John Gray’s Sea Canoe

John Gray's Sea Canoe has been taking visitors kayaking and canoeing among the limestone islands of Phang Nga Bay since 1983, and its founder, John Gray, is credited with designing both the tours and the canoes used on them. The company received the SKAL International Eco Tourism Award in 2008 and builds its trips around education, conservation and keeping environmental impact to a minimum. Its base is at Ao Por on the north-east coast of Phuket, where the boats leave for the bay.

The best-known trip is Hong by Starlight, which departs daily in the afternoon. After a hotel pick-up and the boat ride out from Ao Por, guests transfer to canoes, each carrying one or two passengers and a crew member who guides the canoe through the caves. At Koh Panak, the canoes slip through a cave tunnel of around 100 metres into a hong, a lagoon enclosed by cliffs and open to the sky. The tour continues to Koh Hong for more paddling and time to swim, and the itinerary also includes James Bond Island.

As the sun sets, the boat waits for the tide while dinner is served, then returns to the caves after dark, when bioluminescent plankton can light up the water around the paddles. Guests help make a small floating krathong, which they release in the cave or lagoon, depending on the tide. The boat then returns to Ao Por and guests are driven back to their hotels late in the evening.

Hotel transfers, national park fees, a light lunch and dinner, and the services of qualified guides are included, and the company can cater for dietary requirements with advance notice. Private charters are available for couples, families and small groups, and there are longer two- and three-day expedition trips through Phang Nga Bay. Children are welcome, with reduced prices for younger ages, but it is a long day, so it suits families with older children best.

Bring swimwear, a towel, sun protection, a hat and a waterproof bag for your phone or camera, and wear clothes that can get wet. The tour suits couples, families and anyone who wants to see Phang Nga Bay at a slower pace than the big speedboat tours. Book ahead in the high season, roughly November to April, as departures fill up, and check the trip details with the company before you go, as itineraries can change with weather and tides.