Asia birdwatching guides and tours
recommended by Birdingpal
Cambodia
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
Philippines
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Cambodia
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Sanh Sophoan, your local Birdingpal guide
Sanh Sophoan ' SVC's most senior guide, Sophoan (surnames always precede given names in Cambodia) trained initially under Frederick Goes, one of the founders of SVC, and has joined the new group of bird guides, undergoing another season of training and guiding. Currently, she is our only bird cum registered Angkor guide and has traveled on her own to neighboring countries to look for birds. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Sophoan.
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Chim Choon Sopheap, your local Birdingpal guide
Sopheap also started training and guiding in the fall of 2006. He is one of our busiest guides, having lead more than 11 trips, ranging from a day to over a week. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Sopheap.
Testimonial.
The Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation arranged a hassle-free birding trip to search for the endangered Giant and White-shouldered Ibises. Reliable and comfortable vehicles took us to the village of Tmatboey, where we had basic lodging (no electricity or plumbing)** and good meals, all arranged by the community. The knowledgeable and friendly local guides took us out early in the morning and easily found our target species. A host of other interesting birds, including Pale-capped Pigeons and Great Slaty Woodpeckers, was also seen. The trip was very well run and we were glad to see this small, rural community profit from our visit. A wonderful, memorable time was had by all.
dana(AT)gardnerbirds.com
** WCS has built a new eco-lodge for tourist in Tmatboey, there are 3 bungalows (the 4th is coming), 2 rooms for each bungalows, and 2 single beds in each room with bathroom attached and solar power.
I spent almost two weeks in Cambodia, birding with Sophal, in February 2007 and his punctuality, good humour, enthusiasm for birds, and ability to cope with all organizational eventualities were remarkable. As a guide, I would recommend him.
pdround(AT)ksc.th.com
We really enjoyed our guide Sopheap who was so enthusiastic about the birds and wanted to show us every species of note in Cambodia. ' The local guide at Tmatboey worked very hard as well; after we had been out all day, he went out in the evening trying to find the white shouldered ibis for the next day's birding.
Talking of working hard, the two women who prepared our meals seemed to work around the clock. Their day started at 3:30AM and lasted till well after dark. Their effort to provide vegetarian fare was much appreciated '
We were quite impressed with how the birding has helped the village of Tmatboey with the rebuilding of the main street and the employment opportunity for the young women who had cold drinks for sale after we had been out birding in the heat. The drinks made the heat bearable.
Cambodia, which we decided on as an afterthought, was a very enjoyable part of our trip and I would recommend it as an integral part of any South East Asia tour, birding or otherwise. Now, if they would only finish the road from Thailand to Siem Reap. Thanks again for all your efforts and our best wishes to Sopheap.
macnest(AT)mnsi.net
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India
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Bopanna Pattada, your local Birdingpal guide I am very passionate about nature and have been fascinated by birds and animals since childhood. Though I graduated as an engineer and worked for a decade as a software specialist, most of my weekends were spent birding. Since the last few years, I work as a full time birding and fishing guide and find great pleasure in taking other birders and anglers into the outdoors. I spend a great deal of time in the field, to find new locations and practice birdcalls to ensure that my clients have a successful and enjoyable trip. I am trained in first aid techniques and outdoor survival. I speak all the local south Indian languages and have a network of friends spread across the country. I make it a point to keep track of the best restaurants along the route to ensure that my clients taste the best local cuisine. I am also a keen photographer and offer my clients record shots of their sightings at the end of the trip. We use a four-wheel drive vehicle for all trips to ensure that walking around is minimized wherever possible and the vehicle can handle bad roads. Safety and hygiene are of paramount importance during all our tours. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Bopanna.
Testimonials.
I recently completed a short business trip from the US to Bangalore, and wanted to have day's birding in the area. Bopanna was the perfect match for my needs, offering short and longer guided outings that would be impossible to organize independently. Pre-trip contact and organization was smooth and informative, and arrangements easy to set up and schedule. I was picked up on-time by my guide for the day, Bopanna, whose approach, knowledge, and companionship made for a superb day in the Nandi Hills and surrounding area. We spent a full day birding and managed to see over 100 species including most of the expected birds and a few endemics. The day exceeded my expectations in every way, a great experience with wonderful birds and scenery, and Bopanna's friendly approach ensuring that it was comfortable and enjoyable.
I can highly recommend Bopanna, and I'm looking forward to being able to take a longer birding trip in the near future.
