Illustration.
Hotel pickup · Ao Po Pier · 8-hour big boat or 9-hour speedboat
James Bond Island from Phuket
The Thai Tourism Company takes you by van from most Phuket hotels to Ao Po Pier on the east coast, then into the bay: a paddler canoes you round Panak Island, you land on Khao Phing Kan opposite the rock needle of Ko Tapu, and there is lunch and a swim before the drive back. Bring 300 baht in cash for the park fee.
Start here
Which Pier, Which Boat?
James Bond Island is the name everyone uses for Khao Phing Kan and Ko Tapu, the thin rock standing in the water beside it, in Ao Phang-nga National Park, north-east of Phuket; the nickname comes from its part as a film location in 1974. From Phuket the day starts with a van to a pier on the island’s east side and continues by boat. Most big boats sail from Ao Po Pier, 29 km by road from Phuket Old Town; many speedboats use Royal Phuket Marina or the Boat Lagoon, further south. The tour to look at first is James Bond, Phang Nga Bay and Hong Island Tour from Phuket by The Thai Tourism Company, from US$48 on promotion, usually US$51 a person (checked November 2026), where you pick the boat at booking: on our November, January and March dates the 8-hour big boat came to US$50.57 and the 9-hour speedboat to US$59.55.
James Bond, Phang Nga Bay and Hong Island Tour from Phuket
The Thai Tourism Company: van from most Phuket hotels to Ao Po Pier, a paddled canoe round Panak Island, Khao Phing Kan opposite Ko Tapu, lunch and a swim. The park fee is cash at the pier.
See dates →Phuket: 7 Wonders of Phang Nga Bay 6-Island Tour
Go Adventures (Thailand): from the Boat Lagoon pier, six islands including 1.5 hours at Ko Panyi for lunch and an hour at the rock needle, back at the pier around 5:00 to 5:30 PM.
See the tour →Thrilling Thai Tours' longtail day
Thrilling Thai Tours: a 2.5-hour drive to Phang Nga, the cave temple of Wat Suwan Khuha, lunch at Ko Panyi and 1.5 hours at the island. Free pickup from Patong, Kata and Karon.
See the tour →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
The table further down lines up four ways of doing the day. Big boat, speedboat or longtail is the page for that choice on its own.
- 4.8 / 5 779+ Reviews
- 29 km Phuket Old Town to Ao Po Pier by road, about 37 minutes with no traffic; the big boats leave from there
- 11 km Phuket Old Town to Royal Phuket Marina by road, where several speedboat days start
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
In the Price
The shared van, the boat of your program, a paddler for the canoe, lunch, soft drinks, water and fruit, a life jacket and insurance. Paid in cash on top: the park fee, luggage and the surcharges for a few pickup areas.
The Thai Tourism Company Limited's own highlights, inclusions and notes, as listed on GetYourGuide in November 2026.
Highlights
- Discover James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay on a full-day Phuket tour
- Canoe through Panak and Hong Island caves, lagoons, and limestone cliffs
- Choose a speedboat adventure or relaxed big boat cruise through the bay
- Enjoy halal lunch with vegetarian options available on request
- Swim and relax at Naka Island or Kaya Island, based on selected package
What's Included
- Shared round-trip hotel transfer (Pickup is included from Rawai, Nai Harn, Chalong, Kata, Karon, Tri Trang, Patong, Kalim, Kamala, Surin/Bang Tao, Laguna, and Phuket Town)
- Boat (Big Boat / Speedboat as selected)
- English-speaking guide
- Canoeing with professional paddler
- Soft drinks & drinking water
- Fresh fruits
- Life jacket
- Lunch (buffet or local lunch depending on program), with vegetarian and halal food available upon request
- Insurance by operator
- Showers and changing rooms are available at the pier (free)
Good to know: Pickup time depends on hotel location · Exact pickup time will be shared one day before travel date · Be ready in the hotel lobby at the provided time · Itinerary may change due to weather or tide conditions · Showers and changing rooms are available at the pier (free) · Vegetarian and halal food is available upon request. Please indicate your special dietary requirements during booking or by email or WhatsApp · All surcharges are payable in cash directly to the driver · Not suitable for: Pregnant women, People prone to seasickness, People with pre-existing medical conditions, Babies under 1 year · Not Included: National park fee 300 THB each per adult, 150 THB per child payable at pier, Luggage service fee 100 THB per luggage, Extra charge of 100 THB per person applies for pickup from Sirey Bay/Laem Hin, Yamu, and Kamala (Paresa/Tantawan zone) and extra charge of 300 THB per person applies for pickup from Cape Panwa area, payable directly to driver in cash, Private transfer only applies for Cape Panwa, Maikhao, Naithon, Layan/Baan Don, and Naiyang areas (shared transfer not available), Personal expenses and tips
How the Day Runs
From your hotel lobby to Ao Po Pier, out among the islands by big boat or speedboat, and back to the hotel in the evening.
