Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

The limestone formations rise from the green water as if created by human hands, and no photograph can convey their immense scale. This marine park in Phang Nga province, established in 1981, covers approximately 400 square kilometers and includes dozens of islands, sea caves, mangrove channels, and hidden lagoons known as hongs, as well as its two main attractions: the floating Muslim village of Ko Panyi and James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) from the 1974 film of the same name.

The parking fee is 300 baht for foreign adults and 150 baht for children and must be paid in cash. This fee is included in some tours, while on others it is collected on site. Therefore, please inquire about what is included in the price before paying.

Most visitors take a day trip from Phuket. Pick-up is from the hotel, and the boat trip departs from piers on the east coast, such as Ao Po, returning around 4:30 pm. A large boat tour with canoeing costs about 1,500 baht, a speedboat about 1,700 baht, and a longtail boat tour between 1,400 and 1,800 baht. John Gray's "Hong by Starlight," where the caves are reached at dusk, costs 3,950 baht, including park fees. Guides paddle guests in inflatable boats to the mangrove caves at Ko Panak and Ko Hong. The canopy of leaves keeps the mangroves significantly cooler than the open water. Krabi tours depart from Ao Nang.

This pin marks the park headquarters in Tha Dan, about 5 km south of Phang Nga Town, which is a 1.5 to 2-hour bus ride from Phuket. If you are staying in Phang Nga, longtail boat captains at the Tha Dan and Surakul jetties offer small-group tours of the bay. The price is agreed upon directly at the jetty. An early start will get you to James Bond Island before the boats from Phuket arrive. The park headquarters itself is situated in a quiet, green setting. Boardwalks lead through the mangroves and it is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.