IDK who needs to hear this but if you travel to Asian countries do NOT RIDE THE ELELHANTS. They are kept in horrific conditions and by buying "elephant rides" you are providing those places with more money to continue capturing and domesticating elephants (which is v painful)!!

elephants as young as 18 to 24 months old being chained up and beaten with bullhooks. places where capture is illegal instead breed elephants in captivity which, even if released- can cause a variety of diseases that can spread to the wild population and the elephants wouldn't be

able to take care of themselves.
Places that try to treat their elephants better by decreasing ride time and weight limit are also the first to go out of business bc Westerners want the most from their penny and as such go to trekking camps that allow for upto 12 hours of riding

causing the places that may treat their elephants better to lose money and give up their elephants to those worse trekking camps.

INSTEAD,
you can go to elephant sanctuaries and pay to feed them or even pet their trunk if they allow you! which allows you to admire those gentle giants safely while they're being rehabbed or in a safe space that is non-injurous to them