Hong By Starlight ( John Gray Sea Canoes )
This world famous travel experience starts at mid-day to avoid the crowds. You are served lunch on board of the comfortable support boat followed by the briefing and a raptor show. Then, a professional guide paddles you through Phang Nga Bay’s “Tidal Nape Sea Caves” in the custom designed kayaks literally inside Phang Nga Bay’s marine limestone karstic islands into the “Hongs“(Thai for “Room” ). The hidden cliff-lined lagoons are populated with macaques, water monitors, kingfishers, mudskippers, egrets, Sea Eagles and Brahminy Kites. This unique travel experience is certainly dramatic but the kayaks have never capsized, been punctured or had an accident.
This travel experience finishes after dark by floating your own self-made flower “Kratong” in a spiritual and spectacular natural light show. Eating our delicious seafood-vegan buffet on the trip back, you will return to the pier two hours after sunset. Previous guests say that the evening Loi Kratong ceremony complete with dinoflagellates (bioluminescent plankton) is a “Spiritual Experience”, “Best Trip of our lives-anywhere”, and “Best Thai Food We’ve ever had – and on a boat”.
What to bring: towel, bathing clothes, dry & warm clothes for the way back, sunglasses, sun cream, good weather and a camera or smart phone (at own risk… we do provide dry-bags… at your own risk;)
Itinerary 11:30am – 09:30pm
1130 – 1230 Hotel Pick-up
1200 – 1300 Arrive Ao Po, Board our modern Twin-engine escort boat, Thai style light lunch, trip and safety briefing
1430 Arrive first island and explore 1-2 caves and hongs
1530 Return to the escort boat and move to the second island
1600 Explore two more caves and hongs
1645 Make your own Kratong, Self-Paddle and swimming
1730 Thai seafood buffet dinner during Phang Nga Bay Sunset
1830 Return to your kayak after dark to float your Loi Kratong
2000 – 2015 Arrive Ao Po and transfer to your mini-van.
2100 - 2130 Drop off at your hotel. End of JGSC service.
Includes
- Hotel or Airport pick-up and drop off
- Escort boat (when applicable)
- John Gray’s Sea Canoe gear
- John Gray’s Sea Canoe well educated and experienced guides
- Full Board meal plan
- Soft Drinks and Water Camping and Cooking gear
- User fees
Excludes
- Ground transfers (except to and from Sea Canoe)
- Additional sightseeing- Visa/ Airport Fees
- Tips
- Excess baggage charges
- Medical Immunizations
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Medical or Travel Insurance.
- Medical and Hospitalization costs
- Emergency Evacuation costs
- Items of a Personal Nature
- Trip Delay compensation beyond the control of John Gray’s Sea Canoe or our agents