Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay is full of exotic island landscapes, and one of the best things to see in the bay should be the famous James Bond Island with its unusually balanced rock.
James Bond Island, also known as Nail Island or “Ko Ta Pu” in Thai, got its current nickname when the place was featured in the 1974 Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun”.’
Nowadays, Phang Nga Bay is a national park in Thailand, where you can go kayaking and see dozens of awesome islands with caves, mangroves, wildlife and even a floating village called Koh Panyee.
It’s easy to visit Phang Nga Bay on a day trip (by boat) from Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak, so you have plenty of time to see James Bond Island and the other main attractions of the bay.
This Phang Nga Bay travel guide will tell you how to get there, what is the best way to see and do, which tour packages are the best to use, where to stay and everything you need to know before you go!
Best Packages for Phang Nga Bay
The only way to visit James Bond Island is a tour, and GetYourGuide has arranged in advance day trips from Phuket or similar day trips from Khao Lak or Krabi with hotel transfers, boat trip, lunch, joint island tour and return on the same day.
These day trips visit all the major attractions of Phang Nga Bay, including James Bond Island, Hong Island and the floating village of Koh Panyee, and you can also use a canoe or kayak to explore some of the limestone caves up close.
They also offer private or semi-private tours if you prefer, although the prices are higher. We have used GetYourGuide for many day trips and activities around the world, and they are great. Highly recommended!
Where Is James Bond Island?
James Bond Island is located in Phang Nga Bay in the south of Thailand.
There is no airport, hotels or accommodation in the bay, as it is a national park, but you can easily visit other places in Thailand.
How To Get To James Bond Island Thailand
The only way to get to James Bond Island is to book a Phang Nga Bay tour by boat. You can choose from a Thai long-tailed boat, a large wooden boat or a speedboat, and all these options are good.
The speedboat is the fastest and you are usually in a smaller, more private tour group, but it costs more. We have circumnavigated James Bond Island with all kinds of boats and have always had a good experience with each of them.
The nearest airport is Phuket International Airport (HKT) or Krabi Airport (KBV). Both airports offer inexpensive flights from Bangkok. You can buy flights to Thailand on Skyscanner.
There are a number of boat companies that travel to James Bond Island from Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak on a daily basis, and they usually include pick-up and drop-off from the hotel. Again, we recommend GetYourGuide for your joint or private tours!
The boat trip through Phang Nga Bay is beautiful on its own, with dozens of rocky islands jutting out of the sea in all directions. However, one of the best parts of the trip is kayaking through the limestone caves. This is probably one of the most incredible kayaking experiences I’ve ever had in the world!
