The sea temperature at Phang Nga (James Bond Island) today is 29.1 °C (84 °F) – water as warm as a bath. The usual October average is 29.2 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea temperature has held at around 29.1 °C. Swimmable all year – the sea averages 28 °C or more in every month. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28.4°C / 83.2°F | 28.7°C / 83.6°F | 28.9°C / 84.0°F |
| February | 28.8°C / 83.9°F | 29.1°C / 84.4°F | 29.4°C / 85.0°F |
| March | 29.3°C / 84.7°F | 29.7°C / 85.4°F | 29.9°C / 85.8°F |
| April | 29.9°C / 85.8°F | 30.2°C / 86.3°F | 30.6°C / 87.1°F |
| May | 30.1°C / 86.2°F | 30.4°C / 86.8°F | 30.8°C / 87.5°F |
| June | 29.4°C / 84.9°F | 29.8°C / 85.7°F | 30.3°C / 86.5°F |
| July | 29.2°C / 84.6°F | 29.4°C / 85.0°F | 29.6°C / 85.3°F |
| August | 29.1°C / 84.3°F | 29.4°C / 85.0°F | 29.8°C / 85.7°F |
| September | 28.8°C / 83.9°F | 29.1°C / 84.3°F | 29.3°C / 84.7°F |
| October | 28.8°C / 83.9°F | 29.2°C / 84.5°F | 29.5°C / 85.1°F |
| November | 28.8°C / 83.8°F | 29.2°C / 84.6°F | 29.6°C / 85.3°F |
| December | 28.7°C / 83.6°F | 28.8°C / 83.9°F | 29.0°C / 84.2°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25.4°C / 77.7°F | 27.6°C / 81.6°F | 30.7°C / 87.3°F |
| February | 25.8°C / 78.4°F | 28.1°C / 82.7°F | 31.4°C / 88.6°F |
| March | 26.5°C / 79.7°F | 28.8°C / 83.8°F | 31.9°C / 89.4°F |
| April | 26.9°C / 80.4°F | 28.9°C / 84.1°F | 31.2°C / 88.1°F |
| May | 27.0°C / 80.6°F | 28.7°C / 83.6°F | 30.3°C / 86.6°F |
| June | 26.7°C / 80.0°F | 28.3°C / 82.9°F | 30.0°C / 86.0°F |
| July | 26.7°C / 80.1°F | 28.1°C / 82.6°F | 29.7°C / 85.4°F |
| August | 26.4°C / 79.5°F | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 29.6°C / 85.3°F |
| September | 26.2°C / 79.1°F | 27.5°C / 81.5°F | 29.0°C / 84.2°F |
| October | 26.1°C / 78.9°F | 27.5°C / 81.4°F | 28.9°C / 84.0°F |
| November | 25.6°C / 78.0°F | 27.0°C / 80.5°F | 28.4°C / 83.1°F |
| December | 25.3°C / 77.6°F | 27.2°C / 81.0°F | 29.7°C / 85.4°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
James Bond Island holidays
Rising from the shallow green water of Phang Nga Bay, between Phuket and the Krabi coast of southern Thailand, James Bond Island is the popular name for Khao Phing Kan, a pair of leaning limestone islets beside the needle-shaped rock of Ko Tapu. The scene became famous after the 1974 film "The Man with the Golden Gun", and the islands lie within Ao Phang Nga National Park, a maze of karst towers, caves and mangroves.
Beaches
Khao Phing Kan has a small sandy beach between its cliffs, but it is crowded with tour groups by mid-morning, and swimming at Khao Phing Kan is not really the point: the water of Phang Nga Bay is shallow and often cloudy with silt from the mangroves. For a swim, the islands of Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, in the middle of the bay, have quiet beaches with views of the karsts. The sea temperature on this page is measured next to James Bond Island.
Things to do
Sea-canoe trips paddle into hongs, hidden lagoons open to the sky inside hollow limestone islands, such as those of Ko Hong and Ko Panak, best reached at the right tide with a guide. Ko Panyi is a Muslim fishing village built on stilts beneath a cliff, where many tours stop for lunch. On the mainland near Phang Nga town, the Wat Suwan Kuha cave temple shelters a reclining Buddha, and the Samet Nangshe viewpoint looks over the bay at sunrise. Arrive early or late to avoid the midday crowds on Khao Phing Kan.
Weather and best time to visit
At James Bond Island the sea stays above 28 °C / 82 °F all year, even in the coolest month.
The drier season in Phang Nga Bay usually runs from about November to April, with calm seas and the most tours. The south-west monsoon, from about May to October, brings showers and rougher water on the open Andaman Sea, but the sheltered bay can often still be visited. National park fees apply, so check current prices and any closures.
Hotels and where to stay
Most visitors stay in Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak and join a day tour. Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai have resorts with views across Phang Nga Bay, and Phang Nga town has simple hotels close to the piers.
Signature hotels: Six Senses Yao Noi (Koh Yao Noi) · Cape Kudu Hotel, Koh Yao Noi (Koh Yao Noi)
Airport and getting there
Phuket International Airport (HKT) is the closest major airport; road transfers to the piers on Phang Nga Bay vary by pier, from about 20 minutes to Ao Por to longer for others; Krabi International Airport (KBV) serves the eastern side of Phang Nga Bay. Longtail and speedboat tours leave from Phuket's east-coast piers, from Krabi and from the piers near Phang Nga town. Boats to Koh Yao Noi run from Phuket and Krabi, so check current timetables.