Best Birdwatching Hotspots in Thailand: Doi Inthanon, Pak Thale, Khao Sam Roi Yot and More

Thailand’s highest peak is the country’s premier montane birding site, delivering cool-climate specialties you won’t see elsewhere. Work the summit boardwalk and Km 37–46 trails for Green-tailed and Mrs. Gould’s Sunbirds, Himalayan Bluetail, Ashy-throated Warbler, and highland laughingthrushes. Lower elevations hold bulbuls, minlas, and wintering thrushes, while waterfalls and mossy gullies shelter flycatchers and occasional pittas. December to February is prime for high-altitude species and mixed flocks; March to May brings breeding activity and vocal broadbills lower down. Start at first light, move downslope as the morning warms, and consider a licensed Chiang Mai-based guide for current stakeouts and best trail sequences. Bring warm layers, a rain shell, and watch for fog that can shift bird activity quickly.

This central-coast complex is Asia’s shorebird showcase, famed as one of the world’s most reliable winter sites for Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Scan managed pans and roosts from November to March for Nordmann’s Greenshank, Great Knot, Asian Dowitcher, Broad-billed and Curlew Sandpipers, and Red-necked Stint. Hire a local driver who knows which pans are accessible, and use a spotting scope to pick key field marks at range. The Laem Pak Bia sandspit adds Malaysian Plover and terns. Tides and light matter, so plan around rising tides that push birds closer to track edges. The BCST presence and community spotters often share latest sightings, but always respect private pans, avoid flushing flocks, and keep to vehicle tracks.

Thailand’s largest national park protects vast hill forest that is superb for broadbills, babblers, hornbills, and elusive ground birds. Bird hides and roadside edges can produce Black-and-red and Black-and-yellow Broadbills, Blue and Banded Pittas, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Ferruginous Partridge, and Great, Wreathed, and Oriental Pied Hornbills. March to June is especially active for courtship and song, while November to February brings cooler mornings and mixed flocks. Leeches are possible in the wet season, so pack leech socks. Local guides from Phetchaburi know stakeouts, waterhole hides, and current road access. Start at dawn, work forest edges for light, and stay alert for mammal encounters like Dusky Langurs and Gaur along the road.

A classic central Thailand reserve that combines accessibility with excellent forest birding. Target Siamese Fireback along quiet roads at daybreak, scan fruiting figs for Great and Wreathed Hornbills, and listen for Blue Pitta and Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo in dense undergrowth. Waterfalls and open grasslands host raptors, while night drives sometimes reveal owls and nightjars. November to March offers comfortable weather and good visibility; April to June is best for breeding vocalizations that help locate skulkers. The park’s size rewards a full day or two with a local guide for efficient route planning. Bring a flashlight, rain layer, and patience for stakeouts, and keep a respectful distance from elephants and other wildlife.

A photographer’s favorite in far northern Thailand, Doi Lang’s west and east sides hold wintering flycatchers and scarce highland residents. Look for Mrs. Hume’s Pheasant on the west side at first light, and scan pines for Giant Nuthatch and Crested Finchbill. Bushy edges can host Ultramarine and Slaty-blue Flycatchers, Himalayan Bluetail, and Spot-winged Grosbeak in season. December to February is peak, when feeding stations sometimes attract shy species to clear perches. Road conditions vary, so a local Fang-based guide is valuable for access updates and precise stakeouts. Mornings are chilly at elevation, so pack layers and be prepared to move between elevations as activity shifts.

A mosaic of coastal wetlands, rice paddies, and dramatic limestone peaks, Khao Sam Roi Yot is ideal for combining scenery with diverse birding. Shallow marshes and fields host Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Watercock, and harriers, while coastal edges and salt pans add shorebirds in winter. The Khao Daeng area can be lively for migrants and offers a rewarding boat trip through mangroves for kingfishers and herons. November to March is best for variety and comfortable temperatures; early mornings are most productive before the sea breeze rises. Local boatmen and guides know water levels and recent roosts. Carry a scope for distant waders and hats for strong sun, and watch tides when planning your route.

Northern Thailand’s key waterfowl site, Chiang Saen Lake draws thousands of wintering ducks and impressive raptor roosts from November to February. Scan from levees and towers at dawn and dusk for Baikal Teal (occasional), Ferruginous Duck, Common Pochard, and mixed gaggle flocks. Harriers, including Pied and Eastern Marsh, quarter the reedbeds, and large roosts of swallows and mynas build in the evenings. A scope is essential for picking distant rafts, and a local guide can steer you to quiet vantage points away from disturbance. Mornings can be misty and cool, so bring layers and allow time to work the lake margins and nearby ponds for bitterns and crakes.

Thailand’s largest freshwater marsh is a central plains stronghold for jacanas, darters, herons, and wintering shorebirds. Boat trips give close views of Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Oriental Darter, and Black-browed Reed Warbler in season. Peak diversity is November to March, with breeding activity continuing into early rains. Engage local boatmen at the visitor pier for dawn departures when light and activity are best. A scope helps from levees, but boats bring birds closer for photography. Hats, sunscreen, and dry bags are smart, and be ready for short rain bursts in the afternoon during the wet season.

Just south of Bangkok, Bang Pu is a convenient stop for gulls, terns, and wintering shorebirds from November to February. Evening roost flights of Brown-headed Gulls are a spectacle, and careful scanning can produce Black-headed and Heuglin’s Gulls among others. Boardwalks and pier edges offer easy viewing, especially at mid to high tide when birds move close. Combine with nearby salt pans for a fuller species list. Weekdays are quieter than weekends, so plan accordingly. Bring a scope, but binoculars suffice for gull flocks at the pier. This is a great warm-up site for newly arrived birders before deeper forays into the Gulf coast complex.

Southern Thailand’s mangroves around Krabi are a reliable introduction to rich peninsular birding. Target Brown-winged Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher in season, and Mangrove Pitta along quiet creeks and shaded boardwalks, with Collared and Stork-billed Kingfishers frequent. Year-round birding is possible, but mornings in the drier season offer easier walking and fewer mosquitoes. Local boatmen know quiet channels where skulkers call at dawn, and they can time routes with tides for better views. Wear neutral clothes, carry repellent, and bring a compact rain shell for sudden showers. Combine with nearby lowland forest sites for broadbills and hornbills to round out a southern trip.

An underrated wetland near the central region’s rice belt, Huai Chorakhe Mak mixes reservoirs, reedbeds, and fields that draw bitterns, crakes, jacanas, and wintering pipits and wagtails. November to February is best for variety and comfortable field conditions, while late dry season exposes mudflats that attract shorebirds. Local birders use levee roads and small towers for elevated scans; a scope helps immensely. This is a good add-on if you are traveling between Bangkok and the lower north, offering quieter conditions than the better-known coastal pans. Start at first light to beat heat and wind, and bring sun protection for wide-open viewing areas.