This Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand Is Not Only an AMAZING Place to Visit — It's Saving Animals

If you've ever dreamed of interacting with elephants up close, it's totally possible. The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is an ethical tourism project where people from all over the world visit. Over 30 elephants who were formerly mistreated live in the sanctuary.

The sustainable retreat uses the money it gets from visits, volunteers, merchandise, and donations to take care of the elephants — that care includes rescue, food, veterinary services, and expanding their land so that they can look after more elephants.

You can visit the retreat for a half day, for a full day, or even overnight. You will get to interact with the elephants and hear the stories of each animal. You'll even get to feed them bananas and sugar cane. After you learn about all the elephants, you will go with them to a mud spa, where you will apply a treatment to their skin. Then you will walk with them to a river for a bath.

This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it contributes to a good cause. Take a look at all the awesome photos from visitors' adventures.