: Central 2025
Bird-Photo-Tours Asia’ Central Thailand expedition explores a classic South East Asian bird photography destination that not only has a rich avifauna but also friendly people, stunning landscapes and fabulous cuisine. Our bird photography workshop commences on the coastal mudflats and saltpans of the Gulf of Thailand where, amongst an array of many shorebird species, we will be searching for the rare Spoon-billed Sandpiper. We then head westwards to Phetchaburi Province, an area that possesses a rich and diverse forest avifauna including Partridges, Peacock-Pheasants, Barbets, Treepies and Broadbills. Finally, the group moves in a north easterly direction to Nakhon Ratchasima Province where photographic targets include a number of Thailand’s speciality birds such as Siamese Fireback, Silver Pheasant, Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo, Banded Broadbill, Blue-banded Kingfisher, Blue Pitta and Red-headed Trogon.
Barbets: Moustached Barbet / Green-eared Barbet / Blue-eared Barbet / Coppersmith Barbet
Bee-eaters: Blue-bearded Bee-eater / Red-bearded Bee-eater / Chestnut-headed Bee-eater / Blue-tailed Bee-eater / Blue-throated Bee-eater
Broadbills: Black-and-Red Broadbill / Dusky Broadbill / Banded Broadbill / Black-and-Yellow Broadbill / Silver-breasted Broadbill
Hornbills: Great Hornbill / Oriental Pied Hornbill / Wreathed Hornbill / Austen's Brown Hornbill
Kingfishers / Pittas : Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher / Blue Pitta / Blue-winged Pitta
Partridges: Green-legged Partridge/ Ferruginous Partridge / Bar-backed Partridge / Rufous-throated Partridge
Pheasants: Siamese Fireback / Grey Peacock- Pheasant / Kalij Pheasant / Green Peafowl
Shorebirds: Spoon-billed Sandpiper / Nordmanns Greenshank / Malaysian Plover
Trogons / Woodpeckers: Red-headed Trogon / Orange-breasted Trogon / Great Slaty Woodpecker / Greater Yellownape
Guiding Fees / Ground Transportation / Accommodation / Meals / Entrance Fees / Tipping for Drivers, Boatsmen, Hotel and Restaurant Staff.
International Flights / VISA Fees / Travel Insurance / Tips for Local Guide / Alcohol / Laundry / Items of a Personal Nature
Days 1-2 Bangkok (1N / 0D / 0S). Arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok, transfer to hotel. Photographic Targets: Asian Barred Owlet / Spotted Owlet / Black-capped Kingfisher / Painted Stork / Asian Golden Weaver / Alexandrine Parakeet / Red-breasted Parakeet
Days 2-3 Phetchaburi Province [1N / 0D/ 1S]. Drive 3-hours, 125 km to Phetchaburi Province. Photographic Targets: Spoon-billed Sandpiper / Nordmann’s Greenshank / Asian Dowitcher / Asian Openbill / Malaysian Plover / Shorebirds / Weavers.
Days 3-8 Phetchaburi Province [5N / 3D / 8S]. Drive 1-hour, 75km to second location in Phetchaburi Province. Photographic Targets: Blue Pitta / Siberian Blue Robin / Green-legged Partridge / Ferruginous Partridge / Grey Peacock-Pheasant / Khalij Pheasant / Blue-bearded Bee-Eater / Ratchet-tailed Treepie / Great Hornbill / Oriental Pied Hornbill / Wreathed Hornbill / Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher.
Days 8-11 Nakhon Ratchasima Province [3N / 2D / 6S]. Drive 6-hours, 350km to Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Photographic Targets: Red-headed Trogon / Banded Broadbill / Banded Kingfisher / Siamese Fireback / Great Hornbill / Oriental Pied Hornbill / Austen's Brown Hornbill / Red Junglefowl.
Days 11-12 Bueng Kan Province [1N / 0D / 2S]. Drive 6-hours, 410km to Bueng Kan Province. Photographic Targets: Grey-headed Swamphen / Asian Openbill / Glossy Ibis / Oriental Darter / Pheasant-tailed Jacana / Bronze-winged Jacana / Spot-billed Pelican / Indian Cormorant / Cotton Pygmy Goose / Lesser Whistling Ducks / Ferruginous Duck.
Days 12-13 Buriram Province [1N / 0D / 2S]. Drive 4-hours, 260km to Buriram Province. Photographic Targets: Sarus Crane.
Days 13-14 Bangkok (1N, 0D, 1S). Drive 4-hours, 250km to Bangkok for international departures the following day [END]
[Key: N=Night, D=Full Day, S=Session/Half-Day]
Nick, a UK National, has been living in Asia for over 15-years and in this time has conducted over 125 bird photography trips across the whole of the Asian continent ranging from Kazakhstan in the west, through India and China to Japan in the east, and from the Kamchatka coastline in the north to as far south as Indonesia. In China alone Nick has photographed to portrait-quality standard over 1,200 of China's bird species taking him to all of China's provinces as well as most of those nations bordering China. These bird photography trips have ranged in length from a few days to many months, including a three-month bird photography expedition to China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, becoming quite possibly the most travelled foreigner in this region over the past decade. Nick has also conducted a four-month bird photography trek across the Himalayas, ranging from the Indian States of Ladakh and Kashmir in the west, into the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, then onto the Indian States of West Bengal and Sikkim, ending in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the eastern Himalayas. Nick has had his images published across numerous media channels including the BBC and Chinese state-owned media outlets, various bird magazines and journals including the Oriental Bird Club's BirdingASIA. He has his own website on the Birds of China at www.BirdingInChina.com and his book 'Portraits of the Birds of China' is due for publication in 2026. Furthermore, Nick has presented films on photographing birds both in Asia and Europe, has his bird images published across many social media platforms within and outside Asia, and has led a number of bird photography lectures and walks, particularly targeted at children. Consequently, Nick has accumulated significant experience of photographing birds within the Asian continent and this expertise has formed the backdrop to setting up Bird-Photo-Tours Asia, trips designed by bird photographers for bird photographers.
(i) The guesthouses are all in close proximity to the bird photography locations (ii) Walking is at a light pace (iii) There is no requirement to hike nor climb. (iv) None of the locations are at altitude (v) There is no camping. Summary: for these five reasons this trip has been graded as 'Easy'.
