Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal
Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal
Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal
3
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Does not meet animal welfare
guidelines
Tripadvisor does not provide bookings for this experience because it does not meet our animal welfare guidelines.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.0
291 reviews
Excellent
69
Very good
81
Average
34
Poor
13
Terrible
94
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Shelbypoppit
Dobrich, Bulgaria3,086 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We were staying in the city for a few nights meaning we walked the streets when many tourists had gone home.
I was absolutely horrified to see the poor elephant's from here with legs chained and staff members beating them and stabbing them to get them moved on an evening then loaded on lorries and sent off for the night. Truly horrific that they work all day foe tourists then get beaten. What a terrible life and yet they advertise and tell tourists how well the animals are cares for... maybe in the day when all eyes are on them. Horrific and shameful if you visit here.
I was absolutely horrified to see the poor elephant's from here with legs chained and staff members beating them and stabbing them to get them moved on an evening then loaded on lorries and sent off for the night. Truly horrific that they work all day foe tourists then get beaten. What a terrible life and yet they advertise and tell tourists how well the animals are cares for... maybe in the day when all eyes are on them. Horrific and shameful if you visit here.
Written September 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heidi G
12 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
It's time tourists evolve past riding wild animals as a past time. Chains and sticks and stabbing tools are not a humane way of keeping elephants. I wish more people educated themselves in depth about the training methods of this place beforehand.
Written December 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
katrineCPH
Copenhagen, Denmark1,123 contributions
Mar 2023
Did not use. OF COURSE I didn’t. This is 2023, we know better. This need to stop now. Actually, I thought it was prohibited, but apparantly not. Saw tourists on top of distressed elephants and the large animals being transported through the city in the evening, two of them crammed together on a lorry Van. Such a shame to see — also horrified that people are actually recommending it here.
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
becka g
7 contributions
Jul 2024 • Solo
Do NOT go anywhere near here! I did not obviously go here. The poor elephants were being fed, touched, photographed and rode along a main road and side walk near to the famous historical ruins that I was trying to visit (in the end didnt because these mistreated elephants were in the area). It was absolutely heartbreaking to see. The elephants looked very stressed and there were many many of them. Commercialising elephants in this way must be stopped! They deserve to be living their lives in the wild whereever possible, and otherwise living out the rest of their lives in an ethical sanctuary that does not promote any of these practices for human and tourist interference. If people stop supporting these businesses they WILL cease to exist.
Written July 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julie O
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
Absolutely avoid!
The elephants are held by chains around their necks and feet. They are crowded together and don't even have anything to eat or drink nearby.
In addition, they walk on asphalt under 34 degrees
The elephants are held by chains around their necks and feet. They are crowded together and don't even have anything to eat or drink nearby.
In addition, they walk on asphalt under 34 degrees
Written October 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bunyaphon N
10 contributions
Dec 2020
Ayutthaya has many interesting attractions. I went to Wang Chang Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province with my family. There are elephants to see the city. Very cute. I take photos and see the beautiful view. If there is a chance me and my family will come back.
Written July 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynn D
7 contributions
Nov 2019
I spent 5 days at ElephantStay in November 2019. The experience was educational and life changing. I will be returning. The staff treat these enormous animals like family. The elephants are so loved and pampered. The staff treated us like family too, great food, laundry service.
I cannot wait to return to ElephantStay
I cannot wait to return to ElephantStay
Written April 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheUKChapmans
Cotswolds, UK268 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
We visited the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace as part of a private tour organised by Cox and Kings, with our lovely tour guide collecting tickets for an elephant ride. We confess, having only recently experienced utter care and devotion by the elephant conservation team in Kenya, this place can not be further from that memory. With elephants tightly chained up in the blistering heat, rocking anxiously, forced to dance and wriggle to music, then whacked on the head with what can only described as a pick axe/mallet to ensure they placed themselves correctly in the pen for people to stand on their heads to mount, our hearts were completely crushed and we left without partaking in the ride. We know such countries rely on tourism for income but we cannot simply watch such animal cruelty. In our opinion, the elephant owners need to experience what the elephants do and see how it feels!
Written August 3, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ren671
Ayutthaya, Thailand1 contribution
Dec 2014 • Couples
This Elephant Palace is just horrible!! Thats the worst place for elephants!
There are way to many elephants, all of them showing signs of behavioural disorder. Well thats not enough they stand in the sun all day and walk along a the street the whole day, with mostly too many tourist on there back in a saddle wich is just cruel.
i havent seen water and we watched a guide tease one of the elephants with food.
they show as well circus lesson. the music is much to loud ( it was not even nice for us to stand next to the music) and the elephants are always very stressed out, not only of the music, but as well of the handlers elephant hock, which the use a lot.
in thailand there are more places to ride elephants. as well some places who care much better about their animals and where you can treck through the jungle and not on the street.
PLEASE DONT GO TO THE ELEPHANT PLACE IN AYUTTHAYA!!! YOU WONT HAVE A GOOD TIME, WHEN YOU KNOW THE ANIMALS SUFFER!!
There are way to many elephants, all of them showing signs of behavioural disorder. Well thats not enough they stand in the sun all day and walk along a the street the whole day, with mostly too many tourist on there back in a saddle wich is just cruel.
i havent seen water and we watched a guide tease one of the elephants with food.
they show as well circus lesson. the music is much to loud ( it was not even nice for us to stand next to the music) and the elephants are always very stressed out, not only of the music, but as well of the handlers elephant hock, which the use a lot.
in thailand there are more places to ride elephants. as well some places who care much better about their animals and where you can treck through the jungle and not on the street.
PLEASE DONT GO TO THE ELEPHANT PLACE IN AYUTTHAYA!!! YOU WONT HAVE A GOOD TIME, WHEN YOU KNOW THE ANIMALS SUFFER!!
Written December 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CatieGC
Charleston, SC906 contributions
For anyone seeking a 'cheap thrill' on an elephant, I suppose you'll get your thrill. Would encourage tourists to do a little more reflection about the types of activities you are supporting. This is an outrageously cruel industry and not really worth supporting in order the get a 'thrill' or cross something off the bucket list.
Written February 2, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Please don’t go and don’t support this business! It is an elephants cruelty business !
Elephants are tortured, chained, and abuse!
They are always in the heat abused by the elephant rider!!!
Staffs are very aggressive and they are willing to fight with tourists anytime!
I saw one of them raised the elephant sharp hook to hurt a female tourist!
Written December 7, 2017
Have you seen how many tourists behave in Thailand?
A sharp hook may be the most gentle solution.
Written January 3, 2018
Why is this place promoted when all you see is abuse….chained elephants is cruel and abusive. Elephant rides need to be banned…..elephants are not built to be ridden. These beautiful, intelligent creatures need to be in a sanctuary where visitors can bathe them and scratch them and then I would consider visiting.
Written February 16, 2016
This place is terrible and should be banned.
Their staffs are very aggressive also!
Written December 7, 2017
Don't go!!!! This is hell on earth for elephants !!! Enslaved beaten and tortured
Written April 9, 2015
Please research Phajaan. Then you will see how the elephants are trained. You owe it to yourself and your family don't participate in this unimaginable abuse
Written April 9, 2015
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