Trip date – Beginning of November 2024
Would you believe, Thailand was strangely never in our holiday radar. Let alone for birding. In India, from decades, Thailand has been painted as a party destination for bachelors and an international beach honeymoon spot for newly married couples on a shoestring budget. Its culture and food are completely sidelined, and some basic touristy temples are all that anyone talks about. It was nothing less than serendipity when I stumbled on a birding trip report from Anjana and Rishi’s wildtales and realised how ignorant we were about this country. We really appreciate their efforts in documenting their travels so it could help baby explorers like us :D. Their blog threw us into a black hole of blogs and trip reports; we got completely sucked in. Eventually, we decided to follow their blog as a guideline, with the only difference that we were on a break in November instead of March (both are the best times for birding in Thailand). Birdwatching in central Thailand was phase one of our two-week holiday in Thailand.
Thailand has two popular national parks. Kaeng Krachan National Park and Khao Yai National Park. Both are in central Thailand and at a reasonable driving distance from Bangkok, the capital city and our entry point for the country. According to Google baba, Khao Yai (south exit) is only a 2-hour drive from Bangkok city so it’s extremely popular as a weekend getaway for busy Bangkokians. As we were landing in Thailand on a weekend, we decided to start from Kaeng Krachan National Park instead. It is a close to 3-hour drive southwest of Bangkok. It is usually a destination kept for longer weekends or holidays by the locals, so we had more chances to avoid the crowds.
We hired a self-driving car from Bangkok International Airport and comfortably drove to Kaeng Krachan National Park. We exited the airport at 6:45 am, and it was mid-day by the time we pulled into Baan Maka Nature Lodge. We took a lot of breaks on the way.
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Information on accommodation & Bird-guide
Tucked away on the edge of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Baan Maka Nature Lodge is less of a conventional stay and more of an immersive experience into Thailand’s wild, green heart. If you’re looking for raw nature, birdlife, and a peaceful escape, it’s honestly one of the most rewarding places you can stay.
Staff is friendly and welcoming. During booking email conversations they helped in organizing the trip and logistics perfectly. Their service feels genuine, home-like. We had informed beforehand that we are interested in birdwatching so they had aligned Mr Piak with us for our birding tour. They have access to a couple of expert guides who know the park intimately. They can also arrange bookings for bird hides in the surrounding villages. They have one of their own, too, which we could conveniently watch while having breakfast. The lodge is widely regarded as one of the best bases for birdwatching in the region and quickly gets booked. Many species of birds and mammals are visible right within the property grounds. Unfortunately, we were here only for two nights and could not explore much of the lodge’s vast grounds, trails and wildlife.
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Mr Piak’s years of experience show in his mannerisms and behaviour. He was very knowledgeable about the birds, mammals, plants, insects and reptiles of Thailand, and enjoyed sharing it with us. In fact, later on in Chiang Mai, we discovered he is one of the popular bird guides in the country. He was like one of his shy birds who will be extremly difficult to find posing for the camera. In his case, and also with some other local guides, communication can sometimes be limited depending on their English skills. With his broken English and repeated hand gestures, Mr Piak managed to convey all that he wanted to tell us; we never felt lost in translation. He made our trip extremely enjoyable, and by the evening, both of us wished we had more time with him.
The rooms are rustic, cottage type. They are simple but thoughtfully maintained. We found the rooms to be extremely comfortable. All basic amenities were provided, including multiple electric points (This proves that many birdwatchers and photographers stay here). Windows are sealed, I specifically love this point because I like the outdoors be outdoors, if you know what I mean. 😀
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Baan Makka has a relaxed dining area where we were surrounded by like-minded people. We spoke to other birders and wildlife enthusiasts. It’s a perfect setting to swap stories with fellow travellers. Menu includes deeply satisfying, freshly prepared home-style Thai meals that can be ordered and paid for on the spot or later during checkout. Alcohol is served. No room service. A simple but satisfying breakfast was complimentary. We really enjoyed all our meals.
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Wifi is average, not a dealbreaker. Never felt as a problem.
Best to do the booking via their website. We genuinely enjoyed our stay here and highly recommend it.
Introduction to Kaeng Krachan National Park
Known as KKC to the birding world, as I am told!
