What you will see at Ko Hong
Ko Hong (Thai เกาะห้อง) is a limestone island with a lagoon hidden inside. “Hong” means “room”: the walls are sheer, the pool is enclosed and there is a large opening to the sky above (Southeast Asia Pilot). The island is part of Ao Phang Nga National Park; the DNP names it among the park’s sights and keeps a ranger post, O Pho (Ko Hong), here. The whole park covers about 400 km² of karst islands, mangroves and caves.
What the sources say about the island itself:
- Entry. A cave under the rock leads into the lagoon. Phuket Tour says the island is closed on all sides and you enter only by canoe
- Tide. Thai Holiday Guide calls the passage usable about two hours either side of low tide. The DNP does not say so, so treat it as a guide
- Rules. Southeast Asia Pilot reports that the authorities forbid dinghies in the main cave and that a rope with buoys now rings the island
- Nearby. A small cave opens on the south side, and the surrounding rocks have narrow channels that canoes enter
Which Hong this is: not the one in Krabi
Thailand has two popular places called Hong. Ko Hong in Phang Nga Bay lies in Ao Phang Nga National Park; the Hong Islands off Ao Nang in Krabi lie in Than Bok Khorani National Park (per Thai Holiday Guide). They are different trips, and operators sometimes mix the names in adverts. The Krabi islands are covered on the Hong Islands page. This page is about Phang Nga.
How the stop at Ko Hong works
There is no stand-alone “Ko Hong only” tour from Phuket in our sources; the island is part of bay programs. What operators do:
- Simba Sea Trips: paddling through caves and hidden lagoons on Ko Phanak and Ko Hong, a paddler in every canoe, helmets and torches. Up to 18 adults, departure about 7:00-7:15
- Love Andaman, early program: Ko Hong as the first stop at 7:30 (viewpoint and swimming); canoeing on that program is in Tham Lod cave
- Phuket Tour, big boat: canoeing near Ko Hong around 11:30, after Panak
- John Gray’s Sea Canoe: the Hong Island Tour and Hong by Starlight, timing per the operator
Thai Holiday Guide says multi-stop tours spend about 30-45 minutes at Hong. For more time it suggests small or private groups.
How long it takes and when to go
A bay day takes 8-10 hours including transfers, and the Ko Hong stop is one point in it. The DNP says waves are moderate to strong from May to October, calm in the northeast monsoon except in November. Phuket’s driest months are December to March, per TMD norms.
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| December-March | calm sea, the driest months, check the tide by day |
| April | transition month, about 135 mm of rain on Phuket |
| May-October | southwest monsoon, higher waves |
| November | the DNP notes a rougher sea |
On 18 October 2026 the DNP lists no closures for Ao Phang Nga National Park. Water-level forecasts are published by the Royal Thai Navy Hydrographic Department. Climate by month is in the Phuket climate section.
Getting there and how long it takes
Ko Hong lies about 5.5 km south of Khao Phing Kan and about 4.7 km north-east of Ko Phanak, in a straight line by OpenStreetMap coordinates (Thaipedia calculation). Thai Holiday Guide names the piers boats leave from: Ao Phang Nga, Bang Rong and Ao Po on Phuket, plus resorts on Ko Yao Noi. Bang Rong is 23.1 km and about 27 minutes by car from Phuket Old Town, and 31.4 km and about 35 minutes from Patong (OSRM routes on OpenStreetMap). Tha Dan pier is 86.4 km and about 90 minutes away. Tours from the east-coast piers of Phuket reach the first islands in 20 minutes by speedboat and 35-40 minutes by big boat (Phuket Tour).
Park fee and what is included
The Ao Phang Nga fee per the DNP table (revision of 02.06.2023): THB 300 per foreign adult and THB 150 per child, Thai citizens THB 60 and THB 30. A yachting pilot quotes THB 400, but the official DNP table gives THB 300. Phuket Tour and John Gray’s include the fee in the programme; Simba does not list it as included. Keep the receipt with you: the DNP asks visitors to show it on inspection.
