Explore Herpetology | Herping Tours - Expedition Thai Peninsula 2026

Start: 10th August 2026 | End: 21st August 2026 | Meeting location: Phuket Town | Availability: 8 Spaces

Included in the tour:

- Expert herpetologists.

- Accommodation.

- Private vehicles.

- Food & drink.

- Mangrove boat tour.

- Transport to/from Snake Island.

- National Park fees and permits.

Phuket pit viper (Trimeresurus phuketensis)

Oldham's bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus oldhami)

Mock viper (Psammodynastes pulverulentus).

Phuket stream toad (Ansonia phuketensis)

Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus)

White-lipped frog (Chalcorana eschatia)

Phuket horned dragon (Acanthosaura phuketensis)

Black-barred keelback (Rhabdophis nigrocinctus)

Blandford's flying dragon (Draco blandfordi)

Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerilii)

Spiny turtle (Heosemys spinosa)

Blood python (Python brongersmai)

Phuket pit viper (Trimeresurus phuketensis)

Wagler's pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri).

Phuket - 1 night:

The expedition begins in Phuket, an extremely popular tourist destination with an international airport. While this may not seem conducive to herping, large portions of the island remain covered in tropical rainforest and 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.

We have visit multiple fantastic locations across the island which are absolutely packed full of herpetofauna, especially snakes. Our primary targets are Wagler’s pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) and the endemic Phuket pit viper (Trimeresurus phuketensis), while Phuket is also a great location to see the common mock viper (Psammodynastes pulverulentus), black-barred keelback (Rhabdophis nigrocinctus) and green cat snake (Boiga cyanea) - all species which are hard to find at other locations on the tour. If we get heavy rain, this area provides our best chance to see blood python (Python brongersmai), a very rare species otherwise. Other herpetofauna targets include the Phuket horned dragon (Acanthosaura phuketensis), Oldham’s bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus oldhami) and the Thalang bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus thalang), while our key amphibian targets are the delightful Phuket stream toad (Ansonia phuketensis) and the very rare Burmese warty frog (Thelderma phrynoderma).

Our singular night's stay at this location will be spent at a comfortable hotel on the north side of Phuket town, surrounded by a myriad of restaurants, malls and other shops where we can buy last-minute supplies for our travels across the peninsula. We will drive to our herping destinations, both during the day and at night, although one can find herpetofauna just walking around the streets beside the hotel.

Keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata).

Small-spotted coral snake (Calliophis maculiceps).

Water monitor (Varanus salvator)

Radiated rat snake (Coelognathus radiata)

Zebra-tailed bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus zebraicus)

Slow loris (Nycticebus coucang)

Juvenile green cat snake (Boiga cyanea)

Laotian wolf snake (Lycodon laoensis)

Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)

Marine file snake (Acrochordus granulatus)

Monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia)

Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma)

Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus)

Beautiful pit viper (Trimeresurus venustus)

Krabi:

The second stop on the tour is 2 nights in Krabi province, one of the all-time most popular destinations for herping in Thailand and a place our guides have been coming to for almost 15 years. The towering limestone karst formations and tidal mangrove forests provide the perfect backdrop to a tropical herping adventure, and we will make the most of our brief stay here by exploring as much of Krabi's extraordinary landscapes as possible.

During the day, we will spend time road cruising for monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) and radiated ratsnake (Coelognathus radiata) amongst the plantations, as well as hiking limestone karst valleys for the emblematic beautiful pit viper (Trimeresurus venustus). We have often observed keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata) and Siamese red-necked keelback (Rhabdophis siamensi) during the daytime as well. Fans of Testudines will be happy here, as we regularly encounter both elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongated) and South-East Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) at one of our favourite karst trails. Both water monitor (Varanus salvator) and clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus) are very common here too.

At night, we can explore a city park in the centre of Krabi town which is crawling with Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma), and where we also found a huge (~4.5 meter) reticulated python on our 2025 expedition. Later, 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 mangrove-dwelling aquatic species. We can also explore the mangroves on foot in search of other rare mangrove mud snakes, more mangrove pit vipers and the clean-banded form of the Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus).

Another favourite herping site here is a road winding through the limestone-adjacent hills near Krabi Town. This area is home to a lot of different species of herpetofauna, most notably the small-spotted coral snake (Calliophis maculiceps) and the melanistic form of the dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon). We regularly encounter mammals at this hills, such as Sunda slow loris, banded palm civets, greater hog badgers, mouse deer, leopard cat, and even saw a Sunda pangolin on our expedition here in 2023.

Perak horned toad (Xenophrys aceras)

Sabah pit viper (Trimeresurus sabahi fucatus)

Thai warty frog (Theloderma horridum)

David Bowie's huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie)

Sumatran cobra (Naja sumatrana)

Lekagul's bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus lekaguli)

White-spotted cat snake (Boiga drapiezii)

Dark-headed cat snake (Boiga nigriceps)

Dusky wolf snake (Lycodon albofuscus).

