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Oz stopover: Singapore vs Hong Kong (1 Viewer)

John Cantelo

John Cantelo

Well-known member
I'm planning a jaunt to Queensland in December this year. How do Singapore and HK compare as places to break the journey (3-4 days?) for some birding? Although I had a short layover in HK years ago, I consider it 'unfinished business'. I got in some good birding (thanks Mike), but I missed a number of species and regret not seeing more of the place itself. On the other hand, Singapore probably offers more new birds overall ....
 
I was in Singapore for two days at the beginning of January (family orientated and not really birding) en route to New Zealand.
Had a great afternoon at the botanical gardens but failed to see much away from this "hot spot".

I spent a week in Hong Kong 4 years ago with some rugby mates and enjoyed some quiet "me" time away from "the lads" in city parks and up on Victoria Peak. Again, didn't see much.

The opportunities for birding in both locations seem to be abundant and I promise myself that I'll go back.
Singapore seemed incredibly clean and very safe.
 
I got 112 spp and 35 lifers in a day in Singapore with my late wife and a local guide. Singapore is nice with good public transport. Maybe check ebird for both options
Russ
 
I've now been given details of a local guide who should be able to take me up from Singapore to the Gunung Panti Forest Reserve on the peninsula which, I think, may be a deal breaker. Shame as I really fancied a longer visit to HK.
 
I've spent a bit of time in HK, and really enjoyed the birding. Mai Po is a world class nature reserve, there is reasonable forest birding (e.g. Tai Po Kau), and HK offers easy opportunities to see several range-restricted species.

I've only spent a couple of days in Singapore, and just visited a couple of the city parks. These provided very easy and enjoyable birding, but nothing exceptional. I have to say that the public transport system in Singapore is a marvel. I didn't have the chance to visit any of the "wilder" areas, but from what I have read, these tend to have rather impoverished relict avifaunas. With 3-4 days, you might consider crossing into Malaysia and spending a couple of days at nearby Panti Forest.

Edit: just saw your latest post John, re Panti!
 
John Cantelo said:
My understanding from initial enquiries is that switching stopovers out & return carries a cost penalty,

John
Click to expand...

On my January 2019 holiday (family, with little real birding) to New Zealand (25 days) I stopped off at Singapore (2 days) on the way and Dubai (2 days) on the way home. No mention was made (to me) by my travel agent that this would carry a penalty.

That said, it was a pretty expensive trip and a few hundred quid extra would have been a small percentage increase.
 
A first visit to Panti would certainly be a fabulous addition to a visit to Singapore - and one I'm still hoping to do at some stage. There is nowhere in China close enough to Hong Kong to offer a comparable quality of "add-on". Singapore also has the Small-clawed Otters which sound pretty easy to see. As you've been to Hong Kong already John, I can see the attraction of more ticks plus Panti.

To make the case for Hong Kong m'lud ...

Hong Kong has a greater diversity of habitat and therefore overall wider range of species.Being Hong Kong born and raised I cannot resist rising to the challenge and saying our public transport is at least as good, and our taxis are certainly cheaper!

But the big advantage of Hong Kong is that December will be significantly cooler and the birding significantly more comfortable. Singapore is as hot and sweaty as a blacksmith's armpit for 12 months out of 12!

My guiding record in Hong Kong is 121 spp in a day in November many years ago, and I recently had 91 species on my San Tin fishponds patch in a 4-5 hr visit on December 16th. Add in Mai Po and a woodland site and I'm sure I could have broken that!

Not expecting to change your mind John, but I do hope I made the decision a little harder!

Cheers
Mike
 
DMW said:
I've only spent a couple of days in Singapore, and just visited a couple of the city parks. These provided very easy and enjoyable birding, but nothing exceptional.
Click to expand...

I'm a huge fan of Thailand and Malaysia but my only visit to Singapore was three hours in transit at the airport once. I doubt I'll ever be tempted to go there, but I'm curious to learn which Palearctic passerine migrants make it that far south on a regular basis? I should imagine Arctic Warbler (let's forget the different splits for now) and Eastern Crowned; presumably Yellow-rumped Flys; perhaps Sibe Blue Robins? And Forest Wagtail?

I don't think I've seen any other Phylloscs in Malaysia so I doubt Radde's and Dusky; so anything other than the above?

