Mae Wong National Park, in Kampaeng
Phet and Nakorn Sawan provinces, covers 894 square kilometres
and is part of the western forest complex: the largest remaining
tract of forest in Thailand.
A road which runs for about 30 kilometres from headquarters
to Chong Yen campsite offers birdwatching opportunities at
a variety of altitudes which makes it possible to see a huge
total of bird species if staying for several days. The facilities
in this park are basic but adequate and the staff are quite
friendly and easy to deal with, making this a pleasant place
to stay.
Much of this area used to be occupied by various hilltribe
communities, so there are areas that are deforested, but secondary
growth has established itself quickly and there are large
areas of beautiful forest with huge, mature trees. Additionally,
a number of streams and rivers drain the park and add to the
scenic nature of this area as well as the avifauna.
Mae Wong National Park is the most accessible part of the
western forest complex and gives birders the opportunity to
see some species that are really hard to find or absent elsewhere
in Thailand. The only set back with this national park are
the large number of biting flies that live at the higher altitudes.
There are several species of bird that can be found at Mae
Wong and very seldom anywhere else in Thailand but of these
Rufous-necked Hornbill has to be the star attraction. This
species is only found in a few locations within the western
forests of Thailand, but Mae Wong is the most accessible and
provides the best chance of finding the species in the Kingdom;
the wet season seems to be the best time of the year for sightings
of this species with very few records of it from the dry season.
Burmese Yuhina is another speciality of the higher regions
of Mae Wong National Park, foraging in small flocks, but is
not commonly seen, and Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler is another
exciting bird which is frequently observed near Chong Yen
campsite. Rusty-capped Fulvetta is also confined to this region
within Thailand, although most birders will not see it unless
making the three day round trip hike to Doi Mokoju or one
of the even more inaccessible high peaks in the area. The
call of Mountain Scops Owl is a common sound in the hills
of Mae Wong, although seeing one is not so easy. Grey Peacock
Pheasant is more frequently seen here than at most locations
within its range and Mae Wong is definitely the best place
to see White-necked laughingthrush.
A few birders have been lucky enough to see Crested Kingfisher
as it makes its way along a river close to headquarters, but
the general abundance of colourful forest bird species, such
as Long-tailed Broadbill, Speckled Piculet, Maroon Oriole,
Blue-bearded Bee-eater and Golden-throated Barbet, amongst
many others, is reason enough to make the trip to Mae Wong.
A checklist of the birds for this location can be found here
- Mae
Wong Checklist
Bird
Watching Trips:
If you need help organizing a bird watching trip to Thailand,
take a look at the suggested itineraries for ideas on
creating a tailor-made trip and contact me for advice:
Thailand
bird tours.
Travel Information
Use
the interactive map below for directions to Mae Wong National
Park entry gate (B). The blue line shows the route from the
towns of Nakhon Sawan (A) and Kamphaeng Phet (C) both of which
are on the main Bangkok-Chiang Mai highway.
Mae Wong National Park isn't the simplest place to get
to, but is worth the trip, particularly if you have already
visited many of the other birding spots in Thailand. For those
driving in and out every day the park gate opens at 6am and
6pm is the cut off point for reaching park HQ from Chong Yen.
By Car/Motorcycle
For those driving from Bangkok take highway 1 to Nakhon Sawan.
Take the by-pass around the city and continue along the main
highway for another 8 km until the turning to Lad Yao; it's
well signposted. From Lad Yao take the road to Ban Khao Chon
Kam about 40 kilometres away. At the intersection in this
village turn right onto the road to Khlong Lan - about another
50 kilometre drive. After reaching Khlong Lan turn left and
drive to the National Park; there is a petrol station close
to the intersection. Using a private vehicle is really the
only sensible option for birders visiting Mae Wong.
For those coming from Kampaeng Phet, take highway 1 south.
After 6km turn right at Ban Khlong Mae Lai and follow the
road all the way to the Mae Wong National Park - about 75
kilometres.
By Bus
Buses from Bangkok run from the Northern (Mor Chit) terminal
to Khlong Lan three times a day and takes about 5.5 hours.
From there it would be possible hire a motorbike or songtaew
can be hired into the park but once in the national park there
is no transport from HQ to Chong Yen unless it can be negotiated
with the park staff.
By Taxi
It would be possible to hire a taxi in Bangkok to take you
to Mae Wong National Park, probably by looking online for
a transfer service. Once in the park you would have the problem
of how to get between the HQ and Chong Yen.
Finding Birds
Anywhere
suitable to stop along the long drive up to Chong Yen is worth
investigating and there may be some small side trails that remain
uninvestigated. However, a few locations within the park have
proved reliable for certain species.
Road:
Almost 30 kilometres of road through the forest offer
plenty of opportunity to watch birds, although few birders stop
to make the most of it. Some excellent quality forest houses
species such as Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Grey-headed
Woodpecker and Orange-breasted Trogon.
HQ:
At headquarters Red-billed Blue Magpie can
usually easily be seen in the early morning and late
afternoon and a number of flowering trees attract Flowerpeckers,
Sunbirds and Bulbuls. The river behind the bungalows
is also a likely spot for birds in the early morning.
Campground:
The campground a short distance along the road
from HQ is a very pleasant spot and provides an opportunity
to see a number of species. Crested Kingfisher is reported
to fly along past a swimming spot which I assume is
located here, although I may be wrong - in any case,
I didn't see it here. Species that can be found are
the ubiquitous Grey Wagtail along with Blue-bearded
Bee-eater, Blue Whistling Thrush and Black-capped Kingfisher.
