ORIGINAL STORY BY PAUL HUGHES, UPDATED 2023 - SANTORINI IS VI'S FAVORITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION
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Hi. We are Vi and Paul Hughes and we created Holiday Destinations in 2008 to help others explore some of the most exciting, fascinating and fun-filled holiday destinations we could find.
We offer options and destinations you may not have considered, written with a passion for travel and to help your choices create a safer, more memorable holiday.
We offer options and destinations you may not have considered, written with a passion for travel and to help your choices create a safer, more memorable holiday.
Our travels have been amazing holidays because we plan for three key outcomes, being:
We hope Holiday Destinations helps you create as many awesome memories as we continue to enjoy.
Cheers - Vi & Paul
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- Explore new places, whether just walking around with eyes and minds wide open, often chatting with the locals, or taking trips to see specific attractions;
- See new sights and experience new cultures, including trying local cuisines, learning local customs and discovering great places that mainly locals visit; and
- Make every trip the most enjoyable, fun-filled and exciting holiday we've had, even when hit with unexpected surprises or delays and some things don't go as well as we wanted! That's part of the excitement!
We hope Holiday Destinations helps you create as many awesome memories as we continue to enjoy.
Cheers - Vi & Paul
Browse our Contents Page to select from our hundreds of tips, stories and destinations.
See how to best Explore Holiday Destinations
MASON ELEPHANT PARK AND LODGE
Bali's hidden secret . . . . a Window to your Soul
Have you ever looked deeply into the eye of an elephant and thought it was searching your soul as it gently wrapped its trunk around you while you rubbed its coarse face?
We have, and it’s an experience neither of us will ever forget!
After decades of travel writing, we’ve enjoyed countless unique and thrilling experiences in more than a thousand destinations in every continent except Antarctica.
Nothing has made a more lasting impact on our lives as the three days we recently spent at the Mason Elephant Park and Lodge in Taro, Bali, an interesting two-hour drive north from Denpasar Airport.
We have, and it’s an experience neither of us will ever forget!
After decades of travel writing, we’ve enjoyed countless unique and thrilling experiences in more than a thousand destinations in every continent except Antarctica.
Nothing has made a more lasting impact on our lives as the three days we recently spent at the Mason Elephant Park and Lodge in Taro, Bali, an interesting two-hour drive north from Denpasar Airport.
We’ve had interactions with these magnificent animals in other parts of the world, but have mostly been put off by aspects of how poorly many animals were treated.
The moment we arrived at Mason’s, we realised why our Sunshine Coast neighbour and great wildlife warrior, the late Steve Irwin, described this multi-award winning park as “the most ethical wildlife park in Asia”.
The moment we arrived at Mason’s, we realised why our Sunshine Coast neighbour and great wildlife warrior, the late Steve Irwin, described this multi-award winning park as “the most ethical wildlife park in Asia”.
More than 30 years ago, ex-pat Australian Nigel Mason and his Indonesian wife Yanie began a series of adventure businesses across Bali, including white water rafting, mountain cycling, tropical trekking and much more.
However, during their own explorations across Asia they came across the mass culling of elephants by government officials around 2000 kilometres away in Sumatra, where extensive logging had destroyed the elephants' natural habitat and poaching was taking a massive toll.
Dismayed by the poor condition of those magnificent animals, after extensive negotiations they initially acquired 10 elephants and invested all their funds (and all they could borrow) to buy 12 acres, or 4.5 hectacres of rice paddies in the misty mountains 35 minutes north of Ubud in Bali, which they converted into a brilliant eco-friendly elephant centre.
However, during their own explorations across Asia they came across the mass culling of elephants by government officials around 2000 kilometres away in Sumatra, where extensive logging had destroyed the elephants' natural habitat and poaching was taking a massive toll.
Dismayed by the poor condition of those magnificent animals, after extensive negotiations they initially acquired 10 elephants and invested all their funds (and all they could borrow) to buy 12 acres, or 4.5 hectacres of rice paddies in the misty mountains 35 minutes north of Ubud in Bali, which they converted into a brilliant eco-friendly elephant centre.
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Now, after decades of careful development and drawing on the experience of some of the world’s most noted authorities on Sumatran elephants, the Mason Elephant Park and Lodge makes our list of the top 10 holiday destinations in the world.
