Anyone who plans to go bird-watching at Gunung Raya in Langkawi Island should know that you can do this by engaging a local bird guide or even by yourself if you rent a car or bike.
In this review, I enjoyed visiting one of Langkawi’s popular birding sites, where the local guide, Fendi, took me up the mountain to do my inaugural birdwatching in Langkawi.
Bird Watching at Gunung Raya in Langkawi
Gunung Raya is the highest mountain on Langkawi Island, 872 meters (2,860 feet). It is also near the centre of the island. While you may think there is some climbing or hiking to do, fear not, as there is a road that leads up to the peak of Gunung Raya.
This way, you need to rent a car or go with your bird guide, who will have a car, making birding relatively easy here. I was doing some nature photography work for this trip and stayed at the Tanjung Rhu Resort for a few days.
I had booked a birdwatching tour from the resort, and they contacted Fendi, one of the three top bird guides on Langkawi Island. On my birding morning, Fendi came in his car to pick me up from the resort at 7:00 AM. He took a nice and casual drive towards Gunung Raya.
When we arrived at the entrance, we were greeted by a beautiful White-throated Kingfisher on the power lines. Slowly making our way up, we stopped where the Mountain-hawk Eagle is usually spotted.
Unfortunately, the eagle was not present on that particular day, so we moved on towards the peak. Along the way, we made multiple stops, spotting dollar birds, a brown shrike, a red-eyed bulbul, and some Dusky Langurs.
The journey from the foot to the peak takes about 20 minutes to drive up the 12-kilometre road. The peak’s elevation is around 881 meters. Arriving at the peak, I noticed an abandoned resort that once catered to holiday-seekers on the island. It seems that the resort closed sometime in the last couple of years, too.
There is a fantastic viewing tower about six storeys high, and it was closed, too. I believe the views from the top of the tower would be pretty impressive. The resort operator used to charge RM10.00 to go up the tower when it was once in operation. However, it is such a shame to see this place run down.
Anyway, I managed to spot a beautiful Crimson Sun Bird and a Crested Goshawk together in one spot while up here. The usual swallows and swifts are also commonly spotted around.
What Birds to See at Gunung Raya?
From the base to Gunung Raya’s peak, quite a few bird species can be spotted, and I usually recommend spending at least a few hours to see as much as possible.
A notable star bird to spot here is the Mountain-Hawk Eagle, endemic to Langkawi and often sighted by many people halfway up the mountain. But you need someone who knows where to spot it.
On average, you can spot anywhere from 15 to 20 birds in one visit. However, I have heard that some managed to spot up to 30 species in one morning. It is all luck from my experience, and I have heard that some birders have even spotted up to 30 species of birds at Gunung Raya.
During my birdwatching trip to Gunung Raya, I spotted the following birds;
- White-throated Kingfisher
- Red-eyed Bulbul
- Black-naped Monarch
- Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
- Crimson Sunbird
- Dollarbird
- Brown Shrike
- Pied Hornbill
- Emerald Dove
- Thick-billed Green Pigeon
- Grey Wagtail
- Asian Fairy Bluebird
- Asian Palm Swift
- Pacific Swallow
- Crested Serpent Eagle
- Bhramini Kite
- White Bellied Sea Eagle
- Thick-billed Crow
- Common Myna
What are the Best Options for Bird Watching at Gunung Raya?
I strongly recommend that you engage one of the expert bird-watching guides in Langkawi for this. They know exactly where some of the endemic birds can be spotted.
Unless you have been in and out of the island before, you can do it on your own, but if you are a first-timer like me, I suggest contacting Wendy or Fendi, some of the top bird guides in Langkawi.
How to go to Gunung Raya?
You can self-drive from Kuah or Pantai Cenang by renting a car that costs around RM120 and above per day. The map system is straightforward; most local printed maps list Gunung Raya.
Gunung Raya’s entrance is also by the Ulu Melaka Road or Highway 112; signboards indicate the entrance area. When you are near, keep a sharp eye out for the signboards.
What to Expect at Gunung Raya?
Overall, this location is considered an easy bird-watching area. Roads are tarred all the way to the top, making travel via motorbike or car very easy. The only setback here is that there are no shops that sell food and drinks, only an abandoned resort closed off to the public. There is a resort keeper in the vicinity who looks after the place.
It can get a little chilly during the rainy season, from June to July; hence, it is best to prepare yourself before coming up. Your guide should inform you about all of this. If you need the bathroom, you can find one when you exit Gunung Raya, as there are numerous shops and restaurants available along the main Ulu Melaka Road.
Conclusion
Overall, Gunung Raya is one of the recommended places to do some casual bird watching. It is very easy and suitable for all kinds of birders, which also means you can bring your kids and introduce them to birding.
You can be a beginner or an expert birder, and the entire mountain provides some spectacular birds to check off your list. This would be easily manageable here even if you are travelling with your family.
While there, I also managed to explore some other birdwatching locations. At one of them, Darulaman Sanctuary, I spotted my first lifer of the Striated Heron in Langkawi. Again, for anyone planning to do bird watching at Gunung Raya in Langkawi, I strongly recommend getting a local bird guide, and half a day is more than enough.
