| Doi
Ang Kang |
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|
Doi
Inthanon & Doi Ang Kang 4-10th May 2008 : A 7 day
tour designed to take in some of the resident birds of these
two beautiful mountains: Doi
Inthanon & Doi Ang Kang. |
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| Introduction |
Scenery at
Doi Ang Kang
(Photo by Nick Upton)
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Doi
Ang Kang, in Chiang Mai province, is an area on the
border with Myanmar consisting of a number of peaks and ridges
that, although largely deforested, contain a lot of scrubby
vegetation and forest patches which provide enough habitat
to house a good number of bird species, many of which are
found in few other parts of the country.
One of
the joys of Doi Ang Kang is that the scenery is quite beautiful
and there is a variety of accommodation to choose from, together
with some tasty fresh food. This region is a very relaxing
place to stay with plenty of opportunities for walking and
birding in the surrounding countryside. A number of small
hilltribe villages are dotted around the region as are a few
Thai military outposts which occasionally get involved in
cross-border disagreements with nearby Burmese military installations,
giving the region an atmosphere of adventure. |
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| Birding
in this region can be slow at times, but at the right time of year
(November to April) it can be very rewarding with many species that
are found at few other places in Thailand. |
|
About
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| Birding
Highlights |
| A
number of bird species that are seen at few other sites are
specialities of Doi Ang Kang. Crested Finchbill is seen by
most visitors, but at certain times of the year it can be
surprisingly difficult to find. Red-faced Liocichla is another
commonly found treat but again it can be quite tricky to see
as it skulks in scrubby undergrowth, but once it shows its
striking red face this species can be spotted at quite a distance.
Another bird lurking in the undergrowth is Spot-throated Babbler
which is seen by only a few, but listen out for its surprisingly
rich song and it can be tracked down.
Lots of
other northern specialities occur here and in some "winters"
plenty of Thrushes and Buntings are seen, however, other years
there are few. White-browed Laughingthrush is a fairly reliable
resident species which can be found in any scrubby growth.
A good number of flycatchers frequent this site and White-gorgetted
Flycatcher appears particularly numerous here as does Slaty-backed
Flycatcher. |
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Crested Finchbill
(Photo by Suppalak
Klabdee) |
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Daurian Redstart
(Photo by Suppalak
Klabdee)
. |
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A
couple of really scarce species continue to be reported from
here, quite surprisingly Hume's Pheasant and Giant Nuthatch,
both should be searched for in forest remnants. Parrotbills
are quite an elusive group of birds but a good proportion
of birders manage to find at least one species; Spot-breasted
Parrotbill is the most often seen. This being one of the most
northerly outposts in Thailand there is quite a range of Phylloscopus
warblers to be seen, but not necessarily identified! Buff-throated
Warbler is one of the more readily identified of these and
is quite an attractive character. Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Chinese
Leaf Warbler and Hume's Warbler all commonly occur here, but
many of these leaf warblers are being split further so only
real experts are likely to identify many of these confidently.
Red-tailed and Spot-bellied Laughingthrush are seen by a patient
and lucky few, but what is certain here is that there are
enough exciting species to entice many birders back time and
time again. |
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| Click
for a checklist of the birds of Doi
Ang Kang |
| Travel
Information |
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Finding
Doi Ang Kang is reasonably easy, although transport can be
a bit of a problem.
The best
option is to hire a vehicle in Chiang Mai and drive, that
way one can explore the surrounding roads and ridges thoroughly.
If coming from Chiang Mai drive north on the road to TaTorn
and 10 to 15 minutes after passing through Chiang Dao there
is a fairly large and newish looking junction; turn left here.
After this simply follow the road with infrequent signs to
Doi Ang Kang resort. This journey will take a few hours, but
the road goes through some nice scenery and there are a number
of excellent birding stops once the road has climbed up to
higher altitude. Eventually the road comes to a dead end in
the village of Ban Khoom.
If coming
from the north take a right hand south of the town of Fang
at Km 137. The road climbs quite steeply before eventually
reaching an army checkpoint, continue to the village of Ban
Khoom. Although this is a remote area it is quite easy to
find as there are signposts for the Amari Ang Kang Nature
Resort and there is a King's project at Ban Khoom which is
quite well-known. |
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| For
those without their own transport it is still possible to get to Doi
Ang Kang. Take the Chiang Mai - TaTorn bus from Chiang Peuk bus station
in Chiang Mai or the bus station in TaTorn and get of at Km 137 where
there is a large sign for the Ang Kang Nature Resort: wait for a songtaew
to Ban Khoom here. I have never tried this myself but I believe the
songtaews are reasonably frequent, but it would be a good idea not
to rely on this songtaew late in the afternoon. If one does get stranded
here there are a few small guesthouses in Fang. Once in Ban Khoom
a lot of walking will be required for the best birding, although it
is probably possible to arrange transport to the trails with the locals. |
|
About
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| Finding
Birds |
| Finding
birds at Doi Ang Kang can be difficult if not on the right trails,
although there are undoubtedly places as yet unexplored by visiting
birdwatchers. The King's project area is generally quite poor for
birds and it is better to get on the well used birding trails. |
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Farmland
Trail: Although
not one of the best trails this one can be used when it is cloudy
and raining slightly higher up. There are still patches of forest
along here and in the past I have seen a number of good birds. White-browed
Laughingthrush is fairly numerous along here and Common Rosefinch
and Chestnut Bunting can be common. In shady glades White-gorgetted
Flycatcher often occurs and raptors can often be observed flying
along the valley. Common and Oriental Honey Buzzards are commonly
seen. A number of trees with small flowers attract flowerpeckers
and sunbirds with Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker and Mrs Gould's Sunbird
notable highlights. This trail seems to ramble on for miles for
those who like to explore.