If there is such a thing as a focused, contained eco wilderness, this is it.
More than 1000 specially-planted expensive palms and rainforest trees now soar hundreds of feet into the sky, with solid walking tracks winding their way through rich undergrowth, suddenly unveiling fascinating elephant-focused statues, amazing wild orchids, dozens of meandering creeks, waterfalls, and ponds filled with brightly-coloured koi.
If there is such a thing as a focused, contained eco wilderness, this is it.
More than 1000 specially-planted expensive palms and rainforest trees now soar hundreds of feet into the sky, with solid walking tracks winding their way through rich undergrowth, suddenly unveiling fascinating elephant-focused statues, amazing wild orchids, dozens of meandering creeks, waterfalls, and ponds filled with brightly-coloured koi.
However, it’s today’s 24 elephants – six of which were born at the park - and their stunning environment and facilities that are the standout.
Each elephant has one main mahout, or handler, with many moving from Sumatra just to be with them. Some have been with their specific animal for more than 20 years.
While there were plenty of opportunities to be up close and personal with every elephant, after watching the way these magnificent animals interacted with their mahouts, we can only be impressed by the special bond that exists between them.
Stipulated by park policy, it's a relationship that ensures that no form of abuse or mistreatment is tolerated.
The grounds are impeccably clean, which is a credit to the many staff, as each elephant consumes, digests and poops the remains of about 250kgs of individually-developed food every day. Even the large lake where the elephants swim with guests has staff constantly using a large pooper-scooper as required, with water quality constantly monitored.
Each elephant has one main mahout, or handler, with many moving from Sumatra just to be with them. Some have been with their specific animal for more than 20 years.
While there were plenty of opportunities to be up close and personal with every elephant, after watching the way these magnificent animals interacted with their mahouts, we can only be impressed by the special bond that exists between them.
Stipulated by park policy, it's a relationship that ensures that no form of abuse or mistreatment is tolerated.
The grounds are impeccably clean, which is a credit to the many staff, as each elephant consumes, digests and poops the remains of about 250kgs of individually-developed food every day. Even the large lake where the elephants swim with guests has staff constantly using a large pooper-scooper as required, with water quality constantly monitored.
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We stayed on site in the Lodge because we wanted to not only spend a lot of time observing and interacting with the elephants, but also to closely monitor how the animals were treated 24/7.
We were not disappointed by any facet of our visit.
The layout of the park is brilliant. In addition to the gardens and overall environment, the facilities for the elephants are outstanding. While not officially a rescue centre or sanctuary, it’s a purpose-built safe haven that was designed and created following input by some of Asia’s leading Sumatran elephant experts.
We were not disappointed by any facet of our visit.
The layout of the park is brilliant. In addition to the gardens and overall environment, the facilities for the elephants are outstanding. While not officially a rescue centre or sanctuary, it’s a purpose-built safe haven that was designed and created following input by some of Asia’s leading Sumatran elephant experts.
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Featuring large free-roaming areas, massive overhead showers and a huge interactive lake area where guests feed, wash and swim with the elephants, no expense has been spared to ensure the elephants are comfortable and are surrounded by the closest thing possible to their natural environment.
Even the paths, walkways and resting areas have been created with specially-compacted soil and granite to provide solid areas that are easy on the elephants’ legs and feet.
Even the paths, walkways and resting areas have been created with specially-compacted soil and granite to provide solid areas that are easy on the elephants’ legs and feet.
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Our spacious air-conditioned and brilliantly-themed room featured a large, modern ensuite and an extremely comfortable bed.
For us, a key feature was the extensive balcony that overlooked the “night camp” for the elephants, where they were fed, rested and slept.
Sitting on the balcony with a coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at night, we could watch and hear them eating, communicating with each other, and even laying down to sleep.
Vi even woke in the middle of the night and went out to watch them sleep, laughing with joy as she heard them snoring.
For us, a key feature was the extensive balcony that overlooked the “night camp” for the elephants, where they were fed, rested and slept.
Sitting on the balcony with a coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at night, we could watch and hear them eating, communicating with each other, and even laying down to sleep.
Vi even woke in the middle of the night and went out to watch them sleep, laughing with joy as she heard them snoring.
