Phang Nga Bay Sunset Cruise with Sea Canoeing

Ao Po Pier and the Cruise into Phang Nga Bay

After hotel pickup in the Khao Lak area, the drive of about an hour and a half brings you to Ao Po Pier on the northeast coast of Phuket, a calm departure point facing the islands of Phang Nga Bay. You board a spacious boat with toilets and a sun deck, where water and soft drinks are available throughout the day.

Lunch is served soon after departure while your guide introduces the bay, a protected marine national park filled with sheer limestone islands, and explains how the day's route follows the tides. Starting later than most tours means you reach the famous sights as the morning boats are leaving. A Phang Nga Bay tour from Khao Lak rarely feels this relaxed.

Koh Hong: Hidden Lagoons by Canoe

The first canoe stop is Koh Hong, whose name means room island. Its towering limestone walls hide a series of lagoons that open to the sea only through narrow gaps and low caves. Friendly paddle guides steer your canoe through the entrances into a hidden world of still green water, overhanging cliffs and hanging plants.

You simply sit back and take photos while the guide paddles, pointing out monkeys, crabs and the fascinating shapes of the rock. The canoe trip lasts about an hour, and afterwards there is often time to jump from the boat for a swim or try paddling yourself. Is Koh Hong worth visiting? It is one of the most beautiful lagoon systems in the whole bay.

Koh Panak: Cave Passage and Mangrove Lagoon

Next comes Koh Panak, an island whose cliffs conceal one of the most atmospheric routes in Phang Nga Bay. Your paddle guide leads you into a dark cave passage, where you may need to lean back in the canoe, before emerging into a hidden lagoon surrounded by mangrove forest and rugged limestone walls.

The silence inside, broken only by birdsong and dripping water, makes this a highlight for many guests. Look for mudskippers on the mangrove roots and kingfishers flashing across the water. This canoe trip also lasts about an hour, depending on the tide. It is not suitable for people who feel uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, as the cave passage is low and dark.

Khao Phing Kan and Ko Tapu

In the late afternoon the boat continues to Khao Phing Kan, the pair of leaning limestone hills that is the most photographed spot in the bay. By this time the day crowds have mostly gone, so you can walk the small beach, see the split rock up close and enjoy the classic view of Ko Tapu almost to yourself.

Ko Tapu, meaning nail island, is a slender limestone pillar about 20 metres high rising from the sea, narrower at its base than at its top after centuries of tidal erosion. The best time to visit Khao Phing Kan is late in the day, exactly as this tour does, when the light turns golden and the cliffs glow. Allow about an hour here.

Sunset, Dinner and the Glowing Plankton

As the sun drops, the boat finds a quiet spot to watch the sky turn red and orange behind the limestone islands, one of the most memorable sunsets in Thailand. Dinner is then served on board, a generous spread of Thai dishes enjoyed in the cool evening air.

Once it is dark, you return to the canoes for about 30 minutes to see the bioluminescent plankton: every paddle stroke and every hand in the water sparkles with blue-green light. The boat then cruises back to Ao Po Pier and our driver takes you back to Khao Lak, about 12 hours after pickup. The best season for clear sunsets is from November to April.