Doing It Your Way - Phuket private tours

There are many different tours to Phang Nga and Phang Nga Bay: White water rafting, Elephant trekking, visiting waterfalls, Sea Canoeing and sightseeing by longtail boat or speedboat. But one thing these tours all have in common is a rigid schedule and itinerary to allow them to transport all the guests from activity to activity in the available time. This is fine, especially as the prices are often very reasonable but it can sometimes detract from the experience, especially if you have someone in the tour group being difficult or unpleasant.

What we have found living here is that it isn't so much the quantity that makes for a great day out but the quality. What you don't want is to be squeezed into the last seat on a boat or bus, spend ages in the bus picking up and dropping off everyone , made to leave a sight before you've really properly seen it or worst of all made to rush a meal.

If like can follow the group

So how do you avoid these problems? That's an easy one!

Do It Yourself

But you don't know the sights, you don't have transport and you don't speak the language.

How can I do it myself!?!

Or try to get lost in a beautiful place

Another easy one: Let us at Easy Day Thailand Do It Your Way

We provide what you need:

Transport - Our luxury mini-van with driver

Local knowledge and language skills – our English speaking Thai tour guide

You decide on the exact itinerary, our guide will offer some advice and suggest places to go based on your likes and dislikes.

make your holiday a great experience

The schedule is not just flexible – it is non-existent, you have no time to be at a particular place, if you have seen all you want to see of a place – move on, if you want to stay and take some more pictures – stay.

Our guide will do their best to avoid the crowds created by other tours and as the tour is so flexible the order in which you see things can be changed on the fly to adapt to the crowds on that particular day.

This is what tourism should be, seeing what you want to see in your own time and taking home fond memories of a truly magnificent place

Are you planning your vacation now or are you already here in Thailand? Perhaps enjoying some time relaxing in Phuket. You want something different, you want to see another part of this beautiful country, but not sure where or how to set it all up. Well we here at Easy DayThailand  can help you design a custom tour.

Beautiful place at the right time

So if you are serious about your next or this vacation being a memorable one for the whole family do not hesitate to contact us here at Easy Day Thailand to arrange a customised private tour for you.

We currently run regular private tours to Phang Nga, Khao Sok , sightseeing on Phuket Island.

We also run private day trips,overnight trips and Sunset dinner cruiseson our snorkelling/diving boat the MV Sai Mai.
 

Unique experience with MV Sai mai

And if you like to learn how to cook Thai Food try our very special private cooking class in Phuket

Coming soon: Private speedboat daytrips on Easy Day's very own speedboat

The team makes your holidays great

Your satisfaction and happiness is our business. Kap Khum Krap for your support

Phi Phi Islands Tour - Speedboat to Phi Phi & Koh Kai

For my second trip to Phi Phi in just over a week I thought I really might have a problem with the weather, there had been rain and strong winds the day before and on arrival at Port Island Hopper on Koh Siray I was told there were 2 metre waves. Fortunately that didn't turn out to be the case and though there was a little bit of swell it was actually a fairly flat day.

The day started with the pick up and transfer into and through Phuket town and over the short bridge on to Koh Siray on Phuket east coast and then a short drive to Port Island Hopper, the tour operators private jetty. When we arrived we were checked of on a list and given a coloured sticker indicating which tour we were on, and then were were shown where we could get fresh coffee.

Route Planning

After all the mini-vans had arrived all those for the Phi Phi and Koh Kai tour were called over to map hanging on the wall and our guide explained the order of the day, as the waves were expected to get bigger as the day went on we would be going to Phi Phi first followed by a late lunch on Koh Yao before finishing the day on Koh Kai.

Then off we trooped along the Plastic floating jetty, as there were almost 30 people on the tour we had been assigned to their largest boat which is able to take 45 people and has three large engine, this means we had plenty of space on the boat.

Our Chariot for the day

The 40 minute ride was suddenly eventful when one of the customers fainted, the guide and one of the other guests, who it turns out is a trainee nurse, were very quickly on the spot and the problem was solved, after a few minutes checking whether he was OK to continue the tour we found out he had been ill for a few days and was dehydrated, so with a bottle of water and some fruit he declared himself fit to continue.

Bamboo Island

Due to this incident the tour guide, very wisely, altered our itinerary slightly visiting Bamboo Island so that those that needed to could have a 45 minute rest on the beach.  Bamboo island is a small island with a very wide beach, inland is an area of rain forest which has a small campsite and restaurant.
Back out the beach a number of people were in the water snorkelling and raving about the numbers of fish.

