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Phuket SeaCanoe & Sea Kayak
Sea Canoe in Phang Nga Bay & around Phuket
Sea Canoe around Phang Nga Bay and Krabi is an amazing experience you really shouldn't miss!
Discover a unique and hidden world as sturdy canoes weave their way through a network of brilliant crystalline limestone caves, to reveal the mysterious hidden world of the "Hongs"
What are the "Hongs"
The "hongs" are actually collapsed cave systems in the interior of each island, only accessed by tough, purpose-designed inflatable canoes through sea-caves at low tide.
Open to the sky and filled with jungle flora and fauna,the hongs conceal a unique eco-system with monkeys, birds, fish, and apart from the sound of birdsong, complete quiet.
Local operators have so far gained access to dozens of hongs between Phang Nga and Krabi to the south. Each hong tends to have its own distinct character, and it's easy to spend days, even a week, visiting island after island.
Limited numbers of people are taken out at a given time; and experienced guides accompany every boat, not just to lead the way and to provide commentary, but also to advise on ways to conserve these precious natural resources.
Although there may be a week or two of inclement weather every year, sea canoeing is fun virtually any time of year in Phang Nga Bay - even in the "rainy season."
The islands and hongs often assume an surreal beauty in the rains and, inside the caves, stalactites sparkle even more. Still, for those who like their sunshine, December to March is highly recommended. (Read more about Phang Nga Bay)
Our editor's Sea Canoe Tours Reviews
Hong by Starlight
When other hong-via-kayak tour operators are winding down for the day, the John Gray Sea Canoe crew is just getting started. Is it laziness, the result of a late night out, or a simple case of ineptitude? Were I in charge, it would be a combination of all three. Not so with Mr Gray, the godfather of sea kayaking in Thailand. He developed the ‘Hong by Starlight' tour as a way to avoid crowds.
Kayaking in Phang Nga Bay
It's the late afternoon, and from the small plot of white sand I've laid claim to, I can see Phuket Island, the mainland province of Phang Nga, and a couple small, uninhabited islands - both inspiring Gilliganesque fantasies. Another boat arrives, an armada of inflatable canoes storms the beach, and tour guides do battle in a game of beach football while their charge flop on mats in the shade and reflect on the day.
วันจันทร์ที่ 22 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 21 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Top 10 Best Tours in Phuket
Phuket has so much to see, visit and experience that it takes a good tactician to take it all in and plan ahead. Introducing Phuket.com's Top Ten Tours. Here you'll have a preview of the hottest tours available with a brief description of what they're about. From elephants at FantaSea to playing the same green as Tiger Woods to dining on a Chinese junk, it's all here and much, much more. Enjoy!
1. Full Day Phi Phi Island Tour by Speedboat
Our Number One tour gets you away from it all to one of the world's most beautiful islands and its surroundings in a matter of minutes. While everyone else is on their way to Phi Phi you're already there, island hopping, dropping in on the monkeys at Ao Ling, snorkeling the crystal clear waters in Hin Klang, and enjoying a fabulous lunch buffet on Phi Phi Island itself.
After lunch relax for an hour of two, get some shopping in and then check out beautiful Maya Bay, where 'The Beach' was filmed and also where tropical fish swarm around you as you swim among them.
2. Similan Island Stopover
It takes just 90 minutes to reach the Similans from Phang Nga Province. Majestic rock formations and lush verdant jungle await you with a marine life as rich and varied as it is world famous.
The diving and snorkeling at this nine-island archipelago is legendary and all this is augmented by the fact that there's absolutely no hurry to leave. You're here for the night so let the sounds, sensations and the atmosphere of these magical islands sink in and work its magic.
3. Phang Nga Bay Cruise on June Bahtra Junk
Our Number Three tour comprises good food, fantastic seascape and leisurely cruising; surely the hottest recipe going for a great day out. There are several ways to visit the majesty of Phang Nga Bay but this, cruising in a genuine Chinese junk, is the most laid back and idyllic way.