Simon Lane, Chatham, NJ, USA. simon_c_lane(AT)hotmail.com
Check out my year round birdwatching tours in India
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Sunil Kumar, your local Birdingpal guide My name is Sunil Kumar I have been a registered (Tourism Department of Uttarakhand) guide since 1995. I have lived here, in Nainital, all of my life and have extensive knowledge of the area. I specialise in tailor-made itineraries to suit the independent traveller, and in particular bird-watchers, as I am a keen bird-watcher and nature lover myself. My mother tongue is Hindi and I speak good English. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Sunil.
Testimonials.
We had a very good day's bird spotting with Sunil, in spite of the rain. Sunil knows where all the good birds are and eyes like a hawk.
Andy Anderson and Ben Blewitt, AA Birding and Travel (Australia)
We spent an excellent morning bird watching around Snow View and Fairlight with Sunil. He immediately started finding interesting birds and took us on a wild path through the forest. He was very knowledgeable, not only about birds, but also pointed out all the peaks. Among the birds he showed us were, Black Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Brown-headed Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Rufous Sibia, Bar-tailed Tree Creeper, Streaked Laughing Thrush, Striated Laughing Thrush, Rufous-crowned Laughing Thrush, White-throated Laughing Thrush, Nepal House Martin, Long-tailed Minwet (to name but a few).
James Champion (My father was a conservator of forests in Nainital in 1930-40). Personally I want to thank you for a wonderful birding experience, a lovely sunrise over the Himalayas and very interesting talks on the trails. Nigel Champion, UK.
We came to Nainital from far away, not to honeymoon but to birdwatch. Had we not met Sunil by accident, we may not have achieved the purpose of our week long visit. Sunil was a great help in getting us to the few places where the hard to locate birds can be found. Sunil can identify these birds by their vocalisations before he sees them. We consider Sunil an expert birding guide and now also a friend. India can and should be proud of such a fine young man. Thank you Sunil, thank you India for your beautiful birds.
Birdingpals Alicia and Dieter Kamm, Sierra Vista, Arizona
Sunil has the complete set of everything that makes a bird Guide perfect. His knowledge of local birdlife (including call's, habitat,ages,sexes,etc.)is excellent for all species. His English is really top notch, he is personable, friendly, affordable,and very cool and relaxed. Sunil also knows about all the local' Furnies' (Mammals, Barking deers, Serow, Goral, Himalayan marten etc.). Above all Sunil is exeeding reasonably priced. You couln't ask for more in a birding Guide. He is by far best birding Guide, I have had in all of India (and I've been birding here for 5 months). James Lambert (England).
October-2011 - Birding with Sunil and Pangot. After couple of hours with Sunil, it becomes quite obvious, that he is into birding passionately. This is one guy who is into birding, learning, reading, nature whether there is a client or not. He exists for birds! He can tell avian friends by their call & will ID the bird in one glance from a moving car. Polite & modest, Sunil is a pleasure to have around. He is an unobtrusive discreet guide, who works with typical dignity & poise of the mountain people. A few more like him and my country’s birds would in good hands. God Bless. Rajesh & Ritu (India).
8.12.11 - Had a brilliant day looking for Pheasants and other birds. Sunil knows the area very well and knows the birds call. He got quite a few new birds, that I would not have found without him. I would recommend him to any birdes and bird tour company, who are looking for a guide in this area. Sunil is easy to get along with and speaks better English than me. Rab Shand, Ornithologest, Scotland.
7.2.12 - Two special days, Special bird’s, Cheer Pheasant, Koklass and Hill Partridge. I must add that we had 2 very good days of birds. Sunil knows the trails where you can find some of the ‘Specials’. He willalso organize a car, so Nainital area will be stress free. Sunil is easy going and speaks good English and local language making easy to travel around. If you come around plesae take him to guide you. Alberto Garcia Rlos, Ibiza, Spain. Euggni capella, Barcelona,CAT.
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Peter Lobo, your local Birdingpal guide I am expert birding guide and photographer. I personally operate all our premium birding tours. For the last 10 years, I have been guiding high altitude treks, wildlife safaris, tribal tours and a lot of other "off the beaten track" adventures to all parts of India and Bhutan. During treks through various habitats, I developed an interest in birding, which became a passion. The ability to spot and identify birds, expert knowledge about "hot spots", and habitat, and rapport with local people and guides are my greatest assets. I have explored and located many new "hot spots" and trained local guides in the Kalimpong-Darjeeling, Sikkim, Assame, Mehgalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal, Pradesh, Himachaln Pradesh and Bhutan. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Peter.
Testimonials.
Firstly a big thank you for your excellent logistics and guiding in NE India. Everyone has genuinely gone away with very positive feelings about the trip and most of us are looking forward to the opportunity to return.
