Good Times at Tiger Kingdom, Orchid Farm, and Cobra Show!

This morning at 9:00am, our taxi driver picked us up from our hostel to drive us to Tiger Kingdom at Mae-Rim, Chiang Mai (pre-arranged taxi cost us 500 baht for the day)! Tiger Kingdom breeds the endangered Indo-Chinese species of tigers, where guests at the park are allowed to pet the tigers that are between 3 months to 2 years (tigers older than 2 years are too dangerous). Prices for petting tigers vary depending on their age and size (smallest, small, medium, and large). Generally, about 10- 15 minutes is given in each enclosure with the tigers. NOTE: They no longer allow guests to play with new born tigers, what a bummer! We were only allowed to take photos of them for a far. Deals for petting more than one age group of tigers were offered. We decided to take advantage of the group deal and see the smallest (4 - 8 months), medium (9 - 12 months), and large tigers (1 - 2 years) for 1,200 baht per person. Playing with the smallest tigers was my favourite, even though all but one was sleeping. They're so precious and adorable!

Although there`s controversy over the issue of drugging (sedating) the tigers, Tiger Kingdom claims that they do not do that (which is one of the main reasons why we picked this tiger zoo over the others). Even though most of the tigers that we pet were asleep, I didn't get the impression that the tigers were harmed or drugged in any way (tigers usually sleep during the morning/day, which is when we visited them and possibly the explanation for their tiredness). The staff there were all very friendly and seemed to have built a strong bond with the animals (I witnessed a staff member calling out to a tiger, which walked right up to him to rub his head on his face to say hi, aw!).

From my observation, Tiger Kingdom offers a decent living environment for the tigers. Although a bit small, the cages seemed very clean and well kept for the big cats. And from watching the tigers, I noticed that they were very calm, tame and non-aggressive. The reason why these tigers are comfortable with humans is because they are trained to act that way around people, since birth. Overall, our day visit to the kingdom was very exciting and fun! I wish we visited the tigers later in the evening though, because most of the tigers were asleep. Still, it was a very memorable and enjoyable experience!

                                         Yum, fresh Tiger kill for lunch.

By the time we left Tiger Kingdom, it was around 1:00pm. We still had some time to kill before catching our overnight train to Bangkok at 5:00pm, so we decided to stop by the orchid garden, which was about 5 minutes away, located in Mae-Rim. Entrance fee at the garden was 100 baht per person, which included an orchid flower pin/boutineer per guest (which I thought was a cute touch), along with access to the entire garden. It was a great opportunity for Steven to practice his photography skills, haha. The garden featured rows and rows of orchids and other various plants around the land. It was a very beautiful and relaxing place, as we were surrounded by hundreds of fully bloomed flowers. We were hoping to see some monkey orchids at the farm, but no luck! I didn't really have high hopes though, because monkey orchids are a rare find!

At 2:00pm, we decided to head over to watch the King Cobra show which was also about 5 minutes drive away! The fee for the snake show was 200 baht per person, which also included access to the snake farm and the opportunity to take a picture with a snake!

The show was a lot of fun (at the same time very scary) to watch! The commentary for the show was excellent (the lady spoke in English and she was very funny)! The snake handlers were extremely brave, as one drop of cobra venom will kill you in about an hours time! At one point, a cobra escaped out of the stage and slithered toward the audience!! Luckily, the snake handlers caught the snake just in time (although, I think that was all part of the act to scare us!) The show lasted for about 45 minutes, where four different types of snakes were presented to us. Two different sized cobras were shown first, where the handlers interacted with them by kissing, throwing, and dancing with the snakes, Ahh! It was such a thrill to watch them perform, as I felt so nervous and scared at the same time! The two other snakes that they showed us were not poisonous (water snake and the 'jumping' snake). Again, the snake handlers perform dangerous tasks including: playing with the snakes, poking them, and putting their heads in their mouths! At the end of the show, a demonstration as to how snake venom is collected is shown using a clear jar. I highly recommend watching the King Cobra show in Mae-Rim, Chiang Mai. It's certainly worth your time! We had an excellent day there!

