Chai Lai Orchid

Best vacation ever, amazing experience with elephants. We stayed at riverside, its a cute bamboo lodge, my son jumped into the river anytime he wants. We joined the full day jungle tour, our guide Sam was fantastic. He knows the village very well, very fun to hangout with. The elephants are definitely the star over there, my son didn't want to leave in the end of the trip. Highly recommend.

nice place can play with elephants anytime, a lot of dogs and feel like quite freedom, countryside and relaxing. facilities not really good and have to say , really worth to try this different experience, btw the stars in the night are amazing. wonderful experience

I have been going back and forth about whether or not to write this review and let it go. However, after much contemplation and weeks of feeling pain, I decided it was important for others to be made aware. My husband, sister and I headed to the Chai Lai on the recommendation from a friend who was there about 8 years or so before. I must say, this was to be the one of highlights of a month long trip visiting Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand ending here. We were warmly greeted at the end of the day - I would first off say to try to get mjid day to get settled etc before dark. (one family arrived at midnight disrupting all of the rooms around us because they literally had no idea where to go ... it is DARK). Again, upon arrival, we purchased food to feed the elephants and have a drink then we were driven to our room which was nearly 1/2 mi away. Cozy would be a good description - but ample. It is glamping --- but bed was comfortable. The next morning we purchased food for the elephants and they came to our room and it was fun to feed them right next to our room, one even partially entering our room. Breakfast was also brought to our room, and we ate outside on the table. Important tip is to purchase and book the excursion you are interested in ahead of time. We decided on a full day excursion with a tad of hiking, rafting and visit to the waterfalls. Our wonderful guide, Tip was knowledgeable, warm and friendly. We started out in a different elephant area with a couple of females. The handlers showed us a different technique for having them open their mouths wide and then you plop the food in their mouth. This was the first mishap, when one grabbed my wrist and twisted it, scaring me that it would break. Thankfully, Tip and the handlers were on her quickly and I was fine, nothing broken.... Next we went to an area that had a year old baby and her mama elephant. She was cute and frisky , loocking into our bag. A visit to the river next to bath the elephants. Threw water all over them which they couldn't get enough of. Tip brought the ingredients to BBQ some lunch for us and it was beyond fun and delicious. Over an open fire, he put cut ingredients in a hollowed out piece of bamboo, then put the chicken pieces on sticks and BBQ'd hem. Took a short rafting trip on a bamboo raft with the most competent guide on the water as he carefully maneuvered past people who were stuck. On the rive, we did see another elephant sanctuary with many handlers around the elephants in the water, which actually surprised me how many there were. Lastly we drove, then hiked to a waterfall which was nice, but was crowded and we were not so impressed as we saw people slipping on the wet stones. Then came the disastrous end to our day. When trying the same move at dinner for feeding the elephant, an elephant grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground. I hit the cement wall, my chest hitting the wall, then landing on my knee on the ground. The wind was knocked out of me w