Review: The James Bond Island Tour in Phuket, Thailand: What to Expect and is it Good Value for Money?

I've Been on the James Bond Island Tour in Phuket Four Times in the Last Three Years

The most popular tour on Phuket Island in Thailand, bar none, is the James Bond Island Tour. The tour is named 'James Bond Island Tour' because, as part of the tour, you visit Koh Tapu, the teeny tiny island that was made famous in the James Bond movie, 'The Man With the Golden Gun'. If you're planning on being in Phuket and thinking about taking the James Bond Island Tour, should you, is it worth it and what will you see?

What You'll See on the James Bond Island Tour - Actually, Koh Tapu, or James Bond Island is only a small part of the tour. Starting out in the morning or afternoon, depending on what time of day you take the half day tour, you'll be picked up at your hotel in a coach (luxury bus) and set off on your tour. The first stop is after an hour and a half drive around Phuket at Suwankuha Temple, which is the site of the 'Monkey Caves'. Here, you'll be given half an hour to walk around the grounds of the temple, buy bananas to feed the hundreds of wild monkeys running around, and to see the Buddha statues inside the spectacular Monkey Caves.

Some people don't enjoy the Monkey Caves, but I loved it. The monkeys will come up very close to you and, as long as you don't fool around trying to trick them with food, they'll quickly grab a held-out banana from your hand and run off. Be careful you're not wearing a skirt with a loose elastic waist though. The last time I went, my parents' friend was wearing a long skirt with an elastic waistband, which was grabbed by a monkey and, before she knew it, she was left standing in nothing but her underwear with her skirt around her ankles. Very funny for us but a bit embarrassing for her (she did laugh though!).

After Monkey Caves, you'll take another 15 minute drive until you arrive at a boat dock where you're given life jackets and then climb into a longtailed boat. Off the boat speeds into the ocean to James Bond Island with, along the way, the most spectacular views of enormous limestone rocks sticking up in the water and the mountains behind.