Fellow Birders,
This winter's escape from Seattle found me in Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam and
Thailand. Was fortunate enough to be joined for part of the trip by two
friends, Alan Grenon from Seattle and Michael Grimminger from Germany.
Both exceptional birders and great company. Guides used were: Nara Duong
in Cambodia, Mr. Tien, and Glenn Morris in Vietnam, and a sometimes mean
spirited, unprofessional guide that I will leave unnamed in Thailand.
Nara was really good. Knows his birds well and has good connections with
Tmatboey. He can be your driver as well, a real plus. Mr. Tien is just a
joy to work with. Very professional and sculpted a great trip. His
driver is an avid birder who wants to be a
guide. So in essence a great second set of eyes. Glenn, is a British
birder who visits the Da Lat area each year around Christmas time and
had generously agreed to meet us and shows us what he knew. With his
help we were able to see almost everything we had hoped to see in the 2
short days we had in the area. We also used an older local guide in Cat
Tien who was good. I would recommend trying to go with the younger guide
who works that area. He was extremely knowledgeable and had fabulous
communication skills. For Thailand, I can't recommend using this guide
unless you are on more of a social journey and are fine with seeing just
the common birds (email me if you're looking for that). Lots of loud
talking and incessant pishing while birding along the roads and trails
scared many birds away, as well as giving us little chance of seeing the
skulking birds. There were also 2 missed expected boat rides, and 2
wasted morning trips to very degraded habitat. These were only some of
the multitude of problems encountered. In their defense they did a nice
job around Phetchaburi and might be worth hiring for the 2 days needed
there if no one else is available.
Some general information:
November-January is not the best time to bird these areas. The winter
weather can and did in some areas wreck havoc on the birding. Most
birders due to time constraints would probably choose to omit trips to
Cambodia and Lao unless you're going specifically for the rare birds in
those areas. Most of the other birds are seen more easily in Vietnam or
Thailand. Roads in the north are uniformly curvey and in poor condition
and trips are bumpy and lengthy. Also the roads are not wide enough to
allow many stops, keeping you from viewing some of the birds. Very few
birds and other wildlife are easily seen as they are much needed food
for the locals. Access in to see the wildlife is restricted to trails
that ultimately lead to the next village where the next set of
challenges for wildlife exist. To see some of the rarities you might
have to walk tough trails for days just to have an opportunity. That
being said, I had no regrets about traveling to both of those countries.
Both are uniquely beautiful and the people are friendly. Strange in a
way to see that much natural beauty with not much moving in it
bird-wise. Other forms take up some of that slack. Insects (especially
butterflies and dragonflies), plants, bats, etc. were spectacular. Throw
in the unique land formations, waterfalls and caves and you have a
really nice trip.
In Cambodia I spent time at Bokor in the south. A strange National
Protected Area that has a huge casino inside the Park. Few trails and
we had to pay and get permission from the casino to walk the trail to
look for Chestnut-headed Partridge. Possible, but would be difficult to
find without a guide. Saw Cambodian Tailorbird outside of P Phen. Can be
done on your own with the proper coordinates and the bird song. There's
a fair amount of information on the web. Ankor Wat is a cultural must
and there's some decent birding around the temples. We also went about
30 kilometres to the north to a bat cave. There was some good birding
(though nothing unique) in that area as well. You will need to stay in
Siem Reap which is sort of like a small Las Vegas without the gambling.
Seems like everything is possible there. Feel free to take that as a
warning or an invitation. Can probably do this on your own if you know
the calls. Tmatboey, famous area for Giant and White-winged Ibis and
many species of woodpeckers is a unique and, I thought, a wonderful
experience. Small village with rustic accommodations. Can be very
expensive by the way. Much of your money goes to the local village in
the kind of ecotourism that hopefully sustains what little accessible
habitat is left. You cannot go there on your own. You must get in touch
with the Sam Veasna Center. Also some words of caution, if you go in
November your chances are greatly reduced of seeing these birds. We were
lucky and did quite well. November also meant that trying for the Bengal
Florican was going to be a waste of time. Kratie was visited for the
easy to see Irrawaddy Dolphins (can be seen close to shore if there at
the right time of day) and a trip up the Mekong to see the Mekong
Wagtail and Small Pratincole. Both can be seen in other locations along
the river as well. If not there to see the dolphins, you might want to
plan so as to not redouble your efforts. There are other spots for the
dolphins as well. This is also something that can easily be done on your
own. Nara talked often about the little birded Protected Areas to the
east and the wealth of birds there. He also noted they were also
difficult to see. I would hire him to take you there.
Lao was a favorite. Great laid back people and scenically special.
Thanks to Will Duckworth, who has done a lot of the recent work on Lao
birding, for helping me get prepped for the journey. No guides were used
in Lao. Mostly spent my time on the Bolaven Plateau, around Ban NaHin,
Vientiane, and Luang Probang. I spent 2 enjoyable days on the Bolaven.