The Van to Ao Po
The driver collects you from your hotel lobby at a time sent the day before; most areas from Rawai to Laguna and Phuket Town are free, a few cost 100 or 300 baht in cash. The drive to Ao Po Pier takes about 1.5 hours, with check-in there.
Panak by Canoe
Out among the islands, then an hour at Panak Island, sitting in a canoe while a paddler steers through the caves and mangrove; the sea decides which caves. There is canoeing at Hong Island on both programs.
Khao Phing Kan
Thirty minutes ashore on Khao Phing Kan and thirty for photos facing Ko Tapu, the thin rock in the water that gave the island its film nickname. You look at Ko Tapu from the island or a boat; nobody climbs it.
Lunch, a Swim, the Drive Back
The speedboat program eats at Ko Panyi's stilt village and swims at Naka Island; on the big boat, lunch is a buffet on board and the swim is at Kaya Island. Ao Po again in the late afternoon, then the drive back to the hotel.
Photo Gallery
Karst, Canoes and Open Water
Sheer islands rising out of green water, canoe lanes under the cliffs, and the boats that carry you between them.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
The Thai Tourism Company's day from Phuket hotels via Ao Po Pier: choose the 8-hour big boat or the 9-hour speedboat on the calendar. Bring cash for the park fee; free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Choose Your Departure
Planning the Day from Phuket
A rough November sea, the pier and the pickup, the three kinds of boat, an early or late start, a private boat, and what you actually do at the island.
Prices are each page's featured tour: GetYourGuide checked November 2026. Tour prices are in US dollars; the park fee, pickup surcharges and luggage fees are in Thai baht.
Four Ways from Phuket to James Bond Island
The pier each one uses, the boat, how long you spend at Khao Phing Kan, the park fee and the limits, side by side. Each price carries the month it was read.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Your choice of boat | Big boat, two decks | Six islands by speedboat | Longtail via Phang Nga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$48 per person (US$50.57 for the 8-hour program and US$59.55 for the 9-hour one on 26 Nov 2026, 20 Jan 2027 and 24 Mar 2027; checked November 2026) | From US$45 per person (US$55.36 for Patong, Kalim, Kata, Karon, Surin, Bang Tao and Phuket Town pickups, US$67.33 for Rawai, Nai Harn, Kamala, Yamu, Laem Hin and Sirey Bay, on 26 Nov 2026 and 20 Jan 2027; checked November 2026) | From US$81 per person (its one option, 7:30 AM, on 26 Nov 2026 and 20 Jan 2027, park fee included; checked November 2026) | From US$46 per person (its one option cost US$46.40 on 26 Nov 2026 and US$58.00 on 20 Jan 2027; park fee extra; checked November 2026) |
| Where the Boat Leaves | Ao Po Pier, about 1.5 hours by van | Ao Po Pier, about 45 minutes by van | The Boat Lagoon pier, about 45 minutes by van | A pier in Phang Nga, after a 2.5-hour drive |
| At the Island | 30 minutes on Khao Phing Kan, 30 for photos facing Ko Tapu | An hour at James Bond Island, an hour at Khao Phing Kan | 30 minutes on Khao Phing Kan, an hour at James Bond Island | 1.5 hours |
