Country Article / Postcards
Big Fun in Hua Hin
Date: 09/23/2004Dear International Living Reader,
The King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament offers a memorable opportunity to watch eccentric expats climb aboard lumbering pachyderms and battle it out for glory and charity. The event runs for a week at a time as the corporate-sponsored teams gradually eliminate each other at, well, an elephant's pace. Witty commentators broadcast the action with tongue-in-cheek panache, helping keep the crowd focused as they meander among the sponsors' hospitality tents.
The tournament is held every September at the relaxed seaside resort of Hua Hin, three hours drive south of Bangkok. Players include veteran horse polo players, local businesswomen, retired rugby heroes, and even a team of coiffured Thai transsexuals. What the players lack in technique, they make up for with enthusiasm and humor as the beasts are steered by skilled Thai mahouts, leaving the roped-on players free to thrash at the ball with their extra-long mallets.
The festivities culminate in a gala banquet, which features a charity auction for which the wealthier players dig deep into their pockets and bank accounts. In keeping with the spirit of the event, the most dubious prizes attract the most spirited bidding and the highest sale prices. All proceeds go toward local elephant rescue charities.
The tournament is an annual event, but at the Elephant Camp at Anantara Resort and Spa Golden Triangle, guests can visit anytime to meet locals such as Pang Yom, Pang Tantawan, Pan Lawann, and Pang Champen--otherwise known as the Girls of Anantara. Retired from labor in mining and logging, these four resident elephants now socialize as they chew their way through mountains of bananas, sugarcane, and bamboo. Or you can opt for the Mahout Training Package, during which you'll learn to bathe, feed, and care for your elephant as you explore the forest with your big new friends. You'll also learn enough Thai and 'Elephant Language' to get by, and at the end you'll be presented with the overalls, hat, and mahout certificate to prove it.
For more information about Elephant Camp and the next Elephant Polo Tournament, visit the Anantara Resort and Spa Golden Triangle's website: www.anantara.com.
Douglas Clayton
For International Living
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