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View all Krabi toursJames Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay by Traditional Longtail in Krabi
Cross Phang Nga Bay by longtail boat to the limestone stack made famous on film, paddle through sea caves and stop at a village built out over the water.
Highlights
- See the famous limestone pinnacle at Khao Phing Kan
- Kayak into sea caves along the bay's hidden channels
- Visit the stilt village of Koh Panyee
- Cross the bay aboard a traditional longtail boat
- Cool off with a swim beneath a waterfall
Full description
Phang Nga Bay is one of those places that looks unreal in photographs and somehow more so in person: hundreds of limestone towers standing in shallow green water, many of them hollow, with caves that open into collapsed interiors you can only reach at the right tide.
This full-day trip runs from Krabi in a traditional longtail rather than a large speedboat, which means a slower, quieter crossing and access to channels the bigger vessels skip. The best-known stop is the slim rock pinnacle off Khao Phing Kan that appeared in a 1974 Bond film and has carried the nickname ever since.
Around it the day fills out with sea kayaking beneath rock overhangs, a walk through the stilted Muslim fishing village of Koh Panyee, a swim below a waterfall and a Thai lunch. Your guide handles the timings so you arrive at each stop while it is still manageable.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup
Road transfer from Krabi to the pier at the edge of Phang Nga Bay.
Sea cave kayaking
Paddle with a local guide into low caves and hidden lagoons inside the limestone islands.
James Bond Island
Walk the beach at Khao Phing Kan with a clear view of the leaning rock pinnacle offshore.
Lunch at Koh Panyee
Thai lunch in the stilted fishing village, with time to wander its walkways.
Waterfall swim
Freshwater stop for a swim before the return crossing.
Return to hotel
Boat back to the pier and minibus drop-off at your accommodation.
Detailed Itinerary
The minibus arrives at about 07:30 for the drive north to the bay, which takes roughly an hour. Kayaking starts mid-morning, with a local paddler steering each two-person boat under rock arches and into caves that are only passable when the tide is low enough.
Late morning the longtail runs out to Khao Phing Kan, where you have an hour ashore for photographs of the pinnacle and a walk along the small beach. Lunch follows at Koh Panyee, a village built entirely on stilts over the water, and there is time afterwards to look around its narrow walkways.
Mid-afternoon brings a freshwater swim at a waterfall, a welcome change after a day in salt water. The boat starts back around 16:00 and hotel drop-offs run through the early evening.
Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Longtail boat with local captain
- English-speaking guide
- Sea kayaking with paddler
- Thai lunch
- Drinking water and fruit
- Life jackets
- Insurance
Excludes
- National park entrance fee
- Towels
- Alcoholic drinks
- Gratuities
- Souvenirs
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Krabi Town, Ao Nang or Klong Muang
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
Phang Nga Bay is genuinely otherworldly, hundreds of limestone karsts rising straight out of flat green water. The Ko Tapu stack from the Bond film is smaller than expected but the bay around it is the real attraction. Our longtail captain took us slowly through a couple of caves where we had to duck.
Canoeing through the sea caves at Hong Krabi was the best part, the guide paddled and we just looked up at the stalactites. The stilt village at Koh Panyee was interesting even if the main lane is all souvenir stalls. Lunch there was a decent seafood set.
Beautiful day but be honest with yourself about the travel, it is roughly a 90-minute road transfer from Krabi each way before you even get on the boat. James Bond Island itself was very crowded around midday. The cave paddling and the bay scenery justified it.
Our guide told us about the Muslim fishing community at Koh Panyee and how the floating football pitch came about, which made the village stop much more meaningful. Longtail is loud but the open sides mean uninterrupted views. Bring ear plugs if noise bothers you.
Eight hours and the itinerary kept moving between caves, the island and the village. Water and fruit were provided and the crew helped everyone in and out of the canoes. Worth the higher price compared with the standard Krabi island trips.
The scenery in Phang Nga Bay is unmatched, but the Bond island stop is short and packed with people taking the same photo. If you can, do the caves first as we did. Guide was knowledgeable and patient with questions.
We stopped at a small cave with prehistoric rock paintings that I had not seen mentioned anywhere and it was the surprise of the day. Koh Panyee lunch was included and generous. The whole thing ran to time.
Traditional longtail rather than a speedboat makes a real difference here, you go slowly enough to actually take in the karsts. Sea was flat calm on our day. Take strong sun protection because the boat has only a partial canopy.