Phuket’s beaches are hard to tear yourself away from, but there’s at least one good reason to desert them for a day, and that’s a trip to Phang Nga Bay. I had to be cajoled into doing this myself, because by the time I reached Phuket (after two weeks of non-stop and exhausting travel) I wanted to remain stationary for the rest of my life. But of course I’m glad I went. Phang Nga Bay is magical.
Photo by jiashiang
Please try and slot it into your Phuket holiday; it’s not a fast-paced outing (anything but), and it’s somewhere you’ll remember for a long time to come. Pictures of this area speak a lot louder than words, so I’m going to let them do most of the talking. Gorgeous, don’t you think?
Photo by vandelizer
There are various ways of getting there, depending on how independent you are. If you’ve got a hire Phuket car, you can drive across to the mainland and bargain with local boatmen at Phang Nga Bay Resort for your voyage, but in my mind it’s easier to opt for a ready-made cruise. That’s not just because I’m bad at bargaining (I am); it’s because I was told by someone – make that someone who knows everything** – that the cruises are a lot more relaxing. Ours certainly was. Our vessel was a traditional junk, which we left at some point to join longboats for a closer look at the other-worldly Phang Nga seascapes: sheer limestone cliffs, caves, mirror-calm water and incredible colours.
You can go kayaking or sea-canoeing in the bay, see crab-eating monkeys, the swifts whose ill-fated nests end up as soup, bats, and James Bond Island, which featured in a yonks-old Bond film*** but is a fab sight. Many tours include lunch at a “sea gypsy” village built out over the water; an interesting place even though a bit touristy.
**I have to tell you this. The same person also warned me that the shells for sale on James Bond Island come from the Philippines. So better not buy them. But could this be an urban myth? I haven't a clue - do any of you know?
***The Man with the Golden Gun, in case you're wondering.
Photo by malakins