Ao Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island by longtail, the Similan and Surin Islands by speedboat, and Koh Yao Noi & Koh Yao Yai by ferry - departure piers, costs in THB, seasons and how to book.
Phang Nga province is the Andaman coast's most spread-out island-hopping base: Tha Dan Pier, just outside Phang Nga town, puts you straight into the limestone karsts of Ao Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island by longtail, while Khao Lak's Thap Lamu Pier and Khuraburi Pier further north are the gateways to the seasonal Similan and Surin Islands - two of Thailand's best dive and snorkel destinations. Here is how island-hopping actually works from Phang Nga: what each destination offers, which pier to use, what a trip really costs in Thai baht, the season to plan around, and how to book.
Tha Dan Pier, home to Ao Phang Nga National Park's headquarters just outside Phang Nga town, is the departure point for tours winding through mangrove channels and limestone karsts to Khao Phing Kan and Ko Tapu (“James Bond Island”, after 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun), the cave system at Tham Lod, and the stilted Muslim fishing village of Ko Panyi. Most visitors go by shared or private longtail boat rather than the bigger speedboats used for the equivalent Phuket-based tours.
A national marine park about 70km off the coast, reached by speedboat (roughly 60-90 minutes each way) from Thap Lamu Pier near Khao Lak - by far the busiest gateway for Similan day trips and liveaboards. Widely rated among the best diving and snorkeling in Thailand, with granite boulder islands and very clear water. The park closes completely for the monsoon every year - for the 2025-2026 season it is scheduled to close 15 May 2026 and reopen around 15 October 2026, though the Department of National Parks (DNP) only confirms the exact reopening date one to two weeks ahead.
Thailand's other great Andaman marine park, roughly 60km off the coast and reached by speedboat (about 60-90 minutes) from Khuraburi Pier, further north up the coast from Khao Lak. Less crowded than the Similans, with strong coral reefs and a seasonal Moken “sea gypsy” village on Koh Surin Tai. Runs the same high season as the Similans - open 15 October to 15 May, closed the rest of the year.
Two quiet islands sitting in the middle of Phang Nga Bay between Phuket and Krabi, known for rubber plantations, rock-climbing crags and a far slower pace than either neighbor. A scheduled ferry runs from Tha Dan Pier (Phang Nga town) to Sikha Pier on Koh Yao Noi (about 90 minutes), departing Phang Nga most mornings with an early-afternoon return; speedboats from Phuket's Bang Rong Pier make the same crossing in around 30 minutes. A short longtail hop connects Koh Yao Noi's Manoh Pier to Koh Yao Yai's Chong Lad Pier.
The default for Ao Phang Nga Bay tours out of Tha Dan Pier - a private longtail for 3-4 hours typically carries up to about 4 passengers, and rides slower and closer to the water than a speedboat, which suits threading through mangrove channels and under the low cave mouth at Tham Lod.
The standard way to reach the Similan and Surin Islands, cutting a crossing that would otherwise take hours down to roughly 60-90 minutes - a rougher, wetter ride in open swell than a big boat, with smaller groups and less shade.
The Tha Dan Pier to Sikha Pier boat to Koh Yao Noi runs a fixed daily-ish schedule rather than a chartered tour - cheaper than a private speedboat but tied to set departure and return times, so plan your day around the timetable rather than the other way round.
Longtails and speedboats are available for private full- or half-day charter out of Tha Dan or Thap Lamu, letting you set your own route and timing - priced per boat rather than per person, so cost-effective for a group of 4+ splitting a custom Phang Nga Bay or outer-island itinerary.
A private longtail from Tha Dan Pier for a 3-4 hour bay tour commonly runs about 1,500-2,500 THB for the whole boat (up to roughly 4 passengers), plus around 1,200 THB for two kayaks if you want to paddle into the hidden lagoons (hongs). The national park entrance fee is separate: about 300 THB for foreign adults, 150 THB for children.
A speedboat day trip from Thap Lamu Pier typically runs about 2,500-4,000 THB per person including the Mu Ko Similan park fee (roughly 400 THB for foreign adults, 200 THB for children), lunch and snorkel gear - prices vary by boat type and operator.
Day trips from Khuraburi Pier commonly run about 3,200 THB for a foreign adult and 2,300 THB for a child, with the national park entrance fee (500 THB adult, 300 THB child) often quoted separately - budget roughly 3,700 THB and 2,600 THB all-in.