Fairly soon it was time to get back onto the speedboat and head to Mosquito Island, the boat moored just of the beach and the water here was very shallow and crystal clear.  Back at the port before we left fish food had been offered for sale and many people were now using this to attract the Sergeant Majors and Rabbit fish, them one of the boat crew started throwing in banana to add to the chaos.  all the time the boat's videographer was taking shots of everybody being mobbed by the fish.

Next stop was around on the south side of Phi Phi Don, Monkey Beach. As the tide was high there was

Long-tailed Macaques

very little of the beach there but the trees around it were lined with the longtail macaques which give the beach it's name.  It is said  that the ancestors of these monkeys were taken to Phi Phi to work picking coconuts and that when tourism started and the coconut plantations closed the monkeys were released and have become wild, personally I'm not sure if this is true as normally short tailed macaques are used for coconut harvesting - but who knows?

From Monkey beach we headed south over a stretch of open water to Phi Phi Lae, once we had reached the Island we started touring around the east side visiting Viking Cave, Pi Le Cove and Losamah bay before coming around the southern tip and back up the west side and into Maya bay.  The boat pulled up onto Maya Beach, we were quite lucky, there were only 5 other boats on the beach - virtually empty compared to a high season day.

A surprisingly empty Maya bay

Once on the beach we had an hour to relax, go swimming or explore.
Last time I had been on Maya beach at was almost 10 years previously, at that time there was nothing on the island, now there is a visitors centre and a park rangers camp as well as a toilet block and a restaurant.  Before the only way to the other side was a small hole in a rock wall that led through to Losamah bay, now a walkway has been  built leading to a set of steps which you can climb onto from the water of Losamah bay, this way you can get onto the Island in all weather.

Steps leading from Maya bay into Losamah bay

After a bit of time lounging on the beach it was time to head back towards Phuket and stop at Koh Yao for lunch. It was another 40 minute ride and the sea was starting to get a little bit rougher, nothing too bad but a few people were making use of the free plastic bags.

Classic Thai lunch

We pulled onto the empty beach on Koh Yao and headed to the private restaurant for our meal. The menu today was sweet and sour chicken, Green Curry, Tom yam gung, chicken and seafood kebabs and stir fried vegetables with rice and noodles.

After having plenty of time to let the food go down and enjoy the view we headed to our last stop at Koh Kai Nok, by this time everybody was quite tired so most people just settled into a beach chair and relaxed, a few  people ventured into the water for some more snorkelling.  The guide told us this island was given it's name because from above it looks like a fried egg (the island is a large rock covered in rain forest surrounded by a wide beach). After about 30 minutes we reboarded the speedboat for the last time and headed back to Phuket, in about ten minutes we were back at the jetty and into the mini-vans for our ride home.

This Phi Phi Speedboat trip is a fun and active day out getting close to all the sights, great in calm seas but only go in rough weather if you have a strong stomach.

Nothing to do in Phuket??

Staying here on the island paradise of Phuket and looking to enjoy all that it has to offer – Beautiful beaches, National parks, spa and massage, shopping centers, tropical jungles and a spectacular night life for those so inclined. But so far you and your family have gone to the beach; visited Jung Ceylon, spending some time wondering around window shopping; and lay out by the pool at your hotel if you have a pool.

You are wondering what else there is to do or maybe you have seen some ads for fun adventures and are unsure how to partake of these adventures. Give us call at Easy Day Thailand and we can discuss all the various options and make your arrangements, taking the stress out and putting the adventure in your vacation.

Interested in any of the below Activities or Tours?  Find out more Now!

Follow along as I outline some of the great attractions on Phuket in the Kathu area that you may have missed but that will make this an exciting vacation for you family’s scrapbooks.

Wakeboard Park Phuket

Ever want to try water skiing or maybe you are already an expert and want to get in a little practice, but haven’t found a good place for the whole family – Phuket Cable Ski is the answer. At Phuket Cable Ski & Phuket Wake Boarding you can ski in fresh clean water on the specially designed lake, which is 410 meters long, 110 meters wide and 2 meters deep so when you feel a little hot it’s also a great place to cool off in the water that is fresh from the mountain streams of Kathu waterfall just up the valley. The whole area is surrounded by palm trees and lush vegetation and it’s a really relaxing place. So whether you’re a expert or a newbie, there is something fun for everyone.

