Phuket Thailand Sea Kayak Tours - Andaman Sea Kayak

The transfer from the hotel to the Sea Kayaking boat was delayed a bit by an unprepared group of Australians. Though the driver and guide were clearly getting frustrated as the clock ticked by, we maintained the lighthearted attitude for which the Thai people are famous. This patience paid off because the man I assumed was the guide was actually the captain of our boat and we ended up getting an even better tour because of it.

Once we made it to the two story boat docked in Phang-Nga Bay, we found many other tourists had been waiting on our arrival as well. The captain joked around (even getting in a couple digs at the Australians for being so loud and boisterous) and learned where everyone was from but most people were just eager to get on with the day. We set out for the islands we would be visiting.

The bottom story of the boat was where the sea kayaks were piled up. The crew worked on this level and there was a small bathroom. There was a bucket of water with a ladle to “flush” the toilet. Though these are common in Thailand outside the hotels, the captain still made a point to explain it to everyone on board. Everyone on the tour sat on the upper deck of the boat where the view was amazing.

The day started out a little overcast and there was a sprinkling of rain as we set out. It was stunning to watch the islands appear out of the mist. They seemed to spring straight out of the sea with sheer cliffs covered in rich foliage reaching skyward. As we sped onward, the true scale of these islands became apparent. While the landscape of Phuket is beautiful, little compares to exploring the islands of the Andaman Sea. The captain had a couple maps and talked us through the itinerary for the day. He also passed out small 5L drybags to store any gear we wanted to bring on the kayak with us.

By the time we reached the first Hong (Thai for “Room”) the sky had cleared up and the sun had come out. Each pair went down to the first level of the boat to meet the crew who were already in their kayaks waiting for us. When we came down, the captain very deliberately pulled up to the front to pick us up. We suspect he felt bad that we had to wait some long in the minibus earlier and wanted to make sure to take care of us. In addition to his extensive knowledge, the captain also spoke English much better than some of the other guides.

From the sea, it appears that the Hong is an island with sheer cliffs that spring straight from the water. When the tide is right, the sea caves are exposed allowing entrance into the center of the Hong. We were given some cheap dollar store flashlights. I assumed they were to light the way so our guide could navigate through the caves but the light was so dim it would barely reach the front end of the kayak. The guides were so familiar with the route that they navigated quickly through the passage despite the darkness. Once we approached the other end of the sea cave, we had to duck down pretty low to pass into the center of the Hong. The view inside was breathtaking. Surrounded by lush greenery, the entire area looked like a lost world, untouched by modern time. Our guide said that if you were quiet, occasionally you could see monkeys in the trees but we didn’t see much other than the swiftlet birds whose nests are famously used for Bird’s Nest soup, bats hanging from the caves and a few mudskippers that look like a creature halfway between a fish and a lizard.

Once we left the Hong, we circled around the outside of the island. At the waterline, the stone had been undercut by the water. We kayaked beneath a stone ceiling filled with stalactites. Some stalactites had ropes tied to them that fishermen used as sky anchors.

We returned to the ship to have lunch. There had been snacks of bananas, sweet crackers and rambutan up to that point but the lunch menu was impressive for the little prep room them must have had. We had soups, fish, noodles, chicken and more in a tasty spread. When day trips in Thailand include a meal, they try to give in some local flare without making too spicy for visitors. As we ate, we a unique view of fishermen pulling jellyfish from the sea with poles. One nice thing about this particular tour group was that the crew did a good job entertaining everybody during some of the downtime between stops. They had some brainteasers and mini-games to keep people engaged in case anyone wasn’t content just watching the stunning scenery of the Andaman Sea.

After lunch, we arrived at a Lagoon. The Lagoon had an appearance similar to the Hong but was more open and in some areas you were able to view the sea outside. We stopped at a bit of a beach within the Hong and got out to take some pictures. Unlike the soft sand beaches at Kata and Karon on Phuket, the shore was sharp and hard on the feet. Our guide warned us about the sharp rocks after he saw me hop heedlessly out of the kayak. After a brief pit stop in the lagoon, we got back in the kayak and returned to the ship.

The last portion of the trip took us to a beach where we could swim, paddle the kayaks ourselves, get refreshments or play soccer in the sand. People were diving off the top deck of the boat and splashing around in the clear waters. We aren’t used to letting people paddle for us so it was nice to be able to navigate for ourselves and check out some of the other boats anchored near the shore. After about an hour or so on the island, we returned to the boat to head back to Phuket.

Overall, it was an excellent tour. We might have been used to a slightly more interactive itinerary but the beauty of the surroundings made it easy to sit back and try to take everything in. It was a comfortable mix of activities and relaxation and the crew brought the smiles and friendly nature for which the Thai people are famous.