Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by admin
Phang Nga Bay Phuket is one of the most breathtaking day trips you can take in Thailand, and let me say it right upfront…I have never seen such natural beauty such as I saw in Phang Nga Bay.
Distinguished by its limestone karsts jutting out of the emerald-green Andaman Sea, Phang Nga Bay is a must-see excursion from any trip to the Thai islands of Phuket or Krabi. Beach and nature fanatics will be in their element, with caves, lagoons, and secluded beaches all part of the stunning landscape.
Phang Nga Bay tour is one of the several full day speedboat tours you can take from Phuket and I believe all the other choices are also very good, some of the other choices being Phi Phi– which includes the famous Maya Beach made famous by the movie The Beach starring Leonardo Di Caprio, Similan & Surin Islands, and several others.
James Bond Island and the Tour
Phang Nga Bay tour includes of course, the famous James Bond Island made famous by the movie The Man with the Golden Gun in which these islands were the hideout of the villain.
While I was very thrilled to see the James bond Island above, I have to say the high point of the day for me was visiting the Koh Panyee Island.
Ko Panyi (also known as Koh Panyee) is a fishing village in Phang Nga Province, Thailand, notable for being built on stilts by Indonesian fishermen. The population consists of 360 families or 1,685 people descended from two seafaring Muslim families from Java.
The village has a Muslim school ( see picture below )
which is attended by both girls and boys in the mornings. Due to the informal nature of this education, many of the boys attend schools further afield in Phang Nga or in Phuket. Further emigration from the village is encouraged as the size of the settlement is restricted by dangerous water conditions in the rainy season.
A mosque based on the island adjacent to the settlement serves the predominantly Muslim population and is a focal point and meeting place for the community. A market stocked with goods from the mainland sells basic amenities such as medicine, clothes and toiletries.
Despite the recent rise in tourism, life in Ko Panyi is still primarily based around the fishing industry as tourists only visit in significant numbers during the dry season.
I also enjoyed visting Lava Island which was great for swimming and relaxing by the sea..
Here are some of the pics I took that day…do let me know if you like them…
Planning Your Phang Nga Bay Phuket Tour
Most Phang Nga Bay Phuket day tours depart early in the morning by speedboat, combining the limestone karsts, James Bond Island, and the stilted village of Koh Panyee into a single full-day itinerary. Tours typically include hotel pickup, a Thai buffet lunch, and time for sea-canoeing through the bay’s hidden lagoons. For official travel guidance and safety information on visiting the region, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is a useful resource. If you’re mapping out a wider Southeast Asia itinerary, our guide to the Taj Mahal’s hidden symbols is another deep dive worth reading before you travel.
The best time to visit Phang Nga Bay Phuket is during the dry season, from November to April, when the seas are calm and visibility is at its best for photography and sea-canoeing among the karsts.
Where to Stay in Phuket: Five Places
Phuket has everything from private pool villas to heritage hotels. Rates below are indicative starting points from published listings and booking sites; they rise sharply over Christmas and New Year.
- Trisara (luxury) — Secluded pool villas on a private bay on the northwest coast, and one of the most romantic places to stay on the island. Expect roughly ฿25,000–40,000+ a night.
- Keemala (luxury) — Whimsical treehouse-style pool villas in the hills above Kamala, with a superb spa. Rates usually run about ฿18,000–30,000 a night.
- Katathani Phuket Beach Resort (mid-range to upscale) — Right on the sand at quiet Kata Noi, with several pools and easy sunsets from your sunbed. Typically about ฿5,000–10,000 a night depending on season.
- Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong, MGallery (mid-range) — A stylish hillside resort a short ride from the Patong nightlife, and home to Tambu, the Indian restaurant listed below. Expect about ฿3,500–7,000 a night.
- The Memory at On On Hotel (budget, Old Town) — Phuket’s oldest hotel, restored in Sino-Portuguese style in the heart of the Old Town and famous for appearing in the film The Beach. Rooms from about ฿1,500–3,000 a night.
Where to Eat in Phuket: Five Places
Phuket’s food is a mix of Thai, Chinese and Malay influences, and the Old Town is the best place to try it. I have also included one excellent Indian restaurant. Prices are rough per-person estimates.