By 3:45pm, we left the snake farm to head back to our hostel to pick up our bags, and finally, head to the train station for our long, overnight journey back to Bangkok!

Posted by Rebecca

Elephant Sanctuary and Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai!

After reading great reviews of Ran Tong's Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai from tripadvisor, I suggested to Steven that we should definitely check this place out! When deciding which elephant camp to visit, I was very particular on picking a place free from animal harm! More specifically, I was only interested in camps which offer elephant rides on their bare backs, rather than the uncomfortable and tight strapped chairs that can harm to spine of the elephants as well as cause pregnant elephants to suffer miscarriages. Above all, I didn't want to pick a place where making money was the camp's primary concern (versus the care of elephants). There are many elephant camps available in Chaing Mai that offer guests the opportunity to ride elephants for a much cheaper price (I saw some for as low as 1,500 baht), however I decided to go with Ran Tong's training full-day (8:30am - 4:00pm) camp experience at 2,400 baht per person. Why? Because Ran Tong's elephant camp's mission is to save the elephants! They offer one-day, two-day, and three-day training camp services and volunteer programs that teach you how to take care of elephants, understand their behaviour and intelligence, as well as experience life with them in their natural habitat. I don't think the other elephant riding camps are as comprehensive as Ran Tong's full-day experience, in my opinion. Included in the full-day package is: transportation to and from the camp, a training course which teaches you the basic commands for controlling the elephant, lunch, a ride through the forest with the elephants, bathing and hanging out with elephants by the waterfall, as well as a CD full of pictures from the day!

Our journey began at 8:30am, when a driver from Ran Tong picked us up from our hostel. Along the way, we picked up more guests before heading to the camp! The drive Ran Tong was about 1.5 hours (one-way), which included two stop overs at the market to pick up fresh bananas for the elephants as well as soymilk and snacks for the baby elephants! Our ride, was simply a pick-up truck with seating/benches placed in the trunk for us to sit in! We were pretty packed back there with 10 of us squished in the trunk! 

On our way to the camp, we passed by some rice fields which were pretty cool. Some of the fields were yellowing (I assume from the extreme heat and sun). Once we arrived, we petted and fed some of the elephants soymilk and bananas. The baby elephant at the camp was adorable and very friendly! Pregnant Asian elephants require a very long care process because the duration of pregnancy lasts approximately 2 years (having only one elephant born at a time). We were lucky to arrive at a time when the camp had a baby elephant on site! The elephant trainers were able to get the baby elephant to perform cool tricks such as, saying hello by bowing down and kissing our cheeks with their trunks!

The view from the camp was spectacular and beautiful! Up on the hill where the camp was situated, was a view that overlooked Chiang Mai. You could tell that the area was very secluded for the elephants because there were a lot of trees and forestry surrounding areas. Once we were finished meeting with some of the elephants, we were given clothes to change into (provided by Ran Tong) because we were going to get muddy and wet! I thought it was cool that they offered a change of clothes. The clothes were very raggedy, which I thought added a nice touch to the experience, haha! I was ready and felt geared up to enjoy a day with the elephants!

Once we were settled in with our clothes, we met up once again with the elephants to learn some of the elephant commands (spoken in Thai). Each of us were given time on an elephant to practice the commands that we learned (right, left, lay down, forward, back, stop)! Riding on the elephant for the first time was a little bit scary as the elephant rises up pretty high when it's fully standing. At times, you feel as though you're going to fall, but after awhile, you get used to it and feel more comfortable riding! 

 

We were each paired up with one elephant, so Steven and I shared an elephant for the two of us! For our first journey around the camp, Steven sat in front, while I sat in the back (which I found was much more comfortable!). It was such a fun experience riding the elephants! The elephant that we rode was very obedient and listened to all the commands that we gave. It was such a relaxing and exciting adventure! Although, I'm sure Steven didn't find it as relaxing as me because he sat in the front (going down hill must have been scary for him, haha!). Our first ride on the elephants lasted about 10 minutes before we headed back for lunch! 

