James Bond Island Tour from Krabi: Longtail Boat & Kayak

Paddle into limestone caves and stand on the island from The Man with the Golden Gun

An 8-hour guided tour from Krabi by longtail boat to James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay, with kayaking through mangrove rivers and limestone caves, lunch at Panyee floating village, and a temple visit. You cruise past vertical limestone cliffs, paddle into caves on Thalu Island, explore the famous Koh Tapu rock formation, and walk through a village built entirely on stilts over the sea.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Phang Nga Bay1h
2. Koh Panyee1h
3. Wat Suwan Kuha30m
4. James Bond Island30m

James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay Tour

• Hotel pick-up in Krabi
• Transfer to Phang Nga Bay by minivan
• Explore Phang Nga Bay limestone cliffs
• Depart from Surakul Pier by longtail boat
• Cruise to James Bond Island
• Walk and photograph Koh Tapu
• Guided kayak tour at Thalu Island
• Lunch at Panyee floating village
• Visit Wat Suwan Kuha Temple (Monkey Cave)
• Visit Raman Waterfalls
• Return to Surakul Pier

The experience

The longtail boat leaves Surakul Pier in Phang Nga province and heads straight into the limestone landscape that made Roger Moore's 1974 film a tourist landmark. Phang Nga Bay's sheer cliffs rise vertically from emerald water, and the boat stops first at James Bond Island itself, where Koh Tapu (a 20-meter needle of rock also called Nail Island) stands alone in the shallow bay. You walk the island, photograph the formation, and browse shell and wood souvenirs at the stalls there before the boat moves on.

Thalu Island is where the kayaking happens. If you've booked the kayak option, you paddle into mangrove rivers and past giant stalactites and limestone walls. The guide leads the way and provides all equipment and a life jacket. Without the kayak option, you stay aboard and watch the landscape pass. Either way, the boat then anchors at Panyee floating village for lunch: a settlement of nearly 200 families living on wooden stilts that stretch across the water in a maze of raised platforms and walkways. The village clings to a vertical limestone island and has no beach. Everything sits on stilts or floats on the sea.

On the return to Surakul Pier, the tour stops at Wat Suwan Kuha temple, known as Monkey Cave for the macaques that live in and around it. Raman Waterfalls comes last, though water levels and the schedule can affect how much time you spend there. The guide speaks English throughout, and the tour includes a professional English-speaking guide, basic accident insurance, drinking water, fruit, and the national park entrance fee. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Krabi are included, and a minimum of six people is required for the tour to run.

What’s included

• Lunch package.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• basic accident insurance.
• life jacket.
• national park entrance fee.
• hotel round-trip transfer.
• drinking water and fruit.
• kayak equipment (if you book the kayaking option).

Options for this experience

2 options

Sightseeing without KayakingGuide in English or Thai · 09:00Take a sightseeing tour on a traditional longtail boat to James Bond Island, then explore Thalu Island's limestone caves, stalactites and mangrove forest. Lunch is served at Koh Panyee, a village built on stilts. Pickup is included.

Sightseeing with KayakingGuide in English or Thai · 09:00Travel to James Bond Island by longtail boat, then paddle by kayak to Tam Lod Cave on Thalu Island with your own personal guide. Admire the impressive limestone caves, stalactites and mangrove forest at a pace that suits you. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (2 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 45

Live guideEnglish and Thai

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 7 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trip Store Krabi

Is this one for you?Choose the kayaking option if you want to paddle into the mangrove rivers and limestone caves yourself. The sightseeing-only option keeps you on the boat and works just as well if you prefer to stay dry and watch the landscape from the water. A minimum of six people is required for the tour to run, so book early in your trip to allow time for rescheduling if needed.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Thai.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (2 to 3 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Koh Tapu, the rock formation everyone photographs at James Bond Island?

Koh Tapu, also called Nail Island or Spike Island, is a single limestone rock about 20 meters tall that rises from the shallow bay near James Bond Island. It has a diameter of roughly 4 meters at the base and widens to about 8 meters at the top, giving it the distinctive nail-like shape that earned its name.

Can I kayak on this tour, or is it sightseeing only?

You choose at checkout: the Sightseeing without Kayaking option keeps you on the boat, or the Sightseeing with Kayaking option includes a guided paddle through mangrove rivers and limestone caves on Thalu Island, with all equipment and a life jacket provided.

What is Panyee floating village like?

Panyee is a settlement built entirely on wooden stilts and platforms that stretch across the water around a vertical limestone island. Nearly all of the village sits on this network of raised walkways and platforms clinging to the island's edge, with no beach. Everything is either on stilts or floating on the sea. Lunch is served here.

How long is the full tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs for 8 hours and includes hotel pickup from Krabi, transfer by minivan to Surakul Pier, the longtail boat journey through Phang Nga Bay, lunch at Panyee, and a stop at Wat Suwan Kuha temple on the return.

What does Wat Suwan Kuha temple look like?

Wat Suwan Kuha, known as Monkey Cave, is a temple where macaques live in and around the cave structures. The tour includes a short visit to the temple on the way back to Krabi.