After morning hotel pickup in Phuket, travel by air-conditioned minivan for about one hour to reach the pier where you board your traditional wooden junk, a type of Chinese sailing ship that has been in use for centuries.
Stretch out in the shade or sun on the spacious deck of the large boat as your captain sails through Ao Phang-Nga National Marine Park, which is dotted with small islands that jut out of the turquoise waters of Phang Nga Bay. Your first stop is Koh Khao Phing Kan, often referred to as James Bond Island, as it was a filming location in the 1974 James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun. Longtail boats meet your vessel to take you to the island, providing excellent views of sculptural rock formations and inlets. You have free time to take a short walk along the sandy beach and perhaps enjoy a swim.
Next, zip over to the small island of Koh Panyi where you visit a small Muslim fishing village that a few Malay fishermen established more than 200 years ago. Most of the structures sit over the water on stilts, including a mosque and school. Don't miss the story of the floating soccer field, built by local village kids who unexpectedly created a tournament-winning youth soccer team.
Departing the fishing village, continue by longtail boat through a mangrove forest and past a sea cave before returning to the junk, where you'll tuck into a Thai buffet lunch while you sail over to Lawa Island. Here, enjoy more beach time and swimming.
In the late afternoon, your captain returns you to shore where your minivan awaits for the drive back to Phuket.