The village visit was a highlight: we learned about Karen weaving traditions and bought a beautiful handmade scarf and bag, and met a woman in her mid-nineties — blind and deaf but still healthy and busy making bean paste steamed in banana leaves. The handicrafts are gorgeous and buying them supports the artisans directly. A few honest notes: the “rafting” is really a gentle bamboo float, expertly poled by a Karen boatman — relaxing, but don’t expect adventure. Photos in handmade frames are offered for sale at each stop (150–200 baht); there’s some sales pressure, but it’s benign and the money goes to the community, so we happily bought them all. The short hike to the waterfall was the sportiest part — and when they tell you to crawl across the slippery rocks, believe them. You really can’t walk it. There’s an option for a more challenging hike though- we just didn’t have time to fit it due to opting for the daytime private full day rather than overnight AND included the photoshoot. We added the one-hour photoshoot with Pern, which was absolutely worth it — it came with extra private elephant time, including meeting one of the babies. One tip: there wasn’t time to change beforehand, so if you want a polished look, arrive camera-ready. Ours turned out natural instead, which we loved. The food Artid prepared was outstanding. The star was a local take on pizza — no cheese, but a slightly fruity sauce and sausage on wonderfully fluffy bread that reminded us of Hawaiian bread. There was also chicken with Thai chili sauce, deep-fried banana that somehow tasted like chicken, and the most amazing fresh fruit: the best pineapple, watermelon, passion fruit, and dragon fruit I’ve ever eaten. Everything was served on banana leaves with a bamboo fork and spoon he carved that day, on a private deck. There’s also an inexpensive optional happy hour with cocktails at the end. Yes, parts are touristy — but it never felt extractive. You come away with real appreciation for Karen culture, its hardships and its joys, and for what an ethical elephant sanctuary can be. A blessing of a day.