The scheduled Tha Dan Pier to Sikha Pier boat costs only around 150 THB per person each way - by far the cheapest way to reach Koh Yao Noi from the mainland, versus a private speedboat charter which runs into the thousands of THB per boat.
Marine national parks in Phang Nga (Ao Phang Nga Bay, the Similans, the Surins) each charge their own foreign-visitor entrance fee, from about 300 THB (Ao Phang Nga) up to 500 THB (Surin) for adults - confirm what's bundled into your tour price versus paid in cash on arrival.
The Similan and Surin Islands close completely by law every year for the monsoon: for the 2025-2026 season, both are scheduled to close 15 May 2026 and reopen around 15 October 2026, with the exact reopening date confirmed by DNP only one to two weeks beforehand. Ao Phang Nga Bay and Koh Yao Noi/Yai stay open year-round, though the November-April dry season still gives the calmest crossings and clearest water.
Tha Dan Pier (just outside Phang Nga town) is the gateway for Ao Phang Nga Bay/James Bond Island tours and the Koh Yao Noi ferry; Thap Lamu Pier (near Khao Lak) is the main departure point for the Similan Islands; Khuraburi Pier, further north, serves the Surin Islands. These piers are spread out across the province rather than clustered in one town, so confirm which one your tour or ferry actually uses before arranging transport.
Book Ao Phang Nga Bay longtails directly at Tha Dan Pier or through a Phang Nga/Khao Lak travel agent; Similan and Surin day trips are best booked a few days ahead through a Khao Lak hotel tour desk or online platforms (Klook, GetYourGuide, Viator) which let you compare boat type and reviews; the Koh Yao Noi ferry can often be boarded on the day at Tha Dan Pier, though checking the timetable in advance avoids a wasted trip.
Reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard or light cover-up, a dry bag for phones and cameras, cash in small denominations for park fees and pier tickets, and motion-sickness tablets for the longer Similan/Surin speedboat crossings, which can be rough outside the calmest months.
Don't stand on or touch coral, don't feed fish, and take all litter back with you. The Similan and Surin closures exist specifically to let reefs and beaches recover from tourism pressure each year - respecting no-swim zones and guide instructions on the day helps keep both parks open for the long term.
Not directly - both are reached by speedboat from piers further up the coast (Thap Lamu for the Similans, Khuraburi for the Surins), not from Phang Nga town's own Tha Dan Pier. Most visitors base themselves in Khao Lak for the Similans or arrange transport up to Khuraburi for the Surins.
Ao Phang Nga Bay (James Bond Island, Ko Panyi, Tham Lod) is a calm, mangrove-and-karst boat trip close to Phang Nga town, doable by longtail in half a day. The Similan and Surin Islands are open-water marine parks 60-70km offshore, reached only by speedboat and only during the open season (mid-October to mid-May).
No. Both close completely for the monsoon season - for 2026 they're scheduled to close 15 May and reopen around 15 October, though DNP confirms the exact reopening date only one to two weeks ahead. Always check current dates before booking a trip.
A scheduled ferry runs from Tha Dan Pier to Sikha Pier on Koh Yao Noi, taking about 90 minutes for around 150 THB - departing Phang Nga most mornings with an early-afternoon return. Speedboats from Phuket's Bang Rong Pier are faster (about 30 minutes) if you're coming from that side instead.
It varies hugely by destination: a private Ao Phang Nga Bay longtail runs about 1,500-2,500 THB for the whole boat, a Similan day trip runs roughly 2,500-4,000 THB per person, a Surin day trip about 3,200-3,700 THB per person, and the Koh Yao Noi ferry is only around 150 THB per person each way.
For the Similan and Surin Islands, yes - book at least a few days ahead in high season, since the best-reviewed operators sell out. Ao Phang Nga Bay longtails and the Koh Yao Noi ferry can often be arranged or boarded on the day, though confirming ahead avoids disappointment.
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Browse Phang Nga and Khao Lak areas near Tha Dan, Thap Lamu and Khuraburi - the departure points for island-hopping tours.
Hero photo by Жанна Алимкулова on Pexels. General information only; confirm current schedules, prices, park fees and seasonal closures with tour operators, ferry piers or DNP before booking. Prices in Thai baht (THB) and are indicative.