Chris Bradshaw, United Kingdom, 2006 - chris(AT)northkentbirding.freeserve.co.uk
First of all, we thank you so much for your kind cooperation during our birding shooting in North Bengal. It was really so nice of you that you have spared your precious time for us.. It was also a great experience for all of us. We are really impressed to know how you distinguish the sound of different birds, and your large knowledge about wild lives...!
Toko Miyasato, Japan, 2007 - toko-m(AT)gf6.so-net.ne.jp
Thanks for organizing a great trip again. I thought Nagaland was a fantastic place with good habitat that would generate further exploration. Thanks also for the generous hospitality in your home, I liked Kalimpong very much.
Nick Senior, United Kingdom, 2007 - ncksnr(AT)yahoo.co.uk
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Indonesia
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Nurlin Djuni, your local Birdingpal guide Properly the guide with the most experience and the largest smile is Nurlin Djuni, a native of the Palu area. Nurlin is available to meet travelers to the region in Palu, Toraja Land or Manado. From there he will arrange trips to any number of locations throughout Sulawesi. Nurlin has been making the visit of international travelers to Central Sulawesi more pleasant for a number of years, and with his ability in local languages and dialects, as well as English, will make sure your trip is memorable |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Nurlin.
Testimorial.
If you go to Sulawesi you must get in touch with Nurlin Djuni, he is the best guide in the area and has all the contacts to source mammal sites if he doesn’t know them himself. He is originally from Palu but works all over Sulawesi, nearby islands and I think Irian Jaya as well. The only world-class birding guide we had was Nurlin Djuni. Nurlin joined us for our few days on Halmahera and a day on Ternate. He helped us find most of our target birds fairly quickly and I had the feeling that any extra days on Halmahera would have been frustratingly slow in terms of new birds found.
Steve Anyon-Smith, NSW, Australia steveas@tpg.com.au
Thank you so much again for the most enjoyable and productive birding trip to your islands. I appreciate all your help and taking care of us. The whole trip was beautiful in addition to the excitement of all the birds. I also thoroughly enjoyed our day at the island with the snorkeling, exploring the island and the great food.
The surprise concert on our last night was terrific! I loved all of it. Please thank Eddie for me for the rich snorkeling experience.
Pearl S. Jordan, Lakewood, Colorado psjordan11(AT)comcast.net
I still think about our terrific trip everyday. I just finished entering all the bird data into my computer. The final total for me was 181 birds and 116 new birds (+/- a few lies).
Travis MacClendon, Blountstown, Florida, USA travismac(AT)wfeca.net
As for Nurlin's tours, they are both top-flight and a lot of fun. He has professional bird books and knows his birds so well. He treks in places that I am too old to cover, but the places he took me had different endemic birds and he identified them all.
Sense of humor and warmness. This guy, maybe around 30 now, is so outgoing and understands foreigners. He has a guitar which he lugs around and sings some funny songs in both English and his native Bahasa Indonesia, not to mention his dialect of Kaili from his native village on Sulawesi.
Experience--I first met him when he was an English teacher at a language center in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
Flexible--I asked him to guide my cycling tour customers for the trekking portion, and he was the highlight of their trip. I could not compete in any way. They loved everything he did and said.
He is very patient and hard-working. I watched as he etched black crayon off of a poster he had drawn underneath, all done by hand. He has trekked for days into places I wouldn't imagine going, but the younger bird-watchers loved it. He will work day and night for you.
He loves his family. Everything he does, he does for the people of his village, though he himself remains poor and humble. He is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met.
Richard Fuller, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam richjf2001(AT)yahoo.com
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Japan
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Mark Brazil, your local Birdingpal guide Mark Brazil is a long-term resident of Hokkaido, and the most experienced natural history guide in the region. An ornithologist by training and a birder, naturalist, photographer and author by inclination, Mark is a newspaper columnist and in addition has written several books relating to Japan: A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Japan (1987), The Birds of Japan (1991), Wild Asia (2000) and Field Guide to The Birds of East Asia (2009) Articles:Japan Times. and Japan Visitor. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Mark.
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John Wright, your local Birdingpal guide.
John Wright has lived for more than 15 years in Japan in both the Kansai and Kyushu regions. He is currently based in Shimabara, Nagasaki, and is extremely familiar with birding areas in both Kyushu and western Honshu. John enjoys wildlife photography with an emphasis on avifauna. He specialises in capturing images of shy bird species, in particular Copper Pheasant and various species of flycatchers and thrushes. John's photographs have been published in newspapers, books and even museums. He is available to lead birders to sites in his region of southwest Japan. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to John.