Visit a sea gypsy village perched above the water on stilts at the top of the bay, check out the 'Man with the Golden Gun's' lair at James Bond Island and take in some of the most impressive rock formations in the world. All this and a delicious Thai buffet, too. Superb.
4. Phuket FantaSea Show
It's hot, it's wild, it's the ultimate in a family evening out – it's Phuket FantaSea. Set in 140 acres of seaside opulence, FantaSea has so many attractions going that it's impossible to list them here but let's start with one of Asia's biggest buffets. Able to seat 4,000 diners, FantaSea's buffet bursts with flavour and if that's not enough there are several other nook and crannies throughout the theme park where you can snack and dine. As for the show, think Las Vegas meets Thailand where fact, fiction and fantasy intertwine and frolic for 80 dazzling minutes. Never seen a flying elephant? You can at FantaSea. This is a real full-blooded extravaganza that will leave your head spinning. Unforgettable.
5. Golf at Blue Canyon
Hit the green with the greats. If Tiger Woods says Blue Canyon is, "One of the best I have ever played on" then who are we to argue against? With 720 acres of lush greenery and the mountains of Phang Nga Bay as a backdrop as you tee off at one of the two award-winning 18-hole courses, Blue Canyon at once impresses with its easy rapport with Mother Nature.
Built around, not over Mother Nature's contours, the courses are sumptuous yet challenging. Take the family – there are great facilities, including a top-rate spa, a large swimming pool, shopping and fine dining.
6. Sea Kayaking Hong by Starlight
The best of both worlds; Phang Nga Bay is rated tops in the 'Wow' factor by day but just imagine exploring it by night… Head off after lunch to discover the unforgettable sights of this scenic wonderland.
Dine on board your 'mother ship' and as the sun goes down paddle silently into the 'hongs' or caves of this magic domain and discover just what Mother Nature gets up to by night. Access to these hongs is only possible at certain levels of the tide so put yourself into the experienced hands of John 'Caveman' Gray and take it all in.
7. Whitewater Rafting and Elephant Trekking
The watery arteries of lush Phang Nga Province, just north of Phuket, are gush down from the mountains from June to November each year and this is when you can experience the thrill of your life by whitewater rafting down them.
Everyone knows that elephants are gentle creatures and what better way to get to know them better than by gently riding through the jungle on the back of one? You'll be amazed just how dainty a powerful pachyderm can be!
8. Phuket Eco Extreme by ATV
What's better than learning fascinating facts? Learning fascinating facts while having loads of adventurous fun, that's what. Zoom through the jungle, along beaches, through mud puddles while learning about the flora and fauna of Phuket. Experienced guides stop at key locations and point out unusual and interesting facets of wildlife on Phuket. The great thing about this tour is that although it's top-drawer adventure, it's very well thought out and absolutely safe as houses so take the kids along and discover more in a few hours than in days of reading about the jungle.
9. Khao Sok Jungle Safari Overnight Tour
Rafting down Mountain Rivers, elephant trekking through the leafy jungle, observing wildlife in its natural habitat and witnessing the spectacle of Phang Nga Province's Ratchaprapha Dam; you can do all this on the Khao Sok Safari Overnight tour. 'Base Camp' is made up of tailor-made luxury tents and from here you can venture forth to see wildlife unique to this area – the largest tract of tropical rainforest in southern Thailand. You will never forget the majestic Ratchaprapha Dam with its Cliffside walls rising vertically out of indigo-blue water and its teeming wildlife.
10. Romantic Sunset Cruise & Dinner by Ayodhaya
Phang Nga Bay is another world by night. Its silent serenity can leave a lasting impression on you and the sense of timelessness in this beautiful place is tangible. This cruise brings out the romantic in you: watch the sun sinking behind Phuket into the Andaman as you sip a glass of wine and watch the amazing scenery float by. Enjoy a Thai buffet while drifting in the velvet darkness listening to the night's million sounds all around you. Stretch out on the cushions strewn out on deck and count the stars above.