And if you want to relax and wonder about a beautiful waterfall, taking those breath taking pictures that can fill your photo albums once you are home – Kathu Waterfalls is just the place. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately the best time to see the falls at their best is during the rainy season when the waters are flowing at their fullest, but then this is low season here, so not so many crowds.

Perhaps Golf is the family sport or maybe it is just Mom or Dad’s passion, well either way, Phuket has six fine golf courses, all of which have been designed to take full advantage of the island's tropical trees and abundant water. Not a "real" golfer? Than visit the Phuket Adventure Mini Golf course in Bang Tao.

Looking for more speed and the excitement of race car driving - There are two go-kart tracks in Kathu; Patong Gokart Speedway and Phuket Kart Speedway and both tracks offer a number of different karts to choose from including standard karts, race karts, double seaters and kids' karts. And they are located just over the hills from Patong and close to the Kathu Waterfall.

Phuket Bike Tours

Not looking for that much speed, but something a little slower with more scenery – let us recommend one of the bike tours here in Phuket. Is there a better way to see beautiful Thailand close up than while pedaling through the country side on a bicycle. Imagine, biking along the quiet roads, in the shade of rubber trees and coconut groves with sound of birds and insects filling the morning air. You will realize every moment, how much more enjoyable a place can be when the pace is slow and leisurely.

Ever want to look do on the Jungle floor from high among the canopy of trees – Flying Hanuman is just what the doctor ordered then. Flying Hanuman is an adventure like no other on Phuket and there are similar such attractions around the world. It gives you the opportunity to take in the island’s beauty far beyond the sea, sun and sand that it is famous for. The hillsides of Kathu overflow with a thick forest that is perfect for flying among the jungle canopy. What Flying Hanuman has achieved is to provide travelers with exceptional opportunity, enjoyment, excitement and memories without impacting the natural balance within the forest environment surrounding it.

I have mentioned seeing the jungle while water skiing, and from the seat of a bicycle as you pedal around and even from high in the canopy while sliding from tree top to tree top. But how does riding on the back of huge elephant as it stomps through the jungle sound? Just tell us that you would like to try this adventure and we can set it all up at the best of the many elephant trekking companies.

Perhaps you would enjoy the thrill of knocking down those pesky targets in a relaxed atmosphere or maybe a little skeet shooting outdoors is more to your liking – There are several shooting ranges in the Kathu area that offer a variety of target shooting options, but be careful of that sore shoulder the next day. Be sure to hold the rifle or shotgun tight to your shoulder when you pull the trigger.

Or perhaps you would like to see the more cultural side of Phuket, like the Big Buddha. There are, in fact, two Buddha images. A smaller one, 12 metres high, is made of 22 tons of brass. It is dwarfed by the giant Buddha image facing eastward toward Chalong Bay and Phang Nga Bay beyond. The Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha – to give it its official name – is 45 metres high and 25 metres across at the base.

Wat Chalong

Included in your tour you will discover some of Phuket's many Buddhist Temples and museums. The largest temple is Wat Chalong, which can be very busy with locals and tourists, especially on those special Buddist Holidays throughout the year, but there are small temple in every area. If you want more of a local flavor and a bit of history be sure and mention you also want to visit some of Phukets fine museums. The Thalang National Museum, the Tin Mining Museum, the Thai Hua Museum and the Philatelic Museum are all interesting. Also worth a visit is the Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insect World. There is something for everyone and it's always a good option if the sun is not shining in Phuket.

How about a nice quiet tour around Phuket to see some of the fabulous viewpoints so you have loads of great pictures to impress the folks back home. There are plenty of hills and viewpoints. Phromthep Cape & Kata View Point are probably the most visited places. Not as popular; but also offering excellent views are Rang Hill & Monkey Hill in Phuket Town or Radar Hill, the hill overlooking Patong Beach

Don’t be discouraged if you have missed any of these or the many more attractions there are for the family here in Phuket and the surrounding islands…Contact us here at Easy Day Thailand and we can discuss a custom tour for your family to visit the places you want to see.

More about Tours & Activities ...
More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com

Phuket weather 19 May 2013

Rain !!

Took a picture of the road in front the office, as today sky is the same all over Phuket Island.

Tick clouds full of rain that started poring down yesterday evening...that's normal for this time the year.

At least air temperature and humidity dropped so nice cool night and temperature during the day around 25 Celsius.

