THAILAND
Elephants at Kanchanaburi
No riding, and the work is yours
2 ways to do it, all bookable here
The sanctuaries around Kanchanaburi take in elephants retired from logging and trekking, and the day is spent preparing food, feeding and bathing them rather than sitting on them. It is muddy, hot and genuinely hands-on. The distinction worth checking before you book is whether a place still offers rides or shows — the ones that do not are the ones doing this properly. Kanchanaburi is also the River Kwai, which is an afternoon on its own.