For lunch, the camp provided us with rice with vegetables, chicken tom yum soup, a bowl of exotic rambutan fruit, and sesame jelly dessert. It was a very satisfying meal. At the same time, we were in plain sight of the elephants, so we were able to enjoy our lunch while observing the elephants! After lunch, we rested for a bit and had some extra time to pet some of the elephants again.

Shortly after, we were instructed to help prepare lunch for the elephants. At first, we were asked to place medication tablets inside the bananas for the elephants. We watched as the trainers gave the medicated bananas to the elephants, only to find them picking out the pills from the bananas and spitting it out, haha! According the the camp, the tablets were for the wild rescued elephants to help them stay healthy! After that, we headed over to a large wooden food crusher which uses a peddle that is stepped on to crush food in a large bowl. Long sticks were used to help mix the food in the bowl and help the food crusher mush up the food better. The ingredients that we used to create elephant food mix included tamarine paste, bananas, and some sea salt. Once the mixture was at a good consistency, we formed balls out of the food and let it sit out in the sun to dry out for a bit before feeding the elephants. 

Following lunch, we took the elephants for a ride to the waterfall! It was bathing time with the elephants! This time, Steven and I picked a different elephant for our journey and I decided to sit in the front. Our elephant was less obedient than the other because he always stopped for food on the side of the road and slowed down the line of elephants! It was all fun though, because I secretly let him eat the leaves on the trees! 

Bathing the elephants was a lot of fun! It was exciting to play with them while they enjoyed the cool water and blew water out of their trunks! There were about 5 or 6 elephants with us in the water as we scrubbed and poured water on them! It was a remarkable experience! The baby elephant also joined us for bathing! After bathing them for a while, we all had the opportunity to take some photos with an elephant before riding the elephants back to the main camp area and head back to the hotel.

Our day at Ran Tong made me realize how amazing and intelligent elephants really are! It was such a great experience to get the opportunity to spend time with such wonderful creatures! While you're riding an elephant, you really feel as though you build a connection with them. And unlike the other excursions you may book in Thailand, we didn't feel rushed or forced to tip the staff at Ran Tong (which I thought was very nice). The people at the camp seemed very genuine about their work and seemed like they cared a lot for the elephants. Before we left, the staff thanked us for helping them prepare the food for the elephants and for bathing them! It was such a wonderful gesture for them to seem so appreciative of the time we spent taking care of the elephants!

At around 4:30pm, we arrived back at So Hostel to shower and get ready for some shopping and dinner at the Night Bazaar! The Night Bazaar is a night market situated in the east end of Chiang Mai (only 5-minute walking distance from our hostel) and open every day of the year! The entire night market spans across 1km of land, filled with vendors of delicious warm foods, snacks, drinks, souvenir gifts, clothes, and massage services! It was outside, and decorated beautifully with lanterns and lights hanging above the shops. It was shoppers paradise! We ended up bargaining quite a bit and as a result, bought most of our gifts from the Night Bazaar! At the end of the night, our crew enjoyed a relaxing full body massage (Only 150 baht per person)!

Posted by Rebecca

Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park in Orono, Ontario!

If you love wildlife, especially Big Cats, you MUST plan a day visit to Jungle Cat World! Steven and I had an incredible day at Jungle Cat World with their "Behind the Scenes" tour. After sharing our experience with our friends, many of them planned their own trip to do the same tour. We highly recommend this visit because it's a great way to educate yourself on the severity of animal extinction and conservation.

About the Park:

Jungle Cat World is home to many wild animals, including 60 different species (31 mammals, 12 birds, 11 reptiles, and 7 invertebrates), many of which are endangered. Offering a truly unique and unforgettable experience with their "Behind The Scenes" program, Jungle Cat World allows visitors to get up-close and personal with a select number of animals including the Red Fox, Striped Hyena, Cougar Puma Concolor, Bengal Tiger, Ring Tailed Lemur, and many more!! Apart from their Behind The Scenes program, visitors can also explore the zoo on their own or with the free guided feeding tours. Situated in Orono, Ontario Jungle Cat World is only 45 minutes east from Toronto!   

