Phang Nga Province Guide: History, Towns and Local Products
Phang Nga is where many of Thailand's most famous postcards come from: the limestone needle of Ko Tapu, better known as James Bond Island, the stilt village of Ko Panyi and the white beaches of the Similan Islands. Yet it remains one of the quietest provinces on the Andaman coast.
Below: its ancient rock art and tin-mining past, the districts from the bay to Khao Lak, the seasons that open and close its island parks, and what its fishing and farming communities make.
Phang Nga
Limestone Towers and Hidden Islands
Phang Nga Bay's limestone towers, the diving islands of Similan and Surin, a floating village and the coast of Khao Lak.
By the SnapSellGo Thailand Desk · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read
Made in Phang Nga
Specialities of Phang Nga. Makers from the province are setting up shop.
These cards show what the province is known for. They make way for real products as local sellers join.
Why Phang Nga is the Andaman's quiet giant
The province is home to six national parks. Ao Phang Nga National Park protects about 400 km² of limestone islands and mangrove forest, while the Similan and Surin islands offer some of the best diving in Thailand. The Similan park closes every year from 16 May to 31 October to let the reefs recover.
Its most famous rock, Ko Tapu, became world-famous after the 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun. Nearby, the Muslim fishing village of Ko Panyi is built on stilts over the water, and the Surin islands are home to the Moken, a seafaring people.
James Bond Island
Ko Tapu became famous through the 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun.
Ko Panyi
A Muslim fishing village built on stilts in Phang Nga Bay.
Similan and Surin
Two island parks renowned for diving; the Similans close from 16 May to 31 October.
Six national parks
Ao Phang Nga alone protects about 400 km² of islands and mangroves.
A short history of Phang Nga
Phang Nga's story runs from prehistoric cave paintings to tin mining, a 19th-century victory and the tragedy of 2004.
- PrehistoryCave paintings several thousand years old are left on rock walls around the bay.
- 1824After a Siamese victory over Burmese forces, King Rama III names the area by the bay Phang Nga.
- 1800s–1900sTin mining brings prosperity to Takua Pa and its old town.
- 1933Phang Nga becomes a province in its current form.
- 1974The Man with the Golden Gun makes Ko Tapu world-famous.
- 26 Dec 2004The Indian Ocean tsunami devastates the Khao Lak coast.
Phang Nga district by district
Phang Nga has eight districts and about 266,000 residents (2024). These are the ones most people travel to.
| District | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Mueang Phang Nga | The provincial town and the piers for boat trips into the bay, to Ko Panyi and James Bond Island. |
| Takua Pa | The old tin-mining town and the resort coast of Khao Lak. |
| Ko Yao | Two quiet islands between Phuket and Krabi. |
| Kuraburi | The pier for the Surin islands. |
Festivals and seasons worth planning around
Phang Nga's calendar is set by the Andaman monsoon. Plan around these seasons.
Shopping local in Phang Nga
Thailand's OTOP programme, One Tambon One Product, pins each product to its home sub-district, and Phang Nga's list follows its coast. Ko Panyi and the fishing villages of the bay dry and preserve seafood, and shrimp paste is made along the shore.
Inland, rubber and palm plantations cover the hills, and farms grow cashew nuts and fruit sold in the markets.
Real products from Phang Nga makers appear in the carousel at the top of this page as soon as they are listed. Sellers pay no commission on SnapSellGo, only a yearly shop fee.
Short on time? A longtail tour of the bay and Ko Panyi. Into diving? The Similans, between November and April. Want calm? The Ko Yao islands. Buying local? Dried seafood from Ko Panyi.
Good to know before you go
Where is James Bond Island?
James Bond Island, or Ko Tapu, is in Phang Nga Bay, part of Ao Phang Nga National Park. It became famous after the 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun.
When are the Similan Islands open?
The Similan Islands National Park is open from 1 November to 15 May. It closes every year from 16 May to 31 October to let the reefs recover.
What is Ko Panyi?
A Muslim fishing village built on stilts over the water in Phang Nga Bay.
Is Khao Lak in Phang Nga?
Yes. Khao Lak is on the coast of Takua Pa district, Phang Nga province. It was badly hit by the tsunami of 26 December 2004.
Sources: Wikipedia entries for Phang Nga province, Ao Phang Nga National Park, Mu Ko Similan National Park and Ko Panyi. Population: 2024 registration data. Exact festival dates vary each year with the lunar calendar. Cover photo: Ko Tapu by Vyacheslav Argenberg, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.