Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

02/06/2026

🏥 🐘 A promising update on Diao’s recovery from Dr. Bow, our on-site veterinarian!

Our latest X-rays, taken four months after Diao’s injury earlier this year, show encouraging progress. Compared to previous scans, significantly more new bone tissue (callus) has formed around the fracture site. This new bone is continuing to grow around the fractured area, helping to strengthen and stabilize the leg.

Just as importantly, Diao continues to show us his fighting spirit. His appetite remains excellent, he is eating well, and recent blood test results from our CBC analyzer are within a satisfactory range and do not indicate an active infection.

While these are positive developments, Diao’s journey is far from over. Our veterinary team continues to closely monitor and treat pressure sores caused by the crane support system, as well as foot wounds resulting from the long periods he must spend standing.

Recovering from a severe leg fracture is a long and complex process for an animal as heavy as an elephant, but every small step forward matters. We are grateful to Dr Bow and our veterinary team, mahouts, volunteers, supporters, and everyone who continues to follow Diao’s story and cheer him on.

Thank you for being part of his journey.

02/06/2026

Just two elephants, Kannika and Cattleya, enjoying a swim and living on their own terms.

Sadly, experiences like this are still the exception rather than the norm. According to the latest report by World Animal Protection, nearly 7 out of 10 captive elephants in Thailand still live in poor welfare conditions, and only 7% are kept at observation-only venues where elephants can simply be elephants.

At Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, we are proud to be part of that 7%—a place where elephants can roam, forage, socialize, bathe, and make their own choices, free from riding, performances, or direct contact with visitors.

Because sometimes the most meaningful experience is not interacting with elephants, but respectfully observing them being themselves.

Read the full report here:https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/globalassets/pdfs/reports/english/bred-to-entertain.pdf

18/05/2026

Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2026 Winner! 🥇

We are incredibly proud to share that our Morning with the Elephants Program has been recognized as a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2026 winner — placing us among the top 1% of over 8 million listings worldwide based on genuine guest reviews and ratings.

Even more meaningful to us, Phuket Elephant Sanctuary’s half day tour now ranks as the highest-rated elephant experience in all of Thailand. 🇹🇭

This recognition is not just a milestone for our sanctuary. It is a powerful message that travelers from around the world are increasingly supporting ethical, observation-only elephant tourism — experiences where elephants are free to roam, socialize, bathe, forage, and simply be elephants.

Since opening in 2016 as Phuket’s first ethical elephant sanctuary, our mission has always been to put elephant welfare first. In April 2026, we took another major step by becoming 100% hands-off, with no feeding, touching, or bathing interactions — allowing our elephants even more space, freedom, and choice.

To see this approach embraced and celebrated by so many visitors gives us enormous hope for the future of elephant tourism in Thailand and beyond.

Thank you to every visitor, partner, guide, veterinarian, mahout, volunteer, and team member who has been part of this journey. This achievement belongs to all of you!

15/05/2026

At 73 years old, Than-Tawan takes her time with every meal. Here, she carefully steps on the banana leaf with her foot while using her trunk to strip away the soft green parts, leaving behind the tough center vein. Older elephants often become even more selective with food texture as their teeth wear down with age. Softer, easier-to-chew parts of plants are simply more comfortable to eat and digest. Watching Than-Tawan patiently prepare her food like this is a beautiful reminder of an elephant’s intelligence, dexterity, and the adaptations that come with old age.

11/05/2026

Kannika enjoying one of the many food sources grown right here at our sanctuary.

Behind the scenes, our dedicated staff and volunteers continuously plant and maintain vegetation across our 30-acre sanctuary to help provide natural food sources for the 13 elephants in our permanent care, as well as elephants receiving treatment at our hospital.

Creating and maintaining a thriving natural environment for elephants is a huge part of what we do every day.

09/05/2026

We’re thrilled to share that Phuket Elephant Sanctuary has officially been included in Disney’s new 2027 Thailand itinerary, following a site visit with Disney’s Animals, Science & Environment team last year.

It’s encouraging to see a global brand like Disney choose an observation-only elephant sanctuary that prioritizes animal welfare, conservation, and education.

We’re especially excited about the opportunity to inspire families and children — helping the next generation connect with elephants in a respectful and compassionate way.

D23 goes behind the scenes of ABD’s trip development to learn all about their just-announced adventures in Thailand and Croatia & Slovenia, and a reimagined itinerary in southern Italy.

08/05/2026

Beautifully captured by visiting artist Nicole Hart (Nicole Hart Studio) during her time at PES yesterday. This stunning watercolor painting features Kannika and Cattleya peacefully exploring the sanctuary together — a quiet moment brought to life through art. Thank you Nicole! 🙏

05/05/2026

Our PES Canopy Walkway offers a unique opportunity to observe rescued elephants like Chaba as they roam, forage, and bathe across 30 acres of lush jungle—completely on their own terms.

Discover Thailand’s longest canopy walkway and learn more about this unique 90-minute experience: https://www.phuketelephantsanctuary.org/programs/canopy-walkway-tour/

30/04/2026

Vanda living her best life! Surrounded by lush jungle, she forages, explores, and interacts with her environment just as elephants are meant to. Providing a habitat that closely mirrors their natural surroundings is essential for their physical and emotional well-being. At PES, elephants can finally live on their own terms after years of hard work in the tourism and logging industries.

If you’d like to experience a different kind of elephant tourism - one where respect comes first - please visit our website www.phuketelephantsanctuary.org and book your tour today.

23/01/2026

Dust bathing is an essential part of an elephant’s daily routine. By covering their skin with soil, elephants protect themselves from the sun, insects, and irritation — and help keep their skin healthy. Enjoy observing elephants like Kannika from a respectful distance as they engage in these beautiful, natural behaviours at Phuket’s first ethical elephant sanctuary.