If you are in Phuket, one of the must-do day trips is a visit to James Bond island and canoeing in Phang Nga bay. There are many providers on Phuket for a trip to James Bond Island, but the tours are all very similar. Read on to know what you can expect on a tour.
The tour generally starts in the morning between 9.00 A.M. and 10.00 A.M. directly at your hotel. There you will be picked up and – depending on the location of the hotel – have a 1 to 1.5 hour drive ahead of you before you reach the boats that will take you on the tour.
Our hotel was in Patong beach, which is the furthest point (almost 70 km and a 1.5 hour drive).
Why is it called James Bond island? And why is it famous?
The reason it’s famous is because it was the villain’s lair in the Bond movie – The Man with the Golden Gun. The original name of the island is Khao Phing Kan, but no one calls it by that name.
Anyway, ever since I saw the film, I knew I had to visit the place some day. There was just something so beautiful and menacing about this oddly shaped island.
Booking the tour
We booked our tour beforehand in India as part of a package (from yatra.com). But you can book one in Phuket itself from one of the many travel agents around. It’s not difficult at all as Phuket in general is a very tourist-friendly place and there are travel agents everywhere you go.
Most tours involve a full-day package consisting of a boat ride to Hong island where you can take canoes to go around the limestone rocks.
You then proceed further out to to another island from where you can see the iconic rock from The Man with the Golden Gun.
Canoeing around Hong island
Hong island was our first stop. We got off our big boat and stepped into smaller canoes (2 per canoe), and the oarsman took us on a long canoe ride where we could get up close and personal with the limestone caves.
Canoeing around Hong island was my favorite part of the trip. This place was simply drop dead gorgeous! As you approach the area, you see the color of the lagoon make a dramatic change to a bright emerald green. It was nothing like I have ever seen before.
The impressive cliff passage is surrounded by mangroves and limestone formations. The oarsman went quite slowly allowing us to take pictures of the mesmerising surroundings.
Visiting James Bond island
After a pleasant 45 minutes canoeing around Hong island, it was back into the big boat to see the main attraction of the day – Khao Phing Kan aka James Bond island.
As we approached the island, I was a little confused, it looks nothing like what I imagined. In fact, it was just another regular island.
It was only after we disembarked from the boat and walked to the other side of the island (it’s a very small one), that I could see the iconic rock.
This photo of K (below) posing with the rock was a bit of an #instagramfail. He had to stand on top of a rock to get the angle right – to make it look like the rock was balanced on his hand.
Unfortunately, while posing, he lost his footing (the rock was extremely slippery). He tumbled down into the rocky ground below and ended up having to get stitches.
I guess this is a common problem here because there was a first-aid stand where K could get his wound cleaned and bandaged 😆. The first-aid stand was a bit of a surprise as this is a deserted island, and only tourists come to visit the place.
So yeah, if you visit here, carefully climb the rocks. They are very slippery and K was extremely lucky to just get away with a few stitches.
One disappointment about James Bond island
I really thought it would be bigger than what it was 😟, and I thought we would be actually be able to get on the rock. Unfortunately, that’s not possible. You can just wade a little into the sea and see the rock from a distance.
I didn’t want to go too close. I had spotted a small crocodile while we were boating to the island, and so was pretty nervous about getting too much out in the water 😬.
End of the day
We spent about an hour hanging around the place exploring the cave and the beautiful beach. After that, it was time to head out to yet another island for lunch before being dropped at our port for the 2-hour drive back to Phuket hospital (stitches for K), and then our hotel in Patong.
Overall, a lovely day spent in a very scenic location. Very relaxing and honestly, it was one of the best days we spent in Phuket.
Highly recommend visiting this place while in Phuket!
Although I am a fan of James Bond movies, the idea of an island by that name doesn’t quite appeal to me. The old name is definitely more relatable. But the island looks fabulous. I am yet to explore this are but the limestone rock in the middle gives such an adventurous feel. Canoeing is an activity I wouldn’t miss as the surroundings are so beautiful to experience.
canoeing was amazing. The water was so calm and peaceful and the rocks around were very scenic. I really enjoyed every bit of the trip.
Loved your pictures and this post made me nostalgic. James Bond island is quite a popular one for sure. This whole bay area is must-do for the water babies. I prefer the original name of the island. Canoeing under the limestone is thrilling. Yeah one doesn’t get to go on top of the iconic rock. I am sorry K was hurt but its good to know that they had a first aid. The instagramfail pic is not a bad try.
The trip sounds wonderful! I would like kayaking into Hong Island. It will be an experience to see the water changes color dramatically. And yeah. Who didn’t know about the James Bond Island? I guess the spot where your husband got stitches is a favorite place to make a IG picture and your husband was probably the hundreds tourists who got stitches there. Hehe..
Canoeing around Hong island is a dream! I’m surprised James Bond island was disappointing; I would not have gone too far out into the water after seeing a crocodile either. Good thing there was a first aid station, I will not climb on the rocks when I visit
Visiting James Bond Island would be so cool! I’m not the hugest James Bond fan but I do enjoy the movies and being there in person would be a pretty neat experience. Such a disappointment that you couldn’t get closer to the rock, but I’m sure it was still a great experience. Thailand is such a beautiful country and this island is no exception. I would enjoy the canoeing trip around Hong Island as well.
I think I like more the original name of the island, than ‘James Bond.’ It seems to fit better in the landscape. But whatever the name, this place looks fabulous! I’m sure it’s fun canoeing around the island and under the limestone, but more than anything I’d love to photograph it.
Ha! I love that photo “holding up” the limestone rock. So fun! It would be interesting to visit the location where the filming was – James Bond is so iconic. What a fun place!
I have seen this island in many photos but never knew where it was or what it was called. Thanks for filling me in. The basic islands look similar to the Karst islands in Halong Bay Vietnam but this island definitely gets my attention.
I can imagine they would be similar. I’ve seen a few photos of Halong bay on the internet, and they have a similar vibe.
This looks like an amazing excursion from Phuket! I love kayaking and the water looks so inviting. Thank you for sharing your tips and experience.
The water is really inviting and the weather so lovely. I really enjoyed my day out on the water.