- Tambu (Indian) — A Michelin Guide listed rooftop restaurant serving modern Indian charcoal cooking from Iron Chef Thailand winner Saurabh Sachdeva, in a tent inspired by Mughal palaces with views over the Andaman Sea. A splurge, but a very special one; book ahead for the tasting menu.
- One Chun (southern Thai) — A Michelin Bib Gourmand favourite in an old shophouse in Phuket Town, known for its crab curry with rice noodles and moo hong (braised pork belly). Most dishes are about ฿150–500.
- Raya Restaurant (Phuket classics) — Set in a 100-year-old mansion in the Old Town, serving traditional Phuket dishes. Their yellow crab curry is legendary. Expect about ฿400–900 per person.
- Kan Eang@Pier (seafood) — Fresh seafood by the water at Chalong Pier, perfect for a relaxed dinner after a day on the boats. Expect around ฿600–1,200 per person.
- Mom Tri’s Kitchen (fine dining with a view) — Clifftop dining above Kata Noi with Thai and Mediterranean dishes and a big wine list. Come for sunset. Mains from about ฿600–1,500.
Five Best Excursions from Phuket
Phang Nga Bay was the highlight for me, but these day trips are all worth considering. Prices are approximate and vary by operator and season.
- Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island — The trip in this post: limestone karsts, sea-canoeing through hidden lagoons, and the stilted village of Koh Panyee. Day tours usually cost about ฿1,800–4,000 including lunch and hotel pickup.
- Phi Phi Islands and Maya Bay — A speedboat day to Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh, with snorkelling stops and a visit to Maya Bay, made famous by The Beach. Swimming there is not allowed. Expect about ฿2,500–4,500 plus the national park fee.
- Similan Islands snorkelling — Some of the clearest water and best snorkelling in Thailand, open only from about mid-October to mid-May. A long but unforgettable day; tours run about ฿3,000–5,000 plus park fees.
- Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and Old Phuket Town — A half-day on land: the 45-metre marble Big Buddha with sweeping views, Phuket’s most important temple, then the colourful shophouses of the Old Town. Entry to the Big Buddha is free; a private driver costs about ฿1,000–1,500.
- Phuket Elephant Sanctuary — An ethical, no-riding sanctuary where you watch rescued elephants bathe, feed and roam. Half-day visits cost about ฿3,000 per adult with transfers.
Five Best Beaches in Phuket
The west coast has the best beaches, and the calmest, clearest water is from November to April.
- Kata Noi Beach — My favourite. A small, calm and relatively quiet bay with soft sand and beautiful sunsets. I wrote about it in my Kata and Kata Noi post.
- Kata Beach — Longer and livelier than Kata Noi, with good swimming in the dry season, surf lessons in the monsoon, and plenty of cafés just behind the sand.
- Freedom Beach — A hidden cove south of Patong reachable only by longtail boat (about ฿1,500–2,000 return per boat) or a steep jungle path. Powdery sand and clear water.
- Nai Harn Beach — A wide, laid-back beach in the far south, backed by a lake and a Buddhist monastery, and a short drive from Promthep Cape for sunset.
- Surin Beach — A pretty, upscale stretch on the west coast lined with casuarina trees and beach clubs, good for a slower day away from the crowds.
Three Highly Rated Phuket Tour Operators
Who you book with makes a big difference on the crowded boat routes. These three are consistently well reviewed on Tripadvisor; check recent reviews and what is included before you book.
- John Gray’s Sea Canoe — The pioneers of sea-canoeing in Phang Nga Bay since 1983, and long among the best-reviewed operators on Tripadvisor. Their “Hong by Starlight” trip paddles into hidden lagoons at dusk and ends with bioluminescent plankton.
- Simba Sea Trips — A family-run operator since 2005, rated about 4.9 out of 5 across thousands of reviews and ranked among the top boat tours in Phuket on Tripadvisor. Small groups (about 18 people at most) to Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island and Phi Phi.
- 5 Star Marine — Private speedboat and catamaran charters to Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi and Krabi, and a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner five years in a row. A great pick if you want the islands at your own pace.
