Talay Noi
Explore the water birds in the southern province of Amphur Kuan Kanoon, Pattaloong
Talay Noi is a river basin at the topmost of Songkla Lake, which is rich in natural resources such as aquatic plants and standing timber. This is the reason why there are different kinds of birds in this area; the biggest water bird park in Thailand. Tourists can see many different kinds of birds such as purple swamp hen, jacana and common moorhen from the wood bridge of No Hunting Group office. Cruise around the lake to see more birds, beautiful water lillies and also the fishermen’s way of living along the bank of the river.During winter many teals, seagulls and sandpipers immigrate to this area. Since Talay Noi is very important to the waterfowls and the villagers, it is registered as one of the most important wetland ecosystems in Thailand.
After visiting Talay Noi, visitors should also stop at Wang Temple to see the wall paintings a work done by local craftsmen during the King Rama IX period. Around the temple, there are 108 images of Buddha statues.
The popular food at Talay Noi is called pla duk ra (fermented catfish). The process is to ferment the catfish with salt and sugar before leaving out in the sun. Pla duk ra can be found at restaurants along both sides of Talay Noi or in Pattaloong. Visitors can also buy kra jood mats, locally made by the villagers of Talay Noi as a souvenir. The mats are made from local reeds, which are sun dried and dyed into different colors. Tourists can find them at local shops at the beach.