Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary
(Updated 28/04/22)

Rhinoceros Hornbill (Photo by Nick Upton)

Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, in Narathiwat province, is made up of two sectors; Hala sector and Bala sector. Hala sector is mountainous and inaccessible, currently completely off-limits to visitors due to the violence in the area. However, Bala sector can be visited with caution and a narrow road through the beautiful lowland forest here makes access easy.

The Bala sector of this Wildlife Sanctuary consists mainly of lowland forest on the border with Malaysia making it just about the only place in Thailand where many lowland Sundaic species can be found. In addition to this, the forest is exceptionally beautiful with lots of mature trees and clear streams and these, together with the remote location, give visitors a real sense of wilderness. There are a number of short trails within the Wildlife Sanctuary for those that like to walk, but simply birding along the road can prove very productive.

The survival of so much forest is unsual in Southern Thailand, with most habitat having been converted to rubber and palm oil plantations, but Hala-Bala owes its existence to extended periods of insurgency and separatism; indeed there have been problems in this area for hundreds of years. The Widlife Sanctuary was designated in the 1990s when there was a period of peace but since heavy-handed political shenanigans in 2004 there has been another round of violence which continues although over the last few years has been much reduced. Since 2020 peace seems to be threatening to break out in this region with talks seemingly actually getting somewhere but there are still occasional bomb attacks although Narathiwat province seems to mostly avoid this nonsense. The area close to the Bala sector of the Wildlife Sanctuary has no history of violent problems and as long as visitors plan their journey properly it is safe to visit, although it is essential to know which route to travel on and to avoid driving at dawn and dusk (and certainly not at night). I would not want my advice to be responsible for people getting into trouble in this area so it would be wise to research the situation yourself close to the time if one wants to travel to Bala.

There are so many birding highlights here it is difficult to know where to start. However, probably the most stand-out group of birds here are the hornbills; some of the most memorable birds in the country. At the Bala sector there are a good number of hornbill species that are regularly seen with the impressive Rhinoceros Hornbill being a fairly common bird. Rhinoceros, Helmeted, Wrinkled, Bushy-crested, White-crowned and Wreathed Hornbills are all regularly seen in while Great Hornbill is also present in the forest.

Malaysian Rail Babbler is a much-wanted bird for many birders and during the breeding season this hard-to-find bird is regularly encountered, but don't expect it to be easy to locate. Garnet Pitta used to be present in one particular spot but this spectacular bird has not been seen for some years; it may persist, however, in areas that are not frequently visited in this forest. Giant Pitta has also been seen, but again, not for quite some time.

This is one of the few locations in Thailand where birders have a good chance of seeing Bat Hawk and Malaysian Eared Nightjar at dusk and it's also a great place for some really colourful species including Black-and-red Broadbill, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Diard's Trogon, Yellow-crowned Barbte and, for the very lucky, Red-naped Trogon.

A wide variety of woodpeckers, barbets, babbler and bulbuls occur here, many of which are extremeley rare, or absent, in most of Thailand such as Finsch's Bulbul, Yellow-crowned Barbet, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Reddish Scops Owl, Rufous-chested Flycatcher and White-necked Babbler and for those who spend time here there are a lot of exciting birds to look for.

A checklist for the birds of this area can be found here - Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary Checklist

Use the interactive map below to plan your route to the Bala sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary. The blue line shows the routes from Hat Yai airport (A), Narathiwat airport (C) and Sungai Kolok (D) to the Wildlife Santuary gate (B).

Getting to the Bala Sector of Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary is not as difficult as one might think. I would recommend going by car, hiring one in one of the southern towns; they would be widely available from Phuket or Krabi. The main highway south goes to Narathiwat and from there signposts to Sungai Kolok should be followed. If travelling by public transport, there are plenty of buses from the southern bus terminal in Bangkok to Sungai Kolok. The journey takes in the region of 16 hours. From Sungai Kolok follow the main road to Waeng and from there continue along the road which heads to the border. Shortly after leaving Waeng, Bala Wildlife Sanctuary is signposted; simply follow these.

