Khao Phing Kan, the James Bond island, is a small limestone island in Phang Nga Bay, about 25 km northeast of Phuket. Just off its beach rises the Ko Tapu rock pinnacle from the water – the very rock that made the island famous through the film "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974). There is no ferry service. The island can be visited as part of a day trip to Phang Nga Bay from Phuket, Krabi, or Khao Lak. This tour also includes a canoe trip to the caves of Koh Panak and Koh Hong, as well as a lunch break in the stilt village of Koh Panyee.
Tours from Phuket cost between 1,400 and 2,800 baht, depending on the boat, plus a 300 baht national park fee (if not included in the price). Most tours include a 20- to 45-minute stop on the island. Since the island itself is very busy and easily accessible, the overall tour is more important than the individual stops. I would recommend a later departure that arrives after the midday boats have left.
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Key facts
There are two islands
Boats dock at Khao Phing Kan, which has a small beach and caves along the cliff that open at low tide. Ko Tapu, the rock pinnacle pictured, is about 20 meters high and juts out about 40 meters from the coast; boats have been kept away from it since 1998.
Tours from Phuket cost approximately 1,400–2,800 Baht.
Longboat 1,400–1,800 Baht, large boat with canoe trip approx. 1,500 Baht, speedboat approx. 1,700 Baht, late speedboat approx. 2,700 Baht. John Gray's evening sea kayaking tour costs 3,950 Baht including fees and meals.
The parking fee is 300.
Foreign adults pay 300 baht and children 150 baht for entry to Ao Phang Nga National Park (cash to the rangers). Entrance is included in many tours. Some 2026 offers list a price of 400 baht, so check what your ticket includes.
Expect to spend 20 to 45 minutes ashore.
Most group tours last about half an hour on the island, enough time for a photo of Ko Tapu and a stroll along the stalls. It's busiest between 10:00 and 14:00.
It runs all year round.
The bay is sheltered on three sides, allowing tours to take place even during the rainy season, although rough weather and occasional cancellations are possible from May to October. The quietest period is from November to April.
Swimming is not allowed here.
The tours make swimming stops at other points in the bay. On the island, there is a beach opposite Ko Tapu, souvenir stands, and toilets for which you have to pay a few baht.
All routes to James Bond Island compared
Prices in Phuket are based on published tour operator fares and were compiled in October 2026 for this website's Phang Nga Bay travel guide. Many include hotel transfers, lunch, and parking fees, so be sure to compare the details of each offer. The bus fare to Phang Nga is 80–100 baht.
What is there on James Bond Island?
Khao Phing Kan means "leaning hills," and that's exactly what you see when the boat docks: two halves of a limestone hill leaning against each other, with a narrow beach at their base. The tour boats dock at a small jetty, and a path leads past souvenir stalls to the beach and the spot where everyone lines up to gaze across the water at Ko Tapu, the slender rock pinnacle that seems to stand on a peak narrower than its tip.
Ko Tapu means "Nail Island." It's about 20 meters high and lies roughly 40 meters from the beach. Since 1998, the national park has kept boats away to slow erosion at its base. This photo was therefore taken from the shore. At low tide, the water recedes from the cliffs, and you can walk into the shallow caves along the beach. That's the whole island, and on a busy day, you'll be sharing it with hundreds of people from other boats. Therefore, the timing of your visit is more important than the specific tour you choose.
The rest of a James Bond island tour
James Bond Island is just one stop on a day trip to Phang Nga Bay; the other stops make up the majority of the tour. Most Phuket tours depart between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m., travel for 45 minutes to an hour to a pier on Phuket's east coast, usually Ao Po, and then take you to the bay in 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the boat.
On Koh Panak and Koh Hong, you'll paddle with guides in inflatable sea canoes through low rock tunnels to the hongs, open lagoons in the islands' interior. Departure times depend on the tide. Lunch is usually served on Koh Panyee, a Muslim fishing village built on stilts against a limestone cliff, featuring a mosque, a school, and a floating football pitch. Please cover your shoulders, as this is a community, not a resort. Most tours include a swim at another beach in the bay and return you to your hotel between 4:30 and 6:00 PM.
Which James Bond island tour should I book?
From Phuket, you usually have a choice between two boats. A large boat with canoe rental costs around 1,500 baht and is the quiet, affordable option, especially suitable for families with children. A speedboat (around 1,700 baht) is faster around the bay and allows for more stops. A tour on a longtail boat (1,400 to 1,800 baht) offers the most atmospheric, but also the most leisurely experience. Check whether the 300 baht parking fee is included in the price.
To avoid the biggest crowds, book a departure time rather than a specific boat. A later-departing speedboat (approx. 2,700 baht) arrives in the bay when the day boats are already leaving. John Gray's Sea Canoe offers the "Hong by Starlight" tour, which departs at 10:20 a.m., reaches James Bond Island at 1:00 p.m., and the Hong Lagoons at 4:00 p.m. Dinner is then served on board before you conclude the tour with a nighttime paddle through the bioluminescent underwater world, returning to your hotel around 9:00 p.m. The tour costs 3,950 baht, including fees and both meals, and is my recommendation.
