Wild elephants, buffalo and monkeys in the

As expected, the rainy season hit us hard in the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok and Pattaya were flooded, and in moments like these, you truly appreciate the unbeatable advantages of a floating home.

We have moved to a marina near Hua Hin and are the only inhabited ship in the marina.

Sailing is currently only for masochists, but fortunately there is also much to discover inland, away from the well-trodden tourist routes.

Elephants were on our itinerary on the way here.

Yes, I know what most people think about elephants and Thailand, and for the most part, it's true.

But there are also conservation geniuses with wild elephants in their natural habitat.

Kui Buri National Park is located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, about 85 km south of Hua Hin and approximately 60 km north of the city of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The park is considered one of the best places in Thailand to see wild Asian elephants in their natural habitat.
If you ever happen to be in the area, I can highly recommend this park.
The park is home to an estimated 250-350 wild Asian elephants, organized into several family groups as well as individual males.
This represents a significant portion of Thailand's total wild elephant population (approximately 4,000–4,400 animals).

Seeing wild elephants is not guaranteed, but this park offers a very high probability of spotting wild elephants (often stated as around 95%), especially in the late afternoon.
Through targeted habitat management (artificial watering holes, salt licks, open grass areas), the elephants regularly access wide, easily visible areas, which facilitates observation.
Kui Buri is considered a successful model for reducing human-elephant conflicts by redirecting elephants from agricultural areas back into the park.

But not only elephants, but also wild buffalo, monkeys and many other animals live here in this park, which is incredibly reminiscent of Jurassic Park from the Hollywood film.

It was an unforgettable experience which showed that Thailand and elephants are possible without animal cruelty.