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Site suggestions for Peninsular Malaysia in February (1 Viewer)

M

magadanman

Magadanman
With my wife I am starting a 7 week birding trip to Peninsular Malaysia in January 2015. I prefer doing my own thing and have planned a week at Kualan Selangor, 2 weeks at Frasers Hill and 18 days at Taman Negara.

I was going to have a week at Belum, but with permits and compulsory guides and the price, I have decided to give that reserve a miss.

Any suggestions for places that are good for birds, accessible by public transport and you don't need guides would be much appreciated. Would anyone recommend Cameron Highlands ?

Thanks in advance

Magadanman
 
I have decided after a bit of digging around to spend an extra week at Taman Nagara. It is a great place, so should see quite a few birds in four weeks.

Magadanman
 
Looks like a great plan (agree you can stay as long as you like at TN and still keep picking up new ones), but I'd consider fitting in a couple of days at Cameron Highlands too, as it's easy to bird with no guide, is easy to get to, has cheap places to stay, and there are a few bits and bobs that you won't see at Fraser's hill, eg a very good chance of Mountain Peacock pheasant, as well as Yellow-breasted Warbler, Rufous-vented Niltava, and easier Malayan Laughingthrush.
 
Wow, with so much time you could really explore further - head up to Perlis State Park, a gem of a place, tiny but really nice place to spend a couple of days (things like Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Blyth's Frogmouth are really common + historically so was Chestnut-capped Thrush). Birding the nearby lake, Tasik Timau and the fields at Perlis for wintering passerines and raptors could be fruitful.

Cameroon Highlands would be good, like Larry says, as would head down to places like Panti. If you fancied adventure, then staying inside the park at Endau Rompin would also be interesting.

James
 
magadanman said:
I have decided after a bit of digging around to spend an extra week at Taman Nagara. It is a great place, so should see quite a few birds in four weeks.

Magadanman
Click to expand...

Have you been to Taman Negara before? You do not say much about yourself or what you enjoy or are looking for, but I think for a lot of people 25 straight days there could get a bit tedious. It is a great place with great birds, but there are no roads to speak of, so the only transportation is by foot or hiring a boat. The birding is typical tropical rain forest birding, which means it is often difficult to see the birds. It can also be extremely humid – more humid than tropical forests I have visited in South America and Africa. Personally, I would be leery of spending more than 10 consecutive days there.
 
Many thanks for the replies. Just a quick note to Jim M. I have spent a week in Taman Negara before and have birded in Africa, Central and South America plus other forests in Borneo and Thailand so I know it is not easy but the rewards are usually very special. Its just that when you have retired the cost of trips for two months can be better value, pro rata, than two weeks without the mad dash to try and see everything.

Regarding other sites, thanks again, will check on the logistics and give them a try, although I read that Endau Rompin is closed November to March. We don't mind roughing it we had a four month trip this year to Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Russian far east sleeping every night in our twenty year old Toyota.
 
I'm going in April (only two weeks) so curious to see how you get on and for any up to date gen on the tricky species. Have a great trip!
 
Genting Highlands on the way back to KL. Stay for a day or two and go to the Ulu Kali Radar Station (1750m ASL) at dawn. Some interesting upper montane species and a chance for rare migrants like a Siberian Rubythroat that was photographed there on 06.01.2015.

Please note that many of Taman Negara Kuala Tahan's facilities have been damaged by a horrendous flood over the Christmas period with more rain forecasted right now. Please check with your resort beforehand.
 
Well back from the trip and all went well. In the end we did a week at Kuala Selangor, 3 weeks at Frasers Hill and 3 weeks at Taman Negara. We picked up new trip birds every day bar one.

It was physically demanding walking 8 and 9 hours a day on some very steep terrain but we did see some good birds. Trip total of 342.

Regarding Taman Negara accommodation. The posh Mutaria resort was due to open 1st March with plenty of cheaper places in Kuala Tahan. Regarding the rains during our 7 week stay we only had 2 rainy days in fact things were getting pretty dry in Taman Negara which was bad news for the leeches.
 
magadanman said:
Well back from the trip and all went well. In the end we did a week at Kuala Selangor, 3 weeks at Frasers Hill and 3 weeks at Taman Negara. We picked up new trip birds every day bar one.

It was physically demanding walking 8 and 9 hours a day on some very steep terrain but we did see some good birds. Trip total of 342.

Regarding Taman Negara accommodation. The posh Mutaria resort was due to open 1st March with plenty of cheaper places in Kuala Tahan. Regarding the rains during our 7 week stay we only had 2 rainy days in fact things were getting pretty dry in Taman Negara which was bad news for the leeches.
Click to expand...

Sounds great. It would be fantastic if you could do some sort of trip report. I'm only spending one night at Kuala Selangor, is this realistic?
 
It would always be better to spend more time at places, but one night at Kuala Selangor is better than none and it is not a large area to cover.
 
Hi Simmojunior
We stayed at hotel called Xcape it was formerly Woodlands Resort. they originally quoted 220 ringets a night but we got them down to 160. Nice place fresh towels every day and a small pool. Rainforest a couple of hundred yards past there was 180. Both include buffet breakfast.

Its worth walking that road (about a mile) we had both Tree Swifts, Brown Barbet and Pin-tailed Parrotfinch. The track running along side of the Xcape carpark had flocks of White Headed Munia.

There are several places in Kuala Tehan for 80 - 100 but the Mutaria is about £70 per night.

Hope this helps.
 
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