A trip to Phang Nga Bay is business office of many visitors vacation to the Phuket area. We've done several trips before, although nosotros don't become amongst organised tours. In the past times nosotros accept driven upward to Phang Nga (just over an hr from our house) in addition to hired a longtail boat from the jetty which is a few km westward of the town. I blogged i of these trips inward March 2007 : Phang Nga Bay. I create recommend people to endeavor doing it this way, rather than signing upward for a tour. Getting your ain boat gives you lot to a greater extent than freedom, in addition to a boat trip to James Bond Island could hold upward combined amongst a see to other attractions such every bit Suwan Kuha Temple, or a see to the lovely Sanang Manora wood park.
Well, nosotros conk on on exploring in addition to wanted to endeavor something different. H5N1 pair of years after that 2007 trip nosotros flora a eating theater that nosotros liked - Samchong Seafood, which is nearly 20km closer to Phuket than the primary Phang Nga Jetty, in addition to I could consider on Google globe that the mangrove river where the eating theater is located led correct out into Phang Nga Bay only a few km from James Bond Island. Only matter nosotros were non certain nigh was whether or non nosotros could hire a longtail boat from anywhere nigh the restaurant. But for certain at that spot are enough of longtails or thus there....
No worries! We sat downward to consume in addition to asked for a boat - sure, no problem, 1800 Baht for the boat for the afternoon (note : this was a few years ago, prices may change!). So nosotros enjoyed tiffin over the H2O in addition to went to come across our boatman. UPDATE - for to a greater extent than nigh doing it this way - consider Phang Nga Bay - Doing It Our Way! Tours tin dismiss hold upward booked amongst Easy Day Thailand.
Read on for to a greater extent than nigh James Bond Island ...
It was a gorgeous sunny day, typical for March inward Phuket. We headed out along the mangrove river in addition to I was pleased that this longtail had a novel engine which purred rather than the normal deafening put-put-put. This was a Rolls Royce longtail. It was nigh 10km from the eating theater to James Bond Island, the start few km passing the mangroves in addition to thus out into the bay. I dear this scenery. I'd dear to accept a boat in addition to pass days cruising around. There are (based on my quick count on Google Earth!) over fifty islands inward the bay. We saw some novel scenery this time, every bit nosotros were starting from a dissimilar base. I'll state it i time to a greater extent than - I dear this scenery.
Our kids enjoyed the ride too. Last fourth dimension nosotros did this our boy was maybe to pocket-size to remember. This fourth dimension they both loved it. If people inquire me nigh "things for kids to do" inward Phuket.. I mean, yes you lot tin dismiss endeavor the novel waterpark or play minigolf or purpose your hotel kids club.. but they'd hold upward missing out. Our kids similar this bang-up scenery, rides on boats, it's an adventure!
After passing several spectacular islands in addition to massive rocks ascent from the sea, nosotros approached the famous "James Bond Island". That's non it's existent advert of course, it's called Koh Khao Phing Kan or Ping Gan or even thus you lot want to transliterate the Thai spelling. But thank you lot to Roger Moore in addition to Christopher Lee in addition to that footling guy called Nick Nack, good the isle got it's nickname, in addition to truly nobody calls it Ping Gan, which way leaning rock. It's Bond, James Bond...
We landed at a pocket-size beach where at that spot used to hold upward a jetty. Not certain where that's gone. The National Park staff accept a desk nether an overhanging stone where you lot teach your tickets.. the whole bay is a national commons but you lot exclusively pay fees if you lot province hither :)
Now, the primary attraction of this isle is the standing stone only offshore, which itself is sometimes called James Bond Island, but is truly called Koh Tapu, pregnant boom island. You can't consider it from where you lot province - accept to clamber upward in addition to downward some stone steps to teach views of (perhaps) Thailand's most famous rock. When you lot expect out over the H2O to "the rock", it's beautiful. Somehow, you lot tin dismiss ignore the fact that you lot are sharing the isle amongst several hundred other people. We tried to avoid peak fourth dimension - nosotros got the longtail from Samchong a footling after 2pm, thus were at James Bond Island or thus 2:45 in addition to stayed for or thus 45 minutes. Still enough of visitors at that time. Next time, immediately that nosotros know the route, we'll become later. I desire to teach photos inward the belatedly afternoon light, in addition to sure enough past times 5pm it'll hold upward likewise belatedly for most of the 24-hour interval trippers? But if you lot expect out to sea, your photos volition hold upward uncrowded...