Car
Park Viewpoint : This
is a good place for raptor watching due to the altitude, there are
also good views over the whole region from here. A number of birds
turn up too with Little Bunting, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler
and White-browed Laughingthrush amongst the highlights.
Mae
Per Forest Trail : This
trail starts with a sealed road towards some lodges where school
parties seem to stay. At the back of these lodges a good birding
tail begins with some decent forest. Species such as Spot-throated
Babbler, the fantastic Silver-eared Mesia, Striated Bulbul, Scaly
Thrush and Small Niltava can be found along here. Birds can be frustratingly
difficult to see on this trail as some of the vegetation is rather
thick but it is worth persevering as a good number of species inhabit
this forest. Most of the more common northern birds will be seen
along this trail and a few have found Rusty-naped Pitta too. There
are many small side trails to investigate here, but the trail seems
to abruptly stop branching off into two very steep firebreaks which
can be climbed for great views over the forest. This trail is best
in the morning when bird activity is at its highest, and it is always
worth checking out the rubbish heap in the gulley behind the first
building one comes to on the left for winter thrushes.
Ban
Luang Resort: These
lodges have a small waterfall to the rear which is the home of White-capped
Water Redstart (River Chat) which is easily seen displaying on the
rooves of the bungalows and many other excellent species occasionally
put in an appearance - this is also an excellent place to stay.
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Km
21 : This
trail along with the offshoot towards Km 19 is a very popular
spot with birders although it has become rather overgrown
recently. This is a reliable place to see Crested Finchbill,
Red-faced Liocichla, Spot-breasted Parrotbill and a whole
host of Leaf Warblers, although getting a good view may be
challenging. This trail follows peaks and ridges for many
miles with open scrub and some good forest patches in which
to search for birds. Red-tailed Laughingthrush is occasionally
seen at Doi Ang Kang and this has to be one of the most likely
spots to find it. Thrushes and Buntings turn up in some winters
making this potentially one of the prime birding locations
on Doi Ang Kang.
Km
19 Army Camp: The
old orchard here has gone now and the long grass is now kept
short meaning that many of the species that formerly were
specialities here are now gone. However, a number of other
species are now regular here and Red-faced Liocichla seems
to have become particualrly easy to see with up to 4 birds
feeding on the mown grass. Buff-throated Warbler frequents
what little long grass remains and a whole host of species
feed on food scraps at the back of the army buildings. In
the pines to the right as one enters, a Chestnut-bellied Rock
Thrush seems to hold a territory.
. |
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Common Rosefinch
(Photo by Suppalak
Klabdee) |
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Firebreak
Trail : A
fairly wide, but steep, firebreak offers a chance to see birds out
in the open as they feed and cross the firebreak. Species such as
Mountain Bamboo Partirdge, White-browed Laughingthrush, Gould's
Sunbird and Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush can be found along here
and the views from the top of the ridge are excellent.
Road
Junction : The
shops on the bend here do not open until quite late and the patch
of forest behind them is a good place for birds in the early morning
with Silver-eared Mesia, Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush and Chestnut-vented
Nuthatch. This also reportedly a good spot to wait quietly in anticipation
of Red-tailed Laughingthrush making an appearance.
Chinese
Cemetary &
Pea Farm : A
few Chinese tombs can be seen set a little way back from the road,
on the left as one drives towards Ban Arunothai. In the morning
this is a good location for a few species including Spot-breasted
Parrotbill, Brown-breasted Bulbul and White-browed Laughingthrush.
In the small pea farm opposite it is worth checking for Buntings
and Pipits as well as Black-headed Greenfinches which congregate
in a tree on the far side of the field around 5pm before leaving
to roost elsewhere.
King's
Project : A
few species of birds can be found in the King's Project area in
the mornings. Some years Daurian Redstart can be found and so can
buntings. Most years Black-breasted Thrushes can be found in a rock
ampitheatre behind the restaurant, but only early in the morning.
This restaurant is a very good place to eat also. Other birds here
are mainly common species such as white-eyes, minivets and bulbuls
but it can be a good place to see raptors. |
Ban
Nor Lae : The
no-man's-land behind Ban Nor Lae has turned up some rarities
in the past including Chaffinch and Brambling but Grey Bushchat,
Fork-tailed Swift along with Buff-throated Warbler are regulars
at the back of the army camp which tourists are welcome to
visit - although birds seen here aren't strictly in Thailand.