| Canoeing | Panak and Hong Islands, with a paddler | Panak Island and Ko Hong | Hong Island | Ko Thalu, with the guide paddling |
| Lunch | Buffet on board (big boat) or at Ko Panyi (speedboat) | Buffet on board | Buffet at Ko Panyi, 1.5 hours there | At Ko Panyi, 1.5 hours there |
| Park Fee | 300 baht an adult, in cash at the pier | 300 baht an adult, on the day | Included | 300 baht an adult, in cash on the spot |
| Limits | Pregnant women, people prone to seasickness and babies under 1 are excluded | Not for pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, heart problems or high blood pressure; not for cruise passengers | Excluded: pregnant women, people with back problems; back at the pier around 5:00 to 5:30 PM | Free pickup only from Patong, Kata and Karon; 200 baht a person from other areas |
| Best For | Choosing your boat on one booking | A slow day on a big deck | Six islands with the park fee settled | The cave temple, the village and 1.5 hours at the island |
| See dates | See the tour | See the tour | See the tour |
Other Departures
More Ways from Phuket to the Island
A big boat that includes the park fee, a speedboat from Royal Phuket Marina, a small-group longtail and a day with halal lunch on Viator.
PARK FEE INCLUDEDPhuket: James Bond Island Big Boat & Canoe + Park Fee
BJ Canoeing Tour Co.,Ltd.'s big boat from Ao Po Pier with the park fee in the price: canoeing in the caves of Panak Island, James Bond Island and Khao Phing Kan, a Thai buffet lunch on board, more canoeing at Hong Island and a swim at Kaya Island. The price depends on the pickup area.
FROM ROYAL PHUKET MARINAFrom Phuket: James Bond and Phang Nga Bay Tour by Speedboat
Oh-Hoo's speedboat from Royal Phuket Marina, about 7 hours: Panak Island and Ko Hong by canoe, lunch at Ko Panyi, then James Bond Island and Khao Phing Kan, an hour each. The park fee is paid on the day.
SMALL-GROUP LONGTAILPhuket: James Bond Island by Longtail Boat Small Group Tour
TripGuru Thailand's small-group longtail: a van of about 2 hours to Wat Suwan Khuha, a longtail from Sam Chong Pier, 1.5 hours at Ko Panyi with lunch, canoeing at Ko Thalu Ok and 40 minutes at James Bond Island. Park fee included; meeting-point and hotel-transfer options.
ON VIATORDay Trip to James Bond (Canoeing & Kayaking Islands & Lunch)
Phuket Patri Tour's 7-hour day with hotel pickup: canoe and paddle in the bay, halal food, coffee, tea and soft drinks through the day, and a restroom on board. On Viator.
From Phuket
Pier, Boat, Hotel Area
The three choices that shape a James Bond Island day from Phuket, the two programs of the day to book first, the November sea, and what reviewers report.
The pier
Where your boat leaves from decides how long you sit in the van. Ao Po Pier is the big-boat pier: The Thai Tourism Company, Oh-Hoo, BJ Canoeing Tour Co.,Ltd. and Seanery all sail from it. Royal Phuket Marina and the Boat Lagoon, also on the east coast, are speedboat country, with Oh-Hoo’s speedboat, Go Adventures (Thailand) and Delight Tours and Travels. Thai Adventure Club's speedboat starts from its office at AA Marina. The longtail days skip Phuket’s piers altogether and drive about two to two and a half hours to Phang Nga before boarding.
Pier and pickup from Phuket gives every pier, the van time each tour quotes and the hour you get back.