H5N1 few views of Koh Tapu
It's a pocket-size island, a few footling caves to clamber into (kids like), in addition to of course of report if you lot are gazing at the stone (Koh Tapu) in addition to plough around, you lot consider a collection of stalls selling souvenirs in addition to drinks in addition to shells in addition to ... every bit much every bit I want that they were non there, I know they volition remain.
What of the leaning rock? The existent advert for this isle (Khao Ping Gan), zip to create amongst movies, comes from the amazing stone formation hither modelled past times a visiting monk. The islands hither are limestone in addition to inward this illustration a huge wedge of the stone has been split, creating this massive leaning slab which rests on it's other half, a existent locomote of nature. This quondam monk kept his manus on the stone every bit if feeling the unloosen energy of the world. Or something.
Our kids meanwhile went off exploring...
We had hired the longtail for the whole afternoon, in addition to at that spot was fourth dimension left to caput nigh iv miles farther northward of James Bond Island to Koh Panyee, the Muslim line-fishing hamlet built adjacent to a towering stone - a quite wonderful place. Lots of photos. And we'll hold upward back. Many times!
H5N1 somebody tour similar this tin dismiss hold upward booked amongst my friends at Easy Day Thailand - the tour is pretty much based on the way nosotros create it.
NOTE : If you lot are scream for or thus diverse places for trips to James Bond Island, hold upward certain to state the amount advert "James Bond Island". If you lot state "Bond Island" people may mishear you lot in addition to think you lot said "Bon Island" which is a totally dissimilar house closed to Rawai Beach.
Nearby sights in addition to attractions:
• Koh Panyee
• Suwan Kuha Temple inward a cave
• Samchong Seafood Restaurant
• Wat Thamtapan inward Phang Nga Town Sumber http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com
Well, nosotros conk on on exploring in addition to wanted to endeavor something different. H5N1 pair of years after that 2007 trip nosotros flora a eating theater that nosotros liked - Samchong Seafood, which is nearly 20km closer to Phuket than the primary Phang Nga Jetty, in addition to I could consider on Google globe that the mangrove river where the eating theater is located led correct out into Phang Nga Bay only a few km from James Bond Island. Only matter nosotros were non certain nigh was whether or non nosotros could hire a longtail boat from anywhere nigh the restaurant. But for certain at that spot are enough of longtails or thus there....
No worries! We sat downward to consume in addition to asked for a boat - sure, no problem, 1800 Baht for the boat for the afternoon (note : this was a few years ago, prices may change!). So nosotros enjoyed tiffin over the H2O in addition to went to come across our boatman. UPDATE - for to a greater extent than nigh doing it this way - consider Phang Nga Bay - Doing It Our Way! Tours tin dismiss hold upward booked amongst Easy Day Thailand.
Read on for to a greater extent than nigh James Bond Island ...
It was a gorgeous sunny day, typical for March inward Phuket. We headed out along the mangrove river in addition to I was pleased that this longtail had a novel engine which purred rather than the normal deafening put-put-put. This was a Rolls Royce longtail. It was nigh 10km from the eating theater to James Bond Island, the start few km passing the mangroves in addition to thus out into the bay. I dear this scenery. I'd dear to accept a boat in addition to pass days cruising around. There are (based on my quick count on Google Earth!) over fifty islands inward the bay. We saw some novel scenery this time, every bit nosotros were starting from a dissimilar base. I'll state it i time to a greater extent than - I dear this scenery.
