctuaries in Thailand.
The things to do with elephants at the Pattaya Elephant Jungle Sanctuary depend on your chosen program.
During one of the half-day programs, you get to mingle with the herd and feed them various foods.
The highlight of the half-day program is the elephant bathing time, which involves getting in the muddy pond and giving the elephants a mud bath before cleaning them off in the elephant shower.
See Elephants at a Zoo in Pattaya
At Khao Kheow Open Zoo, about a 30-minute drive from Pattaya, elephants are free to roam within their enclosure.
Other activities with elephants at the zoo include an elephant swimming show where you can watch through the glass windows of the swimming tank.
Get Cheap Entry Tickets to See Elephants in Pattaya
You can buy cheap entry tickets to Nong Nooch Gardens, Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, Khao Kheow Zoo, and many more popular attractions in Pattaya online.