"James Bond Island" is perhaps the most popular attraction in Phang Nga Bay (Fang Nga). It is a pastoral and peaceful place, with towering and impressive rock cliffs, immersed in greenish crystal water.
In fact, until the 70s it was a pretty quiet and deserted place. It gained increasing publicity thanks to a film from the well-known Hollywood series "James Bond", which was filmed there in 1974.
In the film "The Man with the Golden Gun", the small island appears as the hiding place of the sworn enemy of the film's hero, James Bond. Since that famous scene, the island is completely identified with Agent 007. So much so that its name has changed and almost no one calls it by its original name - Koh Tapu.
An ancient Thai legend tells how the strangely shaped island was created. Many years ago a local fisherman could not catch a single fish. Instead it is a cuttlefish. The frustrated fisherman threw the clove back into the sea, but miraculously it returned directly to his hand. Boiling and angry, he cut her in half and threw her back into the sea. Then a wonderful thing happened - the clove suddenly flashed out of the water and created a rocky island and Tamir, the clove island, or in the Thai translation - Koh Ta Pu.
The island covers an area of only 400 square meters. It is part of a group of 100 islands that lie along Phang Nga Bay. This is an area designated as a national park (Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park), which the Thais faithfully guard and cultivate. Therefore, the boats are not allowed to get very close to the island.
The island is a favorite destination for sailing or kayaking tours, mainly from Phuket. Most of the organized tours include several stops and stops at additional islands, in addition to an authentic lunch at the magical fishing village - Koh Panyee. Most operating companies provide plastic bags to protect personal belongings, but it is recommended not to rely on that and bring one of your own.
For those who prefer to travel independently, there is an option to rent a long-tail boat from Surakul Pier of Phang Nga Bay. This is a boat that holds up to 10 people and the rental is usually for 3-4 hours. The cost of such an attraction is around 2,000 baht.