Phrabaramee Road in Kathu 

Forecasts say that will be like this for two or three days..lest see tomorrow.

No wind and small waves.

What to do in Phuket when it is raining ?

A lot of things such as:

Learn scuba diving, the Open Water Course takes four days, learning new things, meeting other people and make the exciting experience to meet the underwater world....doesn't matter it's raining as most of the course will be under water 

http://seafundivers.com/padi-open-water-diver/

Take a private day tour of the island and ask to include a spa treatment, this will make your day different and relaxing.

Mookda spa  Kathu

Phuket Island private tours

Visit Phuket Museum and see more about Phuket History,, they are cheap and very well organised

http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com/2011/08/phuket-museums.html

The thaihua school museum in phuket town

Khao Sok - Private Tours

More of our custom made tours designed for independently minded travellers who want to side step
the big bus tours but don't want the hassle of organizing everything themselves. We take care of the
details while you enjoy the sights and the nature at your own pace. 

We believe that freedom during your valuable holiday time is the most important thing so there is no
fixed itinerary, we design it around what you want. These are the general guidelines and our
recommendations:

Day Tour to Khao Sok National Park

Tubing at Sok River

Your driver and your English speaking guide will collect you at your hotel around 7:30am and start to drive north. After 1-1.5 hours, depending on your hotel location, we stop for a coffee break in a local place at Khok Kloy town, a few km after crossing Sarasin Bridge which connects Phuket to the mainland. Around 10:30-11:00 we reach Khao Sok and start an amazing canoe experience on the river, completely surrounded by the wilderness of the oldest rain forest on Earth. Pleasant and professional local paddlers are provided, but you can also paddle by yourself if you prefer.

After about one hour following the river flow we stop on the riverside and enjoy a nice and unusual
Jungle Lunch (in case of rain lunch will be home stay style). Our staff will take care of everything
for you. After enjoying the meal and the jungle atmosphere, we will proceed along the river with the
“tubing”. This is a mix of relaxation and fun as we go with the water flow sitting in the big
doughnuts. Some sections are slow and quiet, while others have little rapids to make the descent
more exciting. This is an amazing experience that makes you really feel as if you are part of the
jungle itself and the stunning limestone cliffs nearby.

Around 14:00 we arrive at the “pier” where the driver is waiting for us ready to start the way back
to Phuket; depending on time, weather and traffic, we have the opportunity for one more stop and
additional sightseeing or activity such as visiting  the Tsunami Memorial “Police Boat 813 ”, Turtle
Conservation Centre, short Elephant Trekking and more that you can decide with your guide.
We arrive back at the hotel around 18:30

Price:
1 to 4 person: THB 11,400 (in total)
Extra person: THB   2,900 / person

Children: 5-11 years THB 900 per child, kids below 5 years of age are free of charge.

Included: All transfers, knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guide, Unique Jungle Lunch, softdrinks, local beers (two cans per adult), canoe and tubing, tax and insurance, National Park fees.

2D/1N - Khao Sok Overnight Tour

View at Cliff & River Jungle Resort

Two great days in nature, a good balance between adventure and relaxation.

DAY 1

Same itinerary as DAY TOUR, but after tubing we check in at Cliff & River Jungle Resort in
Standard Room (double/twin sharing) enjoy the place with SPA, pool and natural surroundings, relax in the wonderful atmosphere, dinner.

DAY 2

We recommend an early wake up to witness the mist that at night time came up from the humid
trees and hangs over the hills, the insects chirp, the birds are not angry and the wild gibbons call
through the jungle. Then mists slowly clear revealing the 300m vertical cliff that towers over the
resort.

Around 8:30am we enjoy the nice Thai-American breakfast and then we get moving for a very
nice scenic Jungle Trek that lasts approximately 3 hours (5-6 km). During the walk we see
several kinds of local flora and fauna, and sometimes there's also the chance to spot wild monkeys
and boars. At the end of the walk we reach a nice spot on the river where the water is clean and can
have a refreshing dip.

As an alternative to the Jungle Trek, for those who are not keen on walking or have different interests,
there is the opportunity to do Elephant Trekking instead. It takes place in a nice jungle area near
Khao Lak and lasts approximately one hour, here we also find a small  scenic waterfall.
After the activities we enjoy a tasty lunch and start to head back towards Phuket Island, on the way
we can do some additional stops for sightseeing like Tsunami Memorial “Police Boat 813 ”, Turtle
Conservation Centre, and more that you can decide with your guide. Just few minutes before
crossing Sarasin Bridge and enter Phuket Island we stop for a coffee break at 360° Andaman View
Point from where you have a stunning view over the Phuket and the Andaman Sea.
We arrive back to the hotel around 18:00.

