James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay

This iconic set of islands used to be nothing more than a spot on the map in Ao Phang Nga National Park. But in 1974, when James Bond chose Khao Phing Kan as a hideout in The Man with the Golden Gun, this rarely visited limestone island became a popular destination frequented by travelers on boat tours.Along with the island's new fame came the threat of potential destruction of its natural beauty, so since 1998, it has been forbidden for boats to approach Ko Tapu, the 66-foot (20-meter) limestone rock that lies just off the shore, in order to stop the erosion of the limestone and eventual collapse.

Travelers love the lush vegetation, rocky cliffs and dark caves that make this pair of islands easy to spot. Most trips offer the opportunity to swim and explore the surrounding waters, and hungry visitors can make the most of their excursion by eating lunch at the nearby floating Muslim village.Joining a James Bond Island tour and cruise the Phang Nga Bay is the second most popular activity in the region. The area is situated 25 km north-east of Phuket. It consists of numerous dramatic limestone cliffs rising sheer out of the waters. The most famous one being James Bond Island with its needle formed limestone rock which featured in the James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun". The Muslim fishing village on the island Koh Panyee is another popular spot to visit. Canoeing through limestone caves into mangrove forests is included in the tours.
James Bond Island is a famous landmark in Phang Nga Bay. It first found its way onto the international tourist map through its starring role in the James Bond movie 'The Man with the Golden Gun'. A distinctive feature of this famous bay is the number of sheer limestone cliffs that vertically jut out of the emerald-green water. The bizarre, why-doesn’t-it-fall-over outline of James Bond Island or Koh Tapu (meaning Nail Island in Thai), lies next to the equally well known Koh Ping Ghan (sometime spell ‘Ping Gan’ or ‘Ping Gun’). The entire area surrounding this island is indeed spectacular, but it can get crowded with tourist boats in high season.

James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay Attractions Nearby Phuket 4480 James Bond Island is a famous landmark in Phang Nga Bay. It first found its way onto the international tourist map through its starring role in the James Bond movie 'The Man with the Golden Gun'. A distinctive feature of this famous bay is the number of sheer limestone cliffs that vertically jut out of the emerald-green water. The bizarre, why-doesn’t-it-fall-over outline of James Bond Island or Koh Tapu (meaning Nail Island in Thai), lies next to the equally well known Koh Ping Ghan (sometime spell ‘Ping Gan’ or ‘Ping Gun’). The entire area surrounding this island is indeed spectacular, but it can get crowded with tourist boats in high season. Most Booked Hotels Rating JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort and Spa 4.6/ 5 The Sands Khao Lak by Katathani 4.4/ 5 Katiliya Khao Lak Resort 4.3/ 5 The Sarojin 4.8/ 5 APSARA Beachfront Resort and Villa 4.3/ 5 Casa de La Flora 4.5/ 5 Sentido Graceland Khao Lak Resort & Spa 4.1/ 5 Ramada Khao Lak Resort 4.6/ 5 Sensimar Khaolak Beachfront Resort 4.5/ 5 Moracea by Khao Lak Resort 4.4/ 5 Most Booked Tours Phuket FantaSea Cultural Theme Park Phi Phi Islands Tour with Express Boat James Bond Island Full-Day Tour via Big Boat Coral & Racha Islands Full-Day Tour Whitewater Rafting & 4-Wheel-Drive Adventure Sea Kayaking at Ang Thong Marine Park Flying Hanuman Ziplining Experience Canoeing Excursion in Phang Nga Bay with Thai Buffet Lunch Introduction to City Tour John Gray's Cave Canoeing Tour in Phang Nga Bay James Bond Island Full-Day Tour via Big Boat James Bond Island Full-Day Tour via Big Boat by Travstore Travel Management Duration 10h THB 1,754 per adult Free cancellation Book James Bond & Beyond Tour James Bond & Beyond Tour by Tour East Thailand Duration 9h THB 3,929 THB 3,508 per traveler Free cancellation Save! Book James Bond Island Highlights:-Phang Nga Bay covers an area of 400sqkm and is home to some 100 islands, many of which could feature in The Guinness Book of Records either for their beauty or for their freakish shapes. James Bond Island, with its signature rocky pinnacle, has been a major attraction ever since it featured in the 1974 Bond movie. Luckily it is under national park protection and as a result no boats of any kind are allowed to go too close to the island because of its precarious position – big on the upper part and relatively slim at the bottom. The two best ways to view James Bond Island are from boats or from the small beach on Koh Ping Ghan. Koh Ping Ghan is another sample of how the Mother Nature works her magic. Basically it’s a very high leaning rock that has some small caves inside. It’s pretty amazing and fun to check them all out. On its crowded eastern beach, there are stalls and stands selling knickknack souvenirs, mostly made from shells and woods.

Good to Know about James Bond Island:-This area is a popular destination for sailing as well as kayaking. Most of the organized tours to James Bond Island are combined with a visit to other popular islands and usually include a stop for a seafood lunch at the charming Koh Panyee – a nearby Muslim fishing village on stilts. Even though tour companies usually hand out plastic bags to protect your camera it really is best to bring along a snap-shut waterproof camera bag. If you want to have more freedom, you can rent a long-tail boat from Surakul Pier in Phang Nga for less than 2,000 baht for a good three to four hours. The boat can carry up to ten people.
The majority of tourists who visit James Bond Island are tourists from Phuket, Thailand who are just staying a couple of hours bus ride away from the Phang Nga National Park where James Bond Island is located.
Selling of the James Bond Island Package Tours is almost ubiquitous amongst travel agents in Phuket's tourist areas as it remains a popular staple on tourist to-do lists when they visit Thailand.One of the ways that you can visit James Bond Island at a more relaxed pace then you should consider taking a canoe tour.Before visiting James Bond Island as a group there is an opportunity to explore the natural environment in your own canoe around Phang Nga Bay.Ko Tapu, Koh Tapu or Khao Tapu at James Bond Island is the tall vertical rock island that stands out in the middle of the bay of Koh Khao Ping Kan and it is this funny looking rock that featured so heavily in The Man with the Golden Gun movie by hosting the solar panels for harvesting the power of the sun and for powering Scaramanga's laser gun.Ko Tapu actually translates into English as nail island or spike island and it got this name due to its tall and rocky nature.

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