Wildlife resorts in Asia where you can encounter nature’s treasures

When the owners of Nay Palad Hideaway first arrived to the site in Siargao, the Philippines, the lagoon had been severely damaged by years of dynamite fishing. They began working with the local government and building partnerships with local fisherman to reduce, and finally, put an end to dynamite fishing in the area.  

As she does when given the chance, nature healed and the area has since been restored to its natural glory. Today, the waters are clear and teeming with wildlife with over 106 species of fish and 54 species of seaweed.  

An ancient mangrove forest, which sits at the back of Nay Palad Hideaway, is also closely monitored and protected by the resort, as it plays a crucial role in preserving the biodiversity of the island. Crocodiles, monitor lizards, wild civet cats, the Philippine cockatoo and three species of endangered turtle are just some of the species that call this island home—and thanks to the resort's efforts, they can continue to do so for a long while yet.  

Wild Coast Tented Lodge has little desire to stand out: what it wants is to blend in with its surroundings, from the use of local materials—such as stone and mudbrick—to the rounded forms that dominate the structures and its 36 tents designed to resemble the cream-coloured boulders on the shore.

In fact, the layout of the tents is crafted to mimic a leopard’s paw, honouring one of the most revered residents of Yala National Park—the Sri Lankan leopard. The tents feature warm woods and an earthy palette, designed to be cosy but not devoid of grandeur, with a hammered copper tub and large windows.

Some are equipped with a terrace and plunge pool—which, if you’re lucky, might net you a visit by the local elephants, who occasionally use them as their drinking fountains.

Nestled at the edge of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve in Sabah, the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort serves as a convenient base for visiting the nearby Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. The resort is approximately a 15-minute walk from the centre, where visitors can observe semi-wild orangutans during scheduled feeding times.

The resort comprises charming chalets built on stilts, designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising comfort. Each morning, guests can wake to the sounds of the rainforest—gibbons calling in the distance and hornbills flying overhead.

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What makes Sepilok Forest Edge Resort stand out is its location and commitment to local conservation efforts. The resort employs local staff and supports orangutan conservation awareness. Guests can visit not only the orangutan centre but also the nearby Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, home to the world’s smallest bear species.

While orangutans are rarely seen at the resort itself, the property organises guided nature walks where visitors might spot wildlife including various bird species, insects and possibly smaller mammals that inhabit the forest edge.

Perched on a ridge overlooking the confluence of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort offers one of the more responsible elephant experiences in Southeast Asia. Unlike many elephant camps that allow riding, Anantara’s elephant camp provides better living conditions for elephants previously used in tourism or logging industries.

The resort maintains the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), a non-profit initiative, which has helped numerous elephants from Thailand’s streets along with their mahouts and families. These elephants now live in an environment where guests can observe them bathing, foraging and socialising—natural behaviours often suppressed in less ethical elephant attractions.

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The ‘Walking with Giants’ programme allows guests to accompany elephants and their mahouts on walks through the jungle, observing these magnificent creatures up close without riding them. The resort also offers an ‘Elephant Learning Experience’, where guests can learn about elephant biology, behaviour and conservation.

Luxury accommodations feature balconies with views of the mountains and the Ruak River. The resort’s dining experience incorporates herbs and vegetables grown in its organic garden.

For wildlife enthusiasts seeking safari experiences in Sri Lanka, Mahoora Tented Safari Camps offer accommodations in several of the country’s national parks. With locations that have included Yala, Udawalawe and Wilpattu National Parks, Mahoora provides access to Sri Lanka’s diverse wildlife.

Yala National Park, where one of Mahoora’s camps has been located, has a significant leopard population, offering opportunities for leopard sightings. Udawalawe is known for its elephants, while Wilpattu is recognised for its sloth bears and peaceful atmosphere.

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Mahoora has promoted sustainability practices, including using solar power, practising responsible waste management and employing local staff, contributing to community development.

The tents feature comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms with hot showers and private verandas. Naturalists guide guests on safari drives, pointing out not only larger mammals like leopards and elephants but also the smaller creatures and numerous bird species that make these ecosystems so rich.

Before booking, travellers should confirm which parks Mahoora is currently operating in, as their locations may change seasonally or based on conservation requirements.

Located on the edge of Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka, South India, Evolve Back Kuruba Safari Lodge (formerly Orange County) offers luxury inspired by local tribal villages with modern comforts. The resort sits along the banks of the Kabini River, which attracts wildlife during dry seasons.

