New 'Jungle Bubbles' offer a chance to sleep next to elephants in Thailand's Golden Triangle

Elephants are light sleepers. They eat with enthusiasm and make plenty of noise, including loud trumpeting and occasional flatulence.

These are just a few of the fascinating facts you’ll discover when you stay overnight in one of the new 'Jungle Bubbles' at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

The two transparent bubble domes are positioned near a large elephant enclosure, home to three rescued elephants cared for by the resort's Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation.

Guests can relax and watch the elephants interact with 'toys' suspended from towering trees, their strong trunks tearing off bark and branches, filling the air with cracking sounds as they play.

But at the end of the day, they’re mostly focused on one thing: eating.

Fortunately, a generous supply of sugar cane is placed within sight of the bubbles, so the elephants are never far away.

A truly once-in-a-lifetime adventure

Guests are escorted from the lobby just before sunset, then driven along a dirt path in an open jeep, followed by a short walk through the resort's rice fields to reach the bubbles.

Soon after settling in, the staff delivers a picnic basket filled with pre-packed sandwiches and cold dishes, allowing guests to dine in the company of elephants. However, there’s a strict 'no touch' policy – guests are not permitted to interact with or feed the elephants.

So just how comfortable are the bubbles?

Each 22-square-meter, air-conditioned, pressurized bubble is a cozy slice of luxury, featuring a king-sized bed, a small bathroom with a toilet and shower, and a couple of chairs with a little table next to the bed. There are no TVs, as the elephants take center stage in this experience.

For those sensitive to light, it can feel especially surreal. During a recent visit, the moon moved across the sky above the bubble, casting varying levels of light. (Eye masks are provided since it can get surprisingly bright.)

Since elephants are light sleepers, only managing 4-6 hours of sleep daily, you'll be serenaded by their sounds throughout the night, and you may even find yourself getting up for a late-night glimpse of the majestic creatures.

The bed is surrounded by curtains, providing privacy for those who worry about being disturbed before the caretakers arrive with breakfast for the elephants.

Trial and error

The concept for the 'Jungle Bubbles' came from General Manager Gaudéric Harang, who has been with the resort for about a year and a half. He explains that the idea stemmed from a desire to push creative boundaries and offer a truly unique experience that meets modern luxury standards.

Beyond safety concerns—such as ensuring the bubbles were elephant-proof—Harang emphasizes that the project had to meet extremely high standards of quality and comfort.

'As a premier resort, we had to make sure the experience was truly luxurious and met the high expectations of our guests,' he explains.

Once the bubbles were set up, Harang became the first to test them out.

'Being in northern Thailand, we’re fortunate to have a more diverse climate compared to the rest of the country,' he says. 'Though brief, our winter season can get quite cold. When the bubbles were finally ready in December, it was 6°C in the morning—and let’s just say, I froze!'

'There was no heater. Plus, being in the jungle means high humidity, so the bubbles were very damp at night because of all the condensation. I woke up at 3 a.m., soaked and shivering.'

As a result, the bubbles are now equipped with air conditioning, space heaters, and dehumidifiers to maintain a comfortable climate year-round.

'When I first saw the bubbles in place, I was thrilled that everything had worked out, but I think it wasn’t until my second night in one—after we sorted out the climate issues—that I was truly impressed,' he recalls, calling it a genuine 'wow' moment in an interview with Dinogo Travel.

'When you experience it for yourself, you realize it’s an amazing adventure. We couldn’t have planned it any better,' he adds.

Choosing the right elephants for the Jungle Bubbles experience

Selecting the right elephants for the Jungle Bubbles was another logistical challenge, explains John Roberts, Anantara’s Director of Elephants.

Beyond size considerations—figuring out how many elephants could comfortably live on the available land—they also had to determine which elephants would get along well in the same enclosure. It turns out, even elephants can have squabbles with their friends—just like humans, but with an extra tons of weight behind their disagreements.

The three elephants residing in the Jungle Bubbles enclosure all arrived at the resort between 2006 and 2010, giving Roberts and his team plenty of time to get to know their individual personalities.

'We observed them for a long time,' Roberts shares. 'We know they enjoy each other's company—actually, two of them have become so close that they’re practically inseparable. If you try to separate them, they get quite stressed.'

Providing a better life for captive elephants

Anantara’s nonprofit Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), established in 2006 and managed by Roberts, cares for around two dozen elephants.

Many of these elephants have had difficult pasts—some spent their days walking the streets of Bangkok with their owners, begging for money from tourists, while others were rescued from trekking camps that cater to tourists.

The foundation’s program works by inviting mahouts (elephant trainers/owners) and their families to relocate to Chiang Rai with their elephants and live on the foundation’s grounds.

Roberts admits that in an ideal world, all elephants would roam freely in the wild, but the reality is much more complicated.

'Sadly, you can’t release elephants back into the wild in Thailand,' he explains, listing numerous challenges including fears of disease transmission, potential conflicts with wild herds, and the inability of domesticated elephants to survive in the wild after living in captivity for most or all of their lives. Additionally, Thailand's laws would need to be revised to permit it.

In Thailand, domesticated elephants are registered under the Draft Animals Act, so 'if you place a captive elephant in a national park, you’re technically grazing livestock illegally—that’s the law,' explains Roberts.

As a solution, the GTAEF works to enhance the well-being of captive elephants through various initiatives, not only at the resort but across the region. These include mahout training programs and involvement in both conservation and wild elephant protection efforts.

At the resort’s elephant camp, understanding each elephant's personality through scientific observation is key. This allows the team to match them with activities that promote their well-being. For example, elephants who are comfortable around people participate in the serene 'Walking with Giants' experience.

'In the wild, elephants spend their entire lives walking great distances and foraging for food,' says Roberts. 'They have large brains, so it’s important to keep them engaged with a variety of activities. You could simply place them in a field, but they’d just stand in one spot all day.'

Inside the resort

The Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort is situated on the northern edge of Thailand, in Chiang Saen, just over an hour’s drive from Chiang Rai city.

The resort offers two restaurants – Sala Mae Nam, serving traditional Thai cuisine, and Baan Dhalia, which specializes in Italian dishes. For pre-dinner drinks, the poolside Elephant Bar and Opium Terrace are a must-visit.

The spacious rooms, decorated with traditional Thai accents, feature long balconies with stunning views of both Laos and Myanmar. With a cup of coffee in hand, it’s the perfect spot to start your day, watching the sun rise through the mist.

Activities at the resort include day trips to Laos and Myanmar, riverboat excursions, spa treatments, and various in-house classes like cooking and Muay Thai. However, our top pick is the new Royal Enfield Classic 500 sidecar experience—a thrilling ride through the surrounding countryside and villages, guided by the hotel staff.

Reaching the resort is an adventure in itself. After a flight to Chiang Rai and an hour-long drive, guests can choose to take a 15-minute ride along the Mekong River in a small Thai speedboat, passing the shores of Laos and Myanmar before arriving at the resort’s private dock.

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, 229 Moo 1, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai; +66 53 784 084