1. Full Day Phi Phi Island Tour by Speedboat
Our Number One tour gets you away from it all to one of the world's most beautiful islands and its surroundings in a matter of minutes. While everyone else is on their way to Phi Phi you're already there, island hopping, dropping in on the monkeys at Ao Ling, snorkeling the crystal clear waters in Hin Klang, and enjoying a fabulous lunch buffet on Phi Phi Island itself.
After lunch relax for an hour of two, get some shopping in and then check out beautiful Maya Bay, where 'The Beach' was filmed and also where tropical fish swarm around you as you swim among them.
2. Similan Island Stopover
It takes just 90 minutes to reach the Similans from Phang Nga Province. Majestic rock formations and lush verdant jungle await you with a marine life as rich and varied as it is world famous.
The diving and snorkeling at this nine-island archipelago is legendary and all this is augmented by the fact that there's absolutely no hurry to leave. You're here for the night so let the sounds, sensations and the atmosphere of these magical islands sink in and work its magic.
3. Phang Nga Bay Cruise on June Bahtra Junk
Our Number Three tour comprises good food, fantastic seascape and leisurely cruising; surely the hottest recipe going for a great day out. There are several ways to visit the majesty of Phang Nga Bay but this, cruising in a genuine Chinese junk, is the most laid back and idyllic way.
Visit a sea gypsy village perched above the water on stilts at the top of the bay, check out the 'Man with the Golden Gun's' lair at James Bond Island and take in some of the most impressive rock formations in the world. All this and a delicious Thai buffet, too. Superb.
4. Phuket FantaSea Show
It's hot, it's wild, it's the ultimate in a family evening out – it's Phuket FantaSea. Set in 140 acres of seaside opulence, FantaSea has so many attractions going that it's impossible to list them here but let's start with one of Asia's biggest buffets. Able to seat 4,000 diners, FantaSea's buffet bursts with flavour and if that's not enough there are several other nook and crannies throughout the theme park where you can snack and dine. As for the show, think Las Vegas meets Thailand where fact, fiction and fantasy intertwine and frolic for 80 dazzling minutes. Never seen a flying elephant? You can at FantaSea. This is a real full-blooded extravaganza that will leave your head spinning. Unforgettable.
5. Golf at Blue Canyon
Hit the green with the greats. If Tiger Woods says Blue Canyon is, "One of the best I have ever played on" then who are we to argue against? With 720 acres of lush greenery and the mountains of Phang Nga Bay as a backdrop as you tee off at one of the two award-winning 18-hole courses, Blue Canyon at once impresses with its easy rapport with Mother Nature.
Built around, not over Mother Nature's contours, the courses are sumptuous yet challenging. Take the family – there are great facilities, including a top-rate spa, a large swimming pool, shopping and fine dining.
6. Sea Kayaking Hong by Starlight
The best of both worlds; Phang Nga Bay is rated tops in the 'Wow' factor by day but just imagine exploring it by night… Head off after lunch to discover the unforgettable sights of this scenic wonderland.
Dine on board your 'mother ship' and as the sun goes down paddle silently into the 'hongs' or caves of this magic domain and discover just what Mother Nature gets up to by night. Access to these hongs is only possible at certain levels of the tide so put yourself into the experienced hands of John 'Caveman' Gray and take it all in.
7. Whitewater Rafting and Elephant Trekking
The watery arteries of lush Phang Nga Province, just north of Phuket, are gush down from the mountains from June to November each year and this is when you can experience the thrill of your life by whitewater rafting down them.
Everyone knows that elephants are gentle creatures and what better way to get to know them better than by gently riding through the jungle on the back of one? You'll be amazed just how dainty a powerful pachyderm can be!
8. Phuket Eco Extreme by ATV
What's better than learning fascinating facts? Learning fascinating facts while having loads of adventurous fun, that's what. Zoom through the jungle, along beaches, through mud puddles while learning about the flora and fauna of Phuket. Experienced guides stop at key locations and point out unusual and interesting facets of wildlife on Phuket. The great thing about this tour is that although it's top-drawer adventure, it's very well thought out and absolutely safe as houses so take the kids along and discover more in a few hours than in days of reading about the jungle.
