James Bond, Phang Nga Bay and Hong Island Tour from Phuket

About This Experience

The Thai Tourism Company’s James Bond Island tour is one listing with two programs: a big-boat cruise and a speedboat day, both leaving from Ao Po Pier on Phuket’s north-east coast. Prices start from $48 per person (checked November 2026), which puts it among the cheapest days in our list, and the rating is 4.8 from 810+ reviews on GetYourGuide. Your choice of boat at checkout changes the route and the lunch, so read the option names carefully.

Both programs start with a shared van from your hotel and a ride the itinerary puts at about an hour and a half to Ao Po. From the pier the boat heads into Phang Nga Bay to Ko Panak, where a professional paddler takes you by sea canoe through caves, mangroves and lagoons; the listing names Bat Cave, Mangrove Cave, Ice Cream Cave and others, depending on sea conditions. Both programs include James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan), where you walk around the island and look across to Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar, from the shore. Boats keep their distance from the rock.

The big-boat program serves a buffet lunch on board, adds canoeing at Hong Island and ends with a swim at Kaya Island. The speedboat program adds Khao Khian’s rock paintings, lunch on Ko Panyi (Koh Panyee) and a beach stop at Naka Island. The listing pairs Hong Island with Ko Panak, so this is Ko Hong in Phang Nga Bay, not the Hong Islands off Krabi. Reviewers who took the speedboat said it left more time on the beach, and many praise individual guides and canoe paddlers by name.

The tour suits budget travelers who still want a canoe session with a local paddler, and the free showers at the pier are a nice touch on a salty day. The drawbacks are in the small print. The park fee is excluded in the inclusions list and paid in cash at the pier, although the long description says it is included, so confirm it. Pickups from Cape Panwa, Kamala’s Paresa zone, Yamu and Sirey Bay cost extra, and the far north of the island needs a private transfer. One reviewer called the day long, and with three hours of van time it is. The listing also says it is not suitable for anyone prone to seasickness. For a similar budget day with the canoe stops closer together, compare the big boat and canoe tour and our review.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour, and booking happens on GetYourGuide.

Highlights

• Sit back in a sea canoe while a professional paddler takes you through Ko Panak's caves and mangroves
• Canoe around Ko Hong and Ko Panak, the cave islands of Phang Nga Bay
• Walk around James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) and photograph Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar
• Choose the pace: a steady big-boat cruise or a faster speedboat program with more stops
• End with a swim at Kaya Island (big boat) or Naka Island (speedboat)

What's Included

• ✓ Shared round-trip hotel transfer from most Phuket beach areas and Phuket Town
• ✓ Big boat or speedboat, as selected, with an English-speaking guide
• ✓ Canoeing with a professional paddler and a life jacket
• ✓ Lunch with vegetarian and halal food on request, plus fresh fruit, soft drinks and water
• ✓ Free showers and changing rooms at the pier
• ✓ Insurance by the operator

Not Included

• National park fee: 300 THB per adult, 150 THB per child, payable at the pier
• Luggage service fee of 100 THB per bag
• Pickup surcharges: 100 THB per person from Sirey Bay/Laem Hin, Yamu and Kamala (Paresa/Tantawan zone), 300 THB per person from Cape Panwa
• Private transfer for Cape Panwa, Mai Khao, Nai Thon, Layan/Baan Don and Nai Yang (no shared van)
• Personal expenses and tips

What to Bring

• Cash for the park fee and any surcharges
• Swimwear, shorts and a towel
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Breathable clothing
• A camera

Good to Know & Caveats

• The listing's exclusions put the national park fee as extra: pay 300 THB per adult (about $9) and 150 THB per child at the pier. The long description mentions the fee as included, so confirm with the operator.
• You pick big boat or speedboat when booking. The big boat is slower and steadier; the speedboat is faster and bumpier. The listing says the tour is not suitable for people prone to seasickness.
• A professional paddler handles the canoe, so you do not need paddling experience. Which caves you enter depends on tide and sea conditions.
• The van ride to Ao Po is listed at about 1.5 hours each way, so a good share of the day is road time.
• James Bond Island gets busy around the middle of the day, and no boat may land on Ko Ta Pu; you view it from the beach.
• Exact pickup time is sent the day before; be ready in your hotel lobby. All surcharges are paid in cash to the driver.
• Not suitable for pregnant women, people with pre-existing medical conditions or babies under one year.
• First bookable date when we checked: 13 November 2026 (checked November 2026).

Meeting Point

A shared van picks you up from your Phuket hotel lobby, with the time sent the day before, and drives about 1.5 hours to Ao Po (Ao Por) Pier on the north-east coast.