The boat
A big boat is a two-deck cruiser that carries lunch on board and is slower on the water. A speedboat covers more islands in the same hours and usually lands you at Ko Panyi for lunch. A longtail is a narrow wooden boat that runs from a pier near Phang Nga, after the long drive. The Thai Tourism Company sells both a big boat and a speedboat on one listing, which is why it heads this page.
Your hotel area
Pickup is free from most of the west coast and Phuket Town, and costs extra elsewhere. The amounts differ by tour:
| Tour | Free pickup | Extra |
|---|---|---|
| James Bond, Phang Nga Bay and Hong Island Tour from Phuket (The Thai Tourism Company) | Rawai, Nai Harn, Chalong, Kata, Karon, Tri Trang, Patong, Kalim, Kamala, Surin, Bang Tao, Laguna, Phuket Town | Sirey Bay, Laem Hin, Yamu and Kamala’s Paresa and Tantawan zone: 100 baht a person. Cape Panwa area: 300 baht. Nai Yang, Mai Khao, Nai Thon, Layan and Baan Don: private transfer only |
| From Phuket: Phang Nga Bay and Canoeing Tour by Big Boat (Oh-Hoo) | Priced by area | US$55.36 (Patong, Kalim, Kata, Karon, Surin, Bang Tao, Phuket Town); US$67.33 (Rawai, Nai Harn, Kamala, Yamu, Laem Hin, Sirey Bay) |
| Thrilling Thai Tours' longtail day | Patong, Kata, Karon | 200 baht a person from other areas, in cash |
Pickup terms and option prices from each tour, read for one adult on 26 Nov 2026 and 20 Jan 2027; checked November 2026.
The Phuket James Bond tour by pickup area sorts every carded day by where you are staying.
The Thai Tourism Company’s day
Both programs start with the same van, about 1.5 hours to Ao Po Pier, and the same hour in a canoe at Panak Island with a paddler doing the work. Then they part:
| 8-hour big boat | 9-hour speedboat | |
|---|---|---|
| Price on our three dates | US$50.57 | US$59.55 |
| Second canoe | Round Hong Island | Round Hong Island |
| Where you eat | A buffet served on board | Ko Panyi, the stilt village |
| Extra stop | Kaya Island for a swim | Khao Khian’s old rock drawings, then Naka Island |
| At the island | Half an hour on Khao Phing Kan, half an hour of photos facing Ko Tapu | The same |
One adult, 9:00 AM start, read on 26 Nov 2026, 20 Jan 2027 and 24 Mar 2027; two adults paid exactly twice. Checked November 2026.
About the park fee, this one tour’s own page points two ways. Its exclusions read “National park fee 300 THB each per adult, 150 THB per child payable at pier”. Further down, a summary sentence includes “national park fee” in a list of what you get “according to the selected package”. Take the cash: 300 baht per foreign adult and 150 per child, Ao Phang-nga’s group-3 rates under the Department of National Parks’ scheme of 7 June 2022. Luggage costs 100 baht a piece.
The November sea
The park’s own page treats the northeast monsoon, November to March or April, as the calm season, with a catch. In its words, “calm waves happen during the northeast monsoon, except in November, the wave is mild-moderate, sometimes heavy-very heavy”. By the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s reckoning on 20 October 2026, the dry season would be fully established by December. James Bond Island in November covers what to check the day before and what the tours do when the sea is up.
At the island itself
You do not climb Ko Tapu. The Phang Nga Provincial Administrative Organisation says the rock is seen from a boat at a distance or from the sandbar of Khao Phing Kan. What people do is land on Khao Phing Kan, walk the shore, take the photo and browse the stalls. What you do at James Bond Island goes into the minutes each tour gives you there.
What the reviews say
On GetYourGuide the tour has 779 reviews. Of the 350 newest, posted between 30 September and 10 November 2026, 334 carry four or five stars. Two things recur in the praise: guides who are funny and helpful, and the canoe paddlers. On 20 October a speedboat reviewer wrote that their group was “always the first tour group to arrive places before it got busy”. A big-boat reviewer on 27 October chose it over the speedboat to “enjoy the view and relax more”, and felt James Bond Island itself needs little time. On 9 October another found the big boat “incredibly smooth and stable”, with no motion sickness.
