Watching Wildlife from the Star Flyer in Asia

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Watching Wildlife from the Star Flyer in Asia

STAR CLIPPERS

Watching Wildlife from the Star Flyer in Asia

By Andy Lovering | Director of Sales & Marketing | Star Clippers It’s 6AM on a balmy November morning and I am stood

Archipelago and many passengers are enjoying the

on the teak sun deck of the Star Flyer, watching a deep

watersports facilities set up on the white coral sand

red sunrise over the Andaman Sea. The ship left Phuket

beach. Whilst holidaymakers sunbathe, many birds

harbour last night and, this morning, the air is warm

of prey are slowly migrating southwards, using these

with enough breeze to eliminate humidity, yet fill the

islands as landmarks. Grey-faced Buzzards mix with the

sails.

larger, Crested Honey Buzzards as they use thermals from the islands to rise high and glide over the next

Early mornings are always the best time of day for

section of open sea.

birdwatching and today is no exception. Looking from port to starboard, hundreds of Bridled Terns are

There is a small lagoon behind the beach and here I find

perched on the many floating branches, occasionally

a pair of Indian Rollers, flashing their iridescent blue

taking to the air on short fishing forays.

flight feathers, and also a small flock of Blue-tailed Bee Eaters, each hawking for dragonflies over the brackish

Overhead, the pirates are waiting; Frigate birds hang

water.

bat-like aloft, waiting for their chance to harry a passing Tern and steal this morning’s catch. Lesser Frigate birds

Sailing to Penang brings Brahminy Kites, their rufous

are the most numerous in these waters, but careful

wings contrasting with their white head and breast.

observation picks out a few, much rarer, Christmas

Once common on the mainland, the coastline and

Frigate birds; the white belly of the males being

islands of the Thai-Malay Peninsula is now the best area

diagnostic.

in which to find them. As Star Flyer glides gracefully through the glass-like water, I see a huge White-bellied

An afternoon beach stop at Ko Adang in the Butang

Sea Eagle swoop down and grasp a Sea Snake from the

water and head for the nearest island.

Our last call is in the Similan Islands, where azure waters give way to the whitest of beaches, fringed

There is still an area of rainforest remaining on Penang

by Evergreen forest. Along an inland nature trail,

and butterflies abound here. If lucky, you can sport

spectacular butterflies float by and, birdwatching, I spot

a White-handed (or Lar’s) Gibbon swinging through

Common Koel, Cinnamon Bittern and my ‘bird of the

the trees, it’s whooping calls resounding eerily across

week’, the metallic blue, and very rare, Nicobar Pigeon.

the forest canopy. Gibbons are elusive, but can also be

Found only on the Nicobar Islands and a few of the

found on Langkawi, plus, they have been reintroduced,

more remote Thai islands, this colourful bird is truly

on a handful of small islets in Phang Nga Bay.

endangered. A holiday in Asia aboard Star Flyer brings some stunning scenery, yet, unnoticed by many, there is

We set sail, via Ko Lipe, to the myriad limestone outcrops of Phang Nga Bay, spotting Dollarbirds, Pacific Reef Egrets, more Brahminy Kites and Sea Eagles.

Dolphins ride Star Flyer’s bow waves and, when we stop for snorkelling at the idyllic beach on Ko Hong, they join us; their curiosity and playfulness as great as ours.

a host of wonderful wildlife all around.

STAR CLIPPERS