Formed by the same geological processes as Halong Bay, Pfang Gna Bay is similar in appearance but much warmer than its northern cousin. We joined a speedboat tour for the day and made stops on several islands. Many of the eerily eroded karsts are populated by monkeys which are all too happy to supplement their normal diets with treats from passing tourists.

The most famous attraction in the National Park is the islet of Khao Phing Kan, now more commonly known as “James Bond Island.”  The island and adjacent beach were featured is scenes from the Man with the Golden Gun and Tomorrow Never Dies.

Our next stop was for lunch at the Muslim fishing village on the island of Koh Panyee. The houses and impressive mosque are built on stilts. A floating soccer pitch can also be found here. Inspired by the 1986 FIFA World Cup, children built the pitch from old scraps of wood and fishing rafts. The genesis for a successful soccer program on the island, a newer floating field has since been constructed. I was left to wondering how often the ball had to be retrieved from the bay during the course of play.

Next we did a bit of kayaking. More accurately, we were passengers on a two person kayak being propelled by a guide. We explored several nooks, crannies and sea tunnels in an area rich with these features. The tide was just low enough to allow us passage through the small opening pictured in the second photo below. All three of us had to recline fully in order to clear the barnacle encrusted passageway.

We concluded our tour on Naka Island which features a beautiful white sand beach and safety net enclosed area for swimming. The jellyfish and sharks pose real threats to swimmers.