Phang Nga Bay Sea Canoe

There are lots of activities to fill your time before or after diving around Phuket but if we had to recommend just one it would be Phang Nga bay sea canoe. (Correctly called sea kayaking but always referred to as Sea Canoe here in Phuket).

Phang Nga bay is a place of stunning natural beauty. It was made famous because The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed around the karst limestone islands there. Since then “James Bond Island” has become something of a tourist trap. To escape the hordes and see something truly special you can take kayaks inside the rocks to explore inner lagoons filled with wildlife including monkeys, monitor lizards, eagles, bats and much more.

There are several companies that operate Phang Nga kayaking day trips. Most run a fairly standard schedule that starts at your hotel around 8.30 am and returns around 5.00 pm. One of the best that we’ve found is SeaCanoe4U, the price is 2,800 baht per person. You will see James Bond Island and several other islands including Naka and Lawa islands. It includes guided kayaking in the morning and sightseeing in the afternoon. It’s a fun trip but if you pay a bit more you can do the John Gray sea canoe “Hong By Starlight” trip which better.

Hong By Starlight

Hong By Starlight picks you up at midday and cruises in to Phang Nga bay while you enjoy lunch on the boat. The late start means you avoid all the other tours so you have Phang Nga more to yourself.

All day is spent exploring different Hongs (rooms within the rocks). Kayaks are paddled by expert guides who point out the wildlife to you. You will have a chance to paddle the kayaks yourself if you wish.

As the sun sets you will make a Kratong on the boat with your guide. A kratong is a floating banana leaf boat that you release onto the water for luck and future prosperity. Then you paddle back into the lagoon under starlight, loy (float) your kratong and experience Phang Nga bay from a whole new perspective.

Dinner is served on the cruise back to Phuket. The food is excellent on these trips. You will be back at your hotel at about 9.30pm.

The price is 3,950 baht per person. In our opinion it is well worth the extra compared to the basic trips. John Gray Sea Canoe is an experience that you will remember for years.

Note. We give 5% discount on non diving activities if you have already booked diving with us.