Fellow Birding-aus members, 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@fastmail.fm — http://www.fastmail.fm – Access your email from home and the web — http://www.fastmail.fm – The way an email service should be _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
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