If you’re visiting Phuket or Krabi, chances are you’ll have found it impossible to walk down any street and not see signs for a James Bond Island tour or a Phi Phi Islands tour. It seems every tour company wants you to book a day out to visit these two, dare I say, iconic locations.
A must-do for your southern Thailand itinerary is a day trip to James Bond Island from Phuket. Khao Phing Kan, popularly known as James Bond Island, is a part of the beautiful Phang Nga Bay. I would even argue that if you have to pick between Phi Phi Don and James Bond Island, the latter is a much better option. Particularly given that Phi Phi Don, to be experienced nicely, requires an overnight stay. Phang Nga Bay, on the other hand, makes for a perfect day trip from Phuket.
Things to do in James Bond Island (Phang Nga Bay)
- Canoeing in midst of limestone cliffs
- Cave sightseeing
- Swimming & Sunbathing
The Phang Nga Bay tours normally include more sightseeing than activity. That’s why it is more suitable for people who want to have a relaxing day riding a boat along the sea.
- James Bond Island: the filming spot of a James Bond film, ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’
- Panyee Village: the small village where you can have lunch and souvenir shopping.
- Hong Island: Try canoeing through the mangrove forest and explore the lagoon
James Bond Island
About 40 metres (130 ft) from the shores of Khao Phing Kan lies a 20-metre (66 ft) tall islet called Ko Ta Pu / Ko Tapu.
James Bond Island was relatively unknown and rarely visited until 1974, when a James Bond movie titled The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed there, making Roger Moore a superstar. The island was originally named Khao Phing Kan, but after it was featured in two Bond movies, “The Man with the Golden Gun” and “Tomorrow Never Dies”, it is now popularly called James Bond Island. James Bond Island is more than just a place featured in movies but is also the area where limestone krasts and the sea meet.
The authorities established Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park back in 1981 in order to protect the entire area from litter and erosion, which can prove devastating because the islands consist of limestone karsts. Likewise, tourist boats are forbidden to approach Ko Tapu since 1998 in order to prevent further erosion and the eventual collapse of this beautiful islet.
A local legend explains the formation of Ko Tapu as follows. Once upon a time, there lived a fisherman who used to bring home many fish every time he went to the sea. However, one day he could not catch any fish despite many attempts and only picked up a nail with his net. He kept throwing the nail back into the sea and catching it again. Furious, he took his sword and cut the nail in half with all his strength. Upon impact, one half of the nail jumped up and speared into the sea, forming Ko Tapu.
A scientific version of the Ko Tapu formation says that in the Permian period, the area was a barrier reef. Then, upon tectonic movements, it ruptured, and its parts were dispersed over the area and flooded by the rising ocean. Wind, waves, water currents, and tides gradually eroded the islands thus formed, sometimes producing peculiar shapes, such as Ko Tapu. Tide-related erosion is visible at the bottom of the rock.
Koh Panyee Village
Koh Panyee is a small island, most of which is huge, almost vertical, limestone cliffs. The hundreds of huts, shacks, restaurants and houses where the villagers live are built on stilts over the surrounding shallow sea. No one seems quite sure how many wooden and concrete piles hold up this extraordinary community, but it’s certainly a fascinating and unique feat of informal engineering.
The village has its own school, a mosque, a health centre, lots of small souvenir shops and a handful of large restaurants, all facing the sea. There are even some bungalows that offer overnight accommodation. Worth seeing is the floating football pitch, built by the village children using old scraps of wood and fishing rafts. It helped Panyee FC become one of the most successful youth football teams in Southern Thailand!
Hong Island
Koh Hong, or better known as Hong Island, is an island off the coast of Krabi. Hong Island is part of the Than Bok Khorani national park and you can do one of the offered tours from Phuket, Phang Nga or Ao Nang to visit this gorgeous island.
What to Take
This may seem obvious, but it also depends on the type of tour you take. Also, some will include unlimited water whereas others might not. Still, always best to take some emergency water wherever you go in Thailand, it’s just so hot! Here are some general basics to take on any boat trip:
- Swimming clothes
- Flip Flops or Sandals
- Towel
- Sunglasses & Hat
- Sunscreen
- Waterproof phone case
If you forget any of them, you’ll likely find a small shop at the harbor selling some items for crazy prices, especially the waterproof phone cases! Best to come prepared.
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