James Bond & Hong Island Canoeing by Speedboat

About this trip

James Bond & Hong Island by Speedboat puts two separate day trips into one. Most visitors to Krabi and Ao Nang choose between Phang Nga Bay, with James Bond Island and Koh Panyee, and the Hong Islands, with the turquoise lagoon and the 360 degree viewpoints. This one does both, in a single run, on a speedboat, from hotel pick-up at 07:45 to 08:00 until you are back at Ao Nang or Railay at around 16:30 to 17:00. That is roughly nine hours, and the speedboat is what makes the combination possible.

The trade is worth stating before you book. Two destinations in one day means less time standing still at each. If you want an unhurried day inside Phang Nga Bay, our James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay tour goes by minivan and big longtail and adds the Monkey Cave temple on the way home. If you want a full day in the Hong Islands, with six stops rather than one, our Hong Islands trip does that. This one is for people with a single free day who want both and accept a faster pace to get it.

What the day looks like

Pick-up is between 07:45 and 08:00, earlier than most island days here, because there is a lot of coast to cover. We collect from Khlong Muang, Krabi Town, Ao Nang and Railay. The order of stops can move with the tide and the sea, so treat what follows as the shape of the day.

Lao Kudo is the first stop, a beach where you swim, relax and take photographs before the bay proper begins.

Tamlot Island is the canoeing. A sea canoe is included, and this is where you use it, on a scenic cruise and a paddle through the bay's greenery and emerald water. It is the part of the day that slows down, since a canoe cannot be hurried.

James Bond Island and Khao Ping Kan is the photograph. Koh Tapu is the limestone needle standing just off the Khao Ping Kan cliffs, and it is a viewing stop rather than a place to spend an afternoon. On a combined itinerary that works in your favor, because the island itself does not need long.

Koh Panyee is lunch. The village is built out over the sea on stilts beneath a limestone cliff, and the included buffet lunch is served there. It is a working Muslim fishing village rather than something built for visitors, so the lanes behind the restaurants are worth a walk if you finish early.

Hong Island closes the day, where the itinerary crosses back into Krabi waters: the turquoise lagoon, time to swim and relax, and the famous 360 degree viewpoints over the water. Snorkeling equipment is included, so bring it up from the boat here if you want it. Then the speedboat runs you home for around 16:30 to 17:00.

Who this trip suits

This suits people short on days rather than short on energy. If you have one day left in Krabi and cannot decide between Phang Nga Bay and the Hong Islands, this settles it. It suits couples, friends and anyone who would rather see two famous places at pace than one at leisure.

It suits you less well if you want a slow day. It is a long one, with an early pick-up, a good deal of time on a fast boat, and stops that are measured rather than open ended. If you are traveling with very young children, or anyone who finds a full day of movement tiring, a single destination trip is the better day. Tell us who is coming and we will say whether this is the right one.

What to bring

Bring a towel, sun cream, a hat, sunglasses, swimwear and a camera. Wear the swimwear under your clothes, since the first stop is a beach. Add a dry bag for anything electronic, because a speedboat throws spray. Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is appropriate at Koh Panyee, so pack a light shirt or sarong. Bring cash for the national park entrance fee, which is not included.

Good to know

Included are hotel transfers, travel insurance, buffet lunch, snacks, bottled water and soft drinks, the sea canoe, snorkeling equipment, life jackets and an English-speaking guide.

The national park entrance fee is not included and is paid on the day: 500 baht for adults and 250 baht for children aged 4 to 11.

High season runs roughly from November to April, when both Phang Nga Bay and the water around the Hong Islands are at their calmest. From May to October the monsoon makes conditions more variable. Phang Nga Bay is sheltered and the trip runs on many of those days, but a long combined itinerary depends more on the sea than a short one.

Booking

Message us on WhatsApp with your date, the number of adults and children, and your hotel name. We will confirm availability and your pick-up time. If you are also weighing the single destination versions, say so and we will lay out the difference before you decide.