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Kaz Shinoda, your local Birdingpal guide.
He lives near Tokyo, the ideal starting point for a birding tour of Japan, or for a few days birding linked to business visits to the capital. He frequently guides individuals and small groups of visiting birders in the Tokyo area on day trips. As a birding guide with more than a decade’s experience, he can guide visiting birders throughout the country as well. As a nationally licensed English-speaking Tour Guide, he is knowledgeable about Japanese geography, history, and especially culture – important subjects that help enhance a birding trip to this unique country. In addition to that, he is a nationally licensed Domestic Travel Service Supervisor. His organizational and logistical skills will be key to the success of your birding trips in Japan. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Kaz.
Testimorial.
We had never been to Hokkaido prior to our visit in mid-March 2010 and Mark not only provided us with an incredible tour of the wildlife that eastern Hokkaido has to offer, but he did so with an amazing passion for what he does and more importantly the Japanese culture. On our two day visit we were able to see a multitude of birds including the Hokkaido's specialties; Steller's Sea Eagle, Japanese Cranes in various settings (walking across sheets of ice, in the early morning mist, at feeding sites, etc), Blakiston's Fish Owl, and Ural Owl among lots of other great birds and dramatic scenery. This combined with immersing us into the Japanese culture with options to stay at traditional Japanese inns/hot springs and trying the local cuisine, we truly felt like we received the true Hokkaido experience.
We highly recommend Mark as a bird guide for the Hokkaido region as he will undoubtedly provide you with an experience in which you will see some of the most amazing birds and wildlife that Hokkaido has to offer and he will do so with an unbelievable passion that will allow you to truly appreciate the unique Japanese way of life.
Take care and hope to see you soon.
Murray Jukes, USA Murray.Jukes(AT)PoloRalphLauren.com
In mid-October Gillian and I spent a magical four days (October 13-17) with Mark Brazil and his partner Mayumi Kanamura. Our itinerary took us up to northeastern Hokkaido to Lake Tofutso and the Shiretoko Peninsula as well as to Tokachi Plain near Kushiro and the Nopporo Forest near Sapporo. We also had an amazing pelagic trip out of Oshiichi on the Pacific coast near Nemuro.
Mark Brazil is a superb guide in every way, and we had a wonderful time with Mayumi and him. It was our first time ever in Japan and we were introduced to Japanese life and birds in an instructive and delightful way.
The arrangements for the trip were perfect and a sign of Mark's consummate professionalism. All the arrangements fell into place throughout our four days. We stayed in excellent minshuku in Rausu and Lake Furen where the accommodation was both authentic and comfortable and the food in both places absolute feasts of Japanese cuisine. The fish and seafood were out of this world.
These four days of birding in Hokkaido with Mark and Mayumi were among the happiest and most productive birding experiences of our lives. Martin Bowman, Canada pict(AT)riverlink.ca
Check out my year round birdwatching tours in Japan
Malaysia
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Cheong Weng Chun, your local Birdingpal guide
BSc. Forestry, majoring in Parks and Recreation Management (UPM). Weng Chun has traveled to almost every corner of Peninsular Malaysia visiting the jungles, waterfalls, islands, and wetlands. He started birdwatching in the 90's with a resident bird guide in Fraser's Hill after an introduction by a wildlife lecturer. He is also keen in nature photography and birds being his favorite photography subject, the traveling have indeed benefited his passion for nature photography and bird watching. He is currently affiliated to Malaysian Nature Society's Selangor Bird Group and Oriental Bird Images. He is also a co-moderator for a Malaysian bird watching/photography forum. Weng Chun is a nature guide licensed under Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, and have been managing one of the wetland parks in the country. He also contributes articles and photos of birds to local magazines. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Weng Chun.
Testimonial.
