Phang Nga Bay Day Trip From Phuket: Fee, Route, Piers
Expect a full day: hotel pickup around 07:00, two canoe sessions, lunch on board, James Bond Island and a return around 15:30. Under a June 2022 DNP notice, the park fee is THB 300 for a foreign adult and THB 150 for a child, and Amazing Canoeing's price includes it.
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Expect a full Phang Nga Bay day on the water from Phuket, with hotel pickup around 07:00 and a 15:30 departure from the last stop. In between come two canoe sessions, lunch on board, James Bond Island and a swim. The park fee is THB 300 for a foreign adult (as of June 2022), and it is part of Amazing Canoeing’s big-boat price.
Phang Nga Bay day trip: the day, the boats and the park fee
The day in order
Your day starts early: a minivan collects you from your Phuket hotel around 07:00 and drives you to Ao Po Pier. Both the pickup and the drop-off within Phuket province are covered by the tour price.
Out on the water, the big boat calls at Panak Island and Hongs Island for canoeing. Lunch comes on board, and a longtail transfer carries you over to James Bond Island.
The day finishes at Nakae Island, with about an hour for a swim. The boat leaves there at 15:30 and takes about an hour back to Ao Po Pier. Treat this running order as a plan rather than a promise, since weather and tides can change it.
Park fee
As of June 2022, foreigners pay THB 300 per adult and THB 150 per child to enter Ao Phang Nga National Park, under a DNP notice. Those rates took effect on 7 June 2022. The fee comes with no stated age band, so do not assume where a “child” ends.
Your ticket price with Amazing Canoeing depends on age: THB 2,800 for an adult aged 11 to 99 and THB 1,800 for a child aged 3 to 10. If your child is 11 or older, ask the operator what they will charge before you pay.
Amazing Canoeing’s big-boat price already includes the entrance fee, but some day trips are sold without it. Check with each operator whether the fee is in the price and what is collected on the day.
Big boat or speedboat
For trips with children, grandparents or anyone who dislikes choppy water, we recommend the big boat. Amazing Canoeing’s big boat is significantly larger and more stable than a speedboat, and each departure takes no more than 65 guests. A private group is better served by a speedboat, and you can book a private James Bond Island speedboat tour with the same operator from THB 33,300 per boat.
What the standard tour includes
Most of the day’s basics are already paid for: life jackets and safety equipment, lunch on board and the longtail transfer to James Bond Island. Budget separately for alcoholic drinks, souvenir photos, gratuities and personal expenses, which cost extra.
What to see in Phang Nga Bay
Sea cave canoeing at Panak and Hongs
You get two canoe sessions on this route, one at Panak Island and one at Hongs Island. First-time paddlers fit right in, as the route is suitable for beginners.
James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan)
Getting ashore is simple: a longtail boat carries you from the big boat to the island, and that transfer is in the tour price. Look out for Khao Tapu, a 20-metre limestone needle rock. It became internationally known after the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun.
Nakae Island
Nakae Island closes the day, with about an hour on a sheltered beach. Use that time for a swim or a paddleboard session before the boat turns back.
Who a Phang Nga Bay trip suits (and who should skip it)
First-time paddlers do well here, since the canoe route is suitable for beginners. The day also suits anyone who wants a hands-off trip, with pickup and drop-off in Phuket province included. Vegetarians are looked after too, as a vegetarian lunch is available.
On the other hand, travellers who need a fixed itinerary should skip it, because weather and tides can change the order of stops. The trip also sits badly with plans to be back in the early afternoon, as the boat leaves Nakae Island at 15:30.
How to get to Phang Nga Bay
Your big-boat tour leaves from Ao Po Pier on Phuket’s northeastern coast. Without the hotel pickup, aim to reach the pier by 09:00. For the drive, you can book a taxi, private hire or van ride across Thailand on Grab, or a local Phuket taxi on Bolt.
The map below pins the park’s own listing, which sits on the Phang Nga side of the bay. Use the link under it to open the same listing in Google Maps.