Jungle Cat World's Mission: 

We aspire to protect and conserve the natural world by offering the public engaging wildlife education programs and experiences with animals to help foster the necessary awareness, knowledge, skills and confidence to live in an environmentally responsible way.

Our Experience:

On the day of our visit, Steven and I planned on walking around the park and joining the feeding tour before heading to the Behind The Scenes program that we signed-up for (scheduled at 3pm). Note that the BTS program needs to be booked in advance prior to the visit. 

A sleeping Red Fox

While touring the park, we came across many different animal species, my favorites included the Red Fox, Lion, Cougar, Hyenas, Tigers, Snow Leopard, Wolves, Panther, and Black Jaguar. 

We spent about an hour following the feeding tours, where the guides talked about the care and diets of the animals. For the most part, the guides fed the animals raw chicken.

Two Hyenas fighting over a piece of raw chicken!

While you're walking around, you'll notice that there are goats, peacocks, ducks, and donkeys roaming the park!

Something else that we noticed...some of the cages for the animals (especially the Big Cats) were smaller that I expected. As a result, many of the animals appeared overweight/obese and lazy. I wish they could enjoy more room to run and exercise...

 

The African Lions were among a few of the species that enjoyed a fairly large enclosure. 

 

After the feeding tour, we headed over to begin our BTS program. Given the option to select up to 3 animals to get up-close and personal with, we picked the Bengal Tiger, Stripped Hyenas, and the Cougar. Depending on which time of the year you plan on visiting, you may be lucky enough to catch tiger cubs! During the time of our visit, cubs were not available. 

We first visited the Stripped Hyenas. Going inside the enclosure, we were surrounded by three adorable Hyenas! Unlike the spotted Hyenas that you often hear about on National Geographic (you know, the ones that hunt baby cubs to eat!), Stripped Hyenas are much friendlier and act similarly to the behavior of dogs.

However, just because they're friendly, it doesn't mean that you should approach a wild Hyena! We were warned by the guide that their sharp teeth can easily break your skull! But look at their adorable faces! How could you not give them a big hug?

  

Who knew that Hyenas would be so much fun to be around? Steven and I fed some blueberries to these lovely animals. They were not afraid to nibble them off our hands. Although their fur looks soft and fluffy, it's actually quite rough and hard!   

Next on our tour was the visitation of the Cougar Puma Concolor, one of my favorite species of Big Cats. These engendered animals are often referred to as "Mountain Lions/Cats" and are very territorial in nature. Interestingly, their behavior closer resembles the domestic cat versus a lion. 

I am very fascinated with Big Cats (crazy cat lady?), so I was extremely happy and excited (slightly frightened) to get up-close with this beautiful one! 

Last on our list of animal visitation included the ferocious and endangered Bengal Tiger! How soft his fur was! We were instructed to appear "tall" at all times, avoiding any type of kneeling or sitting to prevent the tiger from thinking that we were prey! This fella was very friendly and fairly large in size! How adorable he was enjoying his snacks...

My favorite part of the BTS tour was visiting the Stripped Hyenas! At first, Steven and I debated on seeing the Lemur instead of the Hyenas -I am so happy we decided on the Hyenas instead! Overall, we had an incredible experience at the park. You really need to spend a whole day here to see all the animals. After this experience, I realized how much I love being around animals!

I hope you can find time to learn and educate yourself about animal conservation. Because there are so many animals going into extinction, we desperately need to do what we can to help. Volunteering at conservation programs are a great way to protect the decreasing number of endangered animals. Additionally, Jungle Cat World has a charity program, The Endangered Species Fund of Canada where you can directly donate to. Check it out if you can!

Posted by Rebecca