The road continues beyond the village and actually forms the
border - you are usually able to stop on the road and take
a few steps over the border and begin adding species to your
Myanmar/Burma list!
Ban
Arunothai Road : The
road heading towards Ban Arunothai passes through lots of
good habitat and birding spots. Km 34 is where a few pairs
of Mrs Hume's Pheasant are supposed to occur although seeing
them is tricky; Km 31 has a few mature pines remaining which
makes finding Giant Nuthatch fairly easy; Km 25 is an excellent
place to stop in the early morning for Grey-headed Parrotbill,
Crested Finchbill, Grey Treepie, White-browed Shrike Babbler,
Striated Bulbul and much more. |
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Crested Bunting
(Photo by Suppalak
Klabdee) |
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| Facilities |
|
About
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An
increasing number of visitors make their way to Doi Ang Kang
and every time I visit there seems to be a new guesthouse,
however, one of the nicest places to stay, in my opinion,
is Khun Tawatchai's Ban Luang Resort, located in the village
of Ban Luang. This guesthouse consists of 7 or 8 simple but
clean bungalows, set in an attractive garden and Khun Tawatchai
is a very friendly and knowledgeable guy who can arrange breakfast
at a suitable time for birdwatchers, although his English
is limited. The picturesque setting and friendly host, along
with an easy River Chat, make this my first choice for accommodation
at Doi Ang Kang, although the temperature in the morning is
always 2-3 degrees C lower than the surroundings so bring
some warm clothing. The bungalows at Ban Luang are 1200 baht
per night including breakfast.
. |
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Ban Luang
Resort
(Photo by Nick Upton) |
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Despite
being a tiny village Ban Khoom is used to catering for visitors.
The luxurious Ang Kang Nature Resort operated
by Amari hotels is a good place to stay offering very comfortable
accommodation but, inevitably, it is expensive - in fact, perhaps
a little overpriced considering that some of the rooms are beginning
to look slightly less shiny than in the past and the breakfast buffet
is severely lacking in respect to the price of a room. During the
low season there are discounted rates and I got a small discount
when paying by American Express. If you are tired of staying in
cheap and sometimes shabby accommodation then this resort is perhaps
an opportunity to upgrade. The resort provides sketch maps of the
area which can prove useful for birding and I believe that they
can arrange transport up the road to the main birding trails.
For those on
a smaller budget there are other options in the village. There are
A frame huts behind the village, some in decent condition and some
in very poor condition. I wouldn't recommend staying there, when
I asked about the prices I was quite aggressively told an outrageous
price of 800 baht per night. A number of other small places in the
village have rooms for rent at slightly better prices, but there
is a decent option in a fairly new looking but simple building on
the street behind the restaurants one sees when entering the village.
Clean rooms with hot showers here are about 500 baht per night and
the lady in charge is quite accommodating. |
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In
the village some decent Thai food can be found. The Chinese
restaurant which is prominent in the village sells good food
and loads of weird snacks. The restaurant next door is run
by Muslims and seem to be one of the first to open; they sell
good food and try their best to communicate with foreigners.
The restaurant behind the large Chinese cafeteria maintains
a birdwatching logbook and is run by a very pleasant, if somewhat
overworked, man. He usually serves a good variety of fresh
vegetables although I would only recommend the beef if you
need to repair your shoes!
In the
very early morning a lady sells coffee from a brazier, next
to the Chinese restaurant. She is there from about 4.30 am
and her coffee can be very welcome as it gets pretty cold
here at times. She is also a very pleasant lady so give her
a visit. |
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| The
small shops in the village sell just about everything including excellent
one-size-fits-all gloves and emergency raincoats if the rain sets
in unexpectedly as it sometimes does here. A small daily market sells
fresh produce and a speciality of this village is dried fruit grown
in the King's project, which is sold in virtually every shop - it
is very sweet and delicious. Local fruit wine is sold in most shops
for 100 baht per bottle; if you choose to try it, it will certainly
be one of the most memorable experiences of your trip! |
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| Other
Related Pages |
| Birdwatching
Tours/Guiding |
| Photo
Galleries |
Click
thumbnails for larger images |
| 
Mountain View,
Doi Ang Kang
|
Mountain
View,
Doi Ang Kang |
Sea of
Fog,
Doi Ang Kang |
Agricultural Landscape,
Doi Ang Kang |
Mountain
View,
Doi Ang Kang |
Sea of
Fog,
Doi Ang Kang |
Hill Tribe Village,
Doi Ang Kang |
Flower
Gardens, King's Project,
Doi Ang Kang |
No-man's-land
& Burmese
Army Camp, Doi Ang Kang |
The Road
to Fang,
Doi Ang Kang |
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| Trip
Reports |
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| Related
Blog Entries |
| Tour
of Thailand, 17 January to 6 February 2008 -
posted 05/03/08 |
Ban Khoom
