PaddleAsia is now offering more trips in Thailand. Here is a birdwatching trip to deep southern Thailand. Our recent research trip to the less-visited national parks and conservation areas was pretty exhilarating. There are many nice areas of old-growth jungle, many lofty waterfalls and plenty of easy trails too.

Our trip started in Khao Sok. The one thing we did different this time was explore more on foot. We followed a dry waterfall up through the jungle to a limestone cliff. Along the way, we passed big trees, saw plenty of birds and heard some of the cool sounds of the jungle, including the Great Argus and Helmeted Hornbills. The Great Argus looks similar to the Peacock, except it has a blue neck and head. The call is unmistakable.

We also found a remote creek bed with stunning scenery. Malayan Tapir tracks and wild pigs tracks were everywhere. Crested Serpent Eagles soared high overhead. One perched very close to us and stayed there.

Khao Sok is always nice… we can’t wait to explore more.

From there, we moved south to Khao Luang National Park. We visited the Nam Tok Yong area of this large park. The main attraction, at least for the locals, is a towering waterfall. Local Thais were picnicking all up and down the falls. We ventured into the jungle a bit to see some birds. We were not disappointed.

Late in the afternoon, the park closes. People leave, but they don’t have to. We didn’t. We sat on park benches and watched barbets, flowerpeckers, bulbuls, sunbirds and others flicker about from tree to tree. To say it was pleasant is an understatement.

We found a very interesting bungalow operation near the park. It had a railroad theme to it. A river ran past the rooms, adding even more charm to an already charming setting.

Khao Pu Khao Ya was our next destination. The park was unbelievably tidy. The bungalows were comfortable and the trails were easy. In one of the loop trails, we encountered a cave. We went in as far as we could; we reached a river and could have gone on but wimped-out as the water was a bit chilly.

We visited Thale Noi next. This is a huge freshwater marsh area. As far as the eye could see, Sacred Lotus and Water Lilies were in bloom. Dozens of different species of aquatic give the many sorts of birds shelter and food. Jacanas and Purple Swamphens walked on top of the floating veggies, while Lesser Whistling Ducks, Little Grebes, Cotton Pygmy-Geese and others swam in the channels between the plants.

The local community is hoping that bird watchers will make put this area on the map, so to say. There are plenty of very nice bungalows and friendly people everywhere.

There is a new road cutting across the wetland. This cuts a long drive in half, but it certainly isn’t the best thing for the environment. For the birder, this allows even easier bird watching. You can see plenty by just walking along the road.

Next, we went much further south to the border town called Sadao. The Malaysia is just twenty minutes from town. Khao Nam Kang has nice waterfalls and picnic areas. Malaysian tourists visit this park regularly. We, of course, ventured into the jungle a bit. The trails were lovely. One of the park rangers accompanied us. He said that the park hadn’t seen Western tourists before. He was very friendly and helpful.

From there, we went to Thale Ban. This national park is also near the Malaysian border. The bungalows were fantastic! Each one was different from the others. A very rare barking frog resides in the small marsh pond in the middle of the bungalows. One of the coolest things we witnessed was a huge White-bellied Sea Eagle soar in from a distant mountain. It flew gently toward the center of the pond, then dropped down to the water surface. It picked up a nice-sized fish, then soared away. The most amazing bit was the fact that it never took one single flap. It was effortless hunting… very impressive.

We now offer this series of parks as a tour package. You don’t necessarily have to be a bird nerd to enjoy this off-the-beaten-path itinerary. To read more about it, check out our Ultimate Birding package tour.

If your schedule doesn’t allow more than a day or two, we now offer a birding day trip in Phuket. Click here to read more.