Why Elephant Bathing Isn’t Ethical:
A Deeper Look
By Guest Blogger: Susye Weng-Reeder, Google Verified Internet Personality & Author (S. M. Weng)
It looks magical in photos: a smiling traveler, a gentle giant, and sparkling water splashing under the sun. But what if that unforgettable moment came at a cost to the elephant’s well-being?
Elephant bathing has become a popular tourist activity, often promoted as a fun and ethical way to connect with these magnificent creatures. Yet behind the surface of this experience lies a reality many well-meaning tourists don’t see.
As a conscious travel writer and advocate for ethical wildlife experiences, I’ve spent years traveling the world—especially through Southeast Asia—observing animal tourism practices and contributing to conservation-focused platforms. This blog explores how elephant bathing, though marketed as compassionate, can harm wild animals and undermine conservation efforts. You’ll learn what ethical sanctuaries do differently, how to spot responsible tourism, and alternatives that create unforgettable experiences—without distressing captive elephants or disrupting their natural behavior.
The Illusion of Fun and the Actual Harm
Elephant bathing may look peaceful, but it often masks harmful realities tied to the broader captive elephant tourism industry. Many of these gentle giants are removed from their natural environment as calves and subjected to cruel training to make them safe for close tourist interaction. Baby elephants are especially vulnerable, often separated from their mothers in elephant camps or smaller tourism venues posing as sanctuaries.
To prepare them for public experiences, handlers may use physical punishment or trauma-based methods. These include the breaking-in process—also called phajaan—a traumatic training method used in parts of Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka and northern Thailand. During this time, young elephant calves may be tied, starved, or beaten to break their spirit.
Even at high-welfare venues claiming humane practices, elephants are expected to tolerate repetitive human interaction. These interactions range from bathing to circus-style shows or staged elephant rides—activities that erode their dignity and compromise natural instincts. Just like circus acts, elephant bathing is often seen as entertaining, but this form of elephant entertainment comes at a great risk to the animal’s mental and physical health.
Beyond the emotional toll on elephants, bathing also puts human participants in real physical danger—a truth rarely acknowledged in glossy tourism ads. In January 2025, a Spanish tourist was tragically killed while bathing with an elephant in Thailand—a fatal reminder that these are powerful wild animals, not domesticated pets. Despite claims that a mahout is present for safety, an elephant can become spooked in a split second. When humans are in water—vulnerable, slippery, and close to the animal’s feet or trunk—there is virtually nothing a handler can do to prevent injury or death.
Bathing may be framed as “ethical,” but in reality, it is more dangerous than riding and reinforces the same harmful dynamics of control, compliance, and performance.
In many cases, these animals are denied proper rest, nutrition, and emotional enrichment. Overexposure to humans and constant stimulation can lead to aggressive behavior, weakened immune systems, and a significantly shorter lifespan. This is not the future we should be building for these majestic creatures.
Understanding Elephant Behavior
To understand why elephant bathing is harmful, we must first understand elephant behavior in their natural setting—not in tourism venues.
Asian elephants are highly intelligent wild animals with strong family bonds, emotional memory, and routines that center around herd dynamics. In legitimate sanctuaries or national parks, elephants spend their days roaming, socializing, and foraging—behaviors impossible to maintain in artificial tourism-based settings. When forced into unnatural elephant experiences like public bathing, selfie opportunities, or mud spa demonstrations, their instincts are suppressed. These aren’t ethical encounters—they’re staged performances, often repeated multiple times a day for groups of western tourists seeking amazing photos.
The popularity of elephant-based attractions has transformed these magnificent animals into tools of big business. Elephants are moved between washing’ venues, elephant parks, or even mud bath displays, enduring unnatural exposure to heat, water, and stress. Their sensitive black skin, which helps regulate body temperature, is not suited to constant bathing or human touch.
Even at so-called rehabilitation centers or rescue centers, some staff members still encourage close feedings, tourist entertainment, or activities meant to generate buzz on social media. While awareness is growing, these unethical practices continue under the label of responsible tourism.
A truly ethical elephant sanctuary is not designed for daily shows. It’s often a retirement home or conservation center where elephants can heal and thrive without being on display. Supporting these places helps protect future generations and honors the elephants’ natural instincts and emotional needs.
The Memory of Trauma: Why Elephants Never Forget
Elephants are known for their memory, but that same gift can become a lifelong burden—especially for wild animals exposed to trauma.
Studies show that young elephant calves separated from their mothers in elephant camps or taken for tourist attractions often develop lasting emotional scars. Even after being moved to rehabilitation centers or rescue centers, many still exhibit anxiety, aggression, or social withdrawal—responses often mirrored in human trauma survivors.
One heartbreaking truth is that even captive elephants living in so-called high-welfare venues still carry the memory of abuse. The trauma of being used for elephant rides, forced into circus-style shows, or displayed for elephant bathing leaves invisible wounds—scars no chain can show.
As I observed the emotional patterns of Asian elephants, I began to notice a striking parallel to our own. Just like elephants, we humans suppress pain, especially during childhood. When our needs aren’t met, or when love feels conditional, we adapt by burying those feelings deep in the subconscious—simply to survive. Over time, that emotional suppression becomes a silent blueprint. By the time we reach adulthood, we often don’t recognize why we react the way we do—to coworkers, partners, or even ourselves. We carry emotional patterns shaped by old wounds, responding to the world with defenses built in our most vulnerable years.