As Thailand’s largest national park, Kaeng Krachan stretches endlessly across rolling hills, dense rainforest, and mist-covered valleys, right up to the border with Myanmar. It offers an incredible range of habitats, from lowland forest to higher elevation evergreen zones, which is exactly what makes it such a rewarding place to explore. The scale of it is hard to grasp at once.
There is a portion of KKNP along the lake, we drove around it just to see the beautiful lake. The entrance to the actual forest area is 30 mins away, on the other side of the lake.
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The KKC forest feels layered—towering trees forming a canopy above, tangled undergrowth below, and life moving quietly in between. Similar to Indian rainforests, there is a certain unpredictability to it. You don’t “see” the forest all at once; you notice it in fragments—a flicker of movement, a sudden burst of birdsong, or the distant call of something unseen. It holds beautiful secrets inside.
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The diversity of birdlife in KKC is remarkable. Even beyond birds, there was a constant sense that we were surrounded by life—mammals hidden in the undergrowth, reptiles blending seamlessly into their surroundings, and insects that hop on and off before you can spot them. We were constantly scanning, listening, and adjusting—sometimes catching a quick flash of colour in the canopy, other times getting lucky with a prolonged view of something special
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According to Mr. Piak, early mornings often begin wrapped in mist. KKC is famous for its ‘Sea of clouds’ view from the summit of Phanoen Thung. While we were still at the base, the clouds floated in and out, occluding our bird sightings. As the sun rose, the forest slowly revealed itself—colours deepened, sounds sharpened, and the air filled with activity. By midday, the humidity settled in, and the jungle felt heavier, almost still. Then, as evening approached, everything shifted again; it became cooler, and it started drizzling.
Conditions can be a bit demanding—humidity, changing weather, and long stretches without facilities—but that’s all part of the experience. It feels like a proper, untamed forest rather than a curated wildlife destination.
The main road that cuts through the park is an experience in itself. Its a good tar road. We stopped in multiple places to catch a glimpse of a bird, waiting patiently. Hearing sounds. Even while driving Sunny and Piak kept their eyes glued to the canopies and ears locked to the depths of the forest. Kaeng Krachan is less about guaranteed sightings and more about the process of being out there—observing, waiting, and occasionally being surprised. For birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts, that’s exactly what makes it so compelling. It’s the kind of place where even an ordinary day can turn into a memorable one with just a single unexpected sighting.
A day of birding in Kaeng Krachan National Park
Now to some juicy details of our trip inside Kaeng Krachan National Park. Please note the map below for easy reference –
NP opens at 5:30 am. Mr Piak picked us up from the lodge before the first ray of sunlight hit the sky in his pickup truck/tour vehicle. By the time we reached the main entrance of the national park, it was just past 6 am, and it had gotten a bit brighter. Sunny paid the entry fee while Mr Piak filled out our forms and permits to enter. Payment is by cash (change preferred).
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Driving on the main park road towards Bang Krang campsite, our first sighting was Flameback woodpecker and Yellow-napped woodpecker. The dense forest all along the road was continuously echoing with birdsongs and morning activities. Soon, we spotted a Green-billed Malkoha. We were very excited as it’s a rare sighting in India. Little did we know that they are abundant in KKC. They were very commonly seen later on during the day.
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We stopped on a strech of the road where the forest was pushed back a little and it had a perfect opportunity for bird crossings. It was decided that we would wait in the area longer to observe the morning feeding activities of birds. The forest here had fruits and all associated insects etc.. attracting a plethora of various birds. Following the hunting party were a couple of noisy Pied hornbills, Racket-tailed Drongs, Green-Eared Barbet, White-Lored Ashy Drongo, Eurasian roller Bird, Black-crested bulbul, Ochraceous bulbul and Asian Fairy Blue Bird.
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While we were trying to photograph the chattering hunting party of tiny birds on the lower branches, the branches above started swaying. A couple of Dusky leaf monkeys were jumping and playing on them. We had never seen them before; it was an excellent sighting. The silver rings around their eyes also give them the name spectacled langurs.
Sadly the passing clouds and birds and monkeys perching on high branches made it extremely challenging to get good photographs. Nevertheless, primate and bird-WATCHING was excellent.
