Phang Nga Bay

This is the real hinterland of Phuket with great highlights.

The waterworld consists mainly of limestone islands with incredible formations, caves and beaches. One of the best day trips from Phuket is kayaking here.



Phi-Phi Islands, Krabi Ao Nang and Ao Luk are to the south. To enter the bay use one of the busses from the Phuket terminal to Krabi or Hat Yai and get off at the intersection behind the Phunga Hotel before the entrance to the city. It is no problem to get a lift down to the visitor center and there take a longtail boat and have a look around. 

About 4 - 5 hours is a bit more than thousand Baht. You could also rent a scooter and do it travel time about 2 hours. When you use the bus come back to the main-road and just stop one of them there are plenty running back and forward.

Kayaking at Phang Nga Bay

Limestone islands and mangroves

This are the ideal places to paddle around either with a kayak or canoe because this small boats are the only one which can move into the "hong". This is an island cave where the top fell down, usually because of erosion and now beautiful hidden beaches are visible. The best of that sort is the Emerald Cave in Trang.

It needs to be careful when having a look around because the entrance is a small hole only and when the tide come it gets closed.

Day Trip from Phuket

The mangroves are the home of wild orchids which blossom once per years and are gone after a few days. They become more visible again because nobody is poaching them anymore, people buy them from the nursery as hybrids and there is no difference anymore.

Phang Nga is bordering Phuket to the west, Chumphon in the north and Krabi in the east. 
With unique islands in the Andaman Sea, the bizarre limestone formations have been used as backdrop in several movies like in James Bond "The Man with the Golden Colt"  and "The Beach" with Leonardo Di Caprio on Phi Phi Island a little bit further south and other.

Phi Phi islands

Dense green tropical fauna, warm turquoise waters and pristine beaches are typical. When you come from Phuket on the way to Krabi you will see the Phunga Hotel at the right just before Ao Phang Nga. At the intersection behind the hotel turn right and you will end up at the pier and visitor center.

There are always longtail boats around, rent one and negotiate the price, you must be tough otherwise they milk you merciless. Take a boat having at least a cover on the top otherwise you get real sunburn

Monsoon over the Bay

When making this tour don't forget to take some earplugs with you, otherwise it will be a deafening ride over flat waves since the unmuffled engine is fixed very loosely at the back of the boat and makes a terrible noise, there is no way to escape, all longtail boats are made like this. 

View Phang Nga Bay in a larger map