An early-bird Hong Island & Phang Nga Bay tour from Khao Lak: cruise the UNESCO bay to Koh Hong, Koh Panak and the iconic James Bond Island, with sea canoeing and a beach swim along the way.
Hong Island, Panak Island, and James Bond Island An Island Hopping Tour to the amazing Phang Nga Bay! Join us on our early bird excursion to Koh Hong Island, Panak Island and James Bond Island in the wonderful Phang Nga Bay! The picturesque limestone islands that rise from the sea have become a must-see for those venturing to the south of Thailand. Come along with Khao Lak Land Discovery and explore three of the most unique islands in the region! You will visit Ko Khao Phing Kan Island to view the iconic James Bond Island. Later, you will explore Koh Hong Island and Koh Panak Island on foot and in a canoe! Khao Lak Land Discovery designed our tour itinerary to achieve three goals. The first goal is to do our best to avoid the overcrowding that the bay has become infamous for. The second goal is to arrive at Koh Hong at the opportune time to enter the tidal caves that make the island unique. The third goal is to design a tour itinerary that no other operator offers. It takes precise timing and careful planning to fulfil these goals, and thanks to our dedicated Hong Island tour coordinator, we believe we have accomplished what we set out to do. We pick you up before dawn, then head to Phang Nga Bay, where you will embark on an adventure-filled day aboard 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 we disembark on the neighbouring island of Ko Khao Phing Kan to view and photograph the islet of Koh Tapu. Hong Island is your next port-o-call, with its unique caves, caverns, and secret lagoons begging you to explore what lies within. It's time to hop in a canoe and let your paddle guide navigate your way through the impressive karst formations that took water erosion millennia to create! Most tours to Koh Hong from Khao Lak include a stop at James Bond Island, but if you must wake up this early while on holiday, we want to make it worthwhile for you! Therefore, we have added Koh Panak to the day's itinerary, making our tour unique. After you disembark at Panak Island, you will explore the island, walking and canoeing through caves to discover lagoons hidden in the island's interior. We bring you to the Koh Panyee Village for a delicious Thai lunch. While there, you will have time to interact with the local people, shop for souvenirs and handicrafts, explore the village, and learn about their proud and unique history. To round out the activities at the bay before heading back to the mainland, your captain will make another stop where a paddle guide will take you by canoe to explore more sea caves and caverns. Without the need to paddle yourself, your hands will be free to take as many pictures as you like and focus your attention on the ever-changing interior of the caves. Once back on the mainland, we will take you to Wat Tam Suwa Kuha temple, nestled in the jungle with a large population of resident Macaque monkeys. If Wat Tam Suwa Kuha Temple is overcrowded, your guide may take you to Wat Prachum Sueksa Temple without resident monkeys but with fewer tourists. If your guide chooses to take you to Wat Prachum Sueksa Temple, we will make an additional stop at a park in Phang Nga to view the playful and mischievous monkeys there! Come on tour with us to explore Phang Nga Bay's unique karst islands by boat, on foot, and by canoe! Interact with the seafaring people of Koh Panyi village, be welcomed onto sacred temple grounds, and view monkeys just monkeying around! Book your early bird tour with Khao Lak Land Discovery today, and prepare to be mystified!
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.
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 World UNESCO status.
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.
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.
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.
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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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