The low marks are about numbers. A two-star review on 27 October called the canoe loop “bumper-to-bumper”, and a French reviewer on 21 October counted dozens of boats waiting their turn at the islands. A big-boat reviewer on 6 November reported a pickup 30 minutes late and a climb across a longtail and up steep steps to reach the island.
Good to know
- Cash in baht for the park fee, any pickup surcharge, luggage, drinks at the island and tips.
- The pickup time arrives the day before; wait in the hotel lobby at that time.
- Not suitable for babies under a year, pregnant women, anyone prone to seasickness or anyone with a pre-existing medical condition.
- Halal and vegetarian lunches can be asked for when you book.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, on every GetYourGuide tour named here.
From Your Hotel to Khao Phing Kan
Picked up at your Phuket hotel, out from Ao Po Pier with The Thai Tourism Company: a paddled canoe round Panak, then Khao Phing Kan, then lunch and a swim, on the big boat or the speedboat. Cancel free until 24 hours ahead. Starting from US$48 per person (US$50.57 for the 8-hour program and US$59.55 for the 9-hour one on 26 Nov 2026, 20 Jan 2027 and 24 Mar 2027; checked November 2026) on promotion, usually US$51, checked November 2026.
Pick a dateStill Deciding
Day Trips from Phuket with Open Dates
James Bond Island days by big boat, speedboat and longtail with live availability. Each shows its pier, pickup and whether the park fee is included before you pay.
James Bond Island from Phuket: Questions
How you get there, how long it takes, which boat, what it costs, the November sea, and what happens at the island.
On a day tour: a van from your hotel to a pier on Phuket's east coast, then a boat into Phang Nga Bay. The Thai Tourism Company's big boat or speedboat day, from US$48 a person (checked November 2026), drives about 1.5 hours to Ao Po Pier. Longtail tours drive to Phang Nga instead. See pier and pickup from Phuket.
A whole day: 8 hours on the big boat and 9 on the speedboat with The Thai Tourism Company, and 7 to 10.5 hours on the other day tours here. Ao Po Pier is 29 km by road from Phuket Old Town, about 37 minutes with no traffic; the van collects several hotels on the way.
The departure piers are 11 to 29 km by road from Phuket Old Town: Royal Phuket Marina 11 km, Ao Po Pier 29 km. The rest is by boat across the bay. Going overland to Surakul Pier on the mainland is 75 km by road.
A big boat for a slower day with lunch on board, a speedboat for more islands in the same hours, a longtail for a smaller boat after a long drive to Phang Nga. See big boat, speedboat or longtail.
The shared days on this site show from-prices between about US$45 and US$156 a person; The Thai Tourism Company's cost US$50.57 by big boat and US$59.55 by speedboat on the dates we read (November 2026 to March 2027). Add the park fee where a tour leaves it out: 300 baht per foreign adult and 150 per child (Department of National Parks, since 7 June 2022). Private days cost about US$300 and up. See the Phuket James Bond tour by pickup area.
It is the one month of the dry season the park itself singles out: waves 'mild-moderate, sometimes heavy-very heavy' (Department of National Parks; checked November 2026). Every GetYourGuide tour here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before. See James Bond Island in November.
No. You land on Khao Phing Kan for about half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the tour, and see Ko Tapu from the shore or a boat; nobody goes up onto it (Phang Nga Provincial Administrative Organisation). See what you do at James Bond Island.
It is a nickname from 1974, when Khao Phing Kan and Ko Tapu were a location for a James Bond film. On maps and park pages it is Khao Phing Kan, and the rock is Ko Tapu or Khao Ta Pu.
Still have questions? Email us at info@jamesbondislandfromphuket.com