Explore Herpetology | Herping Tours - Expedition Thai Peninsula 2024

Start: 27th August 2024 | End: 9th September 2024 | Meeting location: Phuket Town | Availability: 2 spaces remaining

Included in the tour:

- Expert herpetologist guides.

- Private vehicles throughout the tour.

- Accommodation for all 13 nights.

- All meals.

- Drinking water.

- Mangrove boat tour.

- Boats to/from Snake Island.

- Park fees and permits.

Phuket stream toad (Ansonia phuketensis)

Wagler's pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri)

Blood python (Python brongersmai)

Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus)

White-lipped frog (Chalcorana eschatia)

Phuket horned dragon (Acanthosaura phuketensis)

Phuket pit viper (Trimeresurus phuketensis)

Mock viper (Psammodynastes pulverulentus)

Male Wagler's pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri)

Black-barred keelback (Rhabdophis nigrocinctus)

Blandford's flying dragon (Draco blandfordi)

Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus)

Cantor's mangrove snake (Cantoria violacea)

Oldham's bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus oldhami)

This expedition begins in Phuket, a popular island best known for its luxury resorts and sandy beaches. However, large portions of the island remain covered in tropical rainforest. Phuket’s isolation enabled the evolution of several endemic reptiles and amphibians, while its proximity to the mainland means that much of Southern Thailand’s biodiversity occurs here too.

Our primary targets are Wagler’s pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) and the endemic Phuket pit viper (Trimeresurus phuketensis), while many beautiful colubrids are commonly encountered here too, including mock viper (Psammodynastes pulverulentus), black-barred keelback (Rhabdophis nigrocinctus) and the speckle-headed vine snake (Ahaetulla fasciolata). Malayan kraits (Bungurus candidus) and reticulated pythons (Malayopython reticulatus) are both regular sights on Phuket, and although almost undetectable, blood pythons (Python brongersmai) are recorded more frequently than anywhere else in Thailand. We can also visit mangroves where some rare brackish-water dwelling mud snakes can be found in high numbers. The Phuket horned dragon (Acanthosaura phuketensis) and Oldham’s bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus oldhami) are two lizard highlights, while our key amphibian target is the delightful Phuket stream toad (Ansonia phuketensis), a very rarely seen endemic to the island.

We will meet and stay 2 nights at a comfortable hotel Phuket town, surrounded by a myriad of restaurants and other cultural attractions, and there will be time for you to explore the city as well as tropical forests before we depart on our journey to other exciting places.

Beautiful pit viper (Trimeresurus venustus)

Monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia)

Mangrove pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus)

Zebra-tailed bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus zebraicus)

Marine file snake (Acrochordus granulatus)

Slow loris (Nycticebus coucang)

Laotian wolf snake (Lycodon laoensis)

Juvenile green cat snake (Boiga cyanea)

Melanistic dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon)

Striped bronzeback (Dendrelaphis caudolineatus)

Mangrove snake (Boiga melanota)

The resort we will be staying in for 3 nights.

Limestone karst formation within our resort garden.

The second stop on the tour is 3 nights in Krabi province, one of the most popular destinations for herping in Thailand - for good reasons. The towering limestone karst formations and tidal mangrove forests provide the perfect backdrop to a tropical herping adventure, as well as holding a unique diversity of herpetofauna. We will explore this extraordinary karst landscape by day and night, searching at night for the emblematic beautiful pit viper (Trimeresurus venustus), mangrove cat snake (Boiga melanota) and the locally common melanistic dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon). During the daytime, we will search along rocky streams and karst valleys hoping to encounter monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) or even the elusive king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), as well as other large colubrids such as red-tailed racer (Gonyosoma oxycephalum) and keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata). On top of herpetofauna, we have previously encountered mammals such as Sunda slow loris, banded palm civets, greater hog badgers, mouse deer, leopard cat, and even glimpsed a sunda pangolin on our expedition here in 2023.

On our final day in Krabi, we will hire a longtail boat to travel through the mangrove estuary with the ambition of encountering resting mangrove pit vipers (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus), as well as marine file snake (Acrochordus granulatus) and other rare aquatic species. Dog-faced water snakes (Cerberus schneiderii) can be found in tens if the tidal conditions are favourable. We can also explore the mangroves on foot in search of other rare mangrove mud snakes, more mangrove pit vipers and even Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus).

