Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island

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Updated: 13 January, 2025

Visit guide to Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island, what to see, transportation alternatives, time to go and many tips.

Phang Nga Bay is one of the most impressive and rarely visited places in Thailand, similar to the famous Halong in Vietnam.

Phang Nga bay is located in the Andaman Sea next to the province of the same name, between Krabi and Phuket.

Since the 80s it was declared Ao Phang Nga National Park with an area of 400 km², a protected park since 2002.

Its beautiful landscapes will leave you breathless with beautiful islands with turquoise waters, small hidden white sand beaches, limestone cliffs and majestic caves that can only be accessed by canoe.

In case you don't have time to read the entire article, here is the Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island tour more complete and cheaper, leaving from Phuket.

1.- James Bond Island

Koh Khao Phing Kan, is an island made famous by scenes from the James Bond movie, The man with the golden gun from 1974, filmed there.

Hence, today it is known among tourists as James Bond Island.

In the video below you can see the landscapes of Phang Nga bay when James Bong arrives in the plane.

Then at minute 2:33 is the duel where you can see the impressive 20 meter high rock that is so emblematic, which is in the middle of the small bay of the island.

The rock is called Koh Tapu, koh It means "island" and tapu It means "nail", due to its shape.

In addition to being able to take photos with Koh Tapu in the background, there are also:

• A huge cave near the dock,
• a mini beach that is the one seen in the James Bond scenes on one side,
• and then if you follow the path on the side you reach another much longer and narrower beach, where some private boats dock.

🎥 In this other article I tell you about other places in Bangkok where scenes from the movie were filmed The man with the golden gun and others Movies Shot in Thailand.

2.- Koh Panyee

Koh Panyee is a very particular island and one of the most visited points in Phang Nga Bay, distinguished from afar by its gigantic limestone rock.

Although the most interesting thing is the town built on pylons by Muslim fishermen who live there.

The town dates back to the 17th century and 360 families and about 1,685 people live there. They are Malay nomads who settled there because at that time only Thais could buy land.

Nowadays, the townspeople make most of their income from tourism, so you will find many small shops selling souvenirs, food, clothing and accessories.

The products and prices are similar to what you can find elsewhere, but if you want to buy something it is a good way to contribute.

Of course, be careful with pearls that may be fake, according to the guide on the excursion I went with, only buy if you know how to differentiate them.

This island is quite interesting to see because the people of this town live there and They have a school, their mosque, a small cemetery and even one floating soccer field most curious.

If you have time, take a walk around the town, it goes pretty quickly because it is small. There are also good restaurants with views of the bay and it is very common to stop there to eat.

🎥 Fun fact- Phang Nga Bay and Panyee Island appear in some scenes of Bridget Jones I will survive from 2004, where Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant are seen riding a long-tail boat.

3.- Koh Thalu (Lod cave)

Lod Cave on Koh Thalu is one of the most popular stops, not to be confused with Tham Lot Cave which is in the north, near the border with Myanmar.

Although there are several islands with caves, this one stands out in particular because it is a series of caves that can only be accessed by canoe.

That's why, whether you go with the long-tail boat or an excursion, they will take you to some huge boats in front of the island and the canoes leave from there.

Some excursions do not include the price of this ride, but it only costs 100 baht per canoe that takes up to 2 people, that is, 50 baht per person (1.38 euros) and is completely worth it.

Furthermore, the effort is 0, because the effort of the canoe will be in charge of rowing.

If you want to try paddling, the man in the canoe will let you have it and will also take photos if you want. Although they don't speak much English, they are friendly.

Canoeing is quite different from kayaking, the response time is much slower and you will suddenly find yourself paddling in circles. It is very good! 🤪

The route passes through several caves, some are small open-air caves, others are larger and have mangrove areas inside. Depending on the tide, some of you will have to lie down in the canoe to be able to pass.

4.- Wat Suwan Khuha (Monkey Cave)

This temple is not located exactly in the bay, but in the city of Phang Nga, but it is one of the most common stops on excursions.

The temple is inside a large cave where what stands out most is a 15-meter-long reclining Buddha. Additionally, the cave has an almost magical atmosphere with the light coming in and the dim artificial lighting.

Then, if you continue towards the bottom, there are stairs that will take you to a colossal cave, full of stalagmites and stalactites.

Next to the caves lives a colony of monkeys, specifically they are long-tailed macaques just like the ones you can see on the Phi Phi Islands and other places in Thailand.

⭐ You may also be interested in this other article about Visit Phi Phi: the most beautiful islands in Thailand, where I tell you the most interesting places to see, how to get there and a lot of other tips.

When is the best time to go?

In the Andaman Sea the monsoon runs from May to October, some days there can be a lot of waves and departures could be cancelled.

They are also more likely to cancel visits to caves accessed by canoe because some are already difficult to access even in good seas.

So, the best months to visit this beautiful marine park are from November to April.

How much does the entrance to the National Park cost?

Unlike other marine parks in Thailand such as Phi Phi, entry to Ao Phang Nga National Park is currently free.

Can you snorkel in Phang Nga Bay? And bathe in the sea?

Although the waters generally look deep turquoise, it is not a good area for snorkeling due to the lack of visibility.

Therefore, you can save yourself from taking your snorkelling kit, like I did and in the end I didn't use it. 😅

Although it is an island destination, there are not many stops to swim, but you can take the opportunity to take a good dip and cool off on James Bond Island.

It's also a good idea to bring a change of clothes and a towel.

How to visit Phang Nga Bay?

You can visit Phang Nga Bay in 3 ways: by long-tail boat, with an excursion or by private boat:

1. Longtail boat

For this option you will have to go with your own transportation or by taxi to one of the docks from where the long tail boats leave for trips around the bay.

There are several piers in Khlong Khian that you can depart from, such as this one at google link, the price is 1,500 bahts and they can take up to 4 people.

The ride usually lasts about 3 hours and makes 3 stops.

2. Excursion

Another alternative is to go with an excursion, so you don't have to negotiate with the boatman, it will be cheaper and includes more stops, transportation to the dock, food and the guide.

The excursion departures are from Phuket as this is the link Which I did, they had fresh fruit and a buffet lunch. The same agency also has this other excursion that leaves from Khao Lak.

3. Private boat

Another alternative is to rent a boat in Phuket and visit this area at your own pace.

If you travel with more people it will be very worthwhile for you, because you can get boats for less than 300 euros per day.

To rent a boat in ThailandI recommend this search engine that has boats in good condition at good prices.

⭐ You may also be interested in this article about 3 Best Places to Rent a Boat in Thailand, about the boat skipper's license and many recommendations.

Final Thoughts

A visit to Phang Nga Bay is a must if you travel to the south of Thailand, a place that is not at all crowded compared to other nearby places and is beautiful.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and I'll help you as much as I can. If you found the article useful, share it with other travelers. Have a good trip! 😘

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