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A wonderfully vague question about birding in Borneo / Thailand / Philippines (1 Viewer)

Z

Zig Zag Wanderer

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Hi folks, there seem to be a lot of people here on birdforum with a lot of knowledge and experience of birding in Asia.

I have the opportunity to go to SE Asia for about 10 days in the second half of February 2018. I'm travelling with a friend who wants to spend her time diving while I'm off with my binoculars.

I have some friends who go diving in Asia and they have advised that west Thailand / Borneo / Phillipines are great spots for diving at that time of year.

So I'm looking for somewhere in those areas with great birding close to great diving. Be nice if I could walk off into a forest in the morning while she heads off underwater.

I've never been to Asia birding before - I'm not desperate to run up a huge list of rare endemics but it would be great to spend some time in an area packed with birds / wildlife and perhaps hire a local guide for a few days. There's also the option of my friend heading out to sea for 4 days leaving me the chance to leave the coast and explore a nearby inland National Park for a few days.

Sorry if it's a bit vague but I'm new to all this and any help would be much appreciated. We're sort of trying to do this on the cheap too!

Thanks in advance.

ZZW
 
I asked a rather similar question a few years ago, there were some really helpful answers on the thread.
Thailand is also wonderful, the eastern islands offer excellent snorkling/diving, and there are birds to see, albeit a rather limited suite of species, I don't know about the western coast however. A few days to yourself would allow time to head to Krang Krachen or perhaps even Khao Yai NP, both of which are very well renowned for birding. On the east coast, Koh Tao was stunning with fewer tourists and more basic infrastructure (it has probably changed quite a bit since we went) than Koh Samui, though I don't really remember seeing anything particularly gripping there.
Check out the excellent thaibirding.com and souththailandbirding.com for details on sites.
 
Thanks for that link and information Daniel - much appreciated - it really helps me to narrow down my research.
I'll get a cup of Bovril, have a sit down and do some more research.

Michael
 
Maybe madang (papua) and ofcourse Raja ampat.
I have personally been to Mabul (stayed 3 nights for diving), and combined this with Danum. This is not really a "we'll meet in the evening" scenario though.
I have been snorkeling to Menjangan (one of the best coral walls I have seen) and combined it with birding Bali Barat. Great combination but not for birding more than 2-3 days. The islands opposite of Kota Kinabalu also have snorkeling / diving but Not spectacular and nearest birding still quite far. Gili islands have good diving (not spectacular, lots of dynamite-destructed coral), but lombok is nearby for birding. You can also go to Komodo on a boat and go birding while your friend dives...last of my personal experiences is Masoala where you can see Helmet Vanga 20 minutes from your beach cabin and go snorkeling in the afternoon (dont know about diving, but the snorkeling was not super) lots of options but that one good option with birding straight from the beach while having excellent diving... I don't know.
 
Zig Zag Wanderer said:
I'm looking for somewhere in those areas with great birding close to great diving. Be nice if I could walk off into a forest in the morning while she heads off underwater.
Click to expand...

I agree with Temmie this is going to be hard to find. The only place I've been where "the rainforest meets the reef" is Cape Tribulation and the Daintree area of N. Queensland.

Most of the great diving in SE Asia is around small and often remote islands with pretty restricted scope for birding. Sipadan off the coast of Sabah is (was) mind blowing diving but an expensive place to visit and with a very small bird list.

As you suggest you may have to seperate to both get the best out of your trip.

One other consideration - this year there has been an unprecedented global coral bleaching and extensive die back on many reefs - it would be worth trying to get some up to date knowledge of intended dive sites to check the current situation - I've dived a couple of coral graveyards in Thailand and it's pretty depressing. Of course it's not in the local dive operators interest to tell you not to come because the reef is dead - so best to seek independent advice if possible.

As Temmie suggested North Bali has beautiful coral (or at least it used to) and there's a bit more scope for birding than some of the other dive sites.

If you want to keep costs down it might be worth checking out the diving off Tioman Island - I've never tried it, but years ago I heard it was quite good. It would mean splitting up but then you could visit Taman Negara or some of the other birding hotspots in Peninsular Malaysia.
 
