Bueng Bua Wood Boardwalk

[Big Boy]

Today’s trip was inspired by this thread viewtopic.php?t=41690 , but I’ve created a thread of its own to give it the correct title.

After considering this trip within Sam Roi Yod for over 10 years, I eventually got there this morning. Why, after 10 years? The answer is simple, 31st Dec and 1st Jan have been declared as National Park ‘no service charge’ days for everybody – in other words, it was FREE. Actually, having read that Sam Roi Yod was included in the 2 day amnesty, I just drove through the entrance, although I did see others stopping and paying – I guess a New Year tip for the park staff. I did park close enough to the entrance that they simply could have asked, but nobody said a thing.

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We had arrived fairly early to benefit from a cool 26C, but being December, the sun was low and a large part of the park was in the shadow of the mountains. Unfortunately, as the sun rose Thailand’s notorious smoke haze ruined the view to the South. It was 33C when we left a couple of hours later.

The visitor reception was adequate. A small car park (yes, we were early enough to get into the 12 car visitor car park), which when full, cars just parked on the roadside, a small visitor education centre (we didn’t go inside), a clean toilet block and a coffee shop (cheap, but not recommended).

Across the road was a small area where you could hire a boat for 100฿/head, with 4 persons to a boat.

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To the right of the boat area was the entrance to the shiny new boardwalk. Next to the new boardwalk was the old, no longer used, boardwalk.

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Watching what was going on, the boats were taking visitors way beyond where the boardwalk took us. Visitors were then given a choice of being dropped at the end of the boardwalk, allowing them to make the 1.1Km on foot. About 50% of visitors were doing this.

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The walk itself was quite delightful. The boardwalk took us well away from the shore.

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Unfortunately, there weren’t many flowers in bloom, but there were some. July/August is supposed to be the time when the flowers are all in bloom at the same time.

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The walk does come to an abrupt ending, but there was evidence that it might be extended further.

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The birdlife was amazing. I took a few photos of some large blue birds, which really impressed me,

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plus a couple of others.

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Anybody really interested in birds should certainly not miss this walk – we saw dozens of different varieties on our walk. I did snap a couple as we walked, but anybody with the time and interest could get some great shots of many different varieties.

There were a few sheltered rest points scattered around the boardwalk.

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The first one was about 200 metres into the walk, and we sat there for a while on our return journey hoping the sun would rise a little higher into the sky to facilitate better photos, which it didn’t. I was amazed at how many Thais walked to this sheltered rest point, sat for a while before declaring themselves knackered and walking back again. There were also a few shelters still standing from the old boardwalk, but those were out of bounds.

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About half way along the boardwalk, there was 4 storey observation tower.

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I went up, but have to say, I found it quite scary. Safety railings were quite low, and not adequate/strong enough. I took a few snaps,

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but soon went down – getting old I guess.

We saw plenty of decent sized fish as we walked around, and it seemed to be a graveyard for giant snails. Plenty of piles of sun-bleached snail shells to be seen.

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For me, the biggest disappointment was the smoke haze and the low sun. However, that was no more than I should have expected in December. We most certainly will return in July/August when the flowers should all be in bloom. There will then most probably be a cloud ceiling, so my photographs will not be so badly affected by the sun.

Well worth the visit, even if you have to pay.

[PeteC]

Were the new boardwalk boards actually wood, or the composite decking type?

[Big Boy]

They looked like wood, but there were a couple of damaged boards, and I would say they looked more like the composite decking type.

[PeteC]

The composite type would serve them well for many years, a decade if my outdoor stairs and deck in Hawaii served as an indicator. Pure wood would serve frequent board replacement contract shenanigans.

[Big Boy]

I know we have some (feathered) bird enthusiasts on here. Can anybody tell me what the blue birds were please?

[Edit] Google suggests a Grey Headed Swamphen - is this right?

[joelle]

I know we have some (feathered) bird enthusiasts on here. Can anybody tell me what the blue birds were please?

[Edit] Google suggests a Grey Headed Swamphen - is this right?

It is a Purple Swamphen (𝘗𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘴)
Answer from https://m.facebook.com/groups/thai.spec ... tid=Nif5oz

[Big Boy]

Thank you

[joelle]

Thank you

Received another answer I quote :
«I believe it's a Grey-headed swamphen. Purple swamphens are a lot smaller and have yellow legs and a yellow tip beak.»

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gra ... s-compare/#

[Big Boy]

Hmmm....... Grey headed is what Google suggested. The birds were quite large, and I was thinking turkey sized, and was wondering how it must taste when I saw it.

[pharvey]

I know we have some (feathered) bird enthusiasts on here.......

Indeed - and Thailand full of some exotic varieties and beautiful habitats....

.........The birds were quite large, and I was thinking turkey sized, and was wondering how it must taste when I saw it.

Then of course there are those who prefer the "Rotisserie" version....

[buksida]

Nice, another trip I've wanted to undertake but think we'll wait for the lotus bloom season.

[Big Boy]

Actually, if you just do the boardwalk, the lotus bloom element will be significantly reduced i.e lotus flowers will only be the first 200 yards. Although I was restricted because of the wheelchair, you will be much better off starting with the boat option, getting dropped off at the far end of the boardwalk, and walking back.

When we return, I will most certainly investigate the possibility of taking the wheelchair as luggage. Even if it takes an extra seat, 100฿ more will not break the bank.

[buksida]

Good idea, we did a similar boat trip across the big lake in Phattalung for the lotus bloom.

[pharvey]

Certainly looks well worth the visit - the simple fact that I could handle the walk even using a crutch (which seems to be long term) is a huge bonus. Visiting during the "Lotus Bloom" must be quite the experience, though I imagine the visitors there would be significantly increased at this time.

Daft question, but would visitor numbers be limited at all?

[Big Boy]

I doubt there would be any limitation to numbers, but we were there on a bank holiday, in high season with free entry. It wasn't that busy, albeit we were early arrivals, but didn't leave until about 11. The place is huge, especially if you incorporate a boat trip.

Strangely enough. I've just finished watching a short video on YouTube, which features the boat trip amongst many other things, and it looks well worth 100฿. They pass plenty of the big blue birds I liked so much as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQF_4M1J58g .

Even with a crutch, I'm sure they'll get you on and off the boat OK, and its a 1Km walk back along the boardwalk if you feel up to it.