Malay Peninsula
Sites of interest
Malaysia
- Fraser's Hill
- Taman Negara NP
- Bukit Tingi
- Gunung Panti?
- Earth Lodge? Bukit Wang? others?
Thailand
- Ao Phang Nga
- Sri Phang Nga
- Mu Ko Similan
- Krung Ching Waterfall
- Khao Nor Chu Chi
Singapore?
Top target birds
- Malaysian Rail-Babbler
- Nicobar Pigeon
- Mountain Peacock-Pheasant
- Malayan Banded-Pitta
- Helmeted Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, and other hornbills
- Malayan Crested Fireback
- Western Hooded Pitta and other pittas
- Crested Jayshrike
- Blue Nuthatch
- Great Argus
Practical reasons for interest
- Relatively easy driving on good roads
- Guides generally not required, but see below
- Great food
- Friendly people
Concerns
- Thai and Malay languages difficult to learn, and reading signs/information will be near-impossible
- Driving on left side of the road in Thailand
- Leeches!
- Avoid rainy season - Aug through Jan? Differs substantially by site?
- Temerloh climate
- But regardless of season, expect near-constant rain at Fraser's Hill
- Accommodations often basic, and some sites don't have good options nearby, requiring longer early-morning drives
- Guides technically required for some trails at Taman Negara, but enforcement is questionable? See Jansen report below.
- Have heard (Naturally Adventurous podcast, see below) that most species are much easier in peninsular Malaysia than in southern Thailand.
Itinerary thoughts
Peninsular Malaysia and Southern Thailand should probably be separate routes (or separate trips?), rather than connected overland. At least I am not aware of anyone who has done it that way.
Could they be combined with a trip to Chiang Mai, or would that be too long for me to take off from work?
Southern Thailand - the road between Phuket and Krabi is apparently slow, winding, and not fun to drive. But that makes visiting Krung Ching Waterfall and Khao Nor Chu Chi challenging, without a one-way car return and open-jawed flight, or a long drive back to Phuket. Consider only visiting the Sri Phang Nga area? Is that worth it?
Malaysia
- Arrive Kuala Lumpur, 1 night
- Kuala Selangor, drive to Fraser's Hill
- Fraser's Hill - 3+ nights
- Drive to Taman Negara NP
- Taman Negara NP - 3+ nights
- Drive to Bukit Tinggi, 1-2 nights
- Bukit Tinggi, return to Kuala Lumpur
- ~8+ nights
Thailand
- Arrive Phuket, night near Ao Phang Nga
- Ao Phang Nga, drive to Takua Pa, 2-3 nights
- Sri Phang Nga
- One afternoon boat to Mu Ko Similan and back
- One afternoon to Ban Thung Yai meadowlands
- Return to Phuket
- 3-4 nights
References
Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
- Rob Jansen - Jun/Jul 2024
- Julian Teh - Jan 2024 - no Panti
January precedes the prime birding months of March-July when the majority of overseas visitors come to this part of the world
- Jason Vassallo - June 2024 - no Taman Negara
- Grundsten et al. - Aug 2025 - only Singapore, Panti
- Simon Janssens - Jan 2022 - no Singapore, Panti
Southern Thailand
- Nick Upton's Thaibirding.com - Southern Thailand birding sites
- Keijsers et al. - Jan 2024 - Ao Phang Nga, Sri Phang Nga, Krung Ching Waterfall, Khao Luang Mountain
- Ross Gallardy - Feb 2015 - Sri Phang Nga, Krung Ching Waterfall, Khao Luang Mountain failed attempt
Podcasts
- Naturally Adventurous - S2E49 - Malaysia - Crossroads of Sundaland - mostly describing cultural and geographical context, only a little bit on birds and nature
- Naturally Adventurous - S1E4 - Ken's Top Lifetime Birds - numbers 4-5 - Malaysian Rail-Babbler in peninsular Malaysia
- Naturally Adventurous - S2E43 - Indo-Malaya Habitats - Charley's Top 5 - mentions that peninsular Malaysia offers better birding than southern Thailand
- Naturally Adventurous - S5E38 - Guiding in Thailand with Dorian Anderson - mostly on Southern Thailand
- Naturally Adventurous - S1E37 - Regional Focus on Southern Thailand - focus on Krung Ching Waterfall and mangroves