James Bond Island is Khao Phing Kan, and the famous needle-shaped rock next to it is called Koh Tapu. Both are in Ao Phang Nga National Park, about an hour's drive and an hour and a half by boat from Phuket. The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed here in 1974, and the name stuck for good.
One caveat straight away: there's no landing on the Koh Tapu rock itself. It's photographed from the beach on Khao Phing Kan or from the water.
What the tour includes
Phang Nga Bay isn't a single spot but a route. A standard day looks roughly like this.
- Khao Phing Kan with a view of Koh Tapu
- Canoeing through the sea caves of Hong and Panak islands, paddled by a local guide
- The floating Muslim village of Koh Panyee, where lunch usually is
- Cave arches and mangrove channels
- A swim at one of the beaches, if the tide allows
The order of stops changes with the tides: some of the caves can only be passed at certain times. The tour "11 islands in 1 day: James Bond • Hong • Phi Phi" combines the bay and the Phi Phi archipelago in one 10-hour trip.
Longtail or speedboat
A longtail is the traditional long-tailed boat. It's slower and noisy, but it gets through mangrove channels and under low arches where a speedboat can't go. And it's cheaper.
A speedboat is faster, covers more islands in a day and depends less on distances. It's more expensive and rougher in the waves.
For a first visit the choice leans towards the longtail: the bay is beautiful precisely at a slow pace, and racing through it makes no sense. Land tours such as "AMAZING PHANG NGA + the Samet Nangshe viewpoint" add a view from above — from Samet Nangshe viewpoint you see the same rocks at sunrise.
When to leave
Koh Tapu is one of the most visited spots in southern Thailand, and by midday there can be several hundred people on Khao Phing Kan beach at once.
An early start solves half the problem: tours that leave at 6–7 a.m. reach the island before the main crowd. Evening trips work too — some operators go out for the sunset, when the day groups have already left. That's how "Sunrise adventure: Samet Nangshe • James Bond • elephants • plane beach" is set up.
What it costs
Land tours to Phang Nga Bay start at 2,050 ฿ per person, a combined 11-island sea trip at 4,200 ฿, and a two-day tour with Krabi and Phi Phi at 5,200 ฿. The full price list is in our combined price breakdown.
The Ao Phang Nga National Park fee is paid separately unless the tour says otherwise. It's best to bring cash for it.
What to bring
- Sunscreen and a hat
- Cash for the national park fee and souvenirs on Koh Panyee
- A spare T-shirt — you usually get wet in the canoe
- A waterproof phone pouch
- Shoes you don't mind getting wet
About Koh Panyee
A village on stilts beside a rock, home to a Muslim community. Formally it's a residential settlement; in practice it's the lunch stop for every group, with restaurants and rows of souvenir stalls.
It's worth adjusting your expectations: there's no authentic fishing village there any more, just a working tourist attraction with a good view. The floating football pitch that guidebooks mention is still there.
When to go
November–April is the dry season and the water is calm. You can visit the bay in the rainy months too: it's sheltered by islands and copes with bad weather better than the open sea, so tours here are cancelled in storms less often than to Phi Phi and the Similans.
Careful with the name
If you search for "James Bond" without the word "island", the search takes you to the films. The spot on the map is called Khao Phing Kan, the rock is Koh Tapu and the national park is Ao Phang Nga. Use these names when booking and in your navigation app.
Frequently asked questions
Where is James Bond Island?
In Ao Phang Nga National Park, in Phang Nga Bay, north-east of Phuket. The island's real name is Khao Phing Kan, and the rock next to it is Koh Tapu.
Why is the island called that?
The 1974 Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun was shot there. The name stuck with tourists and pushed out the Thai one.
Can I get close to the Koh Tapu rock?
Landing on the rock itself is prohibited. It's viewed from the beach on Khao Phing Kan or from the water.
How much does the tour cost?
Land tours to the bay start at 2,050 ฿, an 11-island sea trip at 4,200 ฿ per person. The national park fee is paid separately.
Which is better: longtail or speedboat?
A longtail is cheaper and gets through narrow channels and caves; a speedboat is faster and covers more stops. For a first trip people more often take the longtail.
How long does the trip take?
A full day with a hotel transfer: 8 to 12 hours depending on the tour. There are also half-day options with a shorter route.
Book a trip to Phang Nga Bay
- AMAZING PHANG NGA + the Samet Nangshe viewpoint — 2,050 ฿, 12 hours
- AMAZING PHANG NGA + THE GLASS BRIDGE — 2,650 ฿, 9 hours
- 11 islands in 1 day: James Bond, Hong, Phi Phi — 4,200 ฿, 10 hours
- 4 pearls of the Andaman: James Bond, Krabi and Phi Phi — 5,200 ฿, 2 days
