The island of Phuket is Thailand’s largest and one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. People from all over the globe love to come to Phuket because it is a real tropical paradise, complete with swaying palm trees, fragrant blossoms, white sand beaches, and crystal clear waters. The island is the perfect place for water sports like swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, water skiing, kite surfing and more!
It’s a big, beautiful island and there is a lot to see. One of the best ways to experience the island is to go on some boat tours in Phuket so you can view its spectacular beaches and magnificent, rugged jungle terrain from the water! Let’s now examine just a few of the stunning local attractions you can enjoy around Phuket and its neighbouring seas!
Koh Phi Phi – Just a short ride from Phuket lies one of the Andaman Sea’s most beautiful places, the Phi Phi islands. The name Koh Phi Phi isn’t just one island, it is a group of six. The two biggest are called Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Lee.
Phi Phi Don is the only Phi Phi island that is inhabited and is a popular destination with plenty to do, from swimming and hiking to delicious food and exciting nightlife. The white sand beaches and azure blue waters have luxuriant mountainous jungles rising up behind them, you will feel like you have stepped into a storybook world of adventure! Be sure to make the easy day hike up to the island’s two lofty viewpoints for stunning panoramic views of the islands and the surrounding sea!!
Phi Phi Leh is uninhabited and is best known for its amazingly picturesque Maya Bay which was featured in the (in)famous Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach. Don’t worry, the real island is actually quite safe, all of the dangerous action in the movie was just cinematic thrills!
All of the guided Phi Phi islands boat tours from Phuket make stops at both islands as well as some other fun and fascinating attractions along the way like Viking Cave, Pileh Lagoon, Bamboo Island, and Monkey Beach!
Phang Nga Bay & James Bond Island – The next famous group of islands to visit when island-hopping from Phuket on a boat tour is Phang Nga Bay Marine National Park. The park features over 100 gorgeous islands, but by far the most famed is the landmark popularly known as James Bond Island.
The island’s real name is Khao Phing Kan, and its sister, a twenty-metre tall islet, is called Koh Tapu. These spectacular islands are vertical limestone spires called karsts that tower above the emerald-green water to form an unforgettable sight worth an estimated 100,000 pictures- it’s very photogenic!
The island is amazing as it is, but it gained a lot of its fame from its appearance in the James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun back in 1974, hence the nickname “James Bond Island”. Don’t worry, Scaramanga’s deadly space laser was put out of commission by our intrepid Agent 007 so it’s now perfectly safe to visit!
The grand isle of Phuket and its many neighbouring islands are a must-see if you love the sea!