It is well worth going just for the scenery. The area around has many
waterfalls which can hold good birds. A trip to Ban NaHin is a must if
you're looking for the recently discovered Bare-faced Bulbul and Sooty
Babbler as well as other species. It was difficult to rent a moto in
town (2 places have them) but I ended up wasting some precious time in
the early morning trying to negotiate for one at the first hotel in town
as you enter heading east. Turns out the owner wanted to use it for
another hour. It's also worthwhile to bird the trail behind the temple
in the center of town. Found Green Cochoa and a large group of thousands
of Morpho butterflies there (a mini Monarch type setting like Angangueo
in Mexico). There's also a spot to look for the Red-Collared Woodpecker
just outside of town. Check out
http://www.birding2asia.com/W2W/Laos/NaHin.html for great info about the
whole area from Stijn De Win. Probably best to rent a moto before
heading east to the town. Keep an eye out for the rare langurs that
inhabit the karst limestone formations. I spent 2 days there which
included an afternoon trip to the cave about 40 kilometers to the south
of town.
In Vientiane (large but very pleasant to spend time in) the only spot I
tried was a marshy area that had quite a few snipe present. Best to go
to from the tourist spot Pha That Luang then straight across
Kamphengmeuang Rd total about 1/2 kilometer where you see the large open
marshy area. Easy to do on your own. Luang Probang is a heavily
touristed area. For most birders it's best to use it as a place to stay
and take daily or longer trips to scenic locations. Trips up the river
which you can easily organize yourself allows access to Jerdon's
Bushchat. Found them in the big island in the middle of the river near
Pak Ou Caves. Ended up setting up my own trips with boat drivers. That
was way more satisfying than the numerous prepackaged sterile trips
offered in town. Did the same for trips to waterfalls (Forktails at
Kuang Si Falls). Leave town at 5:45 am and you'll have the place to
yourself. No one else showed up until after 8. Beautiful area. 3 days
would be plenty. I spent 5 days there with a couple being days to relax
and explore waterfalls off the beaten track and trails to small villages
across the river.
Moved across the border into Vietnam at Dien Bien Phu. A rough and
ready town in the mountains. Very little English spoken, but the locals
were very friendly and nice. No parks in town. Best place to look for
birds is at D1 hill in the center of town. Tien then took me to the site
where the French surrendered about 30 kilometers to the east. Good
birding near the lake and also at the site there are trails through some
good forest. No accommodations nearby, so head back to Dien Bien. Could
rent a cab for the day and try this on one's own. From there we drove on
some mountain back roads on the way north-east to Sapa. Found good birds
all along the way. Being high up in the mountains gave us great views
since we were above many of the warblers and other species we
encountered. Sapa, in the northern part of the country was a
disappointment. We had very little time (1/2 day) when the weather was
conducive for birding. This was a known possibility before we started.
We left 2 days before scheduled, as snow was predicted to be coming. And
indeed the area was under snow for many days. The first time some of
these villages have seen snow by the way. Saw some of the specialties,
but were totally blanked on parrotbills, laughing thrushes, finchbills
and others. Took a big chance by going there in December and we
basically lost out. Babe is a not very often visited spot in
north-eastern Vietnam. Known as being one and maybe only reasonable
place for White-eared Night-heron. With help from the local boatman Mr.
Chat, we had success seeing this species early in the morning. Also
stayed at Mr. Chat's home stay, which was a very pleasant experience.
The birding in the forested areas around the lake is also good and worth
some time. One afternoon and a morning would probably suffice. Xian Thuy
at the coast was exceptional. Great looks at ducks. 3 Pochard species, a
Falcated Duck among a large group congregated together in one basic
area. Also terns and gulls with Mongolian and Heuglin's being of note.
Good numbers of shorebirds too, Spoonbills, but no sighting of
Spoon-billed Sandpipers or Nordmann's Greenshank on the largish island
just off of the coast. Easy to hire a boat to take you there. Tien says
it's been 5 years since Spoon-bill Sandpipers have been seen there.
Van Long along the way to Cuc Phuong is worth an early morning visit to
see Delacour?s langurs and the birds of the marsh area. Amazing
experience riding in a very small boat (?) From there you are close to
Cuc Phoung. Had great luck there especially with Pittas. Saw all three
pittas in a couple of days, a first for a client of Tien's. Other great
birds there as well. At least 3 days would be needed to cover the area.
I spent 5 there. Best to stay at the gate and also in the park. From
there we went to lowland and montane evergreen forest at Tam Dao
National Park. The set of stairs up to the top had some good birds. Of
note is that the trail/road that was in the past used to augment the
steps as a birding site has been closed. The often discussed destruction
of the habitat is in full swing as the road is being built. Meant we had
to go down the mountain and find a trail through secondary forest. Good
news was that turned out to be a great day of birding. Two days and a
morning worked out to be just about right especially with the road near
the top impossible to bird. There's a guard at the gate if for some
reason you're thinking of trying to sneak in.