80 Moo 1 Ban Tha Dan Rd, Ko Panyi, Mueang Phang-nga District, Phang Nga 82000, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
When to go and how long
Set aside a full day, from pickup around 07:00 to a 15:30 departure from Nakae Island, then about an hour back to the pier. Guests with their own transport need to be at Ao Po Pier by 09:00. Also keep in mind that May to October is the monsoon season, with heavy rain.
Nearby and how to combine it
Phi Phi is the other boat day from Phuket, and the Phi Phi Islands day trip covers it. Give each one a day of its own, as this tour alone runs from 07:00 to about 15:30. To plan the ride to the pier, see Grab vs Bolt in Phuket.
Before you go
Pack for water and sun: swimwear, a towel, flip-flops, comfortable clothes, high-factor sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a camera. Bring small cash and a passport copy as well. Drinks, souvenir photos and tips are not included, so plan for them.
You get life jackets and safety equipment on the tour. Expect the stop order to shift with weather and tides, and if you skip the hotel pickup, arrive at Ao Po Pier by 09:00.
Photo credits
- Khao Tapu, the needle rock of James Bond Island: Wikimedia Commons, Phang Nga Bay, Koh Tapu, Thailand (Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY 4.0 (Vyacheslav Argenberg))
- Limestone islands across Phang Nga Bay: Wikimedia Commons, Phang Nga Bay, Karst islands, Thailand (Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY 4.0 (Vyacheslav Argenberg))
- A mangrove channel with a limestone hill behind: Wikimedia Commons, Phang Nga Bay, River, Thailand (Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY 4.0 (Vyacheslav Argenberg))
- The rocks at Khao Phing Kan: Wikimedia Commons, Khao Phing Kan (Robert Haandrikman, CC BY 2.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY 2.0 (Robert Haandrikman))
- Limestone islands rising from the bay: Wikimedia Commons, Phang Nga Bay, Karst formations, Thailand (Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY 4.0 (Vyacheslav Argenberg))
Step by step
- Choose how you reach the pierTake hotel pickup around 07:00, or make your own way to Ao Po Pier by 09:00.
- Paddle two sea cavesThe route has two canoe sessions, at Panak Island and Hongs Island.
- Eat on boardLunch is served on the big boat, with vegetarian options on request.
- Visit James Bond IslandA longtail boat takes you ashore; the transfer is included.
- Swim at Nakae IslandAbout an hour at Nakae Island for swimming or paddleboarding.
Not confirmed: Whether the park closes in the rainy season is not confirmed, and May to October is monsoon season: check with the park or your operator before booking then. The THB 300 rate is from the June 2022 DNP notice; no newer one was found, and it lists no child ages. Other operators may charge the fee separately.
Common questions
How much is the Ao Phang Nga park fee for foreigners?
A foreign adult pays THB 300 and a foreign child THB 150, under the DNP notice of June 2022.
Who counts as a child on a Phang Nga Bay tour?
With Amazing Canoeing, a child is aged 3 to 10 and an adult 11 to 99. The park fee has no stated age band, so check which band your operator uses.
Should I book a big boat or a speedboat?
Amazing Canoeing's big boat is larger and more stable than a speedboat, and it carries at most 65 guests per departure. For a private group, the private speedboat tour starts at THB 33,300 per boat.
Is the park fee included in the tour price?
It depends on the operator: Amazing Canoeing's big-boat price includes it, while some day trips leave it out. Check whether the fee is in the price before you book.
Where do the boats leave from?
The big-boat tour leaves from Ao Po Pier, on Phuket's northeastern coast.
Is the canoeing suitable for beginners?
Yes, the canoe route is suitable for beginners. You paddle in two sessions, one at Panak Island and one at Hongs Island.
How do you get to James Bond Island?
You ride a longtail boat across from the big boat, and that transfer is already in the price.
What is James Bond Island?
It is Khao Phing Kan, home of Khao Tapu, a 20-metre needle rock. That rock became known after the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun.
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