What to do in rain and rough water
Operators’ pages give no weather cancellation terms (Simba lists only free cancellation 24 hours ahead), and the operator decides whether boats go out, so ask when booking. If the day falls through, move the trip to a clear morning. For a rainy day on Phuket there is the Phuket Aquarium.
Safety
- Operators issue life jackets, helmets and torches; Love Andaman says every seat has a life jacket
- Swimming in the passages between rocks can be dangerous because of currents, especially at spring tides (Southeast Asia Pilot)
- Do not enter the lagoon in your own boat: the main cave is closed to dinghies
- Do not touch stalactites and do not leave litter: rangers patrol the park
Who it suits and who should skip it
- Suits anyone who wants to paddle into a rock and see an enclosed lagoon
- Suits children from 4 if they sit calmly in a canoe with a paddler
- Skip it if you are uneasy in tight passages under low ceilings
- Skip it if you want a beach and long snorkelling
- Skip it if you are pregnant and going by speedboat, per Love Andaman
FAQ
What is Ko Hong, and why does hong mean room in Thai?
It is an island in Ao Phang Nga National Park with a lagoon inside its cliffs. Southeast Asia Pilot describes a hong as an enclosed pool ringed by sheer walls, with a large opening to the sky. The word means room in Thai, per the same source.
Is Ko Hong in Phang Nga the same as the Hong Islands in Krabi?
No. Thai Holiday Guide warns that the Hong off Ao Nang in Krabi lies in a different park, Than Bok Khorani, and some operators blur the names. Check which bay your boat visits before booking. The Krabi islands have their own page, the Hong Islands.
How do I get inside the Ko Hong lagoon?
Phuket Tour says Ko Hong is closed on all sides and you enter only by canoe. Thai Holiday Guide says the passage through the cave under the rock is usable roughly two hours either side of low tide. Southeast Asia Pilot adds that the authorities forbid dinghies to enter the main cave.
How much is the entry fee for Ao Phang Nga National Park?
A foreign adult pays THB 300 and a child THB 150, Thai citizens THB 60 and THB 30, per the DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023. A yachting pilot quotes THB 400, but the official DNP table gives THB 300. There is a ranger post on Ko Hong where the fee is collected.
How much time do tours give you at Ko Hong?
Thai Holiday Guide says multi-stop bay tours spend about 30-45 minutes at Hong. For more time in the lagoon and snorkelling on the coral fringe it suggests small or private groups. Exact time depends on the tide and the number of boats.
Can I swim at Ko Hong?
On Love Andaman's early program the first stop at Ko Hong is listed as viewpoint and swimming. In the channels between rocks Southeast Asia Pilot warns of strong currents, especially at spring tides. Swim only where your guide allows.
Can I reach Ko Hong from Ko Yao Noi?
Thai Holiday Guide says boats go to Hong from Ao Phang Nga pier, Bang Rong and Ao Po piers on Phuket, and resorts on Ko Yao Noi, with the crossing from Ko Yao Noi being the shortest. We could not confirm timetables or terms. Ko Yao Noi has its own page, Ko Yao.
Sources
- DNP. Ao Phang-Nga National Park (park page, list of sights and ranger posts)
- DNP. National park opening and closure status
- DNP. National park entrance fees for individuals, revision of 02.06.2023
- Thai Holiday Guide. Ko Hong (Phang Nga Bay)
- Southeast Asia Pilot. Koh Hong group (Phang Nga)
- Simba Sea Trips. Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island tour
- Love Andaman. James Bond Island early program (Phang Nga Bay)
- Phuket Tour (TAT licence 34/03743). James Bond Islands with canoeing by big boat
- John Gray's Sea Canoe. Programs in Phang Nga Bay
- Royal Thai Navy Hydrographic Department. Predicted water levels 2026
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.