Thanks for all these suggestions and information. I'm sticking pins in my wall map to try and keep up.
Hopefully there will be an option here somewhere although it sounds like it may require a bit more effort - but that's no problem.
I guess I was spoiled this September when I was snorkelling in the Mediterranean and was also watching Booted Eagles and Audoin's Gulls when I came up for a breather.
 
Maybe it is easier if your friend suggesties some diving destinations so you can ask about those specific sites for birding...
 
Yes, we're going to sit down this week and look at diving opportunities - and potential liveaboard diving trips - which may narrow down our search. I've marked all the suggestions above on a A3 map so we're hoping to find some matches.
The Andaman Islands was also mentioned by another friend - there seems to be a lot there which could keep us both busy.
 
Weda on Halmahera sounds like a great option. I'd throw into the mix Waigeo Island, West Papua, which is easier to reach now than ever before. Possible problem with both is the journeys there and back from the UK will be very long.
What a lovely problem to have!
Andy.
 
I find Thailand pretty poor for diving, but then I'm comparing it to Indonesia, which is some of the finest you will find anywhere. Also, no good birding areas close to the diving islands so that's not much of an option.
Where to can combine the two at the same locality, it's few and far between, with the following possible:

Weda Resort, Halmahera
Both amazing birding and diving, staying at the same place. Both decent divemasters and on-site bird guide to take you round. Nice accommodation too. This would be my choice. Travel is quite something though (fly Jakarta to Ternate, Garuda, then 4-5 hours from there to Weda - the resort takes care of that).

Labuanbajo/Komodo
Some of the best diving in Indonesia. Best done from a live aboard, reducing birding opportunities. If you stay in Labuanbajo, you can do day trips for diving and birding from Labuanbajo. If you do a 2/3 day live aboard then it will include stops on Komodo for the dragons which is also good birding.

Sabah, Malaysia
Though it offers amazing diving and birding, the two are not at the same site unfortunately. Layang-Layang, Mabul and Lankayan all amazing diving but birding limited, so you would have to be separated some of the time.

Bali/Lombok, Indonesia
Reasonable diving and reasonable birding, which can be from the accommodation, so that would be an option.

Manado, Indonesia
Diving at Bunaken or Lembeh, or both, but birding not great at either, you can then visit Tangkoko which is great for birding for 3-4 days, and can be combined with Lembeh. You could combine Lembeh & Tangkoko with Weda above (note, it's the same owner for both too). That would cover your 10 days. Tangkoko has tarsiers and the crested macaques too, so it's of interest to non-birders.

Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise, while staying at a dive lodge... sounds about perfect! Would be good for 3-4 days, can be combined with Weda or Manado also as has connecting flights with Sorong.

Hope that helps,

James
 
I'm not current on my Thailand info, haven't been for several years. But the Similan Islands have long been touted as world class dive sites. And from what I read Phang gna is pretty good birding. You might include that area in your research. I'm actually heading that way next month.
 
Combination of birding and diving should be good in a seabird watching area.
For seabirds Seychelles is very good and should be great diving spot.
But February is rainy season on Seychelles.
 
So I think we have cracked it!
We are heading to Thailand and straight up to Mu Koh Surin national park

http://www.phuketbirdwatching.com/locations/phang-nga-birdwatching-sites/mu-koh-surin-national-park/

...for some snorkelling and Nicobar Piegeon / Beach Thick Knee action.

Then my friend is heading out to sea for 3 days diving on a Liveaboard boat while I sneak off to Sri Phang Nga National Park

http://www.phuketbirdwatching.com/l...rdwatching-sites/sri-phang-nga-national-park/

And then we'll meet up again for a few days doing holiday stuff before flying back. Hopefully this will be a good introduction to birding in Asia for me. Thanks again to everyone for their advice and help.
 
We went to the Phillipines Christmas 2016. We were in Manila and then Mindoro. Unfortunately, although the country and people are wonderful, birdwatching is not a popular hobby there and we were very disappointed. We visited one national park as we were told of the native eagle being there, only to be shown a very moth eaten stuffed eagle by delighted staff!
 
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