Imagine falling asleep inside a clear, domed jungle bubble where you can see the stars at night and witness elephants roaming around just beyond your deck! This isn’t a dream or fantasy. THIS is Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort! Here, you will experience one of the most unique hotel accommodations in Thailand and be able to answer that all-important question: Do elephants sleep standing up or lying down? This isn’t just a hotel. It’s an immersive jungle encounter!
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Getting There is Half the Fun!
There are three ways to get to Anantara Golden Triangle: by car, by helicopter, or our favorite way, traditional longtail boat! To us, the longtail boat is the most unique and immersive way to get to this resort. When you arrive at Chiang Rai Airport, a private car picks you up for a short 15-km drive. Then a boat carries you up the Mekong River to the hotel, where elephants wait to welcome you. The entire trip, including the car and boat ride, is approximately two hours, and it feels like an adventure!
About the Resort
The hotel sits in northern Thailand, where Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand meet. The setting is hilly, remote, and surrounded by a 160-acre bamboo forest.
Upon arrival, drums sound to welcome you, and you receive a welcome drink along with a bracelet made of rice seeds, handcrafted by Akha hill tribe artisans. The beauty of the floor-to-ceiling windows and teak wood in the lobby is stunning, setting the stage for what you know will be a special stay.
This luxury resort has 61 rooms and suites that feature private balconies to enjoy the sweeping landscapes. In the mornings, you wake up to magical views of mist hovering over the jungle and the Mekong River. It’s basically an Instagrammer’s dream! The rooms include teas, chocolate, and elephant-shaped butter cookies. You can even request the recipe, and the pastry team will provide you with a handwritten recipe before you depart.
Anantara Golden Triangle is known for its world-class amenities featuring international cuisine (four restaurants and bars to choose from), a spa, and an infinity pool. But maybe what it’s known most for… IS ELEPHANTS!
Elephant Conservation
Anantara Golden Triangle works in partnership with the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF). With only a few thousand elephants left in Thailand, this foundation rescues elephants from an abusive life of logging camps and shows. There are currently 20 elephants living here. Guests staying at Anantara Golden Triangle can take part in the Elephant Camp and ethically interact with the elephants in their own natural habitat by walking with them through the jungle and to the river to bathe.
Jungle Bubbles
For a truly unique and unforgettable stay, guests can spend a night in one of the resort’s iconic jungle bubbles. Right around dinnertime, you will be brought from the lodge to your jungle bubble, where two elephants will essentially spend the night with you in plain view. This is a dusk-to-dawn experience with a sunset dinner provided. The service is first class, and the food never seems to end. All jungle bubbles are climate-controlled and have their own restrooms.
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will always remember! Getting there is an adventure. Staying there is magic. And once you’ve slept beside elephants in a jungle bubble, ordinary hotels just won’t stand a chance!
Want more unique hotel stays with animals? Check out this post on Dining With Giraffes!