For those of you who are looking for a birding guide to Peninsular Malaysia, you can’t go wrong with Cheong Weng Chun. He is knowledgeable, organized and passionate about birding and we thoroughly enjoyed our trip with him. He is very knowledgeable in all aspects of the natural history of Malaysia and he introduced us to the local Malaysian culture. We had the opportunity to travel to Singapore during Christmas week 2011 and visit Peninsular Malaysia in the first week of 2012. Being avid birders, we wanted to spend some quality time in Malaysia birding. After much internet searching and advice from fellow birders, I found Weng Chun via the Birdingpal site, and our adventure began. Weng Chun met us at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport early on a January morning, and before we knew it we were off on what turned out to be a very successful five-day trip. Our first stop was at Paya Indah Wetland where we had a good start with many birds that are fairly common in Malaysia but entirely new to us. Highlights were the Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, and Chestnut-winged Cuckoo. Then off to Kuala Selangor and the paddy fields, where we spent several hours finding raptors, munia, swallows, swifts and many others. The highlight of this area for us were the Cinnamon Bittern, the large flock of white-headed munia and the multitudes of Black-shouldered Kites. At the Taman Alam Nature Reserve, we explored mangroves and found Greater Flameback Woodpecker, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher and Mangrove Whistler. The next two and a half days found us in Fraser’s Hill, a welcome respite from the lowland heat. This delightful area was not only picturesque and beautiful, but we found many many birds here. Highlights included Red-bearded Bee-eater, Yellow-vented Green-pigeon, Green Magpie, Slaty-backed Forktail, Lesser Shortwing, Pygmy Wren-babbler, Rufous Piculet, Great Hornbill, Asian Fairy-bluebird and too many others to mention. We then spent one more day in the Hulu Langat area, birding along back roads and in a lowland forest reserve, where we found Crow-billed Drongo, Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo, Temminck’s Sunbird, and Black-and-Yellow Broadbill. All in all we identified 197 birds during our time with Weng Chun, greatly exceeding our expectations. And best of all we made a new friend. We heartily recommend visiting Malaysia and employing Weng Chun as your guide. Sue & Ed, Massachusetts, USA
Dear Cheong, Thank you for an outstanding 5 days of bird/butterfly watching and nature photography. Your knowledge of birds was excellent, and I greatly appreciate your attention to the smallest details of the trip. I also appreciate your enthusiasm around natural history in general. My favorite was the Sunda Colugo (flying lemur) - I never knew such an animal existed, and this supposedly noctural creature was delightfully active for us.
Feel free to pass on my name and e-mail address as a reference. I can recommend you highly to anyone interested in birdwatching and general natural history.
Kind regards,
Roger Rittmaster, M.D. North Carolina, USA hutchins.rittmaster(AT)verizon.net
Cheong is a great guy. Very friendly and knowledgeable in birds and jungle environment. To me - coming from cold Scandinavia - it was great to be shown so many birds and have such an entertaining day. Cheong is also witty and funny which did make the day even more fun. Highly recommended - will contact again next time I am in Asia.
Thomas Hagstrom thomas.hagstrom(AT)comdatsec.com
Just a quick note of thanks for arranging the tour to Frasers Hill. I enjoyed it very much. There were 8 lifers in that for me. Hope to bird with you again later this year. Richard Carden (Japan)
Let me take this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful time that I had in Kuala Selangor and Fraser's Hill. I was impressed by your focus on customer service. It appeared that customer service comes naturally to you. Your attention for details was amazing. Within that short span of time, I could watch and photograph a number of species of birds and monkeys. Before coming to Malaysia, I had never photographed sunbirds. With you on my side, I felt that photographing such a fast species became easier. Thanks for all your help. Sabyasachi Patra (India)
Weng Chun provided a wonderful service. I have a slipped disc, so I could not lift anything. Without his excellent help and consideration, this trip would be impossible. He handled my luggage, showed me the birds, and even took photos for me. He is fun to be with. Dr. Robert Dix (USA), rdix2002(AT)yahoo.com
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Mongolia
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Gomboo Gombobaatar, your local Birdingpal guide
Dr. Sundev Gombobaatar (Founder and Vice President of the MOS). Short name is Gomboo. Since 1993, he has worked at the Ornithological Laboratory of the NUM as a lecturer for 12 years. He is one of the founders of the Mongolian Ornithological Society. He is also a national representative of Swan Goose and Baikal Teal Task Force of East Asia, a member of Asian Raptor Research Network Center and a honorary member of the Oriental Bird Club, UK. He has worked on several domestic and the international research projects as biologist, co-leader and field team leader. Professional interests: Wildlife conservation, particularly bird species. Scientific research of wildlife populations and ecological factors affecting distribution and numbers. Training young people for the Ornithology. Gomboo speaks English, Russian and Mongolian-native. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Gomboo.
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Uugan Uuganbauar, your local Birdingpal guide
Ch.Uuganbauar, MSc. Lecturer of Biology-Eco tourism Department, School of Nature Science Mongolian State University of Agriculture. He finished his MSc thesis on Diet studies of Saker Falcon in Central Mongolia under Gomboo and D.Sumiya's supervision at the Laboratory in 2003. He is a lecturer of the State Agriculture University. Numerous publication and papers related to wildlife in Mongolia. Professional interests: Wildlife conservation, particularly bird species. Scientific research of wildlife populations and ecological factors affecting distribution and numbers. Training young people for the Ornithology. Uuganbayar speaks English, Russian and Mongolian-native. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Uugan.
