James Bond Island & Phang Nga Sunset

Cruising through the mangrove forests
James Bond Island Tour
Panyi FC floating football pitch
Phang Nga Bay sightseeing tour

Example Itinerary

• Our guide will pick you up from your hotel in Khao Lak in a comfortable car or minibus. From here we take a scenic drive into the Phang Nga Valley.

• Arrive in Phang Nga and visit an ancient cave temple. 

• Head to a pier near the Ao Phang Nga National Park and take a long-tail boat out into Phang Nga Bay through the largest native mangrove forest in Thailand.

• Cruise through the caves and beautiful limestone mountains that make up Phang Nga Bay.

• Visit the famous James Bond Island where you can swim, enjoy the scenery and re-enact your favorite scenes from the movie.

• Sightseeing tour around Koh Panyi, the famous stilted fishing village located in the heart of Phang Nga Bay.

• Enjoy a delicious dinner with a beautiful view of Phang Nga Bay.

• Return to the pier as the sun sets over the bay and then head back to your Khao Lak hotel.

Tour Price

Adult: 3,200 THB

Child: 1,800 THB (4-12 years) 

Tour Details

Pick Up Time: 11:30-12:30 

Tour Duration: Average 6-7 hours

Group Size: 4-10 people (larger groups on request)

Tour Includes

• Round-Trip Transfers
• Dinner
• Drinks
• National Park Fees
• Insurance

Things to Bring

• Sunblock
• Sun Hats & Sunglasses
• Towels
• Mosquito Spray
• Beach-wear or light weight, quick dry clothes
• Personal Spending Money

Great experience

We had a wonderful afternoon with our guide Garfield who told us about the surrounding area and answered all our questions. The Phang-nga museum was compact-sized and the visit there was not too long. After that we met with the long boat driver and cruised through the mangrove forest and Phang-nga bay into Ko Tapu (or James Bond Island). There were some people when we arrived but suddenly they were all gone and we were swimming by ourselves 🙂 We were also the only guests on the fisherman’s village restaurant where we were served many delicious dishes. Before we headed back to the harbor there was time to admire the sunset. What I liked especially was the use of refillable aluminium drinking bottles to reduce the plastic waste. Highly recommended!

Riikka_fin - Tripadvisor

Phang Nga Discovery & James Bond Island, January 2020

Book now!

• Late Start to Avoid Crowds
• Sunset Cruise
• ‘Must See’ Destination

The James Bond Island is one of the most famous sights in Southern Thailand. Phang Nga however has been attracting visitors well before the creation of the world’s most famous secret agent. Khao Phing Kan otherwise known as the James Bond Island is just one of many beautiful islands hidden within Phang Nga Bay.

The Ao Phang Nga Nationa Park is made up of over 40 islands with beautiful limestone cliffs and caves, and is home to the largest native mangrove forest in Thailand. The views and scenery coupled with a late start to help avoid the crowds, make this trip the best James Bond Island tour around!

Located just a one hour drive from Khao Lak, Phang Nga is a beautiful and amazing day trip destination, with a fascinating history.

James Bond Island
Wat Suwan Khuha Temple

James Bond Island without the crowds!

We will pick you up from your hotel in Khao Lak and take you on a picturesque drive through the plantations and small villages that line the road to Phang Nga. Once we arrive in Phang Nga our first stop is the ancient cave temple, home to a golden reclining Buddha and a troop of wild monkeys.

We then head out of town to a small local pier from where we take a long-tail boat out through the thick mangrove forests and into the bay. As we cruise around beautiful limestone cliffs and mountains our guide will explain some of the folk stories and legends behind their amazing shapes. Soon you we will arrive at Khao Phing Kan and Ko Ta Pu which are more commonly referred to as the James Bond Island. Here you can swim in the small limestone bay and take photographs of the famous views and rock formations before we return to the boat and head towards the Koh Panyi fishing village.

Our guide will take you on a guided sightseeing tour around the ancient sea gypsy village before serving you a delicious Thai dinner with a spectacular view on Phang Nga Bay. By the time we leave Koh Panyi there is just enough time to watch the sun set behind the stunning limestone mountains as we cruise back to pier before taking the car back to your Khao Lak hotel.

Ao Phang Nga National Park

Ao Phang Nga National Park is famous all around the world for its impressive limestone rocks and mountains that thrust up out of the sea and seem to defy gravity. The most famous of rocks is Ko Ta Pu which forced into stardom when it took on a starring role in the 1974 James Bond movie, “The Man With The Golden Gun” starring Roger Moore.