Price:
1 to 4 person: THB 25,500 (in total)
Extra person: THB   5,900 / person

Note: Elephant Trekking available on request - Surcharge 1,000 THB per person

Included: All transfers, knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guide, Unique Jungle Lunch (Day 1), soft drinks, local beers (two cans per adult), canoe and tubing, Dinner (Day 1), one night
accommodation in Standard Room (Double/Twin sharing) at Cliff & River Jungle Resort, Breakfast
(Day 2), Lunch (Day 2), tax and insurance, National Park fees.


More about Khao Sok Join-In Adventure Tours

More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com

Full Day Krabi Kayaking Trip

Mangrove Kayaking

This kayaking tour will take you off the beaten track to the unspoilt part of Thambok Koranee National Park - Krabi Province. Here you will enjoy 3 hours Kayaking through the fascinating mangrove channels and  limestone caves, where you also have the opportunity to spot some of the interesting local wildlife. You will also spend some time at the beautiful waterfall in the National Park where you can have a cooling swim, while later you will pay a visit to one of the most interesting and unique temples in the province, "Wat Bang Rieng".

Hidden Limestone Bay

Cave Kayaking

Itinerary:

Thambok Koranee Waterfall

• 7:00-7:45 Pick up at your Phuket Hotel and drive north towards Krabi Province.
• 9:30-9:45 Coffee break at the restaurant
• 10:00 Approximately 3 hours Kayaking through the mangroves and lagoon, then the caves of "Tham Lod" and "Tham Pi Hua To". You can choose to paddle yourself or let the friendly trained paddlers provided do it for you.
• 13:00 Back to start point and enjoy a tasty Set Menu Lunch at the scenic raft restaurant.
• 14:00 Move to the beautiful waterfalls, just 10 minutes away in Thambok Koranee National Park.
  Spend one hour playing and relaxing at the waterfalls.
• 15:00 Move to the spectacular Temple "Wat Bang Rieng" (a.k.a. Patronage Temple) where you can take great pictures and with a bit of luck can also spot the local "giant black squirrel".
• 16:30 Head back to Phuket.
• 18:00-18:30 Arrive back at your hotel.

Wat Bang Rieng

Price: Adult 3,000 THB per person - Child (4-11 yrs) 2,000 THB per person

Included: round trip Phuket hotel transfer (hotels in remote areas may require surcharge), Thai Set Menu Lunch (vegetarian on request), refreshments, National Park and Temple admission fees, English speaking guide, Kayaking gear and waterproof bags, tax and insurance.

What to bring: swim wear, sunglasses, sun screen, camera, spare dry clothes.

Wat Bang Rieng

NOTES: the order of the stops may vary depending on daily tidal situation in order to provide the nicest experience to the guests. This program is not recommended to children below 3 years of age.
Transfers from Krabi/Ao Nang hotels are possible, must check case by case.

Interested? Find out more...  

Wat Bang Rieng

More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com

Photo Friendly Tours

Adriano Trapani

Here at EasyDayThailand, we understand everyone wants to take amazing photographs of theirspecial holiday to Phuket, and share the wonderful memories with their family and friends back at home. Therefore, we have developed specially tailored photo sightseeing tours, with this just in mind.

We work with one of the top professional photographers on the island, Adriano Trapani, who is a long term resident in Phuket, and knows all the best spots to capture those amazing shots and experience the true wonder of Phuket's history, culture, nature and people.

You do not need to have any fancy or expensive camera equipment to enjoy our unique photo sightseeing tours, any camera will do. And we guarantee you will be pleased with the results.

>> Adriano Trapani's - Digital Photography Courses

 

Phuket Island Private Photo Tours

Phuket is a big island with many attractions and things to see, that you should not miss during your stay. There are big cultural diversities between the different areas of the island, each one has its own unique style, charm and points of interest. Some of these attractions are very popular with the tour operators on the island, with many visitors each day while others are not so popular. Those destinations off the beaten track are still very much worth a visit, especially to get those great photographs.

Here at EasyDayThailand, we make sure that your private sightseeing tour stays as private as possible, by avoiding the peak tourist times of the main attractions and taking you to our favourite 'off the beaten track' hot spots!

