Ms. Sue B
We had a wonderful time on our trip overall! The food was amazing, the cultural experiences were rich and memorable, and what truly made the journey special were the incredible people we met along the way. There were a few too many temples for my personal taste, but I totally understand and appreciate their cultural and historical importance.
One part of the trip I wouldn’t recommend is the Day 8 visit to the Karen Village to "watch or feed elephants". The boat ride there was actually one of our favorite parts — it was early in the morning, peaceful, and such a beautiful way to start the day. The walk through the village was also nice. But once we arrived at the elephant area, we were really disappointed. The elephants were chained by one back leg with very short chains, which felt incredibly wrong. I chose not to participate, but Brad threw them some bananas — unfortunately, his throw was too short, and the elephants couldn’t reach them. It was honestly a sad experience and felt completely out of place, especially compared to the wonderful elephant sanctuary we visited earlier in the trip. That part of the program definitely needs a second look.
Also, just a tip for anyone planning to visit Erawan Waterfalls: definitely bring water shoes. You’ll need comfy walking shoes for the hike, but water shoes are essential if you want to swim or explore the falls safely. I wore running shoes, which made it really slippery and hard to enjoy the water. I would’ve worn my Tevas if I had known!
Despite those few things, we had a fantastic trip and will always remember the warmth of the people and the beauty of the places we visited.


























