Elephant Hills, Thailand

I have always been a city girl, most comfortable running around the streets of a crowded metropolis. When in Thailand though, I felt the desire to wander into less certain territory, to explore the less urban Asia and venture into a more exotic environment. London’s most exciting animal sighting is the occasional cheeky fox rustling in the rubbish, whereas Thailand’s wild rainforest is home to snakes, monkeys, bears and the biggest animal of all, the Asian elephant.

It is easy to get mixed up in cruel circus rides and elephant focused tourist traps in Thailand; Elephant Hills is not like that, they offer nature tours and luxury camping experiences with elephants who are nurtured in conditions similar to their natural habitat. Various packages are available, we enjoyed a magical and memorable 3 days and 2 nights, sleeping in the rainforest and on a lake, meeting incredible wildlife whilst appreciating a staggeringly beautiful backdrop of natural landscape. In short, I couldn’t be further away from my busy, cramped London life.

Picked up from our hotel early on Day 1, we had little idea of what to expect. The ‘essentials packing list’ indicated a basic itinerary… mosquito interaction and substantial walking seemed inevitable. Food, towels and water are all provided when you reach the camp. After a sleepy two hour drive we arrived at our destination: the deepest, darkest depths of Khao Sok National Park. The camp surpassed all my expectations, a clean and charming shelter where food is served and activities enjoyed, free wifi is accessible and a bar serves wine and beer. Boards display the array of species that you might be lucky enough to sight. There is a swimming pool for cooling off in free time. Our tent was spacious and breezy, despite the suffocating humidity outside. There was a toilet and a private shower with running water and even a set of complimentary toiletries to use. After a wholesome lunch of noodles, vegetables, curry and fruit, we were off to meet the elephants.

I have only glimpsed elephants from afar at the zoo when I was a child, they seemed smaller and less playful then. At Elephant Hills the great animals are paired with a mahouk each, a trained man who virtually lives with their animal, and speaks a special language to communicate with the creature. Seeing the elephants for the first time I was taken aback by their size, their huge legs and a long squirming trunk. I cowered as the rest of the group timidly greeted these new friends.

Elephants are considered holy animals in Thailand, worshipped throughout the country. At Elephant Hills the animals are respected and adored, visitors help with their daily routine rather than exploiting them. We washed and scrubbed a grubby elephant, much to its delight, then learnt to slice and dice the sugarcane, bananas and pineapples to offer to the greedy trunks. It was soon possible to identify what food each elephant favoured, as they would either guzzle or reject the item immediately… mine was particularly fussy! Meeting baby Haha and mother was a particular highlight, especially watching the interactions between the two elephants. Haha climbed up the fence eager to say hello and sniff out the new visitors.

That evening, after a brief Pad Thai cooking demonstration and a big meal, the camp groups sat down together to watch local school kids in a performance of traditional Thai dance. It was incredibly moving watching these five little girls in brightly coloured dresses and sashes dancing so beautifully, smiling excitedly throughout. Next morning we were off to Cheow Larn Lake, a mesmerising landscape. Here ten luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms are situated in the very centre of the lake, an intimate base for guests to use whilst exploring the tropical rainforest. Powered by both solar and wind energy and using unique waste management systems, Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible. A three hour trek was a memorable experience, especially the dark and treacherous cave where we encountered spiders, bats and snakes!

The next morning we woke to the sound of monkey calls and bird conversations, it was unlike anything else I have ever known. The sun rose over the lush green canopy. For our final morning we went out in canoes to spot apes. After some frustrating, partial sightings the previous day, I was desperate to see properly these clever animals in their natural habitat. Our guides soon sourced the sounds of a known family of gibbons and within a few minutes we had spotted the rustling leaves and the long elastic limbs swinging from branch to branch. I could have watched for hours. On the way back home I fell asleep in the boat, exhausted and overwhelmed from the trip.

This company is extremely well organised, with friendly and well informed guides, great facilties and wholesome food. The activities ensure every guest has an extraordinary experience. It is lovely to enjoy the beaches and buddhas of Thailand but if you are interested in something spectacular and special, book an adventure with Elephant Hills, I promise it will be the highlight of your trip.

More information and book a trip to Elephant Hills here: www.elephant-hills.com/rainforest_camp.php

Grenada Island Tour, Caribbean

Grenada is a magical Caribbean island, full of character and virtually unspoilt. There is so much to see and experience and it is impossible to do it all in five days, but we were lucky enough to visit the most famous places on a tour with the Board of Tourism.

Roger picked us up at 9am sharp from our accommodation, we were barely ready and had to continue to munch our breakfast bacon butties in the car. As most of the hotels are located around Grand Anse Beach (on the western side of the island) we had to drive quite far north to reach our stops for the day…

St George’s Market: As we drove away from Grand Anse and through the capital, St. George’s we got a glimpse of the bustling market: a colourful affair, tables laden with fresh fresh vegetables and spices.

Concord Waterfall: There are several waterfalls in Grenada: Annadale falls is a gentle stroll through some pretty gardens, and the Seven Sisters can be found after a more energetic twenty minute hike. Concord Waterfall is located in the hills of Concord, St. Johns on the west coast of Grenada. Follow the path down and you will discover the awesome cascade, it’s very natural and cool up there and on warmer days, visitors can splash around in the beautiful clear water.

Gouyave Nutmeg Factory: The Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station is one of the largest nutmeg factories on the island. Tours are available for only $1. See the workers choose, grade and package the nutmegs. You can also step into the stencil room and get a local jute bag customized with any words of your choice. At the end of your tour, explore ‘Nutmeg World’ for packaged spices, clothing and other locally made souvenirs of your tour.

Petite Anse Hotel : This additional stop was insisted on by Roger, who has a soft spot for this picturesque boutique hotel. We enjoyed a very strong rum punch whilst admiring the epic sea views and chatting to lovely English owner Annie. I’d love to stay here on my next trip to Grenada.

Belmont Estate: Located in St Patrick only an hour’s scenic drive from the island’s capital St. George’s, Belmont Estate is a unique and authentic 17th century plantation that offers guests an opportunity to participate in and observe the workings of a fully functional historic farm.Guests can enjoy exciting tours that include visits to the gardens, heritage museum and cocoa processing facilities. They also offer an exquisite restaurant featuring traditional Grenadian cuisine, a goat dairy farm, petting farm, conference room, gift shop, café, produce shop, credit union and craft market.

River Antoine Rum Distillery: We were amazed and impressed by this visit. This is a privately owned distillery, whose processes have changed little since the 1800s. It is the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the Western Hemisphere. Guided tours are available at $2 per person, and well worth the price. Be sure to try the 75% Rivers Rum at the end of the tour, at such a high alcohol concentration you are unlikely to try such powerful rum elsewhere.

Grand Etang Forest Reserve: This was our final tour stop: a fleeting visit to the tranquil and undisturbed Grand Etang Park. We fed the fishes and laughed at the monkeys and soaked up the beautiful, calm atmosphere.

Chatting to Roger in the car, I was impressed to hear how proudly he spoke of this Caribbean island’s rich culture and inspiring way of life. This is a country that has so much to offer and yet hasn’t sacrificed the beauty or personality of the island for mass tourism. Grenada is a very special place and I hope one day I can return to investigate its history more.

With thanks to Grenada Board of Tourism.

More information on Grenada and all it has to offer here.