Private Half Day Photo Tour

Chalong Temple

Your driver with private a/c minivan will pick you up at hotel at 8:30 and drive towards your first of 2-3 destinations (Phuket Old Town, Temples & Shrines, Museums, Markets, View Points, Waterfalls…) where you will spend between 1 and 2 hours visiting and being coached on how to get the best memories with your camera.

Once you've visited your third destination of the morning, depending on your pace, you may have some extra time to visit some more places in the area or head directly for lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch your driver will take you back to your accommodation, arriving around 13:30.

This program can also be done in the afternoon starting around 13:30 and ending around 18:30

Price: 2,500 THB per person (minimum 2 person)

Included: private photography tutoring by our professional photographer and tour guide, private transportation in a/c minivan for 5 hours, water and soft drinks on board, set menu lunch, tax, insurance.

Book / Enquire Now!

Full Day Tour

Old Phuket Town

Your driver with private a/c minivan will pick you up at hotel at 8:30 and drive towards your first of 2-3 morning destinations (Phuket Old Town, Temples & Shrines, Museums, Markets, View Points, Waterfalls…) where you will spend between 1 and 2 hours visiting and being coached on how to get the best memories with your camera.

Once visited your third destination of the morning, depending on your pace, you may have some extra time to visit some more places in the area or head directly for lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch you will be heading for more Island touring and photo opportunities. For example, one of the most characteristic destinations is Old Phuket Town to enjoy the heritage and in particular the Sino-
Portuguese architecture, not to mention the several attractive old Chinese shops. Probably you have some more time to enjoy some other interesting spots nearby at your leisure.

Back to the hotel around 17:30.

Price: 3,500 THB per person (minimum 2 person)

Included: private photography tutoring by our professional photographer and tour guide, private transportation in a/c minivan for 9 hours, water and soft drinks on board, set menu lunch, tax, insurance.

 Book / Enquire Now!

Weekend Evening Tour

Your driver with private a/c minivan will pick up at hotel at 16:30-17:00 and bring you to Kata View Point where you can take stunning photos of the coastline and its lush nature. From Kata View point you will then be taken to Promthep Cape which is located in the extreme southern tip of Phuket Island. From this location you can enjoy a breathtaking sunset. And take beautiful photos to show back home.

After sunset you will be taken to enjoy a tasty set menu dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Last and most iconic destination is the famous Naka Market (also known as Weekend Night Market) in Phuket Town where you can find a lot of interesting things for shopping and street food stalls.

You will be back to the hotel around 22:30-23:00.

NOTE: this tour is available only on Saturday and Sunday as the Naka Market (Night market) only operates on weekends.

Price: 2,500 THB per person (minimum 2 person)

Included: private photography tutoring by our professional photographer and tour guide, private transportation in a/c minivan for 6 hours, water and soft drinks on board, set menu lunch, tax, insurance.

Interested? Ask us for details...

---

Phuket is a big island and it's great to get out and explore. Below you will find information about places you should see while visiting Phuket.

Temples - Beaches - Phuket Town - View Points - Waterfalls - Museums - Phuket near by

More on tours in Thailand at www.easydaythailand.com

Phuket Tours - Phang Nga Bay Sea Canoe Tour

07.45 – 8.30 Pick up from your hotel and transfer to Kong Khien Pier

09.30 - Departure to Phang nga Bay and:

Phang Nga Bay

• Visit & explore caves at Panak Island by Canoe
• Visit James bonds Island
• Lunch on board, Thai buffet lunch
• Visit Hong Island by Canoe
• Swimming and relax on the beach, self paddle canoe

16.30 Back to the pier and transfer to Hotel

James Bond & Phang Nga Sea Canoe Tour

Info & Booking >>

A Day At Kapong - Nature And Great Fun With River Tubing

Since many friends told me they had great fun on this tour, I decided to give it a try as well.

Pick up was bang on time at 7:30 and I was greeted by the smiling driver and the friendly and entertaining tour guide Som. For the first few minutes I was alone on the minivan and then we stopped to pick up a large family of very friendly and funny Iranians who entertained us all day with jokes and songs. We were split in two minivans so everyone could sit comfortably, then a few minutes later we picked up my friend Adriano and finally started driving straight north.

In the northern part of Phuket, but especially after crossing Sarasin Bridge which connects Phuket Island to the mainland, the landscape outside the windows changes completely: less and less big houses and concrete, more and more plantations, jungle and little local houses so you can finally have a nice glance of the real Thailand, away from the usual touristy sights. Because of this the ride hasn't been boring at all.