If arriving in Sungai Kolok by public transport one would have to look around for transport to the park; the border crossing to Malaysia would be a starting point for this. However, I wouldn't advise attempting to arrive by public transport without having a car to drive to the park, particularly when security is an issue in this part of Thailand. Having a private vehicle will also allow birders to properly enjoy the birding hotspots around the park which are long distances from each other and could not all be reached on foot.

By spending a good amount of time (4-5 days) in a wide spread of locations within the Bala section of the wildlife sanctuary birders will inevitably see a lot of good birds. However, historically there have been several hotspots that always provide good birding.

HQ : A number of flowering trees here allow good views of many Bulbuls, Flowerpeckers and Spiderhunters, with most of the southern specialities being fairly easy to find.

Research Station: Some birders spend the whole day in and around the research station, and many excellent species can be found in this way. A stake-out for Bat Hawk and Javan Frogmouth exists behind a shed where tools and vehicles are kept, just after the turning which goes down a steep slope. The Frogmouth sits in a tree slightly to the right of this shed and can be seen at close quarters. The Bat Hawks nest in a large distant tree and can be viewed through a telescope when at the nest. The staff at the research station are happy to spend a few minutes helping visiting birders locate both of these species

Many Hornbills can be encountered around here too. Rhinoceros Hornbill regularly comes to feed on nearby trees and is quite a fabulous sight. The rare Wrinkled Hornbill sometimes passes by in small flocks and Wreathed Hornbills often fly overhead. Plenty of smaller birds frequently show up here also; Collared Falconet is a much photographed highlight which can usually be seen perched on bare branches; Brown and Gold-whiskered Barbets are often found in the larger trees and Long-billed Spiderhunter is usually easy to see feeding on flowering ornamental trees.

A track runs down a steep slope from the accommodation at the research centre into a river valley. Down here there is a circular, paved trail which can be a great place to see Babblers, with Short-tailed Babbler being particularly numerous on my visit. Next to the river is a small shelter which is a good place to have lunch and is a stake-out for Kingfishers.

Another trail crosses this river and goes through some excellent lowland forest where a number of highly sought-after species have been seen including Rail-babbler, Garnet and Giant Pittas, Short-toed Coucal and Rufous-tailed Shama. When I visited in March 2003 I also saw Bushy-crested and White-crowned Hornbills in this area. Probably the worst aspect of this trail is the fact that it is infested by leeches; I was covered in them by the time I got out of the forest here and my socks saturated in blood - leech socks would be very helpful!

Sirintorn Waterfall : Many Whiskered Treeswifts can be seen as one walks down the road towards this waterfall, and Orange-backed Flowerpecker is frequent in the smaller trees. However, the main reason to visit this waterfall is to find Chestnut-naped Forktail which is frequently observed at the base of the waterfall and along the stream. Look carefully as it can be surprisingly easy to miss and visiting in the very early morning or late afternoons are the best time to see this shy species which is very nervous of disturbance that is created when people visit the waterfall.

Spectacled Spiderhunter (Photos by Peter Ericsson)

Viewpoints : These two viewpoints, where there are shelters in rather a poor state of repair, provide some of the birding highlights of the Wildlife Sanctuary as well as views across some very beautiful forest. Hornbills can often be seen flying over the forest, with Helmeted and Rhinoceros Hornbills being regularly seen and providing a fantastic sight. I had a lot of success with Woodpeckers at these locations in 2003, seeing Buff-rumped, Buff-necked and Olive-backed Woodpeckers within a few minutes of each other.

Lots of other southern specialities can be found feeding in trees in these areas with Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler, numerous Bulbuls, Minivets and the rather unspectacular Brown Fulvetta all occurring. The first of the two viewpoints provides the best vistas across the forest making it a good place to look out for soaring raptors, Blyth's and Wallace's Hawk Eagles being the regional specialities.