9. Khao Sok Jungle Safari Overnight Tour
Rafting down Mountain Rivers, elephant trekking through the leafy jungle, observing wildlife in its natural habitat and witnessing the spectacle of Phang Nga Province's Ratchaprapha Dam; you can do all this on the Khao Sok Safari Overnight tour. 'Base Camp' is made up of tailor-made luxury tents and from here you can venture forth to see wildlife unique to this area – the largest tract of tropical rainforest in southern Thailand. You will never forget the majestic Ratchaprapha Dam with its Cliffside walls rising vertically out of indigo-blue water and its teeming wildlife.
10. Romantic Sunset Cruise & Dinner by Ayodhaya
Phang Nga Bay is another world by night. Its silent serenity can leave a lasting impression on you and the sense of timelessness in this beautiful place is tangible. This cruise brings out the romantic in you: watch the sun sinking behind Phuket into the Andaman as you sip a glass of wine and watch the amazing scenery float by. Enjoy a Thai buffet while drifting in the velvet darkness listening to the night's million sounds all around you. Stretch out on the cushions strewn out on deck and count the stars above.
วันเสาร์ที่ 20 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Koh Samui
Koh Samui, found off the coast of Surat Thani province in the Gulf of Thailand, is the second most popular island destination in Thailand after Phuket.
While the island is continually shifting upscale, there's still a more rustic, backpacker-friendly feel about it than on Phuket. The long white beaches of Chaweng and Lamai are where the widest range of accommodation, dining and nightlife options may be found, while each of the smaller beaches such as Bophut and Choeng Mon have their own unique characters and facilities.
While the island is continually shifting upscale, there's still a more rustic, backpacker-friendly feel about it than on Phuket. The long white beaches of Chaweng and Lamai are where the widest range of accommodation, dining and nightlife options may be found, while each of the smaller beaches such as Bophut and Choeng Mon have their own unique characters and facilities.
Koh Lanta
Lanta Yai and Lanta Noi are reached off the coast of Krabi, with most accommodation found on Lanta Yai. The beautiful quiet beaches of Lanta are its main draw, but there's some good diving in the area as well. The nearby sites of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are exciting dive destinations, easily reached on daytrips from Lanta. Regular car ferry service from the Krabi mainland and by passenger ferry from Phi Phi.
Phang Nga Bay
The nicely sheltered Phang Nga Bay, dotted with tiny islands of dramatic shapes, is an ideal place to explore by boat. The most popular stopping-off points are Koh Ping-Gan - better known as James Bond Island - and Koh Pannyi, a floating fishing village built on stilts.
If you're hoping to find yourself in the company of hordes of tourists and trinket-sellers, these are the places to go. More appealing ways to see the bay are through yacht charters, sea canoe trips or cruises on Chinese junks.
If you're hoping to find yourself in the company of hordes of tourists and trinket-sellers, these are the places to go. More appealing ways to see the bay are through yacht charters, sea canoe trips or cruises on Chinese junks.
วันพุธที่ 17 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551
Koh Kaew
This speck of an island is found just offshore at the southernmost tip of Phuket, and can be seen from the Phromthep Cape viewpoint. Long-tail boat transfer to the island can be arranged in Rawai. So far, there's not much here besides a large Buddha statue.
Koh Bon
Koh Bon, just 15 minutes off the shore of Rawai, is a beautiful tiny isle with soft white sands and good snorkelling sites.
The salas, sun loungers and other facilities on shore are "exclusively for the use" of guests staying at The Evason Phuket Resort and Spa, which advertises Koh Bon as its own private island. The only accommodation is a luxurious honeymoon suite, also operated by The Evason.
The salas, sun loungers and other facilities on shore are "exclusively for the use" of guests staying at The Evason Phuket Resort and Spa, which advertises Koh Bon as its own private island. The only accommodation is a luxurious honeymoon suite, also operated by The Evason.
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