Nagarhole National Park forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a Unesco World Heritage site and one of India’s important wildlife areas. The park is home to a significant population of Asian elephants, as well as tigers, leopards, dholes (wild dogs), sloth bears and over 300 bird species.

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The resort’s circular “huts” are inspired by the dwellings of the local Kuruba tribe but equipped with private pools and modern amenities. What makes this resort noteworthy is its approach to conservation—it employs local people, many from communities that once depended on forest resources, creating sustainable livelihoods that support conservation.

During the dry season, the receding waters of the Kabini reservoir attract herds of elephants—sometimes in considerable numbers—creating excellent viewing opportunities that few other places in the region can match.

In Bhutan’s glacial Phobjikha Valley, Gangtey Lodge offers accommodations alongside the winter habitat of black-necked cranes—majestic birds which are highly honoured in the Himalaya region. Each winter (typically from November to March), black-necked cranes migrate from the Tibetan Plateau to this protected valley, which has been kept largely free from power lines and major development to protect these culturally significant birds.

The lodge, built in the style of a Bhutanese farmhouse with views of the valley, offers suites with traditional wood-burning stoves and bathtubs positioned to take in the views. Floor-to-ceiling windows in each suite frame the valley landscape.

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Gangtey Lodge supports the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre, which educates visitors and locals about crane conservation. Guests can observe these birds during winter by spotting scopes at the centre or on guided walks through the valley.

Outside of crane season, the valley offers opportunities to see wildlife including barking deer, sambar deer, wild boar and red foxes along the hiking trails that wind through the valley’s forests and meadows.

For a wildlife experience in a temperate setting, Picchio Wildlife Research Centre in Karuizawa offers opportunities to observe woodland creatures. The centre, located in Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture, runs a flying squirrel conservation programme and wildlife tours.

Visitors can stay in accommodations in the Karuizawa area, including the nearby Hoshinoya Karuizawa resort, and join Picchio’s researchers for evening flying squirrel watches. These nocturnal gliders emerge from nest boxes at dusk, moving between trees in a display rarely witnessed by most visitors to Japan.

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Picchio also conducts tours to observe wildlife including Asiatic black bears (from a safe distance using tracking equipment), Japanese serow, Japanese macaques and various bird species. The centre focuses on research—tours contribute to monitoring programmes that help protect these species.

Together with their “bear dogs”, the centre has worked on bear management strategies that help reduce human-bear conflict in the area, serving as a model for human-wildlife coexistence in Japan’s forests.

In Borneo’s Tanjung Puting National Park, Rimba Orangutan Ecolodge serves as a base for exploring one of the important orangutan conservation areas. The lodge provides access to the park, where research and rehabilitation stations provide sanctuary for orangutans.

What makes Rimba special is its connection to orangutan conservation history—the park was where Dr Biruté Galdikas, one of the “Trimates” along with Jane Goodall and the late Dian Fossey, established her research station in the 1970s. The conservation work continues today through the Orangutan Foundation International.

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Guests stay in wooden bungalows with verandas overlooking the Sekonyer River. The experience typically involves travelling by the klotok (two-storeyed wooden boats) along the river, watching proboscis monkeys in riverside trees and hiking through the forest to observation platforms where orangutans come to feeding stations.

Beyond orangutans, visitors might observe other primate species and various birds in this biodiverse ecosystem. Travellers should research current conditions and conservation policies before visiting, as operations may have evolved to better protect the wildlife.

While not exclusively marketed as a wildlife resort, El Nido Resorts Miniloc Island in the Philippines offers marine wildlife experiences and promotes marine conservation. Located in the Bacuit Archipelago of Palawan, this sustainable luxury resort provides access to coral reef systems with notable marine biodiversity.

The resort sits on a beach surrounded by limestone cliffs, with water cottages built on stilts over a house reef. The location offers direct access to marine life—guests can snorkel near their accommodations to see various fish species.

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El Nido Resorts has implemented marine conservation programmes, including giant clam protection, coral monitoring and environmental education. The resort has taken steps to reduce plastic use and established guidelines for marine tourism, as well.

Guests can kayak to the Big and Small Lagoons, where limestone formations create sheltered areas for reef fish, or snorkel at the resort’s house reef alongside schools of fish and occasionally sea turtles. Seasonal marine visitors to the broader area can include various ray species.

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