Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve

29/05/2026

🪵🐘 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗧𝗨𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞!

Meet Lotus — our very first rescued elephant and the heart of the PENR family.

Watch as she finds the perfect stick and uses it to scratch those impossible-to-reach spots — the satisfaction on her face is absolutely everything! 🥰

But this moment is more than just adorable. What you're watching is a display of remarkable intelligence.

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄?

🧠 Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal — three times the size of a human brain
🛠️ They are confirmed tool users, on the same cognitive level as great apes
🪞 They are one of only a few species on earth that can recognise themselves in a mirror
💭 They have exceptional long-term memory, deep emotional intelligence and complex social bonds
🌿 In the wild, elephants regularly use sticks, leaves and branches as tools — exactly what Lotus is doing here

Nobody gave Lotus that stick. Nobody told her what to do with it. She found it, picked her moment and used it entirely on her own terms.

That spontaneous, self-directed behaviour is one of the most powerful signs of psychological wellbeing in an elephant. At facilities where elephants are confined or stressed, natural behaviours like this disappear completely.

At PENR, they flourish. 💚

Come and witness moments like this for yourself on one of our award-winning half-day or 90-minute elephant programs — 100% hands-off, built entirely on education and observation.

DM us or check link in bio! 🐘

The PENR Family 🐘❤️🙏

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28/05/2026

🌪️🐘 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗔 𝗗𝗔𝗬 — 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗗𝗬 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗨𝗦!

Our guests this morning were treated to one of the most spectacular natural displays we have ever witnessed at PENR — Thonglor and our newest rescue Tub Tim decided the jungle floor looked far too good to ignore!

Watch as they expertly scrape the loose dirt with their massive feet, scoop it powerfully into their trunks and launch it into the air — covering themselves (and everything nearby!) in a glorious cloud of dust! 🌪️

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄?
Dust bathing isn't just fun — although they clearly love it! It's one of nature's most brilliant skincare routines:

🌞 Natural sunscreen — fine dirt forms a protective barrier against Phuket's intense UV rays
🦟 Natural insect repellent — keeps flies, mosquitoes and parasites away
💧 Skin conditioning — maintains healthy, moisturised skin
😊 Pure joy — because sometimes that's reason enough!

At exploitative facilities, elephants are often too confined or stressed to behave naturally like this. At PENR nobody tells Thonglor or Tub Tim when, where or whether to dust bathe. This moment happened entirely on their terms. That is what a real sanctuary looks like. 💚

Experience this and so much more on one of our award-winning half-day or 90-minute elephant programs — built entirely on education and observation. 100% no riding, no bathing, no touching. Elephants simply being elephants.

DM us or check link in bio! 🐘

The PENR Family 🐘❤️🙏

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26/05/2026

🏆 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗗. 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠 𝗪𝗜𝗡.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲́ 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — 𝟯𝟰 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁

In 2024 we made one of the hardest decisions in our journey — becoming Phuket's first 100% hands-off elephant sanctuary. No riding. No bathing. No touching. It cost us bookings. We did it anyway.

Because it was right.

The Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards are voted on by more than half a million discerning travellers worldwide — people who care deeply about where they spend their money and what it supports.

Being nominated means a 100% hands-off ethical elephant sanctuary is standing alongside the world's most prestigious travel experiences. Not a hotel. Not a resort.

Six beautiful rescued elephants living freely in the Phuket jungle.

Your vote says something powerful: that the future of travel puts animal welfare first. That "ethical" must mean something real — not just a marketing word.

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 (𝟯𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀):

1️⃣ Click link in bio or DM us
2️⃣ Search "Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve"
3️⃣ Click OK!

📋 Quick tip: The form asks about "Accommodations" — we're a sanctuary, not a hotel! Just rate: Experience, On-the-ground support, Firsthand knowledge, Community support and Reliability. Leave the rest blank — no penalty! 💚

⏰ 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

For Lotus. For Bow. For Thonglor. For Nong Tang. For Mae Boon Lai. For Tub Tim.

For every elephant that deserves better. 🐘

Thank you,
The PENR Family 🐘❤️🙏

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23/05/2026

🎓🐘 𝟰𝟬 𝗙𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦. 𝟲 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗣𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦. 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗

Yesterday we welcomed 45 students and faculty from 𝗢𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆'𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 to PENR — many of them first-generation travellers from rural communities, travelling through Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand exploring ethics, leadership and sustainability.

