We are leaving for Thailand next week - at the end of our trip we will spend 4 days on Phuket Island. We have a choice of two tours - one is full day to Phi Phi Island and the other is full day to Phangnga Bay and James Bond Island? Any strong opinions about which would be better? We don't want to be tied up with two full day tours.

phi phi is one of the most fabulous places in thailand...it was badly hurt by the tsanmi however...

i personally would take neither...i would arrange to go on my own once there...far less expensive and you can totally control it...your hotel can help you..

I went to James Bond island many, many years ago - a total waste of time, I thought.

I agree with Bob, wait until you get there and decide if you want to take a tour or not. Booking the tour there will be much cheaper.

I think one of the sea kayak trips around Phang Nga might be more interesting, there are lots of day trips to Phi Phi, it was the area that had become heavily built up that got the damage so hopefuly it will not get rebuilt too much, a beautiful small tropical island I think can manage without rows of shops, I hope they do as planned and return it to a more natural state. You should be fine booking trips once you arrive and decide how you feel, this gives you some ideas:

http://www.phuketjettour.com/tour/index.html

We did the John Gray sea canoe tour to Phangna Bay in November. We did "Hong by Starlight" which the four of us really enjoyed. We never felt like it was a "touristy" rip off thing. It was well done, the all Thai crew were great and I highly recommend it. We saw James Bond island, but it's really just a big piece of limestone, not really a place you go to. We were picked up at our hotel at about noon and were returned at about 9:30 pm or so.

We didn't bother to book until we arrived in Phuket.

Another vote for Phangna Bay sea kayak tour. I have seen James Bond island. Just a lime stone island like all the others (I am not a Bond fan), and I must say that I was not too impressed by Phi Phi either. That was before the tsunami hit, and I was disapponted when I saw the souvenir booths and hundreds of backpackers sipping Singha. And a dumpster in the middle of the island.

Kayak tour was fun (expect to get wet), it goes through the lime stone caves. And the food served on the way back was good.

We booked it from some small tarvel agent in Kata beach.

Elina, without wishing to sound too much of "I remember when....." I do remember when Phi Phi was quiet and idlyllic with just a few resorts and that was well before the rows of shops and bars opened, seems now for an idllyic place Koh Yao is a nicer option, still very untouched yet close to both Krabi and Phuket.

I agree about the John Gray Starlight tour. It leaves later and come back later, less tourists out in the water then. They take you through caves (in daylight and again at dark) and into the hongs and around the bay. Spectacular beauty and wildlife. You are served both lunch on dinner on. Everyone was super knowledgeable and friendly.