Are water shoes necessary for the day at the Elephant Sanctuary?
I'm trying to trim down my packing list and one of the things I'm considering leaving behind are water shoes. The ONLY time I will wear these is when we spend the day at the Elephant Sanctuary. Will I be sorry if I don't have them? I am really looking forward to this activity and I don't want to miss out on a significant part of the experience. But I hate to drag a pair of shoes around for the next 3 weeks that I will only wear once.
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I can’t see anywhere on the packing list for the tour that suggests bringing water shoes. I took the now retired tour that was Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. I hope someone who has taken the tour gets back to you in time. Otherwise I would suggest calling Tauck but they are closed this week.
The only thing I can add is that we enjoyed the area so much that we went back last year, this time starting on a Mekong River cruise and ending in Cambodia. This is probably the most humid part of the planet that we have visited.
Regarding your oversized bag, Tauck makes it clear that you might have to check it, I’m sure it will depend on the agent on the day you travel. We’ve never taken more than a medium backpack as a carry on item on any of our Tauck tours. Same when we go on tours of three plus weeks with other companies. I always admire seasoned travelers that take such small amounts of luggage, I’m not in that category but would love to be, it’s so freeing.
Please consider posting a review of your tour and answer your questions post trip.
Best bet is bring some old sneakers that you're ready to throw away. You'll be standing in a pond of muddy water that the elephants crap and pee in, as you are standing there.
BKMD is correct. Where they bathe the elephants is just a mud hole and the elephants eliminate in the mud hole. I didn't go in and didn't feel that I missed much by not doing that.
One of the elepants squirted water (with his trunk) at our TD. Think of getting blasted with that water.
You can see pictures of our visit with the elephants, including the washing in the mud hole, at https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2024-1Vietnam-03.htm#Elephants
I have to say, I thought all the tourist stuff with elephants had recently been stopped because someone got killed when bathing an elephant.
Pardon my cynicism, but there’s too much tourist money involved in those elephant sanctuaries to shut them down. Even the elephant bathing part – some tourist really enjoy that.
This is what I was referring to
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyv3dv7y96lo.
I guess Tauck may reconsider in the future
When we went we had to change into the clothes they gave us &they gave us water shoes. I did not bath the elephants.
I just checked the group picture of our group at the elephant place and it looks like everyone has their own shoes. At least, the shoes are all different.
I really enjoyed the Elephant activity. I would hope that it would not be removed from the tour. One problem would be to find something as interesting to replace it with.
I took this VCT tour in January 2024. I thoroughly enjoyed feeding and touching the elephants at the Elephant Sanctuary. We were given clothing to change into, but not shoes. I wore flip flops that I bring on all trips. I drew the line at going into the water hole to wash the elephants given what BKMD and MikeHenderson described above. I didn't feel I missed out on a significant part of the experience. It was a memorable day!
Don’t bring them! You have to go in barefoot. We brought ours but didn’t use them. Just returned from the trip last week.