Thanksgiving Day Boat Tour

James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay

Thursday, November 24, 2016

On this Thanksgiving Day, I’m thankful that we had a pre-booked boat tour to the picturesque Phang Nga Bay.

We woke up early for breakfast because a shuttle would be picking us up at 7:50 am to bring us to the pier on the other side of the island. We squeezed into another packed van, but luckily we were the last stop on the morning route. At the pier we randomly ran into the two San Franciscoites who were on our Chiang Mai elephant tour a couple days earlier. They were waiting for a different tour this time, so we boarded our speedboat along with around 25 other tourists.

It took about an hour to get to Phang Nga Bay, which was every bit as stunning as pictures I’ve seen. A large portion of the area is protected under the Ao Phang Nga National Park, and features 42 islands comprised of limestone formations, cliffs and caves. The most famous of the islands is a tiny one nicknamed “James Bond Island” because it was featured in The Man with the Golden Gun. 

Canoe ride around the bay

We made several stops during the day. A cave walk was the first stop, complete with hard hats and lanterns. James Bond Island was next for some picture taking opportunities. We also did a canoe ride around some of the islands and caves. Lunch was at Koh Panyee, a Muslim village on stilts that overlooked the water. The final stop was Naka Island for an hour of swimming, cocktails, and relaxation on the beach. We returned to the pier in Phuket around 4:30 pm, and we back to our hotel by 5:30. It was a really nice, full day with lots of great views, photo opportunities, and fun in the sun.

In the evening we took a taxi from the hotel into Kata to get a massage and dinner. After my last painful experience with a Thai massage, Steph made sure I got the wimpiest masseuse and treatment on the menu, while she went for something much more hardcore. Dinner was nearby at the well-reviewed Mom Tri’s Kitchen. A little pricey by Thai standards, but they served delicious fresh fish and were located in a nice hotel overlooking the beach. I didn’t see turkey or mashed potatoes on the menu, so instead I ordered salmon in red curry sauce, for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.

Sunset back at the hotel