An early-bird Hong Island & Phang Nga Bay tour from Khao Lak: cruise the Ramsar-listed bay to Koh Hong, Koh Panak and the iconic James Bond Island, with sea canoeing and a beach swim along the way.
Our Hong Island Phang Nga Bay tour is an early-bird island-hopping day to Koh Hong, Koh Panak and James Bond Island in wonderful Phang Nga Bay. The picturesque limestone islands rising from the sea have become a must-see for anyone venturing to the south of Thailand, and on this koh hong island tour from Khao Lak you explore three of the most unique islands in the region — on foot and by canoe.
We designed the itinerary with three goals: avoid the overcrowding the bay is known for, reach Koh Hong at the right tide to enter the tidal caves that make the island special, and offer a route no other operator runs. It takes precise timing and careful planning, and thanks to our dedicated Hong Island tour coordinator we believe we have achieved exactly that.
We pick you up before dawn and head to Phang Nga Bay, where you board a traditional Thai longtail boat for a sightseeing cruise through one of the most breathtaking coastal regions in the world. The first stop is James Bond Island, where you disembark on neighbouring Ko Khao Phing Kan to view and photograph the islet of Koh Tapu. Hong Island is next, its caves, caverns and secret lagoons begging to be explored by canoe through karst formations that took millennia of water erosion to create.
Most tours to Koh Hong from Khao Lak include James Bond Island, but if you are going to wake this early on holiday we want to make it worthwhile — so we add Koh Panak, walking and canoeing through caves to hidden interior lagoons. Lunch is at Koh Panyee village, where you can meet the local sea-faring people, shop for handicrafts and learn their unique history, before a final canoe stop to explore more sea caves.
What the Phang Nga Bay Tour Includes
This Hong Island Phang Nga Bay tour is a full early-bird day: hotel pickup and return, road and longtail-boat transfers, sea canoeing at Koh Hong and Koh Panak, the James Bond Island stop, a Thai lunch at Koh Panyee village and a temple visit at Wat Tham Suwankhuha with its resident macaques. Prices start from ฿3,400 per person. If the temple is crowded your guide may choose a quieter alternative and add a monkey-viewing park stop instead.
Weighing up your options? Read our side-by-side comparison of Hong Island vs James Bond Island — two very different Phang Nga Bay experiences, both departing from Khao Lak. Want the bay in golden light instead? See the Phang Nga Bay sunset cruise, compare reefs on the Phi Phi Islands day trip, or book a Khao Lak transfer for your airport arrival. Book your early-bird tour with Khao Lak Land Discovery today.
Reference: James Bond Island (Ko Tapu) on Wikipedia.
Phuket International Airport sits about 90 minutes south of Khao Lak, and getting here in comfort sets the right tone for a day on the water. We recommend booking a private transfer to Khao Lak so you arrive at your hotel well-rested and ready for an early departure to the bay.
Exact timings flex with conditions and traffic — your guide sequences the stops to keep them calm rather than rushed. This is how the day usually runs.
Your friendly driver and guide will pick you up before dawn at around 4:30 am. The exact time varies based on the location of your hotel and the timing of the tides. We will confirm your pick-up time with you when you book.
After arriving at the pier, hop aboard a traditional Thai Longtail boat and cruise to James Bond Island. This tourism hotspot has become infamous for overcrowding, so when you arrive, you may be shocked to see how few tourists are there, if any at all. You will have time to snap some pictures of the island made famous by the 007 movie The Man with the Golden Gun before we hop back on the boat and make our way to Hong Island.
The warm hue of the morning sun lights the way to the next island destination, Koh Hong. The first hour of light after sunrise is called the Golden or Magic Hour by photographers. Basked in the warm hue of the sun’s rays, the limestone cliffs that rise from the sea appear to glow. Magic light softens the contrast, increasing shadow detail, allowing for the opportunity to take perfectly exposed photos of one of the most beautiful regions in the world. Thanks to the precise scheduling by our Hong Island coordinator, an opening in the island appears, beckoning you to come in by canoe and witness the extraordinary beauty hidden within Hong Island.