Blunt-headed slug snake (Aplopeltura boa)

White-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus cf. albolabris)

Red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps)

Beautiful pit viper (Trimeresurus venusuts)

Hagen's pit viper (Trimeresurus hageni)

Trang:

Trang is our first venture into tropical dipterocarp rainforest, where we will hike pristine forests with giant trees and a truly innumerable diversity of herpetofauna. We will search as hard as possible for the red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps), which we have seen here on multiple tours in the past, as well Hagen's pit viper (Trimeresurus hageni), as this is the only location on the expedition where we have a genuine opportunity to observe this impressive species. Other elapids such as the golden form of the Sumatran spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana) have been seen here, as well as the blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgata flaviceps) - extremely rare this far north on the peninsula.

In addition to these world-class snakes, Trang has isolated populations of the southern clade of white-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus cf. albolabris) and limestone karst formations with arguably the most colourful clade of the beautiful pit viper (Trimeresurus venustus), both of which we will attempt to find. Colubrids of all shapes and sizes are abundant here and each night will be a non-stop thrill of rainforest exploration. We will be hoping to encounter Thai warty frog (Theloderma horridum), Perak horned frog (Megophrys aceras) and many different lizards while in Trang.

We will stay both nights at a comfortable hotel within Trang city and drive out to our herping locations during both the day and night. Trang has a nice variety of food options and a night market on weekends, which is great for those looking to enjoy authentic local food (or burgers).

Mangrove pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus)

Water monitor (Varanus salvator)

Yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrina)

Small-spotted coral snake (Calliophis maculiceps)

Mangrove pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus)

Snake Island

Our resort with a private beach.

Snake Island:

Situated just a short boat ride off the west coast of southern peninsula Thailand is what we call “snake island”, a small islet with beautiful sandy beaches and rocky headlands. The reef systems surrounding the island provide hunting habitat for a thriving population of yellow-lipped sea kraits (Laticauda colubrina), which can be found on the island at night as they come to shore to rest, and even during the daytime if we are extremely fortunate. This island also gives us a fantastic chance to get up close with mangrove pit vipers (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus) if we missed them in Krabi. They can be found in the garden of our resort and along the beach while searching for sea kraits. We have also found some rare species such as the small-spotted coral snake (Calliophis maculiceps) and paradise flying snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) on this island too.

Our accommodation is a seaside resort situated within its own private beach where you can swim or relax in tropical paradise. The resort rents out snorkels and kayaks, and also has a swimming pool of its own. We usually take this leg of the trip as a rest-day from the intense herping of the start of the expedition, preparing for the exciting locations which come after.

Limestone eyelash pit viper (Trimeresurus ciliaris)

Abbott's angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus abbotti)

Red-tailed pipe snake (Cylindrophis ruffus)

Mangrove cat snake (Boiga melanota)

Rufous-backed kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa)

Great angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus grandis)

"black" tokay gecko (Gekko sp.)

Brown kukri snake (Oligodon purpurascens)

Cinnamon frog (Nictyxalus pictus)

White-bellied rat snake (Ptyas fusca)

Smith's green-eyed gecko (Gekko smithii)

Giant pond turtle (Heosemys grandis)

Triangle keelback (Xenochrophis trianguligerus)

Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis unicolor)

reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus).

Thale Ban

Our bungalows, situated beside the natural lake.

Malaysian blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgata flaviceps)

Satun:

Only 2 kilometres from 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 very challenging to find in this area, but Satun provides the opportunity to see incredibly rare species such as the Malaysian blue coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus) and orange-lipped keelback (Rhabdophis flaviceps), as well as countless other more common species. We often see purple kukri snake (Oliogodon purpurascens), white-bellied rat snake (Ptyas fusca) and mangrove cat snake (Boiga melanota) here, and have seen red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps) at this national park on multiple of our previous Thai Peninsula expeditions, along with a giant (~6 meter) reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) in 2023.

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). It is also possible to see the remarkable and extremely rare Abbott's angle-headed lizard (Gonocephalus abbotti) here. Satun is also the best location for testudines, as we have recorded many different species around the lake and adjacent streams, most notably giant pond terrapin (Heosemys grandis) and spiny terrapin (Heosemys spinosa).

Despite all these aforementioned species possible at the location, our biggest target species of our entire stay in Satun will actually be the newly described limestone eyelash pit viper (Trimeresurus ciliaris). We found this species amongst Satun's limestone karst formations in 2023, and found another 2 individuals during our 2024 expedition. This species is extremely elusive, but our sites here have a strong population of them, and with adequate searching and good weather conditions, we will have a great chance to encounter one.

