Phuket: James Bond Island Longtail Boat, Sea Canoe & Monkey Cave Tour+lunch

About This Experience

Thrilling Thai Tours’ longtail day is the budget way to see James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) from Phuket on a traditional boat. It costs from $46 per person (checked November 2026) and holds a 4.8 rating from 2,530+ reviews on GetYourGuide. Instead of sailing from a Phuket marina, it drives north to the Phang Nga side of the bay, where longtail crossings are short, and adds a cave temple to the usual boat stops.

The van collects you in Patong, Kata or Karon between 07:00 and 09:00. The first stop is Wat Suwan Khuha, the monkey cave temple, with its golden reclining Buddha and connected caves; one reviewer mentions the driver handing out cover-ups for the visit. From there you board a longtail boat, a narrow wooden boat driven by a car engine on a long pole, and head through the mangroves of Ao Phang Nga National Park to Ko Panyi (Koh Panyee), the Muslim fishing village built on stilts, for a buffet lunch with halal, vegetarian and vegan options. Next comes about 30 minutes in a sea canoe at Ko Thalu Ok, paddled by your guide, and then a generous hour and a half on James Bond Island. You land on Khao Phing Kan’s beach and look across to Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar, which boats are not allowed to approach closely.

This suits travelers staying in Patong, Kata or Karon who want the lowest price with a canoe, a village and a temple included, and anyone curious to ride a longtail. Reviewers often name their guide and rate the canoe section and the ride out to James Bond Island as the best parts of the day.

The drawbacks are clear in the listing. The national park fee is extra and payable in cash, pickup outside the three main beaches costs 200 THB per person, and the drive is long: the operator allows about 2.5 hours each way, though one reviewer from Patong took about an hour and a half. Longtails are loud and you sit close to the spray. One reviewer found Ko Panyi too hot, crowded and full of sellers. If you would rather sail straight from Phuket on a bigger boat, the big boat and canoe tour is the obvious comparison; see our review.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours ahead, and checkout is on GetYourGuide.

Highlights

• See the reclining Buddha and resident monkeys in the cave temple of Wat Suwan Khuha
• Ride a traditional longtail boat through the mangroves of Ao Phang Nga National Park
• Eat lunch on Ko Panyi, the Muslim fishing village built on stilts, with time to look around
• Relax in a sea canoe while your guide paddles you around Ko Thalu Ok
• Spend about an hour and a half on James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan), facing Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar

What's Included

• ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off in Patong, Kata and Karon
• ✓ Licensed English-speaking guide
• ✓ Longtail boat tour and guide-paddled sea canoeing
• ✓ Buffet lunch on Ko Panyi with halal, vegetarian and vegan options, plus fruit and water
• ✓ Drinking water on board and life jackets
• ✓ Insurance

Not Included

• National park fee: 300 THB per adult, 150 THB per child, paid in cash on the spot
• Pickup outside Patong, Kata and Karon: 200 THB per person in cash to the driver
• Pickup from Cape Panwa, Sirey Bay and Ao Yon (not offered; you travel to a meeting point)

What to Bring

• Cash for the park fee and any pickup surcharge
• Sunscreen
• Comfortable clothes
• Something to cover shoulders and knees for the temple

Good to Know & Caveats

• The national park fee is not included: bring 300 THB per adult (about $9) and 150 THB per child in cash.
• The boat is a longtail, a narrow wooden boat with a car engine on a pole. It is loud and close to the water, and the crossings are short.
• Your guide paddles the canoe at Ko Thalu Ok because the water there can be hard to paddle. The session is about 30 minutes, and the program may change with tide and weather.
• The listing allows about 2.5 hours of driving each way to the Phang Nga side; one reviewer from Patong said it took about an hour and a half.
• Pickup is between 07:00 and 09:00, with your exact time emailed after booking. Free pickup covers only Patong, Kata and Karon; most other areas pay 200 THB in cash.
• James Bond Island is busy around the middle of the day, and boats keep away from Ko Ta Pu; you view it from the beach.
• Give your full name as it appears on your passport for the insurance.
• First bookable date when we checked: 14 November 2026 (checked November 2026).

Meeting Point

A van picks you up in Patong, Kata or Karon between 07:00 and 09:00 and drives to the Phang Nga side of the bay, stopping at Wat Suwan Khuha before you board the longtail boat; guests in Cape Panwa, Sirey Bay or Ao Yon must reach a meeting point themselves.