Throughout our time in Krabi, we will be staying at a scenic resort situated at the base of the limestone karst formations. There will be a restaurant with wifi and food served morning-to-evening, on top of 24 hour access to high-quality herping. Even within the bungalows, common wolf snakes (Lycodon capucinus) and golden flying snakes (Chrysopelea ornata) are often found.

Perak horned toad (Xenophrys aceras)

Sabah pit viper (Trimeresurus sabahi fucatus)

Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma)

Horrible warty frog (Theloderma horridum)

David Bowie's huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

Red-necked keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus)

Sumatran cobra (Naja sumatrana)

Lekagul's bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus lekaguli)

White-spotted cat snake (Boiga drapiezii)

Juvenile dark-headed cat snake (Boiga nigriceps)

White-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus cf. albolabris)

Red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps)

Blunt-headed slug snake (Aplopeltura boa)

Primary lowland dipterocarp rainforest

Over the years, Trang has established its reputation as one of the best herping locations in Thailand. Here, we will have a chance to see the incredible red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps) and ultra-rare golden-morph Sumatran spitting cobras (Naja sumatrana). We have even found blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgata) at our favourite rainforest site in Trang. In addition to these world-class snakes, Trang is most consistent place in Thailand where one can encounter Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma), and has isolated populations of the southern genetic clade of white-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus cf. albolabris), which we will target on our second night in the province. We can find Thai-Peninsula pit vipers (Trimeresurus sabahi fucatus) at the rainforest site if luck is on our side. Perak horned frog (Xenophrys aceras) and Hendrickson’s litter frog (Leptobrachium hendricksonii) are two commonly seen frogs in the area, while green crested lizards (Bronchocela rayaensis) and Kuhl’s parachute geckos (Gekko kuhli) are abundant too. We will be staying in Trang city with direct access to Trang's weekend night market, as well as several different restaurants.

Mangrove pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus)

Yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrina)

Golden tree snake (Chrysopelea ornata)

Water monitor (Varanus salvator)

Snake Island

Our resort with a private beach.

Situated just a short boat ride off the west coast of southern peninsula Thailand is what we call “snake island”, a small islet predominantly edged in sandy beaches. However, the reef systems surrounding the island provide a thriving population of yellow-lipped sea kraits (Laticauda colubrina), which can be found at night as they come to shore to rest. This island also gives us another fantastic chance to get up close with mangrove pit vipers (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus), which can even be found in the garden of our resort. We will stay in a seaside hotel with its own private beach where you can swim or relax in tropical paradise.

Red-tailed pipe snake (Cylindrophis ruffus)

Mangrove cat snake (Boiga melanota)

Blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgata)

Great angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus grandis)

Orange-lipped keelback (Rhabdophis flaviceps)

Undescribed tokay gecko (Gekko sp.)

Brown kukri snake (Oligodon purpurascens)

Rufous-backed kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa)

Cinnamon frog (Nictyxalus pictus)

White-bellied rat snake (Ptyas fusca)

Smith's green-eyed gecko (Gekko smithii)

King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)

Thale Ban

Our bungalows, situated beside the natural lake.

Lying directly on the Malaysian border, Satun’s primary dipterocarp and swamp forest is the highest-quality rainforest habitat we will visit on this tour. Snakes can be challenging to find in this area, but here is our best to chance to encounter incredibly rare species such as the Malaysian blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus) and orange-lipped keelback (Rhabdophis flaviceps), as well as countless other gems including purple kukri snake (Oliogodon purpurascens), white-bellied rat snake (Ptyas fusca) and much more. We found red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps) and a giant reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) here on previous expeditions.

Satun’s ultra-humid lowland forests are packed full of fascinating lizards and amphibians. Keep an eye out for Smith’s giant green-eyed gecko (Gekko smithii) and great angle-headed lizards (Gonocephalus grandis), as well as huge water monitors (Varanus salvator). We have also seen the elusive yet incredible Abbott's angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus abbotti) here on previous years' expeditions. For amphibians, Norhayati's flying frog (Rhacophorus norhayatii), horrible bug-eyed frogs (Theloderma horridum) and the very rare yellow-spotted tree toad (Rentapia flavomaculata) have all been recorded from this area.

