Cruising on a comfortabel boat in Phang Nga Bay - The "Must-Do" Tour Khao Lak

Posted By : Andrew_R
We did the cruise with collection from Khao Lak on 14 March and had been looking forward to it as a highlight of our holiday in Thailand, but unfortunately we left disappointed. In short, we found the description misleading, and the cost is much too expensive for over five hours cruising and four hours in a bus just to get one hour on an admittedly gorgeous island. What went well * Koh Hong is a beautiful place. The beach is stunning and the viewpoint mesmerising. * The boat was lovely and comfortable. * The food onboard was very good. What didn’t go well * The two hour bus from our Khao Lak hotel was expected, but upon arrival we had to wait 50 minutes for two other groups to arrive from a much closer location. It felt like transport timings, especially considering our early morning wake up, were poorly arranged. * The itinerary appears misleading; here are a few examples: Firstly, the tour overview describes the “option to take a jungle hike on a small island in Phang Nga Bay” and the itinerary is split into two sections: the first mentioning “our tour includes one beach stop before lunch”, with the second itinerary point explaining Koh Hong. We took this to mean there would be an island stop before Koh Hong where we could hike and go on a beach, but in reality Koh Hong is the only stop on land. It also took more than two hours to reach it whereas an email from the owner before we booked said this would be one hour. When there, yes, you can hike or go to the beach, but you only have one hour, which is nowhere near enough time to do it all. So whilst the description is strictly true, it is poorly written and implies much more than a single stop. Secondly, the overview says we can “swim from the boat”. Well yes, we were given the opportunity, however the first one was understandably aborted due to too many jellyfish and choppy seas, whilst the second opportunity was very late in the day and everyone was pretty fed up by this point, so everyone said no. In any case neither would have been an interesting swim, as they were in deep waters in the middle of the bay, not close to a beach or an island. * Lunch wasn’t served until after the visit to Koh Hong, around 2 pm. We had breakfast at our hotel at 6.30 am for our 7.10 am bus, so waiting this long for a proper meal meant we were incredibly hungry. Lunch should have been served before the stop. * Whilst the bay is scenic, the views during the two hour plus cruise to Koh Hong weren’t the best as we were too far away from the limestone cliffs to really appreciate them. It was only during lunch that we got close and could truly marvel at them - the only problem is that everyone was eating and not paying attention! * Having done a sensational and considerably cheaper visit to the Surin Islands a few days earlier, where we had an infectiously enthusiastic and happy guide, we were struck by the contrast with our host during this trip. He did little to explain the day plan or any nature beyond the very basics, and also spoke in an almost militaristic manner when explaining where we needed to walk, the timings and so on. This further damped our enjoyment.
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Posted On : 2024-03-19

Posted By : O6876EBhenryb
I just wanna go back😍 Super friendly staff, amazing views, yummy food and lot's of good vibes🫶 My 2nd time on La Moet, and there will be a 3rd for sure🌞
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Posted On : 2024-01-19

Posted By : JSxmxn
Best sunset cruise in Phuket the food the staff the water the sky every was very nice especially the staff everybody is super friendly . 100%must try
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Posted On : 2023-12-05

Posted By : Bunelade
I was a little worried about being on a boat with another 20+ people all day, but it was amazing! It was one of the main highlights of our trip. The boat is big and has enough space for everyone to spread out and enjoy the views, sunshine, and breeze. From our hotel in Khao Lak it was a 2 hr trip each way to the boat in an AC van but it was worth it. If you do forget sunscreen, you have the chance to purchase right before you get on the shuttle to the boat at the pier as there are several women selling everything from beach coverups to waterproof phone pouches. The lower deck is shaded with tables and cushioned seats, you can even sit right out front on the bow or in one of the ‘windows’. The Thai lady that cooks all the meals does so in a kitchen the size of an airplane bathroom! The entire crew and our Swedish guide for the day were amazing, friendly and informative. The beach was a little crowded at the island but that was expected, it was still breathtaking. We spent about an hour there and then got back on the boat and stopped at another little cove and jumped off the boat for swimming. Life jackets and foam pool noodles were available. In all, it was a very relaxing and wonderful day. I even took a nice nap on the way back. My spouse and I couldn’t have asked for a better excursion. PROS: -bathrooms on board - ice water and juice provided the whole trip (beer/wine if you want to purchase) - delicious light breakfast, lunch and dessert/snacks provided throughout trip - pillows to relax on seats or sunbathe on top deck - they have motion sickness tablets if you need them! - the entire crew is friendly, helpful and smiling CONS: (and these things were out of the tour guides’ control) - I got a little seasick at first but stayed on the lower deck most of the time and I was fine. - beach was a little crowded but still wonderful to experience and cool off in!
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Posted On : 2023-04-03

