Temminck's Sunbird [Female] @ Kinabalu Park, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

Temminck's Sunbird (Aethopyga temminckii) [Female] is yet another colorful, cute and attractive bird can be found in Kinabalu Park, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia. 

Kinabalu Park needs no introduction to the world, especially well-known to the nature lovers. Located in the district of Ranau, west coast of Sabah, island of Borneo, East Malaysia, some 90 km from the capital city, Kota Kinabalu. Kinabalu Park is the first Malaysia's World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO. It can be reached in approximately 2.5 hours by bus or car from Kota Kinabalu International Airport. 

The park has the most diversified treasures, with more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including more than 300 species of bird and 100 species of mammal.

Kinabalu Park covers 754 square kilometers surrounding the infamous Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo island. Other main attractions in the area include, Poring hot spring and Desa dairy farm. There are abundant accommodation, food and daily needs of all kind around the area.    

For bird lovers, Kinabalu park certainly is the place to test your passion and perseverance in getting the best from the rain forest of Borneo. Some target birds include many species of Sun Birds, White-headed Trogon,  Borneon Whistling Thrush, Babblers, Flowerpeckers, Flycatchers, Drongos, White-headed Broadbill, Malaysia Treepie just to name a few.

 

Rose-ringed Parakeet @ Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is one among many different species of Parakeets and among many hundred of bird species can be found in Ranthambore National Park. It can be found at lower elevation in the forest of the park.  

Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park needs no introduction to the world. It is famous for Royal Bengal Tiger, the biggest wild cat alive today. The park has the most tiger population per square kilometer and it is also the largest national park in the state of Rajasthan, India. Originally as project tiger reserves in 1973, the park was declared as National Park on 1 November 1980. 

Inside the Ranthambore National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ranthambore Fort is situated. 

How to get to Ranthambore National Park

Located in a small town called Sawai Madhopur, the park can be reached in approximately 3.5 hours by car from Jaipur international airport for a distance of about 160 km. Train and buses are also available mode of transportation from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur. 

Although Sawai Madhopur is a small town, to cater for both local and foreign tourists visiting Ranthambore National Park, there are abundant hotels, resorts, villas and guesthouses of different standards and prices. Not forgetting restaurants, cafe, convenience shops of all kinds and standards.  

Best time to visit Ranthambore National Park

For a purpose of tiger sighting, the best time to visit the park is during summer; from April to June. During this period the temperature can go up to 40 - 48 degree centigrade. Hence get ready with suitable clothing and a lot of water. Summer generally is non-peak period for Ranthambore National Park as tourists try to avoid very hot weather. However, for serious animal or tiger lovers and wildlife photographers, this is the best period to capture the mammal as they come out to find water at the designated water points.

The peak period where most tourists visit the park is during winter, from November to February where the temperature can drop to 4-10 degree centigrade in the early morning and below 15 in the afternoon. 

Ranthambore National Park is closed during monsoon season, from July to September and it is coincide with a mating season for the tigers. 

Safari at Ranthambore National Park

Safari can be pre-booked or booked from the local agents in the small town of Sawai Madhopur. However, it is advisable to pre-booked the safari as it may be fully booked and the price may be hiked during the peak season. Generally, there are two type of vehicles for safari which allowed to enter into the park, a small jeep with maximum 6 passengers, with a driver and a guide. The other type of vehicle is called Canter, a larger 20-seater modified vehicle. Both vehicles are opened top vehicle. 

The desired type of vehicle can also be chosen during the booking is made as it is different in price. 

For serious wildlife photographers, a small jeep is much desirable as vehicle can move much faster and can enter smaller roads to find animals in the park. 

The Untold Rules of Safari at Ranthambore National Park

Although the total area of the park is approximately 1,300 square kilometers, only less than 30% is opened to public. The area that opens to public is divided into 10 zones, Zone 1 - 6 are considered premium zones where possibility of sighting tiger is better than other zones and they are nearer to the town. Zone 7 -10 cover more hilly and rocky areas with less chances to sight the tigers and it takes about one hour to reach the entrance of the zone from town where hotels are located. 

Although, the zone for each safari vehicle visits is determined by the forestry department officer based on computerized system, speak to local agent where booking is made for desired zones. Beware, some local agents will charge more for the arrangement to enter the premium zones. 

Secondly, the park is opened in two time slots, morning from 6.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. and afternoon from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. At the end of each time slot, all safari vehicles must exit the park. Hence, the effective duration for safari for each time slot is only 2 hours. As such, arrange safari vehicle for early pickup so the jeep will be at the entrance of designated zone as it opens.  

For serious wildlife lovers and photographers, request for the entire day safari without exiting the park can also be made at the local agent where the booking is made so as to allow more time to search for animal in the park. However, do expect much more expensive fee. 

What to expect in Ranthambore National Park

Visitors to the park expect to see the Royal Bengal Tiger. During summer, the chances to sight this mammal is more than 70% whist only 30% chances during winter. Besides tiger, for wild cat family, leopard, caracal and jungle cat can also be found here. 

Other common animal can be sighted in the park include spotted deer, sambar deer, antelope, gray langur just to name a few. 

The park is also a home to more than 350 species of birds, 40 species of mammal and reptiles and few hundred species of plants.

Ferruginous Partridge @ Berjaya Hill, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia

Ferruginous Partridge (Caloperdix oculeus) is a colorful, very active and attractive bird among hundred species of birds can be found in Berjaya Hill, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia. It can be found in the forest at the Hill.

Berjaya Hill, Bukit Tinggi is certainly another wonderful birding destinations as it is a residence to many exotic birds. Although the area is not as large as Fraser's Hill, but the bird population and density certainly entice many birders to be there. The main target birds in Berjaya Hill include Partridge, Mountain Peacock, Orange-breasted Trogon, Orange-headed Thrush, Silver-breasted Broadbill just to name a few. Berjaya Hill can be reached by car in approximately one hour from Kuala Lumpur. 

To enter Berjaya Hill, an entrance fee of RM16 or approximately USD4 per person will be collected at the foothill. The Hill is open for guests from 9.30 a.m. onward. Since Berjaya Hill is also a popular destinations for family get away especially during weekend, be there early and wait for the desire lighting to come and search for the exotic birds.

Yellow-bellied Bulbul @ Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Merapoh, Pahang, Malaysia

Yellow-bellied Bulbul (Alophoixus phaeocephalus) is very active and attractive bird among many hundreds of birds can be found at Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Merapoh, Pahang, Malaysia.  It can be found in the forest, along the road in the Taman Negara or National Park. 

Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Merapoh or Relau River National Park, Pahang is yet another popular birding place in Pahang, Malaysia. Merapoh is a small town located in Pahang-Kelantan state border, some 244 km from the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. It can be reached in approximately 3 hours by car. The birding place located along the road of Taman Negara.  

It is certainly another wonderful birding destinations as it is a residence to many exotic birds. The main target birds in Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Merapoh include Woodpeckers, Malkohas, Hooded Pitta and Malayan Banded Pitta, different types of Babblers, different types of Trogons and different types of Bulbul just to name a few.