On one occasion I flushed out a very unseasonal Black
Bittern from the marshy ground alongside the river.
It
is worth noting that at night, if the lights of the
toilet are left on, that an amazing variety of moths
can be found on the walls of the toilet block!
Waterfall
Trail: This short trail
leads to a waterfall and provides another opportunity to get
into the forest.
Hill
Behind Ranger Station: This
small, partially deforested hill is easily watched from
the campsite and is frequented by Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters
and Stripe-breasted Woodpeckers.
Campsite:
There are fine views from the campsite along
a valley to the west. This is a good point to watch
raptors and also hornbills as they fly across the valley.
For the most fortunate, it is possible to watch Rufous-necked
Hornbills calling from large trees down the valley from
the campsite.
Lots
of other birds can be viewed in the foliage around the
campsite and Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler is sometimes
seen here is are birds such as Great Barbet and Orange-bellied
Leafbird..
Steep
Trail: This trail proceeds
west from the ranger accommodation and heads quite steeply
downhill. Several species of Laughingthrush have been found
along here and it is a good location for finding species that
prefer to occupy the understorey; species including White-throated
Fantail and Rufous-throated Partridge.Where exactly this trail
goes, I'm not sure, but it continues for some distance for
those who wish to explore.
Umphang
Trail: This trail
is actually the old road to Umphang, although after
a few hundred metres it is very difficult to recognise
this fact. The trail is easy enough to follow even if
it is a little overgrown and quite a number of good
species can be found along here. Silver-eared Laughingthrush
is fairly common, although not as easy to see as it
is on Doi Inthanon.
The first few hundred metres of the trail are very birdy
and Hill Prinia, White-browed Piculet and Maroon Oriole
are common. Other interesting species that can be found
along this trail are Yellow-bellied Fantail, Short-billed
Minivet, Mountain Tailorbird and Burmese Yuhina.
For
those searching for a real adventure it is possible
to hike all the way to Umphang; it would be a good idea
to consult the rangers about this. Being within the
forest for this distance would no doubt reveal a large
number of birds to the vigilant.
Gulley
1: A couple of hundred
metres along the Umphang Trail a damp gulley can be seen on
the left. The gulley is quite wide and quickly climbs quite
steeply. However, it is possible to go into the forest here
and find a few interesting species. Small Niltava and White-throated
Fantail often occupy this area and Rusty-naped Pitta has been
seen.
Gulley
2: A kilometre or so
back down the road there is a gulley to the right which can
be clambered along for a distance. Don't try and follow it
on the other side of the road as it heads very steeply downhill.
In the forest along the gulley Rufous-throated Partridges
can be found and I once found a group of Rufous-necked Hornbills
in a fruiting tree - definitely worth a look along here!
Facilities
The facilities at Mae Wong are just about sufficient for
their purpose. I have been told that the national park bungalows
at headquarters are rather nice - they certainly have an attractive
setting, looking out onto a rocky river. A little further
along the road from HQ is a small campsite next to the river
- a very nice location - with a toilet block but no other
faciiities.
HQ itself has a visitor centre and a small restaurant where
tasty, cheap food can be purchased and this is where a permit
to travel to Chong Yen must be organised and accommodation
paid for.
Most birders want to head straight for Chong Yen, and this
must have one of the nicest settings for a campsite anywhere
in Thailand. However, it is an extremely small campsite and
gets incredibly uncomfortably crowded at weekends and the
toilets/showers can get very busy and overcrowded, although
a second toilet/shower block has been built in recent years.
There are some small rooms that can be hired from HQ, but
arranging this is something the Thai National park system
makes virtually impossible from overseas so it is simpler
to camp. You can bring your own tent or hire a national park
tent, which are of a good size. There only food available
here is basically pot noodles, bags of crisps and coffee from
a small kiosk run by the rangers. If camping, supplies need
to be brought in from the outside; there is a market and a
7/11 store in the village of Klong Lan but the nearest supermarket
is quite some distance away so come prepared..
One must pass through the small town of Klong Lan before getting
to Mae Wong and as stated, simple supplies of most types can
be bought here. There is also a petrol station here to fill
up before heading up the hill, ATMs, a local market, a good
restaurant, a 7/11 store, a pharmacy and a few simple but
pleasant places to stay.
In Klong Lan itself birders can stay at Baan Nai Suan (087
093 8029), a pleasant enough place with wooden, elevated cabins
that have air conditioning, bathroom and fridge. About 8 kms
further along the road, towards the national park, there is
Makbun Resort ( 081 616 1886), a similar style of accommodation
at a similar price, although I am told the rooms could do
with some maintenance. I don't think English is spoken at
either location so get a Thai friend to phone for you. If
you visit during the week when there is no public holiday
I would expect that just turning up and asking for a room
will not see you disappointed.
Useful Books
The
Ecology and Conservation of Asian Hornbills This informative book has everything a birder would
want to know about the ecological importance of Asian
Hornbills in their forest habitat. A wonderful reference
book for birders interested in these iconic birds.
Birds
of Thailand This field guide has set new standards in identifying
birds in the wild in Thailand. With the most up-to-date
taxonomy of any publication this is the book you need
if you are birdwatching in Thailand. Forget all of the
older guides and buy this one.
Bird
Watching Trips:
Mae Wong is a great place to go birding away from the
more well-trodden locations. It is also a location to
look for several species that are very rarely seen anywhere
else and can be a rewarding birding site at almost any
time of the year. Mae Wong makes a good four-day trip
from Bangkok or can be combined with other sites.
I
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