We will be staying in bungalows situated beside a magical natural lake for 2 nights, surrounded by freshwater swamp forest which comes alive at night with raucous frog calls.

Ridley's cave racer (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi)

Giant river toad (Phrynoidis asperum)

Banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus)

Bengkulu cat snake (Boiga bengkuluensis)

Twin-barred flying snake (Chrysopelea pelias)

Speckle-headed vine snake (Ahaetulla fasciolata)

White-spotted slug snake (Pareas margaritophorus)

Striated bronzeback (Dendrelaphis striatus)

Dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon)

The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) found in August 2023

Bocourt's mud snake (Subsessor bocourti)

Tentacled snake (Erpeton tentaculatum)

Keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata)

Jasper cat snake (Boiga jaspidea)

Our bungalows are barely visible amongst tall dipterocarp trees.

Lowland forest filled with snakes.

Phatthalung is our final destination on this expedition, and the most remote - seldom visited by herpers. However, our guides have spent extensive time in Phatthalung and consider it one of the best locations in all of Thailand for herping. This area consistently provides the highest density and diversity of snake species of any location we visit on this tour. The limestone karst formations have several hidden cave systems where Ridley’s cave racers (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi) and Lekagul’s bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus lekaguli) are frequently encountered, adjacent to high quality lowland rainforest where we can find all 7 of southern Thailand's cat snakes (Boiga sp.), blunt-headed slug snakes (Aplopeltura boa), and our last chance to target the red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps) along rocky rivers. Huge female giant river toads (Phrynoidis asper) are guaranteed at this location, as well as several species of gliding lizard (Draco sp.) and an unprecedented diversity of geckos. We even encountered a magnificent female king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) here on our tour in 2023.

On our very last night, we will drive a short distance to a lake-side swamp forest boardwalk where, if the conditions are favourable, we can see the amazing tentacled snake (Erpeton tentaculatum) and may even encounter the banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) - a very rarely seen species in Southern Peninsula Thailand. Reticulated pythons and mangrove cat snakes are very abundant here.

Our accommodation here is rainforest bungalows shrouded by limestone karst formations and rich lowland rainforest, and a consistent favourite for our guests - hence why we added an additional night here in 2024. We have encountered snakes directly outside (or even within) the bungalows here on many occasions. Overall, a fantastic way to end our herping expedition together.

Accommodation:

We will be staying in accommodations ranging from city hotels and nature resorts to national park bungalows. Some of the accommodation situated within the rainforest is basic, but you will always have access to electricity, a fan, mobile data and a bathroom as a minimum. Guests coming alone are entitled to a private room as each location, unless they request otherwise.

Food & drink:

Over the course of this tour you will have the opportunity to try a wide variety of traditional Thai cuisine, as well as western classics when closer to town. We will make stops whenever convenient to 7-eleven to ensure people have enough snacks. We will always be stocked with enough drinking water for the group.

Environmental conditions & fitness:

Southern Thailand’s tropical climate is hot and humid all year round. The temperature rarely drops below 22C at night, and usually climbs to 30C or more during the day. This expedition is planned during the middle of Thailand’s rainy season so prepare to get wet at any time; whether it is by storms, wading rivers or diving into the water to catch your dream snake. During this expedition, we will not be scaling any mountains but a minimum level of fitness must be met, we advise an ability to walk 10km per day. Mosquitoes, leeches and other invertebrates will be abundant throughout the tour.

Travel information:

All guests must arrive at our designated meeting location in Phuket at midday (12:00) on the 27th August 2024 at the latest, but we advise you to arrive in Phuket the day before. We will return to the same hotel in Phuket by 18:00 on the the evening of 9th September 2024, where we will say our farewells and end the tour.

It is the guest's responsibility to meet all entry requirements needed to enter Thailand, including visa procedures and covid requirements. Explore Herpetology can help advise entry requirements. Guests traveling from most countries do not require a visa to visit Thailand for <30 days. Make sure to check the entry requirements for your country before booking.

If you would like to browse a detailed trip report of our previous Thai Peninsula tour, click here.