For your exciting Phang Nga Bay by Longtail Boat from Phuket adventure you will be picked up from your hotel in an air-conditioned minivan between 0730h (07:30am ) and 0800h (08:00am).
Accompanied by your English speaking guide, you will set off for Phang Nga Bay. Your first stop is at Wat Tham Suwan Khoo Har (Buddha Cave Temple) to view the 15 meter long Reclining Buddha image.
This incredible golden statue was once covered with layers of plaster to disguise it from invading armies. Later everybody forgot about the golden Buddha and it remained covered in its coating until one day the plaster was accidentally chipped, revealing the shining gold beneath. Pieces of the old plaster are now displayed next to the statue.
At around 1015h (10:15 am) you will proceed to Surakul pier to catch your long-tail boat to explore Phang Nga Bay. Soft drinks and fresh fruit will be provided in the boat.
Long-tail boats are typical of south-east Asia. The hull may be in various designs and they are powered by (usually second-hand) car or truck engines mounted in-board.
Phang Nga Bay boasts no less than 42 islands and is famous for its wildlife and natural beauty – towering limestone cliffs, caves, coral reefs and mangrove swamps. The most famous of the islands in the bay is the so-called “James Bond Island”, a dramatic needle-shaped limestone rock, which featured in the movie “The Man with The Golden Gun”.
Around lunch-time you will set off to the Pannyi Sea- Gypsy Village. This is a remarkable place, the whole of the village is built out over water on stilts with a giant rock monolith guarding its rear. The inhabitants are native Malayan-speakers – the “Sea Gypsy” people –known as “moken”. These nomadic seafarers, now only around 2,000 to 3,000 in number, maintain a sea-based culture and are believed to be the first inhabitants of the Andaman coastal regions of Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.
At Pannyi you will enjoy a delicious Thai and Western-style set lunch. Afterwards, you can shop for local handicrafts at the quaint shops that dot the village.
At the end of the tour, the minivan will take you back to your hotel in Phuket, arriving at around 1700h (05:00pm).