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. A restaurant which serves good food and fruit shakes is only 5 minutes from the accommodation, and overlooks a limestone stream where we have even observed keelback snakes and soft-shell turtle (Dogania subplana) while eating our food.

Ridley's cave racer (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi)

Our bungalows are barely visible amongst tall dipterocarp trees.

Lowland forest filled with snakes.

Giant river toad (Phrynoidis asperum)

Speckle-headed vine snake (Ahaetulla fasciolata).

Jodi's pipe snake (Cylindrophis jodiae).

Bengkulu cat snake (Boiga bengkuluensis)

White-spotted slug snake (Pareas margaritophorus).

Striated bronzeback (Dendrelaphis striatus)

Twin-barred flying snake (Chrysopelea pelias)

Jasper cat snake (Boiga jaspidea)

Dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon)

Red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps).

Keel-bellied whip-snake (Dryophiops rubsecens).

Kuhl's gliding gecko (Gekko kuhli).

The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) found in August 2023

Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerilii)

Phatthalung:

For our penultimate destination on the expedition, we will spend 2 nights in Phatthalung. Our guides have spent extensive time in this area and consider it one of the very best locations in all of Thailand for herping. Phatthalung consistently provides the highest density and diversity of snake species of any location we visit on this tour, with some of the most enjoyable trails for exploring in all of Thailand. This location holds our company record for "most snake species seen in one night", at both 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (15, 14 and tied 13 respectively).

The limestone karst formations surrounding our accommodation are full of exciting herpetofauna, most famous for several cave systems where Ridley’s cave racers (Elaphe taeniura ridleyi) can be found. While exploring these caves, were even treated to a king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus) encounter on our expedition in 2023. Rare species such as the striated bronzeback (Dendrelaphis striatus) and twin-barred flying snake (Chrysopelea pelias) have both showed up for us around our bungalows, while mangrove cat snake (Boiga melanota), Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) and puff-faced water snake (Homalopsis sp.). are very common along the stream outside our bungalows. We have seen Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerilii) outside our accommodation on two occasions.

As well as limestone karst lowland forest, there are nearby waterfalls in ultra-humid dipterocarp hill forest with trails and streams where we can find all of southern Thailand's cat snakes (Boiga sp.), blunt-headed slug snake (Aplopeltura boa), red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps) and so much more. Huge female giant river toads (Phrynoidis asper) are guaranteed at this location, as well as several species of gliding lizard (Draco sp.) and an huge diversity of geckos (Cyrtodactylus, Cnemaspis, Gekko, Gehyra, etc).

Our accommodation here are national park bungalows shrouded by limestone karst formations and rich lowland rainforest, and a consistent favourite for our guests. We typically drive around 15-30 minutes to eat at local restaurants, where there is also a 7-eleven for snacks and additional nutrition.

Thai-peninsula pit viper (Trimeresurus sabahi fucatus).

Mountain slug snake (Pareas cf. macularius)

Malayan mountain pit viper (Ovophis convictus)

Larut bug-eyed frog (Theloderma asperum)

Dark-headed cat snake (Boiga nigriceps).

Butler's mountain wolf snake (Lycodon butleri).

Khao Nan false bloodsucker (Pseudocalotes khaonanensis).

Thung Song:

For the final leg on the expedition, Thung Song completes the full Southern Thai habitat experience with our first and only venture into high elevation, sub-montane rainforest. The much colder climate at this location provides the opportunity to see some montane endemics, as well as other upland forest-dwelling species.

The most abundant target in this area is the highland morph of the Thai-peninsula pit viper (Trimeresurus sabahi fucatus), while the holy grail is undoubtedly the extremely rare Malayan mountain pit viper (Ovophis convictus). Mountain slug snake (Pareas macularius) and Butler's wolf snake (Lycodon butleri) are two further species which can only be found at this location. Showstoppers such as golden-morph Sumatran cobra (Naja sumatrana) are also recorded from this location, along with some other scarce species of herpetofauna such as the Larut bug-eyed frog (Theloderma asperum) and Khao Nan false bloodsucker (Pseudocalotes khaonanensis).

We will spend our solitary night here at national park bungalows at the summit of the mountain, where we can explore fantastic habitat and trails outside our front door. We will eat in the lowlands before ascending to the highlands. Stopping at this location also makes our journey back to Phuket the following day significantly shorter than previous years.

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 western bathroom as a minimum. The standard package is a shared room with one other person. One can request a single supplement package if you wish to have a private room for the full duration of the expedition.

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 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 10th August 2026 at the latest, but we advise you to arrive in Phuket the day before. We will return to the same hotel in Phuket by 16:00 on the the evening of 21st August 2026, 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. 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.