Little known by birders around the world, the Sa Mu pass is located in the northwest Quang Tri province and belongs to Bac Huong Hoa Natural Reserve Area. The area encompassed by lowland and mid-montane evergreen forest in central Vietnam, adjacent to the international border with Laos.
The avifauna of reserve area is typical of the Annamese Lowlands EBA, birding in Sa Mu more than 200 species has been recorded included many important species either restrict ranged or threatened, those are:
Edwards’s Pheasant ??
Siamese Fireback
Crested Argus
Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo
Blyth’s Kingfisher
Crested Kingfisher
Austen’s Brown Hornbill
Great Hornbill
Red-collared Woodpecker
Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler
White-cheeked Laughingthrush
Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush
How to get there and bird?
From Khe Sanh town, you follow Ho Chi Minh Tay road about 50km in 1 hour by car to reach the highest point of the pass (1,100 meters above sea level). It is worth spending at least a full morning birding around this point where the Rufous-cheeked Laughingthush is commonly seen. If you have more time, explore several trails which hope to see mystery Edwards’s Pheasant… who knows? Find a good stream habitat for scared Blyth’s Kingfisher. Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler is fairly common at lower attitude (600-800m)
Where to stay
Many mini-hotels are available in Khe Sanh town and Lao Bao town, one of the best choices is the Thai Ninh hotel which is the closest and biggest one
How to Identify the Greater Sand Plover, Tibetan Sand Plover and Siberian Sand Plover
Identification Differences within the Sand Plover Complex: The sand plover group, which was traditionally divided [...]
Highlights of Cat Tien National Park Reptiles and Amphibian Endemics
Spanning over 71,350 hectares of tropical forests, grasslands, and wetlands, Cat Tien National Park is [...]
Highlights of Cat Tien National Park Mammals in a World Biosphere Reserve
In addition to reptiles and birds, Cat Tien National Park is also rich in mammals, [...]
Kontum Plateau Endemic and Highlight bird
Kontum Plateau Endemic And Highlight Bird species like Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush and top birding routes while [...]
Dalat Plateau Endemic and highlight bird
The Dalat Plateau is a birdwatcher’s paradise, renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and unique highland [...]
Cat Tien National Park Endemic and Highlighted Birds
Covering 71,920 hectares in southern Vietnam, Cat Tien National Park is home to a number [...]