Trip Details
I spent three weeks in Thailand in May 2012. I found the trip reports on this forum really helpful when planning my trip and hopefully others will find my trip reports as useful. While there is a strong focus on herping, I’ve also tried to include details of the accommodation, walks, other animals etc to provide an indication of the full experience. In addition to the individual trip reports, I’ve also provided a general overview -
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Photographs
I’ll put some photos in the blogs but didn’t want to make it too picture heavy. I’ve also pasted a number of pictures on my Flickr account and welcome any correction of misidentified species (or in the case of the frogs – I welcome any identifications). I’ll only post herp photos on the forum but there are some mammal and invertebrate shots on Flickr for those interested in what wildlife you might see more generally.
23 May
Fairly uneventful 3 hour drive from Phanom Bencha to Khao Sok – except for the odd idiot trying to undertake at 100km/hr. As I approached Khao Sok, I could see black clouds approaching and made it to the accommodation just after the rain hit – good timing as I don’t think I would have wanted to drive in it. A number of dead snakes on the road but only one live one – which got away before I could ID it. The beginning of the drive was incredibly scenic with towering limestone Karsts on both sides of the road.
The resort is awesome – I am in a tree house which overlooks the river and a stunning limestone karst. At check in the guy was giving me a bit of a warning about snakes and when I said I like to photograph them he looked around to make sure no other guests were within earshot and replied ‘Sweeeetttt – we’ve got tonnes’. He then proceeded to give me some tips on where some have been seen recently including a blood python and a cobra. Then when I was being shown to my room I spotted a flying lizard low down on a tree next to the path and managed to get up nice and close to it.
IMG_9536 by daveo12, on Flickr
Rather than have my afternoon snooze, I couldn’t help myself and went for a walk through the grounds. About 30 seconds after starting, a large snake drops down from underneath one of the bungalows. Luckily it races towards me. As I’m 90% sure it’s not deadly, I grab its tail (I really must find my snake book). This appears to displease it as it then tries to bite my face, my hand, my chest etc etc. While quite determined to prove it has teeth, if not fangs, it is also being very photogenic but I need to get some greater control so I can catch my breath and get my camera out. It is at this point that I realize the rainforest is full of trees but not many fallen branches 3-4 feet long (who would have thought?). I therefore have two options; a) get out camera with telephoto lens on, let go of the snake, photograph from distance or b) get out camera with wide angle lens, shoot wide angle with snake as tiny point in picture. Neither of these are particular satisfactory so I went for option c) transfer snake to left hand, get out dodgy macro lens and put in right armpit, get out camera with telephoto attached, squat down, keep snake away from nose, place telephoto between legs, remove lens, balance camera body in lap, keep snake away from knees without dropping lens or body, attach macro, place telephoto back in pouch, photograph snake. This is not something I have tried before and I don’t think I can recommend it. However, the effort was worthwhile and I have some fantastic shots of the snake trying to bite the camera.
IMG_9553 Radiated rat snake (Coelognathus radiata) by daveo12, on Flickr
IMG_9571 Radiated rat snake (Coelognathus radiata) by daveo12, on Flickr
Continued on after that little adventure exploring some nice short walking trails on the property – found a Horned tree lizard, Acanthosaura armata and squirrels and some good spots to look tonight. Had another refreshing swim and it is now raining again. Long tail macaques in the treetops and one clambering about on the karst opposite.
IMG_9630 by daveo12, on Flickr
Khao Sok Night walk
Found quite a few frogs out while wandering around near reception just before the start of the free ‘night safari’. The safari involved hiking at some pace through the palm and rubber plantations for 20 minutes to get to the National Park and then hiking through the National Park along a muddy road to one of the waterfalls (which you cannot see in the dark). This track runs along the edge of the park so there is a barbed wire fence and fields on one side, palm thickets on the other. The supplied torches are so dim, it is surprising you can find each other (good thing I took my own). As you walk along you either have the choice of looking for animals in the trees or watching the path in front to make sure you don’t step in a puddle – we all should have just stepped in puddles right at the start so we didn’t have to worry about the latter again. We saw the tail of a civet, a slow loris high up, some sleeping dragons, one cool Green Crested Lizard, frogs, a Mouse Deer and lots and lots of leeches - small ones, medium ones and big ones. So instead of spotlighting, we spent any time stopped checking for leeches. Two managed to get through my defences and I’ve just realized that an invigorating cold shower (no hot water here) gets the blood flowing again. We covered 7 kms in three hours in what could not exactly be described as a pleasant walk – this is why I typically don’t go on these things. There was also the joy of language - ‘What do we do if we come across elephants?’ – ‘Yes, yes, elephant here but very dangerous’ - not quite the advice I was seeking when walking along a steep mountain road with sheer cliff on one side and a drop off on the other after having been shown some elephant footprints (mind you, the guide was probably thinking – I’ve just shown you some elephant footprints and then you ask whether there are elephants here – what do you think made those huge footprints back there). To cap off this joyous adventure, the barman sees us all return and obviously decides he wants an early night so shuts up shop as we’re climbing the stairs to the bar – not even a cold beer at the end to show for it!
