Saturday, January 29, 2011

Phang Nga Bay, Phuket, Thailand

Phang Nga Bay is a popular attraction off the coast of Phuket, Thailand. Its is a perfect place for sailing and the numerous islets ( very small islands, sometimes they are just big rocks) in the middle of the sea, make it a beautiful tourist attraction.
There are numerous tours that start from Phuket that will take you around the various attractions in Phang Nga bay. They also provide options for canoeing near few of the famous islets.
We started from Phuket early in the morning on a boat for a day tour to Phang Nga bay. The crew on the boat were entertaining and informative. The sail to Phang Nga bay was calm and the sea and islets made a serene scenery.
The tours start early morning because some of the islets have caves and during low tide people can get into the caves on a canoe. Some of these caves lead to lagoons in the middle of the islets. The lagoons are wonderful and they have very different vegetation and atmosphere as compared to the sea around the islets. Entering the lagoon you get the feel of having entered a different world altogether. It is surprising to see the vegetation and also the birds and the monkeys that live in the lagoon. In some of the cave openings , you can find stalactites and some of the mineral deposits on these stalactites make it look like gleaming crystals. You will also find interesting formations of rocks made by the erosion of big rocks over the years.
Jetty from where we took the boat to Phang Nga bay


Islets in Phang Nga 

Beautiful scenery

The cave we canoed into

On the way into the cave

Sparkling stalactites in the cave

World inside the cave, beautiful lagoon

Out of the lagoon

One of the most famous attractions around the region is James Bond island, also called Ko Tapu meaning 'The Nail' by the locals. This island was featured in the 1974 Bond film 'The Man with the Golden Gun' and hence the name 'James Bond' island. This turned the previously unknown Phang Nga bay into a major tourist attraction.

James bond island


There are also various beaches around the place where snorkeling can be done.

Beautiful scenery, adventurous canoe rides and splendid warm beaches make this a must visit place.

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