Hi everyone...am gonna have 5 nights in Thailand in the middle of August. I know its rainy season! 2 nights I will spend in Bangkok so have 2/3 nights to go somewhere for bird photography. I would probably like to do 2 nights / 3 days. I am thinking about going to Khao Yai and staying there. I have done alot of research and read loads about accommodation and guides etc.. Some of the packages seem to be quite expensive.....I saw one for 1 night 2 days which was nearly 19 000 baht for 1 which seems quite expensive ( i'm sure it would be cheaper if I was part of a group ). I am not a massively keen and knowledgeable birder more a keen photographer who wants to take some pictures of lots of colourful birds ( not so interested in waders and shorebirds ) Should I just get myself to the park and do the trails on my own for a couple of days or is it really worth the extra expense of a guide! I have thought about camping but keep thinking I'm gonna get up in the night to go for a pee and will step on a cobra.... anyway any advice would be really helpful.....never done any kind of birding trip before so don't really know the form. Thank you!
No need for a guide - of course you'll id more if you have one if you don't know the calls but you'll still see plenty of birds, colourful or not, to keep you busy. If you want to find the rarer birds in the park then consider the guide otherwise you'll have no problems.
I've done several camping trips in Thailand and never had a problem - you're probably more likely to step on a cobra in a city or a town in most of sth east asia than in the jungle since that's where the rats are! If its a weekend you're much more likely to be bothered by noisy thai's and karaoke stopping you getting to sleep than snakes!
Thanks very much viator. I'm also considering staying in some accomodation near the park? Any ideas nothing too flash! I've read the grounds at the Juldis resort are pretty and birds can be found there. but the hotel is overpriced.........could I just go there and walk around! Back to the park...Are all the trails fairly near to each other or would I need a car? Again thanks again for your input!