After a little more than one hour we neared Khao Lak where we had the first stop of the tour, for Elephant Trekking. I had already done elephant trekking a couple of times in the past so this time I was a bit afraid of getting bored but instead I was surprised that I enjoyed it more than ever. Instead of being in a camp the ride went all the way up in the hilly jungle, some parts were quite steep and entertaining, I could really see how powerful these marvellous and curious animals are. While slowly moving on the elephant's back we also had the opportunity to have a look at the workers in the rubber plantation nearby while they were doing their interesting job of harvesting, processing and tapping the rubber.

Bungalows at Kapong Resort

After the 30 minutes ride on the pachyderm we had a little break with refreshments and jumped back on the minivan ready to move to the next stop. A few minutes in the minivan and we reached Kapong Resort, where the lunch was served. The place is beautiful, completely immersed in nature, surrounded by the bright green rice fields and a large pond populated by water lilies. The set menu Thai lunch served was very tasty with several dishes, plenty of food to enjoy.

After lunch and some time to relax we finally moved to the river which was the highlight of the whole day. We got off the van and crossed a narrow and funny rope bridge over the river that led to a shed where we had the chance to safely store our belongings in a locker, so we kept only our swimsuits and, in my case, a lycra shirt that I brought to avoid sunburn while in the water. When everybody was ready we jumped on the back of a 4x4 pick up truck and had a five minutes 

fun ride on a dirt road through the vegetation. Then we got off the trucks and one by one crossed another dangling but safe and strong rope bridge, walked for few more minutes on a jungle track alongside the river and finally arrived at a series of little waterfalls all connecting and ending in sorts of natural pools, all surrounded by a thick tropical jungle. Really a beautiful place with a calm and magical atmosphere, was almost expecting some elves to come out from the trees!

Waterfalls

The always entertaining and smiling guide Som gave us free time to have a soak and a swim, since it was a warm sunny day in November, at first the water felt cold but it took just a couple of minutes to get used to it and feel comfortable. After a while we got called to a little hut lying on the rocks and had a demonstration of how the Bamboo Tea is done.

I spent already about two years in Thailand but never had the chance to see this unusual way to boil water: the local guy had previously left a long (about 50cm) and thick (about 15cm) bamboo cane laying on some burning coal for a while until the cane itself started burning on the outside as if it was a huge cigar but surprisingly it stayed intact on the inside, when it got hot enough he filled the cane with water and in a couple of minutes the water started boiling. He then poured the water in some cups also made of bamboo, added the tea bag and sugar and so we got our jungle bamboo tea! Thailand never stops surprising me...

Tubing Starting Pool

Finally it was tubing time. We all got into the lower pool and the helpful staff prepared all the inner tubes for us and helped everyone to sit in each doughnut. Once we were ready, after a small briefing, one by one we started to get down the first rapids. There are many staff standing at all the more difficult sections ready to help us to avoid getting stuck in the rocks and keep us descending fluidly along the river for the most possible fun. There were some faster and more entertaining rapid sections alternating with some more quiet and relaxing ones, great fun when hitting someone else's doughnut and throwing water at each other as if it was some sort of race. The descent took approximately 30 minutes, or at least this is what I guess, because I had so much fun that I didn't really notice the time flying.

"Flat Tyre"

When I had nearly reached the end and I was all pumped up unfortunately my inner tube hit a dry and spiky palm leaf that was stuck in a rock, so after a few seconds...psssssss....I was sinking with no more air in the tube! No worries, the river is very shallow so I just stood up laughing and so was my friend Adriano whom overtook me and of course started teasing me about the funny accident. Promptly one of the guides came to me and handed me his own inner tube so I could proudly reach to the end despite the little funny inconvenience.

The arrival was basically next to the shed where we left our belongings, there we had a chance to have a quick shower and change into dry clothes.

Once everybody was ready and cool drinks had been offered we jumped again in the minivan and started heading back to Phuket. I was quite tired but very satisfied in the day so as usual I fell asleep, it can't be helped, cars cuddle me.

Apart from the great fun doing the activities, what really made me happy was to notice that there are still some places around Phuket that are almost unknown to tourism, therefore people can still enjoy some genuine Thailand.

Thanks a lot to the friendly and professional guides that entertained us, gave a lot of information about the local nature and allowed us to have lots of fun always in safety.