Temple : A short trail runs from the back of this forest temple, along a small stream which leads to a small pond and eventually to a village. There is some very moist forest along here, although the trail is a little rough and sloping with encroaching vegetation, attracting many exciting lowland specialist species such as Temminck's Sunbird, Green Broadbill, Chestnut-rumped Babbler, Spotted Fantail and Little Bronze Cuckoo. Some birdwatchers have been lucky enough to find Malaysian Rail-babbler along here and there have been a few reports of Daird's Trogon from the small pond, but I'm not sure how reliable these are as they came from local youngsters. However, this is certainly a good spot to sit and wait for birds to come down to drink.

The facilities at the Bala section of Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary are mostly non-existent although there are some public toilets at the waterfall area. It used to be possible to stay at the research station but arranging this has become so problematic that it is virtually impossible. There is a campsite at the research station but these days there are a few pleasant places to stay just outside of the forest that are far more appealing options. Pracharath Resort is the closest of these to the forest itself, with well-built chalets that all have air-conditioning and private shower/toilet rooms. Meals can be arranged for the evenings here, although communication can be tricky, while right next door is a convenience store. Some interesting birds can be seen from the property too.

Pracharath Resort

Just a little further away is Suansubtwaee Resort, very close to the border with Malaysia, which overlooks some patches of forest and has turned up some nice birds. The owners are friendly and although just a little further away from the forest than Pracharath Resort, it has the advantage of being easy to book online. Another good accommodation option is Sabai Sabai Resort, a few more kilometres away from the forest, close to the village of Ban Buketa.

All of these accommodations are a very short drive from the village of Ban Buketa where there are a few small restaurants, where cheap meals are available, and a colection of small shops that sell various things. If you happen to be in the area during Ramadan then finding food in this area can be problematic. However, at this time Ban Buketa has a food market in the few hours before darkness where you can buy food to take back to the accommodation to eat. There are also a series of local convenience stores in the village that sell various sweet breads, fruit, drinks etc. that can be used for breakfast.

Some people have stayed in Sungai Kolok, where there are several hotels, but this leaves a long drive into the forest every day and I wouldn't recommend this as it is rather too far away. However, the town of Sungai Kolok has all the conveniences birders would need such as a supermarket, banks, ATMs, a hospital and clinics plus a variety of shops that sell anything that should be needed in an emergency.

Birdwatching Tours

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Jan Wilczur's Bird Art: Gurney's Pitta, Banded Pitta & Rufous-collared Kingfisher

Far South Thailand, 25th June-2nd July 2024 - by Nick Upton

Southern Thailand & Kaeng Krachan Photography Trip, 8-20th June 2016 - by Nick Upton

Hala-Bala, 12-17th May 2005 - by Hanno Stamm

Hala-Bala & KNC, 21-23rd April 2003 - by Peter Ericsson

Bala Wildlife Sanctuary Wet Season Birding - posted 22/06/16

• 29 June 2024, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary- Toh Moh Forest Trail - by Nick Upton
• 28 June 2024, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary- Bala (general area) - by Nick Upton
• 11 April 2022, Pracharat Resort Vicinity - by Nick Upton
• 08 April 2022, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (general area) - by Nick Upton
• 08 April 2022, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary - Toh Moh Community Forest - by Nick Upton
• 16 February 2022, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary (general area) - by Vatcharavee Sriprasertsil
• 21 June 2021, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary - HQ & Sirindhorn Waterfall vicinity - by Vatcharavee Sriprasertsil
• 08 April 2021, Pracharat Resort Vicinity - by Somkiat Pakapinyo
• 09 December 2018, Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary - HQ & Sirindhorn Waterfall vicinity - by Akekachoke Buranaanun

If you found this page useful and want to say thanks, you can buy me a beer.

Email me at nickupton@thaibirding.com

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