Thanks, I was there at just after seven this morning, which was a precision landing in that a man had also just arrived to unlock the gate. The entrance fee was 80,000 VND.
Two couples were already on the premises, each with a guide. I don't know how they got in, maybe the guides have a key, I didn't ask because they were busy and I was too.
The good news: birds are still on site. I was able to photograph six different species. I have to add that I only count the ones that produce more or less usable pictures. I have actually noticed (seen or at least heard) considerably more, perhaps twice as many, but as I am only interested in photos, I don't care about the other species. I don't tick off any lists or anything like that. I have sighted the following species: Black-crested Bulbul, Black-throated Sunbird, Mrs. Gould's Sunbird, Green-tailed Sunbird, Burmese Shrike, Grey Drongo. I'm not 100% sure about the Sunbirds yet and have already asked for support,
you can also see photos there.
The complex looks a bit neglected in many places, they don't seem to put much effort into maintenance. The restaurant and café were closed, only a stall selling coffee bean and other items near the entrance area opened later. I stayed there for around 3 hours, no other visitors arrived until around 10.30am.
Conclusion: I am reasonably satisfied. The fact that I manage a handful of usable pictures during a morning birdwatching session is a normal quota for me. Incidentally, I now also know why I didn't find the spot yesterday. The Grab app had suggested a different, similar-sounding location: Hoa Son Dien Vien Ecological Tourist Village (instead of the correct location description, which reads as follows in the app:
Hoa Son Dien Trang Tourist Village). I almost made the same mistake again, but this time I paid attention.
Even if I can't compare it to the past, it still seems to be worth a visit.