I recommend this trip to all kinds of travellers that want to enjoy real Thailand and its beautiful nature and like some safe adventure (it's nothing extreme though), especially to groups of friends travelling together. Very suitable also for families with kids but wouldn't recommend it for too small children especially in the period between May and November when the amount of average rainfall is higher and the river might be a bit more loaded.

Francesco

Like to book this tour? Contact Us!!!

Easy Day's Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour

Our private tour to Phang Nga Bay Private is well designed to avoid the crowds and doing everything at your own pace. A good start to possibly avoid the tourist crowds is to leave your hotel at 7:00-7:30 depending on your hotel location.

James Bond Island - Image by Adriano Trapani

After picking you up at the hotel our driver and our guide will drive you to Phang Nga (about 1 hour) and to the scenic Sam Chong Floating Restaurant where the longtail boat leaves and where you also have a great lunch at the end of the bay tour. After jumping on the boat we head straight to James Bond Island to anticipate the crowds when it's still quiet and almost empty (sometimes schedule varies depending on tide).

After that you visit Tam Lod Area where you have the optional opportunity to do about 45 minutes canoe where professional local paddlers are provided and will bring you to explore a great environment, through the caves and passageways dug by the water through the centuries in the limestone walls and in the mangroves.

Later you visit the fascinating KohPanyee Sea Gypsy village built on stilts, the authentic village lays beyond the first line of restaurants and souvenir stalls and there you can see a unique lifestyle, great place. You then move to a large very interesting limestone cave full of stalactites and stalagmites, away from the usual day trip routes.

You then move back to Samchong Floating Restaurant to enjoy a tasty lunch facing the scenic mangrove channel. After lunch there's one more stop at Sawan Kuha cave temple, usually a lot of monkeys just outside the entrance and Buddha statues inside, very interesting place.

It depends also by your own pace but this itinerary usually ends around 14:00-15:00 in Phang Nga and then we leave the minivan available for you until 17:00 for any additional purpose like visiting waterfalls, temples, shopping, activities or whatever else you would like to do (according to weather and time available). Just discuss about additional destinations after lunch with your tour guide. 

Info & Booking >>> 

Customer Reviews

• Susan & Danny - Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Henri, Anneke & Kids -  Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Susan R - Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Liz C. - Phi Phi Premium Tour & Private Phang Nga Bay Sightseeing Tour
• Conny - Phang Nga & James Bond Island Tour
• Gemma D. - Phang Nga Bay & Phi Phi Island 
• Lemena - Phang Nga Bay Your & Phi Phi Premium Tour
• Chris and Dot - Easy Day's private Phang Nga Tour   
• Jennifer & Laurie - Customer 1000 - A tour to Phang Nga Bay
• Carolanne - Tours to Phang Nga Bay & Phi Phi island

Phuket Tours - Ban Raya Day Tour

Looking for a nice day out with your family? Enjoy some good snorkelling and good food on a beautiful tropical island just 25 minutes south of Phuket.

Baan Raya Sea View

BAN RAYA DAY TRIP

• 7:45-8:15 Pick up at hotel and transfer to Chalong Pier
• 9:00 Departure with speedboat, about 30 minutes to reach Racha Yai
• 9:30-9:45 Arrival at Racha Yai Island where you can decide if snorkelling from
• the boat or go directly to Ban Raya Resort where you can enjoy the great facilities, SPA, pool and great snorkelling from the beach.
• 12:10 Mooring at the small pier and 10 minutes transfer through the tropical environment on “Trak Trak” tractor to Ban Raya Resort. On the way you can see water buffalo's, wild turkeys, monitor lizards and many other flora and fauna.
• 12:20 Arrival at Ban Raya Resort and enjoy fresh welcome drink and delicious set menu lunch with sea view. After lunch there is a lot of time to enjoy more snorkelling from the private beach, the swimming pool or other facilities like Spa Treatments, Horse Riding and Mountain Biking.
• 14:45 Transfer back to the speedboat and lack to Phuket.
• 15:30 Arrival at Chalong Pier and transfer back to your Phuket hotel 

Info & Booking >> 

Alternative Tour: Easy Day Thailand's Premium Racha Island Tour

Customer reviews: 

• Anisa - Day tour to Raya Yai Island
• Jennifer - Tours to Raya Yai Island and Phi Phi island
• Emily - Visit at Raya Yai Island and Phang Nga Bay