From Phuket: Phang Nga Bay and Canoeing Tour by Big Boat

About This Experience

Oh-Hoo’s big boat and canoe tour is the default budget choice for James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) from Phuket. At from $45 per person from Patong, Kata and Karon (about $55 from Kamala, Rawai and Nai Harn, checked November 2026) it is the cheapest tour in our list, and with a 4.7 rating from 4,190+ reviews it is the most-reviewed GetYourGuide listing for the bay. It runs on a two-deck boat, the slow and stable way across Phang Nga Bay.

The day starts with a shared van from your hotel to Ao Po Pier on Phuket’s north-east coast, a ride of about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how many hotels the van collects from. After a drink and a safety briefing at the pier, the boat heads into the bay. The first stop is Ko Panak, where crew paddlers take you by inflatable canoe into caves and a lagoon ringed by cliffs. The second is Ko Hong, the lagoon island inside Phang Nga Bay (not the Hong Islands off Krabi), with another hour among the cave passages. Lunch is a buffet cooked and served on board, and reviewers regularly mention it. In the afternoon the boat reaches James Bond Island, where you land on the beach, browse the souvenir stalls and look across to Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar. Boats keep their distance from the rock. The boat then returns to Ao Po for the drive back.

The tour suits families, groups and first-time visitors who want two proper canoe sessions without paying speedboat prices, and anyone who prefers a big, steady deck to a fast boat. Solo travelers in the reviews say the crew looked after them, and the canoe paddlers get frequent praise by name.

The drawbacks are the flip side of the price. The national park fee is extra and paid in cash. The day lasts about 10 hours, much of it in the van and on a slow boat, and one reviewer from Kata described a cramped van and heavy traffic. James Bond Island comes after lunch, while plenty of other boats are still there. Far-flung areas such as Nai Thon, Mai Khao and Cape Panwa have no pickup, and cruise ship passengers cannot book. If you would rather trade comfort for speed, the same operator’s speedboat tour covers similar stops faster; see our review.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start, and you book and pay on GetYourGuide.

Highlights

• Glide into the caves and lagoon of Ko Panak in an inflatable canoe steered by a crew paddler
• Spend about an hour at Ko Hong in Phang Nga Bay, where cave passages lead into an enclosed lagoon
• Cross the bay on a two-deck boat with shade, space to move and a slow, steady ride
• Walk the beach at James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) and photograph Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar
• Swim in the calm inner lagoon waters that the cave channels open into

What's Included

• ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off in most of Phuket, by shared van to Ao Po Pier
• ✓ English- and Thai-speaking tour guide
• ✓ Canoeing at Ko Panak and Ko Hong with a crew paddler
• ✓ Buffet lunch served on board
• ✓ A drink at Ao Po Pier and drinks on board
• ✓ Life jackets on board

Not Included

• National park fee: 300 THB per adult, 150 THB per child
• Transfers from Nai Thon, Nai Yang, Mai Khao, Cape Panwa, Makham Bay, Koh Si Ray, Layan or Coconut Island
• Bookings by cruise ship passengers (not accepted)

What to Bring

• Cash for the national park fee
• Swimwear and a towel
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• A dry bag or zip bag for your phone in the canoe

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 two-deck big boat: slow and stable, the easiest ride in our list if you worry about seasickness, but it takes longer to reach each stop.
• Crew paddlers steer the canoes at Ko Panak and Ko Hong, so no experience is needed. Tide decides which caves are open on the day.
• James Bond Island comes after lunch, while plenty of other boats are still there. Nobody can land on Ko Ta Pu; you see it from the beach.
• Shared pickup covers most of Phuket; the van takes about 45 minutes to an hour each way and collects from several hotels, and one reviewer found the van cramped.
• Prices start from $45 per person from Patong, Kata and Karon, and about $55 from Kamala, Rawai and Nai Harn (checked November 2026).
• Not suitable for pregnant women or people with mobility impairments, heart problems or high blood pressure. Cruise ship passengers cannot book.
• First bookable date when we checked: 14 November 2026 (checked November 2026).

Meeting Point

A shared van collects you from your Phuket hotel and drives about 45 minutes to an hour to Ao Po Pier on the north-east coast, where you board after a safety briefing.