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We really enjoyed the amazing slow elephant rides around the park - not only because it gave an impressive view of the overall layout, including the free roaming and breeding areas, but because each mahout passionately told us about the wonderful lives both they and their elephant enjoy.
Another feature was each evening around 6pm, when an elephant and its mahout would call to take us to dinner.
Before any of the ill-informed jump up and down, it’s good to remember that these elephants carry less than 5% of their weight on a slow amble around the park. By comparison, a horse carries about 20% of its weight with rider and saddle and parents often burden their children with up to 30% of their body weight in their school bags!
Another feature was each evening around 6pm, when an elephant and its mahout would call to take us to dinner.
Before any of the ill-informed jump up and down, it’s good to remember that these elephants carry less than 5% of their weight on a slow amble around the park. By comparison, a horse carries about 20% of its weight with rider and saddle and parents often burden their children with up to 30% of their body weight in their school bags!
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During our three-night stay, we were never bored. Countless interactive activities with the elephants – from washing and feeding to trekking and simply being entertained by them – ensured it was a joyous time.
We were taken by the amazing rapport between the elephants and their mahouts, who all seemed to enjoy their lives and genuinely cared for each other. We were also surprised by how willingly the elephants spontaneously reacted with the guests. In fact, during Covid many of the elephants became unsettled and depressed because they didn't have that interaction.
Overall, our experience was 10/10 – not only for the wonderful interactions with the amazing staff and elephants, but the meals were top restaurant quality; the elephant museum was of the standard of some of the best animal museums in the world; and the art gallery was absolutely stunning.
We were taken by the amazing rapport between the elephants and their mahouts, who all seemed to enjoy their lives and genuinely cared for each other. We were also surprised by how willingly the elephants spontaneously reacted with the guests. In fact, during Covid many of the elephants became unsettled and depressed because they didn't have that interaction.
Overall, our experience was 10/10 – not only for the wonderful interactions with the amazing staff and elephants, but the meals were top restaurant quality; the elephant museum was of the standard of some of the best animal museums in the world; and the art gallery was absolutely stunning.
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An important aspect of this spectacular elephant park is its breeding program.
In the 1980s it was estimated that around 5,000 elephants were spread across 44 populations in eight mainland provinces of Sumatra.
The most recent estimates say there are now less than 1,000 of these magnificent animals left in the wild, viciously culled by poaching for their tusks and destruction of their habitats for industry and population expansion.
With only 1,000 or so Sumatran elephants left in the wild, the future these magnificent beasts is definitely in the balance.
The Mason Elephant Park has a unique breeding program and, given that the elephant gestation period is 22 months and there is a limited breeding pool, it's a great credit to the Mason family that six elephants have been born there.
The buzz around the park was that another elephant might even be pregnant!
Whether or not this is true, we’ll be going back . . . . . perhaps late in 2027 or early 2028, just in case the rumors are correct.
If you want to have an extremely memorable lifetime experience, you should visit this Park as a day-tripper or, like we did, immerse yourself fully by staying at the Lodge for a night or two.
Discover more here - https://www.masonelephantlodge.com
In the 1980s it was estimated that around 5,000 elephants were spread across 44 populations in eight mainland provinces of Sumatra.
The most recent estimates say there are now less than 1,000 of these magnificent animals left in the wild, viciously culled by poaching for their tusks and destruction of their habitats for industry and population expansion.
With only 1,000 or so Sumatran elephants left in the wild, the future these magnificent beasts is definitely in the balance.
The Mason Elephant Park has a unique breeding program and, given that the elephant gestation period is 22 months and there is a limited breeding pool, it's a great credit to the Mason family that six elephants have been born there.
The buzz around the park was that another elephant might even be pregnant!
Whether or not this is true, we’ll be going back . . . . . perhaps late in 2027 or early 2028, just in case the rumors are correct.
If you want to have an extremely memorable lifetime experience, you should visit this Park as a day-tripper or, like we did, immerse yourself fully by staying at the Lodge for a night or two.
Discover more here - https://www.masonelephantlodge.com
URGENT: Check websites like Smart Traveller before booking any holidays.
https://www.smartraveller.gov.au
https://www.smartraveller.gov.au
DESTINATIONS BY CONTINENT
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