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Where the boats go

Phang Nga Bay & James Bond Island

Limestone towers in a still emerald sea, caves you enter by canoe, a fishing village on stilts. The bay is calm all year and best before the day boats arrive.

Plan the daySee the fleet
Getting there
25 to 40 minutes by speedboat from Ao Po on the east coast; about two hours under sail
Season
Sheltered all year; the clearest light from November to April
Water
Emerald and still, a place for caves and lagoons rather than snorkelling
Fees
Ao Phang Nga National Park fee per guest, included on our all-inclusive days

What is there

  • Koh Panak: sea caves and a hidden lagoon, entered by canoe at low light
  • Hong Island: the enclosed lagoon the bay is famous for
  • James Bond Island: Khao Phing Kan and the needle rock of Koh Tapu
  • Koh Panyee: the Muslim fishing village built on stilts, lunch on the water
  • Naka Island: a beach for the swim on the way home

A day there

  1. 08:00A car from your villa to Ao Po
  2. 09:30Koh Panak while the caves are quiet, canoes through the mangrove
  3. 11:00James Bond Island, the photograph, then the cliffs from the water
  4. 12:00Hong Island lagoon
  5. 13:00Lunch at Koh Panyee
  6. 14:30A swim at Naka, the last canoe wherever the tide is right
  7. 16:30Back at the pier, at your villa by five

Boats that sail there

Whole fleet →

Experiences there

All experiences →

Good to know

  • Leave early. The shared boats reach Panak around 10:30; at 09:30 the caves are yours.
  • There is no snorkelling in the bay; the day is caves, cliffs and the village. For reefs, pair it with Khai on another day.
  • The tide decides which caves are open, so the captain sets the order on the morning. That is normal, not a change of plan.

Questions

Is Phang Nga Bay good for children?

Yes, it is the calmest day at sea from Phuket. The canoes are paddled by a guide, the water inside the lagoons is flat, and there is shade on board. Children under four sit out the caves with the crew.

Can we swim there?

In the lagoons and at Naka Island, yes. The bay itself is silty and green, so the swimming stop is on the way home.

Phang Nga Bay or Phi Phi?

Phang Nga is closer, calmer and about scenery; Phi Phi is open sea, clear water and beaches. Families with small children and anyone prone to seasickness tend to choose Phang Nga; snorkellers choose Phi Phi.

Tell us the place and the date. One concierge plans the boat, the car and the table.

Plan the day