Testimonials.
Last year we (11 participants from Germany) had a wonderfull birdwatching tour in central Mongolia (24 days, 3 cars, 2400 km, 200 bird species). Dr. Sundev Gombobaatar was our professional birdwatching guide. He is an excellent ornithologist and was a good guide (dependable, hardworking, astute, punctual).
Bernd Nicolai. nicolai(AT)halberstadt.de Museum Heineanum, Halberstadt, Germany www.heineanum.de
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Myanmar
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Thet Zaw Naing, your local Birdingpal guide
I have been running our ecotour company as a Birding Tour Leader and Ecotour Manager for a number of years, and I have been volunteering at Myanmar Bird and Nature Society as a Secretary and Asian Waterbird Census, Wetlands International as a Country Coordinator. For more than ten years I have taken part in many monitoring and other research scientific programs, concerning regional and migration studies on the avifauna throughout the whole country. I studied the montance birds for my Master of Science degree at Mount Victoria (Natmataung) National Park during 1996 to 1998. From 2001 to 2002 I studied again for ecology of Myanmar's endemic and globally endangered White-browed Nuthatch Sitta victoriae. This research already published at Forktail 19 (2003): 57-62. And also I conducted the waterbird surveys with local birders along coastal Myanmar. This surveys result published at Indian Bird 2 (3): 65-71. I carry out not only bird studies, but also bird and nature conservation awareness programs in schools throughout the whole country. I set to show and help you to enjoy the best Birding in Myanmar. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Thet.
Testimonials.
Dear Mr Thet Zaw Naing,
We enjoyed very much our three weeks trip to Myanmar in December 2009. Thank you very much for all the arrangements, which were beyond all our expectations. We had a very good combination of birdwatching and culture with perfect balance (more on birds). After the trip we could not think of anything, which could have been done better. During the tour we had all the time a feeling that we were traveling with a friend rather than a hired guide. As a bonus the friend was an expert on birds especially on bird voices.
The sum of bird species in our trip list was 297. The result is more than satisfactory considering our trip was not only for birdwatching. The highlight of our trip was, of course, Mount Victoria with its endemics and the future endemic full species when all the splitting is done. In my opinion Mt Victoria can be compared to any of the well known hot spots of SE Asia. There were no crowds and hazzle in the mountain, which gave us the illusion that the whole mountain was just for us. After some years there will surely be many groups birdwatching at the same time.
Looking forward to see you next year.
Markku and Anne (Finland) markku.tunturi(AT)dnainternet.net
I wish to commend wholeheartedly Thet Zaw Naing as an excellent tour manager, and also to recommend him for tours into the remotest parts of Myanmar. From 2003 to 2007 my several expeditions to north, central, south and south-west parts of Myanmar to look for birds and their habitats which is organized by Thet. Without his sharp eyes and excellent knowledge of birds and nature we would not have been able to record so many different species. As well as being thoroughly professional in his work, Thet Zaw Naing is a most pleasing companion. The success of the expeditions and my enjoyment of it were due in no small measure to him. I recommend his service without reservation, and would be happy to discuss my experience with any who would like additional information regarding my personal experience with him.
Joost van der Ven, Daru Ltd. Netherlands, javdv(AT)kpnplanet.nl
It is my pleasure to express my great appreciation for the efficient and considerate service of Ko Thet Zaw Nyaing and to recommend him without hesitation. I have worked in Myanmar for ten years and have known Thet Zaw Nyaing since then. He was, in fact, a key component in the establishment of the Myanmar Bird and Nature Society and has continued to be a major influence in its good development. Thet Zaw Nyaing has accompanied me on numerous birding expeditions, including trips to search for endemic species (always successful), and in one instance, we discovered a species not before seen in the particular area we were visiting. Thet's knowledge of Myanmar birds and their habitat, his background, his ability to spot, and his always friendly attitude combine to make him among the best bird guides in the region. Thet Zaw Nyaing continues his scientific study of birds in Myanmar and has been awarded various grants by international organizations to continue his work. He devotes his time and energy not only to the scientific and birdwatching communities, but also to conservation and education among students and his fellow countrymen and women. It is my honor to give my full recommendation of this dedicated young man.
