James Bond Island & Koh Yao Yai Day Trip: Speedboat from Phuket

Paddle into limestone lagoons and stand where 007 was filmed

A nine-hour speedboat day trip from Phuket takes you through Phang Nga Bay to kayak hidden lagoons, visit the James Bond Island film location, and explore a floating village. The tour includes a local lunch, bottled water and soft drinks throughout, an English-speaking guide, and hotel pickup; life insurance is covered. Not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or cardiovascular concerns.

The Experience

The boat leaves the Royal Phuket Marina and heads into Phang Nga Bay, where limestone cliffs rise straight out of the water. You'll paddle a kayak into the lagoons at Hong Island and Panak Island, gliding through narrow cave passages and past rock formations that feel like another world. The water is calm enough that the paddling is steady rather than strenuous, and the guide points out the geology and the way the landscape changes as you move deeper in.

Lunch happens at Panyee Island, a working fishing village built on stilts where you eat seafood at a floating restaurant with views back across the bay. After eating, you have time to walk around or rest before the boat moves on to Khao Tapoo—the limestone tower where "The Man with the Golden Gun" was filmed. You'll see the exact rock formations from the movie and understand why a film crew chose this spot. The final stop is Koh Yao Yai, where you can swim, walk the beach, or simply sit before heading back to the pier by late afternoon.

The tour runs nine hours total and includes all transport by speedboat, kayak rental, lunch, bottled water and soft drinks for the full day, and an air-conditioned vehicle to and from your hotel. An English-speaking guide travels with the group and explains what you're seeing at each stop. The pace is built around the boat schedule and the lunch timing, so the day holds together without you arranging anything separately.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• kayak rental and paddling through the hidden lagoons at Hong Island and Panak Island.
• lunch with a view at the floating restaurant on Panyee Island.
• bottled water and soft drinks throughout the day.
• entry to James Bond Island and Koh Yao Yai.
• life insurance.
• English-speaking guide for the full nine hours.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Vacay

Is this one for you?Book this if your group wants a full day combining motorboat cruising, kayaking into lagoons, and a seafood lunch at a floating village—everything coordinated as one package rather than booked separately.

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Top questions

What exactly do you do at James Bond Island?

James Bond Island (Khao Tapoo) is where you stop to see the limestone tower used in the 1974 film "The Man with the Golden Gun." You explore the rock formations and take photos of the location itself; the island is a viewpoint and photo stop rather than a place to swim or hike inland.

Can you swim during this day trip from Phuket?

Yes, you can swim at Naka Island and at Koh Yao Yai, the final stop before returning to the pier. The kayaking in the lagoons is paddling rather than swimming, though the water is accessible if you want to enter it.

How difficult is the kayaking in the hidden lagoons?

The kayaking is moderate-paced paddling through calm water in narrow lagoons and cave passages. You need at least a moderate level of physical fitness, and the tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.

What's included in the lunch at the floating village?

Lunch is a local seafood meal served at a floating restaurant on Panyee Island, a traditional fishing village built on stilts. The meal is included in the tour price; bottled water and soft drinks are provided throughout the day as well.

Does the tour include pickup from your hotel?

Yes, hotel pickup and return are included in the tour. An air-conditioned vehicle collects you and brings you back after the boat returns to the Royal Phuket Marina in the late afternoon.

What is Koh Yao Yai like, and how much time do you spend there?

Koh Yao Yai is a quiet island where you have leisure time to swim, walk the beach, or relax before the final return to the pier. It's the last stop of the day and gives you a chance to spend time on your own after the structured activities at the lagoons and James Bond Island.