Our next halt was near a small bridge over a waterbody. Water was not visible due to long dense grass growing in it and dense forest around it. We were filled with anticipation. This was a perfect place to birdwatch. We were soon rewarded with a shaded appearance of Orange-breasted Trogon in a dense tree along the road. More surprising was the sighting of a pair of Black and Red Broadbill, we were in awe. They look like a velvet stuffed toy.
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Still en route to Bang Krang campsite, our vehicle was crossed by swooshing Streak-Throated woodpecker which landed on the thicket next to road. It never came out in the open, but some photographs were captured while it was busily feeding.
While crossing a swampy patch we spotted a Barking deer alert as always. But the muddy patch itself was covered with thousands of fluttering, beautiful butterflies. I made a mental note to start reading and learning how to ID butterflies.
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We spotted a pair of Hill Mynas and a White-Breasted Kingfisher on the nearby tree as we were pulling into the campsite. The family of Dusky Leaf Monkeys had caught up with us along with the Pied Hornbills. Green-Billed Malkoha were omnipresent, trying to distract us with big and loud movements.
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Bang Krang Campsite is a well-maintained area with toilets, some forest offices and a restaurant. There are many trails that start from here.
We crossed the campsite and took the trail that crosses the stream-01 and then parallels it. It was a broad muddy trail that was clearly taken by many forest dwellers. We even spotted some bear claw marks on a trunk. This path loops back to the main road.
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The main target bird we were chasing on this trail was elusive and extremely shy Banded Broadbill. Mr Piak put in a lot of effort to search for it and was finally able to show it to us. It was beautiful. Broadbills were slowly becoming my favourite bird type.
While we were enjoying our achievement of spotting the Banded Broadbill, a couple of Ioras, Fantails and Bar-Winged Flycatcher Shrike started posing for us.
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We turned around for the campsite, tummies were grumbling – it was lunch time! But not so soon, KKC had more in store for us. The surrounding trees had suddenly started echoing with loud, strange, haunting howls and calls. Mr Piak immediately pointed at the family of Lar gibbons (White-Handed Gibbons) in the canopy right above us. They were all beige in colour. Their alien-like, long limbs made their swinging from branch to branch effortless. First, we could see only the adults, but later we realised there are naughty teenagers around too, chasing each other and watching us as curiously as we were watching them. Another unforgettable moment.
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While driving back from Stream01 towards Bang Krang campsite, we took a steep turn. There was a hanging root swing right next to the road, and there it was, sitting with no care in the world, an Orange-Breasted Trogon. It was like a perfect spotting, sun was showing on it and it had no hurry to fly off, enjoying sun’s rays – filling our hearts with joy.
After driving a little ahead, Piak suddenly stopped. His eyes were always on the trees (I fear – much more than the road ahead). He walked around the stretch of the road curiously checking all the trees and their dense foliage till he got what he was looking for. He hastily started swinging his hands towards Sunny and me, beckoning us to come fast towards him – he had spotted a snoozing White-fronted Scops Owl. What a superb lifer!
Overwhelmed by the recent discoveries, we drove towards the restaurant. While pulling into the parking lot, we saw some chaos in the area with people hurrying around. Some of them were hiding behind the trees with their mobile phones poking out, while some were crouching at the roots, focusing their long-lensed cameras towards the restaurant. Sunny and I were just looking around, a bit confused, until Piak suddenly ran up to us, animatedly gesturing towards the back of the restaurant mouthing the word ‘Sunba..’ ‘Sunba..’ ‘Sunba..’ … we initially thought he was trying to say’ Sunbird, ‘ so we grabbed our cameras and hurriedly headed to the back of the restaurant, still unsure why photographers would go crazy over a sunbird. But nothing prepared us for what we saw just ten seconds later. A Malay bear had half-slumped into the large dustbin behind the restaurant, spilling out trash as it went. By the time we gathered ourselves and started taking photos, it was sitting calmly on the ground, enjoying a hearty feast with its long, distinctive claws. Looking back, we realise Piak was trying to tell us it was a ‘Sunbear,’ but he was cutting off the word amid his excitement and accent. It was such a hilarious moment- and one we will never forget!
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Mr Piak helped us order lunch with some yummy recommendations. Fried rice with stirfried veg was just perfect. The chilled slushy bought with the lunch was a much-needed boost to our drained energy.
