With a little late planning we managed to secure a boat to the famous James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay for our 15th Wedding anniversary.
As we do, leaving things to the last minute we managed to miss out on joining the speedboat tour as it was now fully booked. With a little math calculation we worked out it would cost us 6200THB for the two of us including lunch and dinner. Which to be honest was expensive considering that we started this journey to test our skills in long term travel and keeping our costs under $100AU per day.
We worked out that if we took the longboat from Tenta Nakara (our remote getaway on Naka Yai Island) the cost would be 4500THB plus canoe 700THB. So, although the trip would take a little longer the cost would work our better as we would the back by dinner and maybe we could skip lunch.
Discussing the idea with Lucas and Fanny a couple from Switzerland we had met earlier that morning the offer was put out that should they wish to join us they could pay half the boat cost. So we were set. Tomorrow we would set sail…all be it on a long boat to James Bond Island.
Having dinner that evening we managed to get Mattanja & Dutche (from the Netherlands), another couple to join us. We had now reached the maximum amount for the boat and the coast was tumbling down. This trip just got 3 couples and the cost just got way cheaper than we expected.
Getting on board the boat and departing from our great island getaway at Tenta Nakara on the island of Naka Yai, we cruised north to Pahang Nga Bay.
With the our newly found friends we soon discovered that we were much happier than the crowds on board the large speedboats and to rub salt into the wounds of the people on the larger boats our plucky and nimble little longboat seemed to be passing with them all with ease.
Another major advantage is that we could get into little passageways between the massive limestone outcrops on the bay. Our little boat could also get under the rock outcrops that others had to launch kayaks to. We even navigated a couple of caves in the longboat.
We came to the conclusion while all of us were tucking into fresh watermelon and pineapple that you can take a speedboat anywhere in the world, but you cant beat the romance and uniqueness that is Thailand’s long tail boats. We all felt blessed to be sharing the day this way.
Our guide was fantastic and had a unique way of keeping us all together when navigating the dark caves and waterways, he just made the noise of a cat. yup it sounds crazy but it seemed to work well.
Getting into the small rubber Kayak’s gave us an up close encounter with he limestone castings that seemed to reach for the sky from deep on the floor of the bay.
Another one ticked off my Bucket List. To have the privilege to share this with Elena was amazing. if you have never been come now. This literally is another world.
As our guide and long-tail boat skipper carefully negotiated passageways between the limestone we rounded a corner and there in front of us was what we all came for the legendary James Bond Island.
The Island was crowded and as much as we wanted to see like everybody else I was reminded of Anchor Wat on Cambodia where people walking over the ancient structure was wearing the monument down. Regardless whether you’re a James Bond fan or not this is a beautiful place and in time I can see it being cordoned off to be admired from a distance.
Heading deeper into the bay lead us to our stop for lunch, a floating village surrounded by hundreds of other tourist boats both large and small. With ease our skilled skipper managed to find a place for us to pull up to the jetty.
Our guide was quick to point out oysters and fish that were being farmed here for our lunch.
To be honest we had eaten better fish at Rawai Bay (see Blog Best Beaches) and that given the tides and what we were still to see on our return journey we were rushed through lunch and then onto the markets.
The village consists of small platforms that are tied together with walkways between them the whole are is covered and has schools, shops mosques (yes this is a Muslim village) and even an outdoor soccer stadium.
Elena was a good negotiator and you have to be here. These villagers survive on the tourist trade and are insistent that you buy, especially those who are selling the pearls here. Beware what you buy, some of these are so real and with that comes a hefty price tag.
Our guide asks for some of the most expensive pears to be removed from the glass cabinet We ask how much? 1,600,000THB… That’s $53.000AUD
We settled for two pearl bracelets (that I’m still not sure of the cost) as it was our Anniversary and Elena was smiling. Still I’m not sure if that was because of the price or the fact that my girl likes such things and was pleased that we let our guard down on the budget for a moment.
Heading back in the afternoon we were constantly reminded of the tide as there was a special place that our guide wanted to show us and the tide had to be just right
Arriving at a small opening we climbed into the kayaks and were instructed to lay flat as we would be passing under the rocks into a narrow and small cave. with our torches and the slapping of the water on the rocks we made our way to the opening at the other end to be greeted by a lagoon totally surrounded by limestone stretching to the sky. We just came through the only way in and with the tide on the move we were fortunate to have the opportunity of being here.
This place is special and for the six of us it was a special day that we will never forget.
Come and be in this place but when you do, make sure you take a long Tail boat and emerge yourself in the beauty of Phang Nga Bay
