Samet Nangshe Viewpoint overlooking Phang Nga Bay & Phang Nga Bay Long Tail Boat Trip
Sunrise at Samet Nangshe with a view over Phang Nga Bay
Samet Nangshe is a remote vantage point overlooking Phang Nga bay. A cluster of limestone islands covered in lush greenery offer a spectacular view. Sun rises from behind the not so distant islets and ocean making this one of the most stunning scenes in Thailand.
From the car park reaching the viewpoint involves a short walk uphill. On our way, the sun started to set and revealed these giant rocks which were before hidden in the dark. We were not expecting this breathtaking scene and were quite overwhelmed by it.
We didn’t continue to the higher most popular point but instead stopped at a lower one which is equally beautiful and were practically all alone.
Access to this viewpoint come with an entrance fee of 30 Baht per person and is payable at the foot of the hill just before the start of the walk up.
Samet Nangshe Viewpoint from Phuket
Tip: We rented the bike from Patong Surin Car Rental which we can recommend as the bike was in good condition and we did not have any issues when returning it back.
Tip: In remote areas internet connection can be unreliable so it’s best to download a map which can be used offline. We use Maps.me.
Camping at Samet Nangshe Viewpoint
Another option to enjoy the sunrise at Samet Nangshe without driving all the way from Phuket during the night is to rent a tent and camp right on the hill. At Samet Nangshe Viewpoint are a couple of restaurants providing tents and few basic huts for rent. These accommodation options are not available on line and you need to arrive early especially if you prefer to sleep in a hut as booking is on a first come first serve basis.
Other accommodation options at Samet Nangshe
Ao Phang Nga National Park
Hundreds of island dot the green water creating an amazing scene best viewed while cruising the bay on a long tail boat. Phang Nga Bay National Park is a geological wonder filled with islets, sunken caverns, and stunning rock formations jutting out of the sea. The most famous island is Koh Tapu (or James Bond Island) which has a distinctive small base and a larger top.
Phang Nga Bay Islands Tour
Our boat trip along Phang Nga bay started off by heading through mangrove forest and rock formations. From here amazing views can be seen of the islands further out along the bay. The boat went through some areas with denser mangrove and only a small path for the boat to sail through.
The path then opened up to an area housing Tham Lod which is a cave with beautiful stalactites and big enough for boats and kayaks to pass through.
The tour included an optional kayaking trip through 3 caves inside the limestone islands and denser parts of the mangrove. A young friendly guy skillfully paddled the kayak inside the caves through very low openings with some even requiring to completely lie flat in the kayak. Once inside, the caves are well lid up since they do not have a ceiling. The sides of the caves consist of huge rocks with hanging trees and vegetation. One cave had a small sandy beach and a mangrove inside.
The highlight of the boat trip was James Bond island and although this is usually crowded the rock itself and its surroundings are stunning. The boat made a stop on an island that has a beach just opposite James Bond island and therefore make it a perfect spot for some nice pictures. The island opposite James Bond has a remarkable rock formation which was formed after a crack and an eventual slide of the rock into a leaning position.
Lunch time was also interesting and was on a deserted beach. Other tours go to Koh Phangi which is a Muslim floating fishing village. (Koh Phangi was included in our tour on our way back to the pier.) Lunch was tasty chicken and egg Pad Thai and fresh fruit.
Our next stop was at Koh Phangi which at time of our arrival was quiet and had no other foreign visitor. From the sheer size of the stilted restaurant we thought that the island must have been quite busy for lunch. From our short visit it seemed that this stilted fishing village is increasingly getting more tourist oriented and less of a fishing village.
The last attraction and which we passed by on the way back was an interesting pre-historic cave painting depicting animals and boats.
Phang Nga Bay Tour
The trip was organised by Sayan Tours which is owned by a lovely family who explained everything and were very informative and helpful. On this day it was 6 of us on the boat.
Phang Nga Map (including Samet Nangshe Viewpoint & Phang Nga Bay)
Related Travel Guides
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Koh Lanta Best Time to Visit & Things To Do
Things To Do in Ao Nang & Krabi Town
⤇ Destinations worth considering if heading to the east coast
Everything you need to know before visiting Koh Samui
Koh Phangan Things To Do excluding the Full Moon Party
Things To Do which cannot be missed while in Koh Tao
⤇ Other destinations in the east coast off the beaten path
2 Days in Surat Thani Things to Do
Tai Rom Yen National Park in Surat Thani
Chumphon Things To Do in an Overlooked Destination
Prachuap Khiri Khan Where to Go After Bangkok?
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