Panak is a stunning karst island waiting for you to explore! With its fascinating network of caves and caverns, this destination is a dream come true for amateur spelunkers! Some of these caves lead to sinkholes that formed over the millennia, creating hidden lagoons waiting for you to discover. Get ready to uncover the mysteries of these natural wonders as your guide takes you on a thrilling journey by foot and canoe. Embrace the opportunity to experience the beauty and mystery of Panak Island!
No tour of Phang Nga Bay would be complete without visiting Panyi(Panyee) Village. The residents proudly welcome visitors to their village, which appears to float on water. Currently, about 1,600 people reside in the “floating village,” all of which can trace their lineage to a few Javanese families that settled there in the late 18th century. You will dine on lunch prepared by the Panyee people, with plenty of time afterwards to explore their village, peruse their shops for souvenirs, and learn a little about their proud history and culture.
Over the millennia, water has eroded the karst islands in Phang Nga Bay, forming countless sinkholes, caves, and caverns for us to explore today. Before returning to the pier, we’ll stop for yet another amazing sea canoeing experience to further explore more of the intricate formations that earned Phang Nga Bay its Ramsar Site status.
On your return journey to Khao Lak, your guide will decide to visit Wat Prachum Sueksa Temple or Wat Tham Suwan Kuha Temple. Wat Tham Suwan Kuha tends to get uncomfortably overcrowded because it is a popular destination for large tour buses carrying tourists from Phuket who come to feed the resident monkeys and view the reclining Buddha statue inside the cave. Your guide will take you to Wat Prachum Sueksa for a more intimate experience if Wat Tham Suwan Kuha is going to be overcrowded. The temple grounds will be the subject of your photos at Wat Prachum Sueksa, albeit without the monkeys, not a hoard of tourists.
If you have your heart set on seeing monkeys and we go to Wat Prachum Sueksa, don't worry! We have it covered. We will take you to view the monkeys at a picturesque public park in Phang Nga! Be aware that monkeys love to collect shiny things, so we highly suggest leaving loose jewelry, such as necklaces and bracelets, in the minivan while in the presence of monkeys.
Our driver and guide will have you back to your hotel around 2 pm. The exact time depends on the location of your hotel, sea conditions, and the timing of the tides. Rest assured that you will be back with plenty of time to enjoy a few hours of afternoon sun before it sets over the horizon of the North Andaman Sea.
Not included
Children age 2–11 ฿2,800 · hotel pickup & lunch included
Check dates & book →Access to the lagoon of Hong Island is only possible at the perfect tide levels, hence why we start our tour early in the morning. That said, there are certain days of the year that the activities planned for Koh Hong can not be operated. Please be aware that due to tidal, weather, and sea conditions, the order of the tour's itinerary may be subject to change. In rare cases, we may need to reschedule your tour on another day or cancel it completely to ensure that all activities planned are attainable. Thank you for your understanding.
Phang Nga Bay is a Ramsar-listed nature reserve and has geologically similar features to Vietnamese Halong Bay. Limestone rocks are evidence of long past coral reefs. And through ebb and flow caves and grottes have been eroded. Nowadays one has access by canoe, finding a world of bizarre limestone karsts, dolines and a vegetation searching for hold along the cliffs. Altogether the national park (1981) includes 42 islands with a total area of about 401km². The water at Phang Nga Bay is just a few meters deep and comparatively calm. Moreover, world-famous Koh Panyee, a 300-year-old fishing village build on stilts, can be found close to a marine needle in the middle of the sea. About 2000 people call it their home. Koh Tapu is the most famous rock, better known as James Bond Rock. It became famous due to the movie “The man with the golden colt” with Roger Moore as 007.
This Phang Nga Bay tour from Khao Lak visits Koh Hong (Hong Island) with its hidden emerald lagoon, plus the limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay — including views toward James Bond Island (Ko Tapu) and the sea caves around Koh Panak. You explore by canoe and longtail boat, with time to swim in the lagoon at Koh Hong before the return to Khao Lak.
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Khao Lak Land Discovery Co., Ltd. 21/5 Moo7 Khuk Khak, Phang Nga 82220 TAT 41/00132 Thailand-licensed tour operator
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