So many jokes, so little time. What might have been funny in high school is now a tourist attraction — and a full-fledged eco-friendly business. Yes, there is indeed poo, and paper — and both are surprisingly touchable.
Opened in early 2013, the park isn’t likely to be in many guidebooks or on many websites (yet!), but is a stone’s throw away from the incredibly touristy Tiger Kingdom. We walked in through the souvenir shop / ticket office, and were pleasantly surprised to learn it’s the same price for foreigners and locals. As you might guess from all the poo jokes, this paper was in part made from elephant poo.
I had to ask the staff if the t-shirts were made of poo as well. “Of course not!” she said, although the price tags are. Not pictured here is the nearby coffee shop (where thankfully, no poo comes close to your cup).
The tour itself is straightforward enough — follow the gravel path around the roughly circular path, and take in the excellent English signs along the way.
Go on, you know you want to.
What first impressed me was the fact that this sh!t don’t stink! Apparently, elephant dung in its dried form doesn’t have enough of an odor to raise a stink about. Also around: cow poo and horse poo.
What makes the place go from ‘shock value’ to ‘good value’ is a retelling of paper’s history, explained on signboards across the beautiful area. With one part-owner being Canadian, the signs are not only in outstanding English, but are logically focused.
In case you’re wondering how elephant poo is used to make paper, it’s explained on-site as well. The gist: elephants don’t digest their food very well, leaving plenty of fibers in their poo. It’s boiled to separate it from the rest of the, um, matter, which has the effect of sterilizing it. That’s right, folks — the fiber that was once inside an elephant’s bowels is now almost certainly cleaner than your kitchen counter.
I do wish the place was a little clearer about the actual fiber content here. After taking in the history, the panels claim no bleach or chemicals are used to clean things up. Boiling water to 90–100 degrees Celsius means things are pretty sterilized, which is why you’ll see this at the next stop:
The pulp is colored, then rolled out onto a screen and set in the sun to dry:
Your next stop (not pictured) is a chance to get hands on with the paper. For 50 baht, you can make a greeting card; at the next booth, a mini-journal is available for 90 baht (pay at the counter before leaving).
It’s not the biggest place around, and it’s not home to any actual elephants (the poo is apparently brought in via large bags from elsewhere), but the shock value remains — and again, without any foul smells. It’s definitely worth the visit whether you go for the eco-tourism angle, the punny souvenirs, or just because you have children.
Name: Elephant Poopoopaper Park
Address: 87 Moo 10 T. Maeram, A. Maerim, Chiang Mai, 50180 (GPS: 18.925438,98.931616)
Directions: This is best reached by songthaew, tuk-tuk, or motorcycle. Since this place is still pretty new, consider telling the driver you’re going to Tiger Kingdom, then walk 100 meters to your destination.
If going on your own, start by heading north on 107 from the superhighway (route 11) or the northern side of the moat in Chiang Mai. Go about 13 kilometers (from the superhighway) and look for the signs for the poopoo park or the Tiger Kingdom. Turn left onto 1096 and go about 300 meters, then turn right just after the stream / river. Go about 800 meters and look for the sign pointing you left — even without the sign, it’ll be the second left you see. Go a few hundred meters and look right.
Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm (open everyday)
Admission: 100 baht (foreigners or locals)
Phone: 053–299–565
Website: http://www.poopoopaperpark.com
