Level:
very easy - suitable for beginners
or first-time paddlers
Season: all
year
Day
1
As
we leave the bay, you get your first look at the remarkable karst
formations.
Your first stop is an island with a large 'hong', an interior
room formed by the collapse of a huge cave system in the middle
of the island. If the water is high, you'll paddle through cave
and into the hong. If the tide is lower, you'll land at a beach
and walk into the 'hong' through a short tunnel. This
is a very impressive introduction to the unique geology of Phang
Nga Bay.
Click
here to see some wonderful images
of Phang Nga Bay.
After
visting the hong, you'll go for a nice paddle. Circumnavigating
the island, you'll observe the variety of birds, monitor lizards,
fish, crabs, orchids, fruit bats and monkeys that live on and
around the island. There are certain areas where we generally
see Brown-winged kingfishers. Brahminy kites and White-bellied
sea eagles are a common sight on the back side of the island.
Returning to the escort boat you'll have refreshments, lunch and
have time for a swim in the lagoon.
After lunch we'll paddle across a channel to a lovely bay on a
larger island. You can go for a short nature walk to see a large,
old ficus tree and other native vegetation. Barking deer are sometimes
seen or heard here. You'll have a good chance of seeing monitor
lizards clinging to the oyster-encrusted rocks. Returning to the
beach, you'll have time for another swim.
We return to our escort boat. There is time for refreshments while
the kayaks are loaded, then we make the scenic trip along the
east coast of Yao Noi Island to our bungalows.
The
bungalows are owned by a local family. Our primary bungalows are
the Holiday
Resort. If they are full, we use Pasai
Bungalows. Both
of these bungalows sit in a shallow bay overlooking
several small islands. Krabi lies in the distance.
Breakfast is at the bungalows or if you'd like to try a more traditional
Thai breakfast, we can visit downtown Ko Yao Noi and go to a very
local restaurant.
Day
2
After
enjoying a Western or Thai-style breakfast, we board our escort
boat for a full day of exploration. We go to a group of small
islands, transfer to a beach, then get ready to paddle.
Each island in this group is within a ten minute paddle of the
next one. We paddle around an island, alert for the special features
and wildlife of that place. There are a number of beaches where
we can rest as desired. Then we're off to the next island.
We'll return to our escort boat for lunch and a swim. Our afternoon
paddle will be to a very special hong on a lovely island. We generally
see Collared and Black-capped kingfishers, and sometimes White-bellied
sea eagles will be lurking inside. There are many orchids in this
hong and we have seen Long-tailed Macaques and Dusky Langurs (both
are monkeys) climbing around the cliffs.
Then we will paddle around this island, enjoying the great variety
of rock formations and the lovely beaches.
We again return to the escort boat and head for the bungalows.
As with the previous day, there is time for a rest or a walk along
the beach before we meet for dinner. The beach is perfect for
late afternoon strolls. The islands in view offer great photo
opts in the late afternoon lighting.
Day
3
Today
is a special treat. We head out to explore an extensive area of
mangroves that includes a huge hidden lagoon. This is one of the
most beautiful spots in the entire bay.
We
explore different channels through this unique ecosystem. This
is a remarkable area, a real highlight of the trip.
Thailand's remaining mangrove forests are the breeding ground
and nursery for much of the marine life in the ocean. And many
creatures come to the mangroves to feed on the young fish, shrimp
and crabs hiding among the root systems. We can, usually at lower
tide levels, see the 'mud
skipper', a fish whose lungs can extract oxygen
from the air as well as from the water. They love to crawl around
on the mud flats, and even climb the exposed roots of the
mangrove trees.
Your trip leader will give more knowledge of the adaptive mechanisms
that allow the mangroves to thrive in low-oxygen mud, flooded
daily by saltwater. We paddle slowly through an area where we
have seen Buffy fish owls and Dusky langurs, and have heard the
unforgettable sound of gibbons making their morning calls.
Day
4
On
a four-day itinerary, we can add in a day of snorkeling.
There is a coral reef on the southern end of Ko
Yao Yai (the largest island in the bay) that
no one else visits. It's got a nice selection of coral and there
is a diverse amount of fish and other marine life. 
If
you prefer to paddle instead of going snorkeling, the west side
of Ko Yao Yai offers very nice paddling and there are a dozen
or more secluded beaches.
During
the summer months if the seas are a bit bumpy, there are other
islands that you can visit. Safety is always priority numero uno
and the bay offers sheltered water paddling no matter the weather.
Then it is time to head back to Ko Yao Noi and then head for Phuket.
You will be back on Phuket by approximately 5:00 p.m. You will
then be transferred to your hotel or anywhere on Phuket.
Notes: Exact itinerary
will vary with tide levels and times of year. In the event of
strong winds that sometimes occur in low season, we can stay on
the lee (protected side) of islands, depending on the needs of
each group. This flexibility allows our Phang Nga Bay tour to
be offered year 'round. This is the advantage of having skilled
trip leaders for whom safety is always the primary consideration.
Longer
trips are available too. There is enough to see and do to warrant
even more time.
Plus, if you like mountain biking or rock climbing, that can be
added to your Phang Nga Bay adventure.
No
experience is needed for
any of our trips. The majority of our guests have never
paddled before. No problem, you'll learn proper paddling technique
as we go.
All-inclusive:
all transfers (airfare not included), all equipment, accommodations
once on the trip, all meals, all snacks, and insurance.
Click here to see our
kayak
tour prices. Group and family discounts are
available.
