Throughout its history, Thailand has relied on domesticated Asian elephants for labor and transportation through rough terrain, and even today, there are some tasks that pachyderms perform better than any machine. To see these gentle, intelligent beasts in a natural habitat, drop by the Samphran Elephant Ground on the western outskirts of Bangkok. Billed as the Greatest Elephant Show on Earth, elephants of all sizes perform amazing feats of strength and dexterity in a 60-acre park. The elephants demonstrate their close bonds with their mahouts (trainers), who guide them through obstacle courses, teach baby elephants to dance, and reenact the Yutha Hathi, an ancient royal battle fought on elephant-back during the Ayutthaya period (1351 - 1767). If you're looking to get a little bit closer, take a ride on the back of an elephant through the park's verdant garden paths, or else just cheer from the sidelines during an elephant soccer match (really). In addition to its elephants, Samphran also has more than 10,000 crocodiles, some of whom put on quite a performance at the daily crocodile wrestling show, where the master of the farm gets up close and personal with these primeval predators. I'm happy to watch that one from a distance. Starwood has five hotels in Bangkok, including the luxurious Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.