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Post lunch it was time to hit the road again, and this time it was not the usual smooth tar road but a broken one towards Phenoen Thung Campsite close to the summit. Only 4X4s are allowed to go up there. Other cars will find it difficult to cross the three rocky streams and swampy patches.
We stopped at many places to check birdcalls and movements. Got to see the elusive Ferruginous Flycatcher, chatty White-browed Schimitar Babbler, Purple-rumped Sunbird.
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Soon we reached the famous ‘board with the bird’ on it at 27.5km mark (0km being the entry gate). We had gained a lot of altitude. This stretch of road is the prime real estate to watch fancy birds in KKC. At least one rare bird found only here in the whole of Thailand – Racket-tailed Treepie.
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While searching for it, we found another good-looking bird – Red-Bearded Bee Eater eating a HUGE beetle. It was holding the beetle in its beak and thrashing it continuously on the branch. It was sitting really high up in the tree. A real back-breaking moment for Sunny, who was filming it.
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Honestly, it was a looong patient wait. Piak was listening carefully, checking all the known spots. He was optimistic that we would at least see one Racket-tailed Treepie, even if it does not sit long enough for a photograph. The quietness of the forest is never really quiet. A healthy forest is always alive with the buzzing insects, random bird calls or an echo of a primate’s howl from the valley somewhere.
Racket-tailed Treepie appeared finally, not one, but a couple. They flew around and sat long enough in the highest branches for Sunny to get some pictures of it. We think they were making a nest somewhere close because they were busy breaking leaves and carrying them out of sight, higher into the canopies. I found the fluff of its tail very interesting. Very unlike what I have seen before in similarly shaped birds. It’s a rare beauty.
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After all that hard work, we needed a well-deserved pee break so without any delay we headed to Phenoen Thung Campsite. It is located on a ridge to the summit of the same name. It has good toilet facilities and a small cafeteria. Not as fancy as Bang Thang campsite. The view in every direction is spectacular. It felt like we were on the roof of an endless jungle. Thousands of valleys layered below us showed like a dark green carpet. The haunting calls of Gibbons from the valleys below were enchanting. We were standing on one of the peaks of the Tenasserim Range of mountains, which runs along the Thailand–Myanmar border. Families camp here to watch the sunrise, which I have heard is magical. We were here just before sunset.
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Phenoen Thung Campsite was a great sunset spot. There was a lot of bird activity here at this time. We spotted some action in the bushes lining the campsite. Flavescent Bulbul, Grey-headed canary-flycatcher, is busy hunting before the sun sets.
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We started our descent towards Bang Thang campsite and then beyond to exit gate and Baan Maaka lodge. The exit gates get locked at 7pm. Like they were following our schedule, A few families of Dusky leaf monkeys were also descending downwards. We encountered them a couple of times, sitting on high branches staring into the setting sun.
Some observations
During our one-day trip, we saw a LOT of lifers and rare birds; most of the birds we photographed we had seen in India before, but we still thoroughly enjoyed watching them here in KKC. Like most visiting birders, we too were keen to see Pheasants, Pittas and Hornbills, but all our dreams were shot down by Piak grinning till his gold tooth glittered and letting us know March – April – May is the best time. And one day is not enough to spot them. We are certainly coming back for them. We definitely recommend hiring a bird guide and booking a slot at the bird hides to have the best birding sessions.
Most birdwatching can be done from the road in this national park. Authorities have put yellow boards with a picture of a photographer – very subtle :D. Driving slowly, watching the canopies is extremely fruitful.
Wild Asian Elephants and Leopards frequent the roads, so walking around alone might get dangerous. To spot some elusive and exclusive birds walking on trails is recommended with a guide.
Some important links worth going through –
https://www.thainationalparks.com/kaeng-krachan-national-park
https://www.thaibirding.com/locations/west/kk.htm
https://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/kaeng-krachan-national-park
https://www.wildtales.in/khao-yai-and-kaeng-krachan/
I hope this blog has inspired you to start making plans for your next birdwatching trip to Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand When (you are) on a Break!
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Very nice n gripping narrative ..it has put Thailand in my bucket list on top:)
I am glad you liked it 🙂