IMG_9670 by daveo12, on Flickr
IMG_9774 by daveo12, on Flickr
24 May 2012
Slept in – got up stiff and sore from last night’s adventure trek. It absolutely bucketed down during the night. Temperature is a lot different here – 25 to 26.5 in the room yesterday. So much for my plans – rain, rain, rain. So sitting in room doing some admin waiting for the rain to stop – really should have bought a book along.
There’s a slight problem with being in the rainforest in the rainy season – the rain. It has rained all day. Sometimes it has drizzled, other times bucketed down. I made some use of the down time by having a massage and then a long sleep. The options were Thai massage or ‘oil massage’. I opted for the Thai massage as I am in Thailand and I have previously experienced the delights of friction burn caused by the light application of oil to my hairy legs and with the absence of hot water meant I did not fancy the next couple of days looking like a Mr Universe competitor scented with eau de palm. The hotel brochure for the massage stated they did not offer Happy Endings which was all a bit confusing as I did not want to be unhappy after my massage. Something lost in translation I suspect. Or perhaps they have the same warning at the start of Thai movies and romance novels? Although I must say I wasn’t too happy at times during the massage – my intention had been to sooth my sore muscles not teach them what real pain was. Also, if I wanted to put my legs and arms into those sorts of positions, I would have gone to a Yoga class. Having said all that, it does appear to have eased my sore calves.
Stopped raining at dinner time. Walk around grounds – lots of frogs. Went for a drive for an hour or so– nil. Another walk – lots of frogs including a Malayan Flying Frog plus one of the palm civets in trees above road. No snakes.
IMG_9657 by daveo12, on Flickr
IMG_9731 by daveo12, on Flickr
25 May 2012
Lots and lots of rain overnight – the river has risen considerably. Overcast and drizzly in the morning with the odd patch of sunlight. So headed out to Ramanadee Hot Springs and Mae Yai Waterfall. Just a monitor at the hot springs to show for my efforts. Quick swim before lunch and then it bucketed down again. I could say that Khao Sok NP is disappointing but it is living up to its reviews – it now looks like there is only one trail open – the dirt road. The staff and information displays are generally of poor quality and rarely informative.
The resort is great – spread out along the river with a couple of short (~500m) loop trails through the jungle. There are also rubber plantations on either side. The real bonus is the two large ponds either side of the approach road in. These are currently jam packed with frogs and make excellent snake habitat .
First walk along the road between the ponds at dusk and there was a Mangrove snake coming down the tree, into the water and off. Unfortunately it was raining a bit too much for a photo considering I already have some nice ones of the species. Lots and lots of frogs again. The ring flash combined the Kata raincoat works well. Like last night the rain eased to a light drizzle before long. Had another good sighting of a mammal in a tree but by the time I returned with the big lens and flash it was gone . Most likely another Slow Loris given the absence of a tail but this one must have been a juvenile as it was more grey and smaller (I thought it was a Tarsier when I first saw it). Also found a Draco sleeping in a tree – cool.
IMG_9838 by daveo12, on Flickr
No leeches and few mossies!
26 May 2012
It hammered down all night and when I got up at dawn and the river had risen even more – so now there is the possibility of the place being flooded out. Decided to get moving to try and make it to Surat airport with enough time to buy another ticket to Bangkok. Made for some manic packing then waiting for a pause in the rain to take the first load to the car and grab some breakfast.
Statistics: Posted by daveo — August 17th, 2012, 11:18 pm