Phnom Penh Birding Experience and Brunch

Wonderful experience birding with bong Vanna. We took a ferry across the river in the car to farmland and fields of lotus. He had everything for you, very prepared: water, sunblock, hat, binoculars and bug spray. We saw lots of smaller birds and he must have binoc eyes or something because he wasn’t using them and spotted the birds off the distance on a random tree branch. Lunch was provided at a cute resort, food was delicious. He also has camping options not advertised, but can be contacted via WhatsApp. Easy to talk to, quick to respond. My group had an amazing time. He quietly took candid pictures for us and sent them over. Appreciate his preparedness, communication, knowledge and friendliness.

It was an extraordinary chance to be able to observe the birds of Cambodia with such enthusiastic and competent guides as Thong Chea and his sidekick, Morn! Just after leaving Phnom Penh centre at 2:30 p.m. and crossing the Mekong River by ferry, the first observation site in the vast forest site of a pagoda. Beautiful and serene atmosphere to listen and discover the national star, the hectic Cambodian tailorbird (identified in 2009), and the delicious ornate sunbird. Thanks to our guides we were able to see and hear many birds! In the fading light, our guides then led us to the second observation site, in vast and superb lotus fields (start of the current harvest). Thong Chea and Morn have spared no effort to enable us to see, hunt down and identify more and more birds, passerines and waders, whether sedentary or migratory: herons, bitterns, great caucal, black-winged stilts, cuckoos, flycatchers, beeaters, bulbuls, shamas, Malaysians, fantails, oriental magpies, etc. The sudden flight of a bittern cinnamon, the theft of a hundred ibis or the successive flights of dozens of birds gathering before returning to their respective dormitories were particularly striking for us. The organization of this walk was perfect, from the bottles of water provided as the walk progressed (in March it is already very hot in Cambodia), to the tasting of fresh fruit facing the sunset over the marshes and lotus fields, to the final dinner always near the birds, in a local restaurant, to exchange on everything we had just observed. Finally, crossing the Mekong at nightfall and returning to the hotel at 8:30 p.m. We can only highly recommend this ornithological outing for both beginner and experienced bird watchers, as the guides are passionate and exciting.

My parents and I enjoyed a half day tour with Mon and Thong and I am happy to say that they were fantastic!! Both Mon and Thong are experienced guides and with their help I was able to see over 30 species (including 10 new ones for me) across the lotus fields and forest habitats, with particular highlights including black-winged kite and the Cambodian tailorbird. My parents and I especially appreciated having breakfast under a canopy in the lotus fields, which allowed us to not only look for birds but also appreciate the beautiful natural scenery. I would happily recommend these two guides to anyone looking for a trip out of the city to see the countryside and birds during their visit to Phnom Penh.

This experience was truly fantastic, and I already want to return so I can do it again! Communication to organise pickup was very helpful, and we were greeted by two super friendly and helpful guides. Massive credit to Thom and Sam - these guys made the day so much fun and we shared a lot of laughs. The birdwatching itself was incredible, I think we saw at least 40-50 different species. Most were at the wetland site and some in the forest. Our guides were super knowledgeable and great communicators, giving us a lot of insight on the birds, habitat, farming practices and local communities. Breakfast of local food and coffee was included and was soooo delicious, and the car we drove between sites in was really comfortable too. We felt really lucky to be able to experience this tour, can't recommend highly enough.

The morning started with an early morning pickup from the hotel. First stop, a latte and bird watching from the cafe deck. The guide Thong is fun and very knowledgeable. We had multiple stops with walks beside Lotus fields and forests, spotting over 30 species of birds. The brunch that ended the trip was great. A very good experience!

Really nice tour. Starts early, gets you out of the city, so it's a bit cooler. Definitely off the beaten path! I really enjoyed it. The guides really know their birds.