Elsewhere in the Ao Phang Nga National Park archaeological sites have been found dating back over a thousand years. Cave paintings, pottery, stone tools and other remnants of pre-historic human activities have been found in several places within the Ao Phang Nga National Park.

Another famous feature of what is possibly one of Thailand’s most beautiful bays, is the Ko Panyi (also spelt Koh Panyee) stilted fishing village. The village was originally built in the 18th century by a group of nomadic Malay fishermen. The entire village was built either floating or up on stilts in the middle of the bay as it was then illegal for anyone other than a Thai person to own land in Thailand. To this day the village is populated by approximately 360 families.

One of the ‘must see’ sights in the village is the floating Koh Panyee football pitch, which was originally built from drift wood and foam boxes by village children who were inspired by the 1986 FIFA world Cup. Panyee FC was born and since then has progressed to become one of the most successful teams in southern Thailand, often playing barefoot as that is how they play during training where there is every chance they will have to dive into the water after the ball.

The James Bond Island tours are one of the most popular day trips in southern Thailand. Each day the island is visited by tours from Phuket, tours from Krabi and of course tours from Khao Lak. This means that the popular islands and sights around the bay can get very busy during peak period. Especially in the mornings and around lunchtime. To help avoid the crowds we have pushed the entire trip back to start around lunchtime. This means we arrive at each spot just as all the other James Bond Island tours are leaving. An added advantage to this is that we do not have to rush and can take our time to make this tour the best James Bond Island tour around!

Go even further to avoid the crowds and book a private James bond Island tour today!

FAQ’s

Why leave so late?

The reason we leave late is simple,  we arrive as everyone else is leaving. This means we can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Phang Nga Bay without the crowds!

Can I swim in Phang Nga Bay?

It is possible to swim at James Bond Island, but it is best at high tide. At low tide the sea bed is more muddy than sandy. Also the water here isn’t clear due to the mangrove forests near by and the cloudy water dripping from the limestone mountains.

Why is Phang Nga Bay famous?

Phang Nga Bay has found fame as a popular location for several big movies. The amazing scenery make an amazing backdrop for all kinds of films. So far the list includes;

– James Bond – The Man With The Golden Gun, Tomrrow Never Dies

– Avatar

– Star Wars

– Fast & Furious

– The Hangover

…and many more!

Is this trip expensive?

Ok you got us, we are not the cheapest. However, we can guarantee you the following things…

1. We have full insurance, for everybody, on every trip, everytime. (Some operators in the past have been caught not sending customer details to the insurance company to cut costs.)

2. Our group sizes never exceed the published maximum number of people. (On occasion, some other operators share boats with other groups to reduce expenses.)

3. We use only fully licenced guides and drivers. (It has been known that some operators will save costs by using one person as a guide/driver combo. Not only is this illegal, but actually dangerous as it means the driver can be easily distracted.)

4. We will never pressure you into tipping or buying souvenirs. That is your choice. (Some operators have been known to use compulsary tipping or commissions to boost their income and enable them to cover costs.)

Can this trip be made private?

YES! Each trip can be made private and personal for you. Simply click the “Private Tour” option when making your booking, and we will get back to you with a quote.

How do I book?

Booking a tour in Khao Lak is easy. Just follow these simple steps;

1. Choose the tour you want to book from the list and fill in the booking form.

2. We will then check availability and get back to you ASAP. If the date you chose is not available, we will offer you some alternative dates. We will also confirm the total cost and send you information on how to pay.

3. Follow the link we send you to make your payment. We have found that Wise is the easiest, most reliable and cheapest method of making international payments into Thailand.

4. Once we have received your payment we will send you and e-ticket as confirmation of your booking. All the details you will need will be printed on the ticket, but if you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

How do I pay?

Making international payments can be tricky and expensive. This is why we recommend using Wise. Unlike PayPal, Wise offers international transfers using the current exchange rates, with no additional mark-ups or hidden fees. The whole process takes just a few minutes. Simply follow these easy steps;

1. Click Here or follow the link we send you to create an account, or log in if you already have one.

2. Select “Send Money”.

3. Select “International” and choose the relivent currencies. (Our tours are priced in THB). All the relivent fees and exchange rates are automatically shown for you. Then click “Continue”

4. On the “Who are you sending Money to?” page, select “Buisness/Charity” and type in our email address. Our information is then filled in for you automatically. If you have any difficulty or require extra information just let us know.

5. Next you will need to fill in your account information.

6. The final step is to approve the payment.

More help can be found HERE.

 

What if I need to cancel or change my booking?

Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for our full cancelation policy.

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