Brenda Davidson-Shaddox, San Antonio, Texas USA. stonflower(AT)aol.com
Thet Zaw Naing provided expert guidance for our birding trips to a number of sites across Myanmar (Burma) in 2006, including Mount Victoria in the Southern Chin State. He located numerous rare species for us, including a significant number of endemics and near-endemics. We were delighted to see several White-browed Nuthatches, and enjoyed an excellent view of Red-faced Liocichla emerging from low vegetation only a couple of feet away. In all we identified over 100 species, the majority of which were new to us.Without Thet's encyclopaedic knowledge, sharp eyes, and knowledge of both the terrain and the birds' habitual behaviours, we would have seen only a fraction of these birds. We quickly realized that Thet is a world class ornithologist (arguably the best in Myanmar) and we felt privileged to have him as our bird guide. We have no hesitation in saying that he is the perfect companion for the expert birder. One might reasonably expect him to be impatient with novice bird watchers, but this is not the case at all - even when bird names were forgotten for the fifth time, he patiently supplied the identification. In our view, whether you are a back-garden amateur bird watcher or an inveterate twitcher, Thet will ensure that you have an excellent time bird watching in Myanmar.
Anne Redston and David Earle, Devon, England. anne.redston(AT)virgin.net
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Nepal
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Shankar Tiwari, your local Birdingpal guide
Shankar Tiwari – the most demanding bird guide based in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal has started his carrier at very early age from Chitwan National Park. He has 25 years of experience in tourism specially handling very serious bird watchers & other nature lovers from round the world, most of the time from UK, USA, Europe & Japan. Shankar has very good knowledge about all National Parks, Wildlife Reserves & Conversation Areas in Nepal & birds in India including Andaman Island & Srilanka. He is the one who has seen maximum species of birds in Nepal (over 800 species) including most of the rare birds like Satyr Tragopan, Lammergeier, Spiny Babbler, Wedge-billed Wren Babbler, Chestnut-headed Tesia, Nepal Cutia, Fire-tailed Myzornis, Parrotbills etc. Shankar is very conscious about environment, he is educating school children through Green Clubs co-ordinated by himself in his home town - Chitwan, where small students do cleaning campaigns and do plantation in public & private areas. He always motivates for minimum uses of plastic bags and energies like diesel, petrol & others. Shankar also operates birding tours within country and beyond like India, Sri Lanka, Tibet & Bhutan. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Shankar.
Testimonials.
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Philippines
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Rommel M. Cruz, your local Birdingpal guide
He has been guiding birdwatchers from across the world since he was 25 years old. He is one of the founding members of Birwatch-Palawan Ornithological Society and currently working at Palawan Council for Sustainable Development. Visual and acoustical identification of birds and mammals are his expertise. He is also a zookeeper and a wildlife conservationist |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Rommel.
Testimonials.
Rommel Cruz has guided me on several occasions. The most important was a visit to South Palawan in 2007. Tourist infrastructure is not existing in that area, so a good guide is absolutely necessary. The reason to visit the area was to check the activities of the wardens of the Rizal project of Katala Foundation. The area still has a good population of birds nesting in cavities: Blue-naped Parrot, Hill Myna, Palawan Hornbill and a few Philippine Cockatoos. Without garding everything would be poached and sold for the pet trade.
Transport and accommodation with the local people was arranged without any problem. Rommel was able to combine his job and to bring me to the different places I wanted to see.
My experience with Rommel as a guide is, that he will arrange everything as good as possible, he sees it as his responsibility to take care of his guest. His English is very good, he is able to understand the wishes of his guests and to communicate about it. If you want to see a special bird, he will give you a honest answer about where, when and how much chance. This is very important in a country like Philippines. I have been disappointed with other guides in the Philippines, a lot of promises and costs and not much result. Not with Rommel. Benedict De Laender, Belgium
Rommel has a great knowledge of the birds on Palawan and, more importantly where to see them. He will organize bird trips to your specification and speaks excellent English. He is courteous, considerate and anyone using his services will be doing themselves a favor. Kevin J Brewin, Anti Piracy Consultant, ORCHID MARITIME
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Sri Lanka
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Chandima Jayaweera, your local Birdingpal guide
Fifty year old Chaminda Jayaweera also known as Jaya has had extensive experience of more than twenty years as a tour guide. His specialty is birdwatching tours. He is also well versed in mammals, dragonflies and butterflies and an enthusiastic wildlife photographer too. He has undergone many training session with eminent Sri Lankan wildlife photographer Gehan de Silva Wijeratne. Jaya is a qualified bird watching tour guide who is licensed by the Ceylon Tourist Board. He has also followed the Certificate Course in Wildlife Conservation & Management conducted by the Open University of Sri Lanka, Diploma on Waterfalls in Sri Lanka conducted by Lanka Council on Waterfalls and is an active Life member of the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL). During his long career, Jaya has worked with Professors Sarath Kotagma (Dept of Environment and Science, University of Colombo), Jeremy Gray (ERM Dept, University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland) and M T Sivajothy (Dept of Animal and Plant Science, University of Sheffield, UK). Professor Caroline Harcourt of the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge has commended Jaya highly as a birdwatching tour guide in Sri Lanka. Jaya also conducted photography tours in Sri Lanka for well known UK wildlife photographers David Hosking FRPS and Martin Withers FRPS. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Chandima.