Our birding tour with Thong was just perfect. We saw over 30 different species over 3 idyllic locations and the brunch was divine. It was great to get out into the countryside and experience a different side of Cambodia so close to Phnom Penh. Highlight of our tour and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it

This trip was seamless from start to finish. Hotel pick up, ferry, brunch and binoculars included with a very knowledgeable brd guide. We saw over 40 bird species! Getting out of Phonm Penh and having a relaxing morning observing birdlife was refreshing and unexpected so close to the city. I highly recommend!

Our birding tour started early in the morning at 5:30 a.m. with our guide Thong. We crossed the Mekong River by ferry and watched the sunrise over the water. It’s worth turning around too – the view back at Phnom Penh’s skyline in the soft morning light is beautiful. We joined the tour at the end of the rainy season (mid-October). The weather was already great, and there was no need for rain gear. Our first stop was along one of the Mekong’s flooded branches, where we saw many water birds such as kingfishers, herons and also bee-eaters. A special highlight was the Cambodian Tailorbird, which we could observe very well. Thong is an excellent guide with deep knowledge of local birdlife. He easily identifies birds by sound and movement and has a real passion for sharing what he knows. Thanks to him, we learned a lot about the habitats and behavior of different species, and we spotted far more birds than we would have on our own. After the early start, we enjoyed a hearty local breakfast. Later, we visited a temple area surrounded by forest, partly flooded during the wet season. The reflections and colors there were stunning, and we continued birding while exploring the site. (but don’t forget to apply insects repellent!) All in all, it was a wonderful and well-organized birding experience. We highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in nature and birds. (Even those who are not dedicated birders will enjoy the scenery and the peaceful atmosphere. It’s a great experience to share with your partner or friends.)

TLDR: This trip was a highlight of my visit to Cambodia, easily 10/10. If you are into birds and don't have lots of time for a longer bird tour but wish to familiarise yourself with a lot of what you might encounter in open habitats in Cambodia, this is absolutely a terrific tour! Be prepared for lots of mud (bring shoes which won't slip off), sunlight (sunscreen/sleeves and a lot of water), and mosquitos (insect repellant)! The tour included good options for water, hot drinks, and even insect repellant, but with these sorts of things if you have a system which you're used to (i.e., insect repellant you're not allergic to, etc), you're best off bringing your own just to be sure. I had no problems at all, but I'm sure many interested tourists might have their own particular considerations. --- Thong picked me up at 0530 (a bit before that, so if you're ready about ten minutes early then you can jumpstart the day! I wasn't ready yet, and Thong waited paitently for me), and en route to the ferry to cross the river we picked up the dedicated guide, Mon (the Magnificent!). I was the only guest that morning, so while I paid a bit more than if others had also booked, I also got to ask as many questions as I wanted about what we passed, what we saw, and even who we heard. We went first to a site about 30-45 minutes outside of the city, and when it got too muddy to continue Mon and I got out and walked. This first site was along exposed terrain between lotus fields--absolutely beautiful scenery, and lots of wetland/field birds. There were many bitterns, lots of Cambodian Tailorbirds (as well as Common), and rollers, bee eaters, drongos, coucals, prinias, etc. We were fortunate enough to get both White-breasted Waterhen and Black-winged kites, both toward the end of this site (so I hadn't been sure we'd get to see them). Likewise, we saw some Oriental Pratincoles only at the very end of this site walk, so I had been already anticipating that I'd need to look elsewhere for them. Mon helped me match so many bird songs and calls to the respective species, which was SO helpful for the rest of my trip in Cambodia! We slogged out through the mud back to the vehicle and got several more sightings along the way--a really excellent location! The next site was a small woodland around a Wat, and while it was apparently less populated than usual, Mon helped me locate and ID my first Collared Kingfishers, Blue-winged Pitta, Malkoha, Babblers, and Shama. We finished by going to a gorgeous restaurant next to a pond (more wetland habitat for birdwatching!) and eating a selection of delicious Khmer food (Beef loklak and Samlong koko). This was an absolutely terrific tour early in my time in Cambodia, and helped me to understand the birds around me and the challenges they face (habitat loss, etc) as well as a great opportunity to learn more about Khmer culture, food, and lifestyle. 10/10, I hope you enjoy this tour as much as I did!