We spent a couple of days in Siem Reap before flying back to the southern islands of Thailand. We didn’t plan on doing much in Phuket (we were told it’s a complete tourist trap now) but a lot of the day excursions originated from there. We booked a room at the Baan Karonburi Resort and we splurged on our lodging because booking.com rewarded me with $70 off $200. We were under the impression we were getting two twin beds as opposed to a king but when we asked the receptionist to fulfill our expectations, she informed us they were sold out and unable to move us. We also had to wait a really long time to check in. The lobby was full of families waiting to obtain their room keys. On a positive note, our room had direct pool access! Bougie!
We decided not to book any tours ahead of time, with the hopes of supporting local business. We’re both planners so this was difficult but it worked out. We wanted to do the Phang Nga Bay tour with www.phuketsailtours.com but they didn’t have enough passengers to justify making the trip. Although we didn’t end up using them, they had great reviews. We ended up using Phuket ALL tours and we were very pleased with the “Phang Nga Bay by speedboat with sunset” trip. It was also a lot cheaper than Phuketsailtours. We paid $120 for both of us.
Our ride picked us up early and took us to the start location in Yamu. We were given coffee and a light breakfast before reviewing the itinerary.
The tour was leading off to a great start. Our captain anchored down the boat when we reached Panak and Honh islands. Kayaks picked us up in pairs and guided us through the caves of each island. We could have touched the stalactites that formed from the cave ceilings. Actually, there were multiple times we had to duck down to avoid hitting our heads!
Jokingly “James Bond #2”
Our next stop was a floating town called Panyee Island. We had a mediocre buffet-style lunch before exploring the town. It took us maybe thirty minutes to see everything they had to offer including a hospital, church and school. Our guide told us that many of the locals have never left Panee. The children were hustling to gain our business at their family shops set up outside of their homes.
Panyee Island
James Bond Island was a lot smaller than we imagined and very congested with tourists. There is a small market though I suggest shopping elsewhere as it’s more expensive. I enjoyed the short hiking trails.
Hannah and I were really entertaining the locals trying to get these next photos. One lady kept yelling at us until she eventually walked over and showed us how to properly capture the shot.
The Ice Cream cave was a quick stop. Hard hats and flashlights were required as we walked through the dark wet cave leading to a turquoise blue lagoon. Inside the cave is a shimmery stalagmite that’s shaped just like an ice cream cone!
We relaxed on the beach and threw back a couple of Changs while visiting Naka Island. This was our second to last stop and we had an hour to kill. Hannah almost died on the wooden swing we found along the tree line. She went to sit down and completely missed the seat. Beating myself up for not having my phone ready!
Phuket ALL Tours was saving the best for last. Seahorse Island is practically a mound of sand located on the southern rim of Phang Nga Bay. The best part- we were the only group on the island! This was a relief after seeing hundreds of visitors throughout the day. We watched the sky change from baby blue to cotton candy pink and eventually burnt orange (HOOK EM) as the sun fell behind the mountains. This stop alone is why we recommend Phuket ALL Tours for your day trip to Phang Nga Bay!