Testimorial.
05th Dec to 18th Dec 2010. Jayaweera was the best! Very polite, knowledgeable & helpful. We felt very safe with him & he looked after us very well. We would recommend him to everyone. He passion is wildlife & birds and he knows every single bird in Sri Lanka. He was great company & we`ve thoroughly enjoyed having him as our Driver Guide. Robert & Sarah Harvey-UK
19th Dec 2010 to 09th Jan 2011. Jayaweera was helpful, resourceful and knowledgeable. He is having very good knowledge of birds and wildlife. Stephen and Jane Cotton-UK
Jan and Feb 2011. Thank you for guiding us for 2 weeks in Jan and Feb 2011. Your knowledge and expertise made all the difference to our holiday. We don't really think of ourselves as "birders" because we are interested in all aspects of natural history and culture, so your wide-ranging interests matched ours very well. You were always very patient with us, if we couldn't see something or recognise something we'd seen plenty of times before. You were enthusiastic without being obsessive. You also piloted us round Sri Lanka roads without incident and proved capable of achieving things in hotels, that the hotel staff seemed unable to do. No water in your room? Leave it to Jaya! Our thanks. Stephen and Jane Cotton-UK
Check out my year round birdwatching tours in Sri Lanka
Taiwan
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Kuan-Chieh Hung, your local Birdingpal guide
I am Kuan-Chieh (Chuck Hung), a birdwatcher and researcher in Taiwan. I've focused on anything related to bird for years. I can identify most residential birds, migratory birds, wintering birds, waders even raptors in Taiwan. Besides, the academic training in university and graduate school helps me to understand birds scientifically. Expect for birdwatching, I am enthusiastic about understanding everything related to birds, including survey, banding, identification even research. Now I can organize and perform bird survey and banding on my own. Besides, I am familiar with almost all birding sites in Taiwan, capable to arrange any itinerary of birdwatching and to lead bird tour. Now I focus on leading bird tour and doing some research. |
For birding in Taiwan please send a message to Chuck.
Thailand
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Par Panuwat Sasirat, your local Birdingpal guide
Par Panuwat Sasirat(1971) is the owner of Wild Bird Eco Tour, expert bird leader since 1995, columnist bird watching in Kom Chad Luek Thai newspaper and written pocket book 'Bird watching with Par'. I have good skills for birding, good friendly relationships and know delicious Thai food. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Par.
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Pank Thongchai Siriport, your local Birdingpal guide
Pank Thongchai Siriport,(1960) the senior bird guide in Wild Bird Eco Tour. He have good skill leading birdwatching groups in the country, bird photagraphy and good relationship with you. He lead many photographic bird tours each year for photographers from around the world who visit Thailand for it's beautiful birds. |
Should you only need a guide for a day please send a message to Pank.
Testimorial.
Hi Par, I want to thank you for an amazing experience - you worked very hard, and so did I! But, the results were worth it all. My highlights would definitely be the Spoonbilled Sandpiper, Silver Oriole, Blue-bearded Bee-eater, all the Kingfishers, and Stonechat. I thought Khao Yai was fantastic and we will spend more time there next time.
Cheers, K C Choo, Canada, www.kcchoophoto.com
Hello Par and Pank, We enjoyed the trip very much. No commplaint from anyone. Steven like your company service better than from the other company...so He want to go again in December with BirdEco. Do not worry ...we are only 50% birder...So saw so many lifer in this trip and is very happy. I think altogether he spotted about 25 lifers. Steven (sharkspin) got his Indian Roller/Green Bee-eater and Hoopoe....and he have good food so he is very happy. Me? I got many action shot of Gulls and terns in breeding plumage. Also got the Green Bee-eater nest...so I am happy. We had a good time ....and enjoyed having MAC and Pank to be our guide too. I will definately plan another trip to Thailand and will definately use WildBirdEco because of the good service and more importantly ...because of my friends who are WildBirdEco. Or maybe Sharkspin will plan ...he is hooked.
Hilary Hoe, Singapore, www.fleetingvisions.com/
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Last update 15/05/2012