Our kids enjoyed the ride too. Last fourth dimension nosotros did this our boy was maybe to pocket-size to remember. This fourth dimension they both loved it. If people inquire me nigh "things for kids to do" inward Phuket.. I mean, yes you lot tin dismiss endeavor the novel waterpark or play minigolf or purpose your hotel kids club.. but they'd hold upward missing out. Our kids similar this bang-up scenery, rides on boats, it's an adventure!
After passing several spectacular islands in addition to massive rocks ascent from the sea, nosotros approached the famous "James Bond Island". That's non it's existent advert of course, it's called Koh Khao Phing Kan or Ping Gan or even thus you lot want to transliterate the Thai spelling. But thank you lot to Roger Moore in addition to Christopher Lee in addition to that footling guy called Nick Nack, good the isle got it's nickname, in addition to truly nobody calls it Ping Gan, which way leaning rock. It's Bond, James Bond...
We landed at a pocket-size beach where at that spot used to hold upward a jetty. Not certain where that's gone. The National Park staff accept a desk nether an overhanging stone where you lot teach your tickets.. the whole bay is a national commons but you lot exclusively pay fees if you lot province hither :)
Now, the primary attraction of this isle is the standing stone only offshore, which itself is sometimes called James Bond Island, but is truly called Koh Tapu, pregnant boom island. You can't consider it from where you lot province - accept to clamber upward in addition to downward some stone steps to teach views of (perhaps) Thailand's most famous rock. When you lot expect out over the H2O to "the rock", it's beautiful. Somehow, you lot tin dismiss ignore the fact that you lot are sharing the isle amongst several hundred other people. We tried to avoid peak fourth dimension - nosotros got the longtail from Samchong a footling after 2pm, thus were at James Bond Island or thus 2:45 in addition to stayed for or thus 45 minutes. Still enough of visitors at that time. Next time, immediately that nosotros know the route, we'll become later. I desire to teach photos inward the belatedly afternoon light, in addition to sure enough past times 5pm it'll hold upward likewise belatedly for most of the 24-hour interval trippers? But if you lot expect out to sea, your photos volition hold upward uncrowded...
H5N1 few views of Koh Tapu
It's a pocket-size island, a few footling caves to clamber into (kids like), in addition to of course of report if you lot are gazing at the stone (Koh Tapu) in addition to plough around, you lot consider a collection of stalls selling souvenirs in addition to drinks in addition to shells in addition to ... every bit much every bit I want that they were non there, I know they volition remain.
What of the leaning rock? The existent advert for this isle (Khao Ping Gan), zip to create amongst movies, comes from the amazing stone formation hither modelled past times a visiting monk. The islands hither are limestone in addition to inward this illustration a huge wedge of the stone has been split, creating this massive leaning slab which rests on it's other half, a existent locomote of nature. This quondam monk kept his manus on the stone every bit if feeling the unloosen energy of the world. Or something.
Our kids meanwhile went off exploring...
We had hired the longtail for the whole afternoon, in addition to at that spot was fourth dimension left to caput nigh iv miles farther northward of James Bond Island to Koh Panyee, the Muslim line-fishing hamlet built adjacent to a towering stone - a quite wonderful place. Lots of photos. And we'll hold upward back. Many times!
H5N1 somebody tour similar this tin dismiss hold upward booked amongst my friends at Easy Day Thailand - the tour is pretty much based on the way nosotros create it.
NOTE : If you lot are scream for or thus diverse places for trips to James Bond Island, hold upward certain to state the amount advert "James Bond Island". If you lot state "Bond Island" people may mishear you lot in addition to think you lot said "Bon Island" which is a totally dissimilar house closed to Rawai Beach.
Nearby sights in addition to attractions:
• Koh Panyee
• Suwan Kuha Temple inward a cave
• Samchong Seafood Restaurant
• Wat Thamtapan inward Phang Nga Town Sumber http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com