James Bond Island From Krabi

James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) is a full day trip from Krabi, and the choice is small: we review two tours that collect from Krabi hotels. Koh Tour’s longtail day drives about 80 minutes from Ao Nang to Surakul Pier on the Phang Nga side, while Anda Krabi Seatour’s speedboat leaves its own pier at Ao Thung, about 45 minutes by road. Both reach Khao Phing Kan to view Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar, and both stop for lunch on Ko Panyi.

Two ways into Phang Nga Bay from Krabi

Krabi sits a little farther from the bay’s longtail piers than Khao Lak does. Ao Nang to Phang Nga town is about 87 km (54 miles), close to an hour and a half by road, and the piers south of town are a little nearer, about 80 minutes. So every Krabi tour starts with either a long road leg or a long boat leg.

The longtail route takes the road. Koh Tour’s Krabi longtail tour drives north, stops at the Wat Suwan Khuha cave temple, then boards a longtail at Surakul Pier for a short crossing.

The speedboat route takes the water. Anda Krabi Seatour’s premium speedboat and canoe trip drives about 45 minutes to the operator’s own pier at Ao Thung and covers the rest by speedboat. GetYourGuide files it under Ko Panyi, but every pickup is in Krabi.

Neither day is short: both run about 7.5 to 8 hours, and the speedboat’s first pickups start at 7:00 a.m. in Krabi Town. Railay Beach and Koh Lanta are outside both pickup lists.

Krabi tours compared

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Dates and prices checked November 2026. Group size is not stated on either listing.

The longtail day from Ao Nang

Koh Tour’s day is the cheaper of the two, from $66 per person with the national park fee included, and it is rated 4.4 from 60+ reviews, the fewest of any tour we review. The day starts on land at Wat Suwan Khuha, the Monkey Cave temple, with its reclining Buddha. From Surakul Pier the longtail, a narrow wooden boat with a car engine on a pole, crosses to Khao Phing Kan for about 45 minutes among the leaning rock slabs. Lunch on Ko Panyi (Koh Panyee), the Muslim fishing village on stilts, runs about an hour and a half, and a jungle waterfall swim closes the day.

Kayaking is an optional extra you book as its own option, through Lod Cave and hidden lagoons. The listing does not say who paddles, though one reviewer described it as guided, and the tide decides which passages are open. The drawbacks: the itinerary’s 30-minute van legs look optimistic against the real drive, one reviewer called the island touristy and another found the waterfall disappointing, and the tour is not suitable for people with back problems or wheelchair users. Read our review of the Krabi longtail tour.

The speedboat day from Ao Thung

Anda Krabi Seatour starts from $116 per person on real dates, is rated 4.6 from 110+ reviews and was first bookable on 20 November 2026 when we checked; a private option is sold from $385. The listing puts James Bond Island first, then Ko Panak’s caves with a flashlight and a canoe around Ko Hong. That Ko Hong is inside Phang Nga Bay, not the Hong Islands off Krabi, which are a separate trip. Lunch is at a restaurant on Ko Panyi, and the Big Tree (Ton Mai Yai) swim stop comes on the way back. Snorkeling gear, life jackets and accident insurance are included.

The catches: the park fee is extra, 300 THB per adult (about $9) and 150 THB per child in cash. A speedboat is bumpy in open water, so pick the longtail if you are prone to seasickness. Most boats reach James Bond Island around the middle of the day, so expect company, and one 2025 reviewer complained about how lunch had been stored. The speed boat page compares it with the Phuket speedboats.

What to pack for a Krabi day

Both days are long and wet in places, so pack for the boat and the stops. For the speedboat, the operator’s list covers cash for the park fee, a swimsuit and beach towel, sandals or beach shoes, a waterproof bag for phones and fins if you want to snorkel. For the longtail, bring a change of clothes for the waterfall, comfortable shoes and extra drinking water. Koh Tour offers vegetarian and halal meals if you ask after booking. Tours run in the wet season, but rough days can bring changes; the drier months are roughly November to April. Our what to wear guide has the full list.

An evening alternative that skips James Bond Island

Hong by Starlight is sold on Viator by the reseller Trip Store Krabi, but it is not a Krabi departure: it meets at Ao Po Pier on Phuket’s north-east coast and lists hotel transfers anywhere on Phuket island. Its program does not include James Bond Island. It is an afternoon-to-evening trip into the hongs, the collapsed cave chambers open to the sky, with reviewers describing the crew working the kayaks, then lunch and dinner on an escort boat and a krathong float after dark. It costs from $120 per person and is rated 4.9 from 1,240+ reviews. Glowing plankton is not promised. It suits a traveler moving on to Phuket who cares more about the caves than the rock; our plankton tour page compares the evening trips.

Krabi or another base?

If you are splitting your stay, Phuket’s piers offer far more choice: see tours from Phuket and tours from Khao Lak. Neither Krabi tour adds Phi Phi; our James Bond Island or Phi Phi guide helps you choose between the two days. For other routes, read how to get to James Bond Island, or compare every James Bond Island day trip on one page.

Ready to book from Krabi? Check availability for the Ao Thung speedboat.