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Day 3 I was woken by the pale colours of sunrise streaming through the cubby hold of the catamaran up 5:50am in Koh Phanak, the views are insane, we’e one of 3 boats that you can see for miles, surrounded by islands and the occasional long-tailed boat (Ruang Hang Yao) as they head back from their night fish. As the sun rose I wrote day 1 blog and helped make breakfast (scrambled eggs, watermelon, muesli, yoghurt).
Around 9am, we sailed up to Khao Phing Kan, otherwise known as James Bond Island, within the Phang Nga Bay. James Bong Island got its name after being starred in the 1974 Bond movie ‘the man with the golden gun’, prior to this it was named Koh Tapu, meaning ‘Nail Island’ for the pointy rock, and Koh Phi Khan for the island surrounding it, meaning ‘hills leaning against each other.
Most hostels/hotels offer day drips to multiple islands, all varying in cost depending on the duration of the trip, the amount of islands you visit and whether food is included. Be careful though as a lot don’t include the National Park fees within the prices, something you do have to pay for.
There are many positives to visiting James Bond Island, one being the journey via boat is incredible and some of the views of the limestone cliffs are breathtaking, as well as the island itself being very scenic with ample photo opportunities. Although we didn’t get to try it, there is also a ‘floating village’ of Koh Panyi where you can get lunch, if not, it’s markets provide lots of other nibbles. However, it is a big tourist attraction and can become very busy! When we arrived around 10am we were one of the only people there, leaving by 11 wish, there was a lot more people with multiple boats arriving so I can imagine it gets very crowded during peak times or high season.
Next we head South down to Koh Hong, a little island off the shore of Krabi (about an hour from Ao Nang), an island littered with secret lagoons and caves. Again, day trips can be taken from Ao Nang beach in Krabi where you can purchase tickets from the small ticket booth. Another option is there is around 6 of you is to rent a long boat for the day and do a full island tour, costing around 2500 Baht. One lagoon with clear blue sea is found towards the back of the island perfect for snorkling. Its very shallow so you either rib, kayak or long-tail boat in.
If you’re wanting to go ashore to visit the white-sand beaches, you need to pay a National Park fee of around 200 Baht pp, but you’ll find a couple of small shops for snacks and drinks. These are more expensive than the mainland.
The final leg of the sail lead us to Ao Nang beach - Krabi. We headed ashore to dinner where you are lost for choice over places to eat. We gave in to the locals inciting you in and dined at one of the first resultants we can across before heading up to the loft, a rooftop pool and beer pong bar.
Getting back to the boat was eventful to say the least. We’d tied the rib where we thought the shore line was, little did we duding high tide the sea would come all the way in.
Arriving at the boat to find the rib submerged in water was the first challenge. The second, the strength and rate of the waves were smashing the rib into the beach wall. Getting into a rib with sea legs is a challenge anyway regardless of the fact we’re all hammered. Both Mallorey and Steph ended up face planting the water, getting soaked through. Number 3. Theres 8 of us - normally, we’d make two trips, but due to the god awful sea conditions we all piled into a half water clogged dingy and slowed motored our way back to the catamaran, with an engine that sounds like its about to fail its trying too hard.
Completed. Although it did feel like something out of castaway, as we dingy’d back to the boat we all started cheering at the sheer sign of success and a job well done.
Back at the boat the partying did no stop there. The ‘after party’ continued. Minimal recollection of much from that point.
Z x
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