If you prefer to visit Phi Phi on the same day, some speedboats offer combination tours. A short stop at each island would make for a long, hectic day, so I would recommend splitting the visits.
From Krabi, Khao Lak, Koh Yao and Phang Nga Town
James Bond Island tours depart from Krabi at Nopparat Thara Pier near Ao Nang and Ao Thung Pier. The 7.5-hour speedboat trip includes a canoe trip on Koh Hong and lunch on Koh Panyee. If a Krabi tour mentions Hong Island but neither James Bond Island nor Koh Panyee, it refers to Hong Island itself – a separate tour.
From Khao Lak, it's recommended to book tours departing from the Phang Nga side rather than going to Phuket. On Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, located in the middle of the bay, longtail boat captains offer day trips to Koh Hong, and some even continue on to James Bond Island and Koh Panyee.
If you're traveling independently, the bus from Phuket to Phang Nga (approx. 88 km) runs roughly hourly for about 80 to 100 baht and takes 1.5 to 2 hours. The National Park office and Tha Dan Pier are located about 5 km south of the town. There, and at Surakul Pier, longtail boat captains offer small group tours of the bay. The price is agreed upon on site. Leave early to reach Khao Phing Kan before the boats from Phuket arrive. The park fee of 300 baht is payable in cash.
The best time to travel to James Bond Island
The time of day is more important than the month. Day boats from Phuket arrive between 10:00 and 14:00, and then the beach is packed, with a queue forming for photos on Ko Tapu. Before 10:00, if you go by private longtail boat from Phang Nga, or after the midday rush on a late tour, the atmosphere is completely different.
From November to April, it's the dry season with calm seas and many visitors, while December to March is the peak season. From May to October, the bay is still navigable, as it's sheltered on three sides. However, it can be rough on some days, and some tours are canceled. This boat tour from Phuket usually runs when Phi Phi is closed.
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Is James Bond Island worth visiting?
Koh Tapu is definitely worth a stopover during a day trip to Phang Nga Bay. The limestone towers along the way are among the most beautiful scenery in southern Thailand, and the sea caves and Koh Panyee make it a worthwhile day trip. However, Koh Tapu isn't worth visiting on its own. The journey there takes 20 to 45 minutes along a small, crowded beach with numerous vendors, and many reviews complain about the overcrowding.
Phi Phi or James Bond Island? Phi Phi offers beaches, lagoons, and snorkeling opportunities. The speedboat trip costs approximately 2,500 to 3,000 baht, plus a 400 baht parking fee. Phang Nga Bay, on the other hand, beckons with sea caves, karst cliffs, and calm waters, and is more affordable. If you only have one of the two islands available, decide based on your daily plans and the weather, as Phang Nga Bay is navigable when the sea off Phi Phi is too rough.
The Man with the Golden Gun
The island served as Scaramanga's hideout in "The Man with the Golden Gun," Roger Moore's second Bond film from 1974, and has been known as James Bond Island ever since. Phang Nga Bay reappeared in 1997 in "Tomorrow Never Dies." Before the film, it was merely a tourist attraction. Today, it is one of the bay's most visited sights and has been part of the Ao Phang Nga National Park since 1981.
Experience a James Bond island tour
Two tours filmed by other travelers in 2026: one advocates for daytime travel, the other unflinchingly depicts the crowds. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press "Play".
More for Phuket and the bay
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan).
Khao Phing Kan means "hills leaning against each other". The offshore rock pinnacle is called Ko Tapu, "nail island". Both are located in the Ao Phang Nga National Park.
The tour takes approximately two hours each way: 45 minutes to an hour by car to a pier on Phuket's east coast and 45 to 90 minutes by boat, depending on the type of boat. Such a tour takes up almost the entire day.
Tours from Phuket cost between 1,400 and 2,800 baht depending on the boat, plus a parking fee of 300 baht (150 baht for children), unless this is included in the price. John Gray's evening sea kayaking tour costs 3,950 baht, including fees and meals.
The tours usually last 20 to 45 minutes, enough time for a photo of Ko Tapu and a walk along the beach. Some tours last up to an hour.
The Man with the Golden Gun, released in 1974, starring Roger Moore. The island served as Scaramanga's hideout.
Phi Phi is known for its beaches and snorkeling opportunities, while Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island are known for their sea caves, karst formations, and calm waters. Phang Nga is less expensive and also offers good sailing conditions even in rougher weather.
Yes. On the days the speedboat departs, the docks are Ao Thung and Nopparat Thara. In the meantime, you can go canoeing in Koh Hong and have lunch in Koh Panyee. The trip takes about 7.5 hours.
Yes. Take the bus to Phang Nga town, then a longtail boat from Tha Dan or Surakul pier at a price you agree on locally, and pay the parking fee of 300 baht in cash.
The tours do not stop there for swimming. The swimming stop is at a different beach in the bay.
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