It’s not always about where you go, but how you experience it.
We took a traditional wooden longtail boat ride through Phang Nga Bay, a roughly 400 km² area between Phuket and mainland southern Thailand. It’s a living maze of mangrove forests, an ancient ecosystem that lies between impressive over 300m high limestone karsts, countless islands and the sea. We camped right by the pier where the boat would leave. Got up early, made our usual coffee, and headed out just after sunrise.
Typical Thai style long tail boats.
The ride through an ancient forrest
We drifted through narrow mangrove tunnels, past hidden caves and into enclosed lagoons. It was spectacular and breathtaking too.
Mangroves are like a transition zone between land and sea. They grow where most plants couldn’t survive, in salty, tidal water and barely any oxygen in the soil. The roots spread out and create a kind of natural barrier.
And underneath all of that, there’s a whole hidden world. The roots act like shelter for small fish, crabs and shrimp.
Yes, she’s enjoying it a lot!
Drifting through the mangrove forest.
Sometimes the mangrove tunnels were so narrow, the boat just fit through.
It was actually a parking lot, good enough for us.
From the open water into the mangrove jungle.
Taking it in – 100% enjoyment.
Drifting between limestone karsts
A Tourist Hotspot
We knew the area was a tourist hotspot since it became so famous after the James Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun” was shot there 1974. James Bond Island is probably the most photographed rock in Thailand. But we didn’t wanna see it, we didn’t wanna join the mass tourism stream. We rather got up before sunrise and hired a private captain to take us through the mangroves and out on the sea.
Later, we reached Koh Panyee, a small village built entirely on stilts over the water. Founded more than 200 years ago by Indonesian fishermen, it has grown into a small community in the middle of the bay. Today, most of it is for tourism, rows of restaurants and starting point for kayaking, but life still happens here.
This experience was truly worth the extra money, another proof if you don’t join the mass, you can still get very unique experiences.
Our campsite right at the pier.
and of course our morning ritual ツ