Posted By : caseyhH5083VW
Are you looking for adventure, but also wish to relax as much as possible during your vacation? Hop aboard La Moet because this trip has it all! First off, the boat is beautiful. Be sure to read up on the journey it took to transform a fishing boat to the luxurious La Moet while you make your way to Hong Island. There are multiple places to sit up straight, play cards with family or new friends, and read a book. Or, if you prefer to sunbathe on the sundeck or be as lateral as possible on your trip in the shade, you can do so on both the lower and upper decks. The lounge spaces are lush with supportive cushions and comfy pillows for you to design your perfect haven. Our guide Camila was FANTASTIC: she's very kind, informative, and has a great laugh! She knew a lot about the areas we traversed and visited. The food itself is enough of a reason to book this excursion TWICE. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and the finale pancakes were divine. Probably my favorite Panang curry yet. Vegetarians, don't fret, the cooked vegetables were exquisite. The boat staff, captain, and the Thai guide (forgive me, I didn't catch their names!) were also incredibly considerate, funny, and kind. Alas, the destinations! Hong Island is epicly gorgeous. Here, you are able to choose your own adventure. You can stay on the boat and simply gawk at the hollow limestone islands with vivacious foliage surrounding you, or you can hop out and enjoy the white sand beach with a perfectly refreshing dip, OR you can trek up to the top of the mountain for a breathtaking 360° view of Phang Nga bay. We did the latter two, and even trekking in the sweltering heat was absolutely worth it. (The stairs are up are sturdy with multiple rest stops, plus each stop has a lovely view of its own so you don't have to go to the top to get a good idea of the immaculate surrounding beauty.) Next stop, walk the plank and jump overboard from the top deck into the salty sea! Catch a floating noodle from the crew and swim to your hearts content. Be aware that March is the beginning of jelly season, but the stings don't hurt more than a small pinch (at least for me.) Once done here, you can get a quick rinse with fresh water and get ready for the longer upwind journey back to the dock. It's the perfect time to take a nap, or continue to get your suntan on. My husband and I highly recommend this trip. It was the one of the TOP highlights of our visit to Khao Lak. TLDR; Book this trip now. You won't regret it. Great people, scrumptious food, stellar views, luxurious boat...an all-around amazing time!
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Posted On : 2023-03-25

Posted By : Jonathan H
All-around fantastic experience. The boat, the staff, the food, all 10/10. Despite stormy waters which lead to a missed stop the captain made good use of the time with his calm steering.
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Posted On : 2023-02-16

Posted By : Mikael B
Nice boat and extremely good and helpful staff, all of them were very attentive and nice, always smiling!
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Posted On : 2020-03-19

Posted By : Natalie_J
Lyn was a great guide and the rest of the staff onboard were so friendly and helpful. The scenery was superb and the areas explored were away from the crowds, making it a much more enjoyable experience. I highly recommend this tour!!!
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Posted On : 2020-03-11

Posted By : Mif
We recently enjoyed a Phang Nga Bay cruise on MV Champagne. We were staying at the Sensimar Hotel in Khao Lak – trips run from KL once a week on Thursdays. We were picked up on time at 08:00 in a comfortable minibus for our journey to the harbour where MV Champagne is moored. The transfer took 1 hour 45 minutes, which was a bit longer than we and other passengers expected. Some other passengers anxiously asked us which trip we had booked as they hadn’t realised the distance. Our driver was very careful and considerate, but a comfort break would have been appreciated as we had children on board. However, the long journey was definitely worth it! We had a wonderful day out. We were looked after by Ton and Lin and the other crew members. I was probably the oldest guest (71) and they were so attentive and caring and really made me feel safe. The boat is very comfortable with a saloon area on the lower deck with tables and seating area; I did find it a bit awkward having to clamber over the seat to be able to sit at the table, but I managed it. On the upper deck there are very comfortable lounging areas with lots of cushions in the shade or on deck in the sun. The two toilet/shower rooms are a decent size and clean. There was no shortage of food and drink. Juice and water jugs were topped up regularly and you just asked when you wanted tea or coffee. Food kept coming all day: banana muffins, fruit, biscuits, a really tasty lunch, and lovely freshly-cooked pancakes with bananas. The scenery was stunning- a ‘bucket list’ trip for me and I wasn’t disappointed. We returned to harbour at 17:30 for our transfer back to KL which seemed to pass a lot quicker, even with a requested comfort stop at a service station. My only whinge is that when paying the deposit via Paypal there were other charges imposed (currency conversion charges at a very poor rate, ‘cross border’ fee etc) which made the trip more expensive than we anticipated. It would have been cheaper for us to pay the whole amount by booking through Tripadvisor, but we didn’t want to do this as I understand that Tripadvisor take a large percentage. We did not want La Moet to lose out.
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Posted On : 2020-01-09

Posted By : jayhenderson2019
I lost my phone in the sea at the very start of this, and even that didn't come close to ruining what was an amazing day! The boat was great, food great, the staff on board were tremendous, and the day involved memories I will hold forever - in particular jumping off the boat into the warm sea! Recommend this for anybody, outstanding!
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Posted On : 2019-12-19