Kayaking Around Stunning Phang-Nga Bay And Visiting Ko Phing-Kan Island

Ao Phang Nga National Park
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In our first four weeks in Phuket we have been to the spectacular Ao Phang-Nga National Park twice already. And I am sure we will visit again as soon as the monsoon season is over and clear skies will ultimately add to the bays stunning beauty.

When our friend Bernadette was visiting we have joined a day trip from Phuket with a company called Sutin Group. An early pick-up and a race car driving experience on Phuket's streets took us quickly to the base camp of the group, which is located just after the Sarasin Bridge connects the actual island Phuket to the mainland and the Phang-Nga Province. As we had only booked a so-called 2 in 1 experience we hade to wait for other guests that did Elephant Trekking at the adjacent Elephant Camp. We used the time to have a morning coffee and check out the area. There was an unspectacular Elephant show shortly before taking off to the Phang-Nga Bay. 

Local Tuk Tuk
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Phang-Nga Town was the point where our group boarded a large-scale longtail boat which then cruised along the mysterious and picturesque Phang-Nga Bay. The spectacualr limestone cliffs, which feature lush vegetation, are part of an ancient coral reef that stretched as far as Vietnam and China.

Our first stop should take us to the little island of Ko Phing-Kan, or better known as James Bond Island. Actually it is the island opposite of the site  that was used as the location for Scaramanga's hideaway in the 1974 James Bond classic The man with the golden gun. James Bond location scouts have always been known for finding remote and exotic destinations as settings for the plots. The Ao Phang-Nga Bay surely seemed to be a perfect fit. There were numerous other boats anchoring at the small island and the place was really crowded once we got there. You literally had to stand in line to take a picture in front of the limestone rock There is not really anything special to see on the little island except the single small limestone cliff that appears in the movie. A small path leads across the island to a modern concrete pier, which has not been used by any boats on the day we were there. There are also a number of souvenir stalls that sell the basic tourist items including sea shells.

Ko Pan Yi, Ao Phang Nga National Park
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The following boat ride brought us to the fantastic island of Ko Pan Yi. This little village is set against a huge limestone rock and completely build on stilts. The Chao Le sea gypsis are at home here and while fishing still remains a large income earner for most people, tourism has shifted the efforts of many. There are a number of restaurants located next to the pier and literally all day tours stop here for lunch. And eventhough Ko Pan Yi remains charming and special, the hordes of tourists strolling through the narrow alleys and gazing in every house can really distract the picture.  

Ao Phang Nga National Park
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We continued our boat journey and stopped in between several huge limestone rocks where two ferries/pontoons were set up as a departure point for the sea kayaking. There were large numbers of paddlers on small inflatable kayaks in the water waiting for tourists to jump on board. We were able to just sit back and relax while all the paddling was taken care of by a guide. We cruised along limestone cliffs, small caves and mangroves. We stopped at a hidden cove, which was a favourite spot for pictures and had a coconut at a floating kiosk. Eventhough there were at least 50 other kayaks in the bay, we could still enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Ao Phang-Nga National Park for about an hour by just floating on the water.

Me at the Sutin's Group Elephant Camp
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After a short boat ride we were back at the pier and our coach headed back to Phuket. On the way we stopped at a cashewnut factory, but all we got to see was a large merchandise outlet. I was not aware before that there were at least hundred different products thát make use of these tasty nuts. The last stop that complemented our day tour was the visit of Wat Tham Suwanakuha, which is also known as Buddha Cave or Monkey Cave temple. The latter name surely makes sense, as the first thing that you will notice once you left your car are hundreds of wild monkeys running around begging for food. There is a chance to buy bananas nearby to feed them, but be aware they can be quite aggressive.  Once you enter the cave the amazing lying golden buddha statue is the eye-catcher. There are several other rooms within the cave that also features stalagmites and stalactites.