Ah, just remembered a flock of 40 Eye-browed Thrushes and a Lancy at The Gap, Fraser's Hill once - plus Sibe Thrush higher up - so perhaps they get as far south as Singapore too?
 
Britseye said:
I'm a huge fan of Thailand and Malaysia but my only visit to Singapore was three hours in transit at the airport once. I doubt I'll ever be tempted to go there, but I'm curious to learn which Palearctic passerine migrants make it that far south on a regular basis? I should imagine Arctic Warbler (let's forget the different splits for now) and Eastern Crowned; presumably Yellow-rumped Flys; perhaps Sibe Blue Robins? And Forest Wagtail?

I don't think I've seen any other Phylloscs in Malaysia so I doubt Radde's and Dusky; so anything other than the above?

Ah, just remembered a flock of 40 Eye-browed Thrushes and a Lancy at The Gap, Fraser's Hill once - plus Sibe Thrush higher up - so perhaps they get as far south as Singapore too?
Click to expand...

Everything you mention except the Radde's is a migrant to SG - there are also a lot more species that make it!
 
Now obviously, we (me and my wife) are the world's worst birders, so what I say must be taken with a grain of salt. But still, after our visit, I was just not that wild about Panti. The place is one of the hottest hotspots on ebird on the whole planet - but how long does it take to see any significant portion of the list? We went there at first light and left only when it was too hot and totally dead. Looking over the pictures, we have seen 22 species in about 5 hours spent there, including some rather common ones (but also one Hornbill). We birded some along the Bunker road, went to some side footpaths and also to a quarry-like open area further along the road, yet the species offer was not very varied.

I can imagine that with this amount of virtually untouched forest, the opportunities are endless, but I'd guess it needs much more than a quick visit.
 
MKinHK said:
A first visit to Panti would certainly be a fabulous addition to a visit to Singapore - and one I'm still hoping to do at some stage. There is nowhere in China close enough to Hong Kong to offer a comparable quality of "add-on". Singapore also has the Small-clawed Otters which sound pretty easy to see. As you've been to Hong Kong already John, I can see the attraction of more ticks plus Panti.

To make the case for Hong Kong m'lud ...

Hong Kong has a greater diversity of habitat and therefore overall wider range of species.Being Hong Kong born and raised I cannot resist rising to the challenge and saying our public transport is at least as good, and our taxis are certainly cheaper!

But the big advantage of Hong Kong is that December will be significantly cooler and the birding significantly more comfortable. Singapore is as hot and sweaty as a blacksmith's armpit for 12 months out of 12!

My guiding record in Hong Kong is 121 spp in a day in November many years ago, and I recently had 91 species on my San Tin fishponds patch in a 4-5 hr visit on December 16th. Add in Mai Po and a woodland site and I'm sure I could have broken that!

Not expecting to change your mind John, but I do hope I made the decision a little harder!

Cheers
Mike
Click to expand...

Hello Mike

Don´t forget the crocodiles in Singapore. But the Otters are more fun to watch if they come close to you.

Anyway, I hope you don´t mind. After reading your post I decided to skip Singapore next time and go to Hong Kong Instead.

Do you have a few names of good birding spots as you live in Hong Kong?

And do you know of any birding guide in Hong Kong? I have been to Hong Kong quite a few times, but only when I was young and drunk all the time. Now I want to go look for birds.

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin
 
Aladdin said:
Hello Mike

Don´t forget the crocodiles in Singapore. But the Otters are more fun to watch if they come close to you.

Anyway, I hope you don´t mind. After reading your post I decided to skip Singapore next time and go to Hong Kong Instead.

Do you have a few names of good birding spots as you live in Hong Kong?

And do you know of any birding guide in Hong Kong? I have been to Hong Kong quite a few times, but only when I was young and drunk all the time. Now I want to go look for birds.

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin
Click to expand...

Hi Aladdin

I've sent you a PM. Depending on the time of your visit, I may be available as a guide for birding in Hong Kong.

John
 
johnallcock said:
Hi Aladdin

I've sent you a PM. Depending on the time of your visit, I may be available as a guide for birding in Hong Kong.

John
Click to expand...

Cheers John

I will have a look at the PM. Going birding in Japan 4 April and Sweden 14 April to see the Crane dance + Black grouse and Capercaillie lek back home in the beginning off June

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin
 
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