We flew down to Da Lat and as luck would have it, Glenn Morris from the
UK was visiting the area. Birding is rich there and we had 2 excellent
days seeing most of the wanted species. A little more time might would
easily be merited. Glenn used us for our ability to hear where the
sounds were coming from, and then we used his knowledge of the sounds
and his abilities to get on the birds. Great combination. A memorable
time for both Alan and me. Another Pitta seen making it 7 individuals
that I had found without the use of tapes. A few hour drive took us to
Cat Tien. Probably the most noted of the Vietnam sites along with Cuc
Phuong. The park was as advertised. Fabulous birding with a spectacular
full out display by Green Peafowl being a decided highlight. Were there
for 3 days. Again about right, though a few more days would be fine as
well. Recommendation- Stay in the park and not across the river. Only a
little more expensive. Also for those watching their budget there is a
second restaurant a little farther down the road from the first you
pass. I particularly liked this place. The owners are really quite nice.
The food was very authentic. The sites are well known so just follow
your nose and the trip reports. Afternoons (around 4) seemed to be best
for Green Peafowl.
Thailand was the next destination. We visited most of the spots that
have been mentioned in other trip reports from Phetchaburi (AKA as
Phetburi) area to the north of the country. Ban Pak Thale (Phetchaburi
area), Khao Yai National Park, Kaeng Krachan National Park, Chiang Saen,
Mae Wong (climbed the trail and saw Rufous-necked Hornbill from the
top), Doi Ang Kang, Doi Lang, Doi Inthanon and a spot which was called
something like Si or Sri Lanna by our guide. The last was pretty much a
wasted morning as we saw very little around the lake and the habitat
that was supposed to hold grassland species was all gone. Doi Inthanon
is not considered the top spot anymore. Still visited by birders, but
too many people and few trails to accommodate the throngs. Chiang
Dao,was dropped from the itinerary because of the cost and the fact that
Doi Lang seems to hold the same birds. We did fairly well considering
the problems associated with the guide, who at least got us to the most
of the good sites. Michael and I then were able to find the birds. Spent
a week by myself in Krabi, an area south and east of Phuket. Saw
Mangrove Pitta along the boardwalk that you encounter as you approach
the center of town. Another good find considering it was November. Great
place for kingfishers as well. Rented a car which allowed for great
freedom. Other places to visit include: the mouth of the Krabi River
where shorebirds can be good (Nordmann's Greenshank has been seen
there) . Can get a boat driver in town to take you there. Also can take
you through the mangroves. Mr Dai's son is your best bet. Wat Thom Seut
is worth birding. Especially the circular trail which had a pair of
Black-thighed Falconets and other good birds as well. Beautiful spot and
if you have the energy the climb to the top offers spectacular views.
Also wonderful caves in the near vicinity. Khao Phanom Bencha about 35
klicks away from Krabi has wild populations of Green Peafowl and was
lucky enough to see about one about 15 meters away wondering close to
the park gate. Tried for Guerney's and other pittas with help from Mr.
Yotin for a half day, at Khao Pra-Bang Khram NHA (Morakot/Emerald Pool
area) about 50 kilometers from Krabi, but we couldn't get any responses.
Heard one the next day, as well as a close Banded Pitta. According to
Yotin, the season was working mightily against me. Many other good birds
in that area as well including Oriental Bay Owl. Well worth spending the
2 days I had there. Can stay at the rustic, but very nice Morakot Resort
which is close to the park. There are many signs along the way to point
you in the right direction. Lots of information on the web about this
well known spot.
Food was inexpensive and very good overall in all of SE Asia. Someone
could easily eat for $10 or less a day if they were ok eating at Noodle
Shops throughout the area. Some make that out to be bad, but I found it
to be a way to be around locals and get some very tasty food rather than
being charged exorbitant rates for less than authentic food. Hotels also
relatively inexpensive. Easy to find good places for $13-20 a night.
Bigger cities a little more expensive than that. Laos seemed to be the
most relaxed place as far as sales pitches go. Vietnam seemed to be the
most intriguing. The differences between the north and south seemed to
be pronounced. and as one of our guides so rightly put it "didn't your
country once have a civil war?" Thailand is still a country to spend a
lot of time in. How things will change in the future who knows. With the
coming SE Asia economic union in 2 years things might change
dramatically. Like most of the rest of the world, habitat seems to be
suffering as populations rise and travelers inundate sensitive areas.
Getting to these places sooner would be much better than the other
option.
Much thanks to Troy Hansel, David Richardson, Falk Wicker, David M.
Gascoigne, Gerry Weinberger, Lewis Brown, jira pasupornpongsa, Lynea
Hinchman, Amorn Liukeeratiyutkul, Rick Taylor, Petros Isaakidis, Eric
Kowalczyk, Gary Bletsch and those of you who offered help from Birdchat,
Birding-aus and Tweeters here in Seattle. Putting together one's own
trip is always an arduous endeavor and without the help of others it
becomes that much more difficult.
I try to steer clear of writing trip reports with lists and information
that is already in abundance on the web. My sole purpose is to try to
help the next traveler with information that might be useful in planning
your trip. They are meant to be short so that you can get through them
quickly. Feel free to ask questions. I'll try to help if I can.
All the best

--
barry Levine
Seattle
levineb at fastmail.fm

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