Khao Luang Naional Park
Arrived 28th May and stayed 3 nights at the HQ
This park has several entry points the best known of which would be Mae Wong which which is well worth a visit from the tourist aspect but I have visited there several times so we gave a miss on this trip, instead we first visited the HQ area then Krung Ching.
The HQ is another place that is not used to having people camp and the camping ground reflects this, toilets are Thai style but clean.
For those who like waterfalls this is the place to come as this would be the best and most accessible waterfall I have seen, you can drive within sight of the first level and the walk up to the seventh level which is concreted all the way is quite easy although there are a few steep bits, there are toilets at the first and seventh levels for those in need. Information boards along the track up to the waterfalls are very good with excellent English. Pools for swimming, with lifeguards on duty, if you should wish.
Number 7 waterfall
There is a restaurant which serves Thai food and drinks and although they say there are guest houses it appears that some of these are occupied by park staff.
There is a forest trail starting at the top of a steep concrete road that leads to the accommodation it is an old logging road from many years back and links up with the waterfall trail between the sixth and seventh waterfall, it also has information boards that are worth reading although the top few have disappeared.
Quite a bit of bird activity along both trails and around the houses with Black-headed Bulbul prominent
Bird List
Scaly-breasted Bulbul
Black-headed Bulbul
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Spectacled Bulbul
Blue-winged Leafbird
Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike
Little Cormorant
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
Krung Ching, Kho Luang National Park
The signs to Krung Ching Waterfall are easy to follow, the last few KM are through forest then down a hill from the helicopter pad (bus stop) to the visitor center and a spacious ‘green’ camping area with lots of bird calls and activity. Because of the daily rain we put up our tent in what is the covered dining area of the youth camp close to western style toilets but had to move out on to the grass after a couple of nights when 5 families was expected for the weekend. There are several bungalows, or ‘Bangalows’ as the sign says these are best booked in advance on the internet as they can be full particularly on weekends and almost guaranteed to be booked on long weekends when the camping area can also be full.
We did not have to pay an entrance fee as we had already stayed at Khao Luang HQ and Krung Ching is part of the same national park. When Ying went to pay for our 6 nights camping one of the ladies ‘on duty’ was asleep and the other watching TV and they were not impressed with being disturbed, here was no receipt given for the payment and when Ying questioned them she was told they didn’t have receipts and had never had them. This is only the first time in our travels this has happened the only other time a receipt was not given immediately one was produced when asked for. I don’t mind paying when the money is accounted for and going to the park but when there is no accountability who knows where it goes.
First morning I walked back up to the helicopter pad and got some photos of Rufous-breasted Malkoha along with other birds then back down to the visitor center where there were small birds flying in and out of fruiting trees, more photos.
The waterfall is 3.7KM up a concrete path, for the first 2.5KM from the camping area the first KM is up hill and has some quite steep parts after that it is a walk in the park (forest). In the afternoon I explored up that trail for 2.2KM getting some photos of another small flock of Rufous-breasted Malkoha and a Scarlet-Rumped Trogon. I could hear hornbill in several places along the track but seeing them in the tops of tall trees was another thing. On the way back at the 800M mark there is a large fig tree and I could hear hornbill up in its topmost branches, a flock of 5 flew out and landed briefly in another tree before flying off, too quick for me to get photos or determine the species other than to say they were not Great Hornbill.
The next morning it was very misty and we had to move camp so I didn’t stray far but still got some photos. The third morning I planned to go all the way to the waterfall and almost got there but for a series of stairs disappearing down to the bottom of the fall and knowing I would only have to climb back up if I went down and there were almost 4KM to go back to camp I gave that bit a miss, well waterfalls aren’t my thing anyway.
The track around the fall and the stairs were paved with stone concreted in place and were a bit slippery meaning care was needed. On the way down I met a group of 15 mountain bike riders and several others walking (it was a Sunday) one group passed me chattering just as a bird landed in a tree beside the track when they had passed I looked up and by some major miracle it was still there and I got photos of my first Red-bearded Bee Eater.
I had one more morning up the entrance road and around the camp ground and another up to the end of the concrete on the waterfall trail adding to my list of bird species every time. On the last evening Ying and I walked up to a small waterfall close to the camping area and got photos of Raffle’s Malkoha another new species for me.
Information I had got from the internet on this place is a fair bit out of date as it mentioned resting at the first Sala at about 800M but that had collapsed in a heap several years ago, the second at 2.2KM is on a lean and looks like joining the first at any time, there is a third at the waterfall which is in better condition. The whole trail reflects neglect with all the small wooden bridges in a precarious state (being kind). The plumbing and electrical work around the camping area leaves a lot to be desired and there are also buildings in a sad state of repair that look like they are being ignored and left to fall down.
Finlayson's Squirrel (I think)
We have seen this neglect and lack of maintenance in several parks and considering the amount of work that has been done in the past it is reprehensible that things are left to deteriorate in such a way, particularly when we see park staff who could do the work needed sitting around talking and generally doing nothing all day. The toilets were not cleaned until one of the families complained and cleaning stopped when they left. However there are lots of birds there and I ended up with photos of 35 species.
I have been a bit hard on the staff for there are only 11 of them to look after the whole place, 6 of those are woman and 2 of the men stay in the visitor center at night, as Ying says the real problem is lack of a strong leader (director) to prioritise what is needed and ensure work is done.
No phone or GPS coverage.
In spite of that I would recommend the place to anyone interested in birds for there are a huge number of birds of many species present.
Bird List.
Red-throated Bee Eater
Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker
Orange Bellied Flowerpecker
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
Asian Fairy Bluebird
Red-throated Barbet
Blue-eared Barbet
Brown Barbet
Blue-winged Leafbird
Great-green Leafbird
Thick-billed Green Pigeon
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Little Spiderhunter
Spectacled Spiderhunter
Grey-breasted Spiderhunter
Long-billed Spiderhunter
White-rumped Sharma
Plaintive Cuckoo
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Raffle’s Malkoha
Scarlet-rumped Trogon
Black-crested Bulbul
Buff-vented Bulbul
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Ochraceous Bulbul
Scaly-breasted Bulbul
Spectacled Bulbul
Streak-eared Bulbul
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Yellow-bellied Bulbul
Grey-cheeked Bulbul
Black-headed Bulbul
Brown-throated Sunbird