After experiencing our award-winning half-day elephant adventure program, the group sat down over lunch with 𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗥 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗰𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻, who shared the real story — the history, the struggles, the commercial and cultural challenges of building Phuket's first 100% hands-off sanctuary, and what it truly takes to hold an ethical line in an industry where everything pushes back.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤&𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱:

🐘 The transition from traditional elephant tourism to ethical sanctuary models
🐘 Leadership challenges in shifting cultural and industry practices
🐘 Conservation responsibility and sustainable tourism
🐘 Moral courage and ethical decision-making

The gap between "𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹" and "𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹" — that's where the real leadership work lives. These students understood it and appreciated the hard work that goes into it!

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲. Not in a classroom. In a jungle. Beside six rescued elephants who survived! 💚

Thank you Lauren and 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 for this incredible group. We'd love to work with more educational institutions — DM us! 📩

The PENR Family 🐘❤️🙏




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21/05/2026

𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗪𝗜𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚!! 💦🐘❤️

Her liver is still healing. But nobody told her she couldn't swim! 🌊🐘

𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗥 — and this afternoon, Nong Tang and Mae Boon Lai decided the water looked far too good to ignore!

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹, 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆 — just two elephants being elephants in their own pond on their own terms — it is genuinely impossible not to smile. After two months in the hospital, this is what recovery actually looks like. Not just physically. Emotionally. Joyfully.

𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. But her spirit? As you can see, completely, unmistakably back. 💚

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹. 𝗧𝗼 𝗗𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. 𝗧𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼!!

Can you think of a better sight than this? 🙏

Just the best!!!

The PENR Family
🐘❤️🙏

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19/05/2026

🐘💚 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗!

Day 4 back home — and this morning Nong Tang found her way back to the one she missed most. Lotus.

Watching these two roam together again, foraging side by side, just being elephants — there are no words for what this means to us and to them. After two months apart, the bond between them picked up exactly where it left off. Elephants never forget. And neither do we.

This morning Nong Tang was eating well, foraging freely and socialising — her spirit completely and unmistakeably back. Our whole team stood and watched in silence, grateful beyond words.

Her liver is still recovering. She needs quiet time, a careful diet and daily medication. But her heart? Reunited with Lotus, roaming free on familiar ground? That is healing too.

Thank you for every message, every share and every kind word over the past two months. You were part of bringing her home. 🙏

Does anything make you smile more than watching two elephant best friends back together? Let us know below! 💬

The PENR Family 🐘💚

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16/05/2026

🐘💚 𝗦𝗛𝗘'𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘! 𝗡𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗥!

After more than two months receiving specialist care at Krabi Elephant Hospital, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲! 🎉

Yesterday we transported Nong Tang by truck from Krabi, and she arrived back at PENR around 6pm — right where she belongs, 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆.

The progress she has made is remarkable. Her appetite has returned, she is digesting well, and the swelling under her belly that caused us all such worry has gone. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!

That said, Nong Tang still has a road ahead. Her liver is in recovery — she needs a quiet couple of weeks, a carefully managed diet and daily medication as she heals. We are watching over her closely every single day.

𝗔 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹. The love, expertise and dedication they showed Nong Tang has been extraordinary — we are forever grateful. 🙏

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 — 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀.

The best way to support Nong Tang is to visit us, tell your friends and share her story. Every booking directly funds the care our elephants receive every day. 💚

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 — 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂!

Thank you
PENR Family 🐘

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14/05/2026

14/05/2026

𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗪𝗛𝗢’𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘!! 💚🐘

Our beautiful Nong Tang is finally coming back home to Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve

More to follow
🐘❤️🙏

12/05/2026

🏆 𝗪𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 — 𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝟯𝟬 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦!

PENR has been nominated for the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲́ 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 — one of the world's most prestigious travel honors!

👉 𝗦𝗪𝗜𝗣𝗘 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 → 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟯 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀! 💚

This is HUGE. Condé Nast recognition proves ethical elephant tourism belongs on the world stage — no riding, no bathing, no performances. Just Lotus, Bow, Thonglor, Nong Tang, Mae Boon Lai, and Tub Tim living freely on 30 rai of jungle, making their own choices every single day.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀.

Your vote isn't just for us — it's a vote for every elephant still suffering in exploitative facilities. It's proof that travelers demand better.

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 (𝟯 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 — 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝟱!):

1️⃣ Click link in bio (or click here: https://bit.ly/VoteForPENR)
2️⃣ Search "Phuket Elephant Nature Reserve"
3️⃣ Click OK!

Done. That's it. 30 seconds to change elephant tourism forever.

⏰ 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

If you've ever wanted ethical sanctuaries to win over exploitation — this is how. Vote, then share with friends who care about animal welfare.

Thank you for supporting genuine sanctuary care. 🐘
The PENR Family

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