For millions of tourists visiting Bali and Indonesia each year, riding an elephant was once a bucket-list moment — a chance for a close encounter with one of the world's most extraordinary animals.
We now know that behind those rides, the story was far darker. And Indonesia has decided to end it.
The Indonesian Government has issued a **nationwide directive banning elephant riding** across all conservation institutions and wildlife tourism destinations in the country. The directive took effect in **December 2025**, with enforcement strengthening through early 2026. Over **100 captive elephants** — held at parks, sanctuaries, and tourism venues across Indonesia — will never be used to carry tourists again.
**What the Ban Covers**
The directive, issued through Circular Letter Number SE.6 of 2025 by the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation under the Ministry of Forestry, applies to every tourism attraction in Indonesia that currently houses elephants.
That includes Bali's five elephant-keeping venues, which had long drawn visitors from around the world. **Bali Zoo** had already committed to ending elephant rides. Now, **Mason Elephant Park** — one of the largest elephant attractions in Southeast Asia — halted rides after receiving two formal government warnings following its initial reluctance to comply.
All five Bali venues are expected to transition fully to observation-based experiences, where visitors can see elephants living more naturally, without being ridden, worked, or forced to perform.
**Why Riding Causes Harm**
Elephant riding looks magical from the outside. The reality, documented extensively by animal welfare researchers, is grim.
To make elephants compliant enough to carry strangers on their backs, they are typically subjected to a training process that begins in early life and involves physical constraint and punishment. Many elephants used in tourism are kept in conditions that involve **prolonged chaining, social isolation, and psychological stress**.
The animals used for rides often show **stereotypic behaviours** — repetitive movements like swaying or head-bobbing — which are recognised as indicators of chronic stress in captive animals. A back that appears strong enough to carry humans was not designed for the sustained weight and impact that tourist operations require; spinal damage is documented in elephants used for riding.
**World Animal Protection**, which has campaigned for years to end this practice across Southeast Asia, called the Indonesian ban 'world-leading.'
Suzanne Milthorpe, head of campaigns for World Animal Protection ANZ, said: *"We congratulate the Indonesian Government on taking this world-leading step to safeguard the welfare of these magnificent animals."*
**A Tourism Industry Rethinking Itself**
Indonesia is not alone. Thailand — the country most associated internationally with elephant tourism — has seen a significant and growing shift towards ethical elephant sanctuaries, where animals live in large natural enclosures, bathe in rivers, and interact with visitors on their own terms. Several major tour operators have removed elephant riding from their offerings entirely.
The shift reflects something important: **tourists increasingly want the real thing**. An elephant living naturally in a large forested sanctuary, going about its life — trumpeting, foraging, splashing in water — is far more extraordinary than one trained to carry luggage or people in circles.
Indonesia's ban positions it as **one of the first countries in Asia** to legislate this position at a national level, rather than leaving it to individual operators to decide.
**What Happens to the Elephants?**
The elephants at affected venues don't disappear. Their circumstances change. Venues must transition to models where elephants are observed rather than ridden — ideally in larger, more natural enclosures, with space to move and socialise.
It is a significant undertaking. Some operators who have made the transition report that their visitor numbers actually *increased* — because ethical sanctuaries attract a different, more engaged type of tourist, willing to pay more for a more meaningful experience.
The 100-plus elephants who will now spend their days without the weight of tourist saddles on their backs cannot tell us what they think of that. But the evidence of their wellbeing — more movement, less stereotypy, better health — tends to speak clearly enough.
🐘 *Sometimes the right thing and the smart thing turn out to be the same thing.*
*Sources: World Animal Protection UK (March 2026) · World Animal Protection ANZ · Tempo English · South China Morning Post · Explorers Against Extinction · Indonesian Ministry of Forestry Circular Letter SE.6/2025*
