Ian et al,
It seems that there are a couple of National Parks in M'sia that have recently
started to to charge a fee for cameras. What I have found from my emailings is
as follows.
Mainland Malaysia
Taman Negara charge MYR 5.00 (approx AUD 2.00), which is valid for one month.
All other main birding spots, such as Bukit Fraser, Bukit Larut, Panti,
Belum-Temengor and Genting Highlands, no fee.
Sabah
Mount Kinabalu and Poring are supposed to charge camera fees, but it seems that
if you keep your gear out of sight, no one asks. When I was a Mt. Kinabalu in
2011, I did not even pay the entrance fee, let alone a camera fee. I was
staying across the road and just wandered in. There are no fees at the Sayap
sub-station on the north side of Kinablu.
Rainforest Discovery Centre and Sepilok Kabili Forest Reserve, Sepilok
No camera fee.
Danum Valley
There is supposed to be a MYR 10 camera fee, but when I was there in June last
year, no one asked. The staff did admire the images of the Orang I had taken
just outside the room though:-) You are also supposed to only go into the
forest with a ranger, but there was no mention of it at the Field Centre and no
one stopped either of us from wandering where we liked.
Crocker Range NP
No entry or camera fees
Sarawak
No camera fees
Other countries in SE Asia such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam do not
appear to charge camera fees and I have never had to pay any in those
countries. Some NPs in the Phillipines do charge a camera fee, but I have no
personal experience there. One respondent did tell me that in one park, he was
asked to pay a fee for his 'scope, but I think that was just a "local" fee.
Even if you avoid those places that charge fees, there are plenty of other
places with good birding in M'sia, so don't just wipe the country just because
some of the main tourist traps want to charge you a small fee, which is nothing
compared to the AUD 12.00 per day per camera, including mobile phones you will
be hit up for in India.
Hope this clarifies things a bit,
Carl Clifford
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