The way natural behavior is suppressed in captive elephants mirrors how children suppress emotions in unsafe environments. And just like elephants remember, so do we—whether we realize it or not. Healing begins when we finally look at what was buried, and give it space to be felt and understood.
Recognizing this connection between elephant welfare and emotional healing creates a deeper kind of compassion. It reminds us that healing isn’t about comfort—it’s about reclaiming what was lost. And when we begin to heal ourselves, we become more capable of choosing with empathy—for both people and animals.
That’s why I believe emotional healing and responsible tourism go hand in hand. When we move through the world with awareness, we’re more likely to respect the instincts of others—especially the incredible animals who cannot speak for themselves.
Impact on Conservation Efforts
Many travelers believe visiting an elephant facility is a good thing—but without proper awareness, even kind intentions can support harmful systems.
At first glance, an elephant bathing tour might seem like an educational experience or tourist attraction meant to raise awareness. However, many such venues are linked to industries that contribute to elephant exploitation, not protection.
Some of these operations pose as rehabilitation centers or rescue centers, yet lack transparency or qualified staff. Rather than offering a true ethical elephant experience, they focus on high-volume tourism and profit.
This cycle keeps the demand alive for the elephant riding cause and related performances. It also encourages the capture and control of wild elephants—an issue made worse by the lack of a global captive breeding ban.
Facilities that prioritize photo opportunities or allow close contact during feeding time often operate under conditions that violate elephant welfare. Long-term exposure to public spaces and repetitive routines can lead to severely dire conditions for these emotionally sensitive Asian elephants, whose needs for space, rest, and herd interaction are often ignored.
The logging industry’s history of elephant labor created many of these problems. Now, modern tourism has replaced chains with cameras, but the result is still exploitation.
For meaningful change, we must support elephant sanctuaries that operate as conservation centers—not showgrounds. The best places for these wonderful animals are ones where they can live according to their natural behaviors, away from performance-based pressure.
Supporting ethical elephant sanctuaries and uplifting local community efforts is the only way to create a long-term solution that protects elephants, empowers local people, and restores harmony between species.
Exploring Ethical Alternatives
Not all wildlife tourism is harmful. There are meaningful ways to admire elephants without interfering with their daily rhythm or dignity.
A true elephant-friendly tourist chooses options that respect the animal’s natural boundaries and emotional needs. Instead of participating in bathing or performance routines, observe elephants in open spaces like national parks where their movements aren’t restricted.
Sanctuaries that avoid forced interaction often offer walking paths or guided viewing—designed to educate without disturbing. These visits allow you to witness elephants engaging in various natural activities that reflect their true personalities and instincts.
In some ethical centers, elephants are rescued from working conditions and gently rehabilitated. You may see a large elephant enjoying a shaded rest or exploring forest terrain—far removed from past trauma.
These peaceful environments also benefit from partnerships with local communities and world animal protection groups, creating a sustainable model that prioritizes wellness over revenue. While facilities vary, the best ones are not entertainment hubs—they’re safe havens.
As a conscientious traveler, growing awareness is your greatest tool. Ask questions. Research venues. Avoid any place that allows sitting on the back of an elephant or forces unnatural behavior for photos. Ethical wildlife travel doesn’t mean limiting your experience—it means redefining what it looks like. When done with care, it becomes more than a moment. It becomes a movement.
Choosing a More Ethical Path
We all want to believe our travel choices are doing good. But to protect elephants, we must look beyond marketing labels and surface-level charm.
A truly ethical path means refusing to sit on the back of an elephant, skipping the photo-op, and supporting environments that mirror a natural habitat. Sanctuaries like Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and national park reserves across Asia model what responsible care can look like. These places don’t just house elephants—they restore what was lost.
Elephants deserve more than survival. They deserve rest, community, and freedom to live on their terms—not under the weight of human expectation or in the shadow of their past. Their skin, especially on sensitive black surfaces like ears and backs, is not made for repeated contact. Respecting that is a small shift that creates massive ripple effects.
For travelers, transformation starts with awareness—but for elephants, it starts with space, safety, and protection. The only way to break the cycle is by choosing with compassion and demanding better standards for all animals involved in tourism.
If this topic resonates with you, I invite you to explore my book Inner Child Healing, where I share how emotional wounds from childhood can shape how we connect—with ourselves, others, and even the world around us. Healing the way we relate to animals often begins with healing the parts of ourselves that once felt unseen.
Let your next trip be one that aligns not just with your bucket list—but with your values.
About the Author
Susye Weng-Reeder is a Google Verified public figure and internationally published author passionate about ethical travel and conscious living. As the founder of SincerelySusye.com, she blends storytelling with advocacy, raising awareness on animal welfare, luxury branding, and spiritual healing.
Under the pen name S. M. Weng, she writes books on emotional wellness, inner child healing, and spiritual growth—recognized for helping readers navigate trauma, self-worth, and conscious connection. Susye’s dual work across public influence and soulful writing reflects her mission to inspire both awareness and transformation.
She has been featured in Authority Magazine, USA News, Women’s Insider, DevX, and Marketer Magazine, and is committed to empowering mindful choices that support wildlife conservation, responsible tourism, and healing from within.
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Susye Weng-Reeder has written for nonprofits, publications, and digital campaigns—combining 2025 SEO strategy with impactful storytelling. Many of her blog posts rank on the first page of Google, with several reaching the #1 spot for competitive keywords. She doesn’t run ads or participate in backlink campaigns—just honest blogging from the heart. Visit here.