18th - 31st Mar 2026 14 Days
Maximum Group Size 5
Activity Level Easy
Pricing US$5,996
Tour Leader Roland

Introduction

Our Bird-Photo-Tours Asia South Thailand trip offers close photographic encounters with many of South Thailand’s special families of birds including Broadbills / Kingfishers / Woodpeckers / Pittas / Trogons / Sunbirds / Frogmouths and Hornbills. This South Thailand bird photography workshop commences with five-nights at Phang Nga Province where we will be focussing on close photographic encounters with two Pitta species (Banded and Mangrove), two broadbill species (Green and Black-and-Red) and five species of kingfisher (Brown-winged, Rufous-collared, Blue-eared, Ruddy and Blue-banded). We then move to Nakhon Si Thammarat Province for three-nights working on obtaining portraits of Scarlet-rumped Trogon and Buff-rumped, Buff-necked and Black-and-Buff Woodpeckers. Our final location is at Narathiwat Province where we will stay for four-nights and whose rainforests are home to a staggering nine Hornbill species and as such will form the bulk of our photographic activities.

Photographic Highlights

Broadbills: Black-and-Red Broadbill / Black-and-Yellow Broadbill / Green Broadbill

Kingfishers: Brown-winged Kingfisher / Blue-eared Kingfisher / Ruddy Kingfisher / Rufous-collared Kingfisher / Blue-banded Kingfisher

Woodpeckers: Buff-rumped Woodpecker / Buff-necked Woodpecker / Black-and-Buff Woodpecker / Rufous Woodpecker / Banded Woodpecker

Pittas and Trogons: Malayan Banded Pitta / Mangrove Pitta / Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Others:  Copper-throated Sunbird / Crimson Sunbird / Gould’s Frogmouth / Javan Frogmouths / Great Knot / Nordmann’s Greenshank

 

Pricing

Price US$5,996
Single Supplement US$610
Deposit Deposit: US$1,799
Bird-Photo-Tour Asia Inclusions:

Guiding Fees / Ground Transportation / Accommodation / Meals / Entrance Fees / Tipping for Drivers, Boatsmen, Hotel and Restaurant Staff.

Bird-Photo-Tour Asia Exclusions:

International Flights / VISA Fees / Travel Insurance / Tips for Local Guide / Alcohol / Laundry / Items of a Personal Nature

Itinerary

Day 1-2 Phang Nga Province (1N, 0D, 0S). Arrive in Pukeet Thailand, transfer to hotel.

Days 2-6 Phang Nga Province [4N / 3D / 7S]. Photographic Targets: Mangrove Pitta / Malayan Banded Pitta / Brown-winged Kingfisher / Ruddy Kingfisher / Blue-banded Banded Kingfisher / Rufous-collared Kingfisher / Blue-eared Kingfisher  /  Black-and-Red Broadbill / Green Broadbill.

Days 6-9 Nakhon Si Thammarat Province [3N / 2D / 5S]. Drive 10-hours to Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. Photographic Targets: Scarlet-rumped Trogon / White-crowned Hornbill / Dusky Broadbill / Buff-rumped & Buff-necked & Black-and-Buff Woodpecker / Jerdon’s Baza / Malayan Banded Pitta / Rufous-collared Kingfisher / Short-tailed Babbler / Green Broadbill / Chestnut-capped Forktail.

Days 9-12 Narathiwat Province [3N / 2D / 5S]. Domestic Flight from Nakhoin Si Thammarat to Betong Airport, Drive 4-hours (200km) to Narathiwat Province. Photographic Targets: Rhinoceros Hornbill / Helmeted Hornbill / Wrinkled Hornbill / Bushy-crested Hornbill / White-crowned Hornbill / Wreathed Hornbill / Plain-pouched Hornbill / Great Hornbill / Black Hornbill / Javan Frogmouth.

Days 12-13 Betong (1N, 0D, 1S). Drive 4-hours (200km) to Betong Airport / Transfer to Bangkok [Overnight: Betong Airport].

[Key: N=Night, D=Full Day, Session=Half-Day]

 

 

 

Roland

Roland was born in Munich in 1970. His love for nature started at an early age through his passion for mountaineering which in turn developed his interest in environmental protection. Roland spent over two decades in China from 1998 to 2021 living predominantly in Sichuan Province in western China and working as a professional guide on bird as well as mammal tours. With many of Roland’s clients being photographers, Roland has developed considerable skills and knowledge in supporting the needs of the bird photographer. Roland’s travels throughout China and South East Asia are extensive from the Tibetan Plateau to the Chinese lowlands to the rainforests of both Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia: Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Roland is fluent in Chinese, English and German and has a friendly, amicable disposition, displaying both care and thoughtfulness towards his clients, in addition to possessing strong field identification skills, all of which have combined well generating a positive reputation as a Tour Leader, particularly amongst bird photographers.

Easy Activity Level

(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'.