Hong by Starlight: Sea Cave Kayaking and Loy Krathong Floating

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Phuket, Thailand

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

10 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Chloe_H ·

Mar 2026

This was the most amazing day!!! So well set up and organised the staff were soooo great!! Our guide Sammie was just the best, we laughed so much and he knew so much, showed us all the cool stuff!! Everyone so.so.great and friendly it really made the day!! A must do!!!

· Ahmed_M ·

Jan 2026

This experience was incredible from start to finish! Our tour guide was amazing and explained what to expect at each step of the journey. Delicious lunch and dinner provided on board! We were taken around multiple beautiful sights on our kayak by our guide Adam who was delightful and very well informed. I would highly recommend doing this!

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Overview

Travel from midday to midnight to the hidden wonders of Phang Nga Bay, including a kayaking tour of limestone sea caves and cliff-lined lagoons. Ride a powerboat to the emerald waters and keep an eye out for sea eagles, egrets and other wildlife while you paddle your kayak with an expert guide. After dark, float your own self-made flower ‘Krathong’ at a Loi Krathong festival, followed by a seafood buffet dinner. Lunch and round-trip transport from Phuket hotels or airport included.

Phang Nga Bay kayaking tour with Loi Krathong festival at night
Kayak to emerald lagoons and through secret caves
Sit down for a buffet lunch and seafood dinner with soft drinks
Round-trip transport by luxury air-conditioned minivan provided

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This long day tour offers a rare chance to see Phang Nga Bay in daylight, at sunset, and by moonlight.

What's Included

Hotel round-trip transfer on the entire Phuket island including airport pick-up and drop-off service
Lunch, dinner, bottled water, herbal tea & seasonal fruits
Caveman's SOTAR sea kayaks
Kayak equipment including a dry bag
Basic accident insurance
National Park entrance fee
Professional and experienced English speaking guide
Life jacket

Hotel pickup from remote locations in Phang Nga, or from private villas/rentals

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Get picked up from your hotel on the entire Phuket Island. If you are staying on the hill, you have to come to a nearby hotel. The exact pickup time will be confirmed by email after you have made the booking. Pick-up and drop-off service from/at Phuket Airport is also available. In this case let us know the flight number of arrival/departure flight.

Meeting point

Aopor Pier Phuket
Andaman Sea, Tambon Pa Klok, Amphoe Thalang, Chang Wat Phuket 83110, Thailand
Meet at Ao Po Pier in the north-east of Phuket. The exact meeting time will be confirmed by email after you have made the booking.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.12:00 pm

Itinerary

Experience Phang Nga Bay during the day, at sunset, and under the moonlight with this multi-activity tour that includes transfers, entrance fees, lunch, and dinner.

Enjoy pickup from your Phuket hotel, accommodations, or airport around lunchtime and transfer to Ao Po Pier by air-conditioned minivan to board the boat. Soak up the scenery on the cruise out, and enjoy lunch, and a briefing on the geology of the sea caves and how to visit them safely.

Stop at Panak Island and Hong Island and have your experienced guide paddle you around and through hidden lagoons and sea caves. Enjoy free time on the beach or kayak on your own.

Afterwards, make your own Krathong flower basket while enjoying a seafood dinner onboard. Float your Krathong at Panak Island and look for bioluminescent plankton before returning to Phuket and getting dropped off at your hotel.

John Gray's Sea Canoe

10 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Ao Po Pier

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Phang Nga Bay.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Ko Pa Nak

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Ice Cream Cave

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Hongs of Phang Nga

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Koh Panak Cave

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

John Gray's Sea Canoe (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
The tour program is subject to change due to weather & sea conditions
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Brandon_D

An absolutely perfect experience! From the seamless planning to the delicious food, everything was amazing. One of the highlights was our guide Mike! He is an incredible guide with a wealth of knowledge and a personality that kept us laughing the whole time. Don’t hesitate to book this once in a lifetime trip!

Reviews

4.9

based on 1,225 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Kayak tour

Larry_A, Apr 2026

Super fun trip, served fresh Thai dishes for lunch and dinner. Made in the boats galley. Kayak guide Sammie gave a incredible tourof Hong Island Cave. Everyone made a candle float and we paddled out lite and released all of them in a candle lick ceremony. Highly recommend this tour.

Do it!!

Chloe_H, Mar 2026

Phang Nga Canoeing

Mark_L, Jan 2026

There are 3 separate canoe rides with the first being the longest at 1hr. 2nd one is about 30-40 minutes and the last one is just under 30 min. Plenty of good food and water.

Truly magical experience – Hong by Starlight

Chris_g, Jan 2026

Hong by Starlight was an absolutely magical experience and one of the highlights of our time in Phuket. From start to finish the scenery was incredible, dramatic limestone cliffs, hidden caves, tranquil lagoons and unforgettable views, especially as the light changed towards sunset and into the evening. The whole day was exceptionally well organised, with top-draw guides who were knowledgeable, friendly and clearly passionate about what they do. They made everyone feel safe, relaxed and involved, while sharing fascinating insights along the way. The food was excellent, far better than expected for a boat tour, and added to what was already an outstanding experience. Kayaking through the caves, floating our krathongs, and seeing the bay at night was truly special and something we’ll remember for a long time. An incredible day from start to finish, we would thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone visiting Phuket.

This experience was...

Ahmed_M, Jan 2026

Shoutout to our guide Mike!!

Brandon_D, Jan 2026

Fantastic experience

Stephen_H, Dec 2025

We’ve done lots of excursions over the years and this is definitely one of the best. It was a friendly and fun atmosphere, all of the staff were lovely and quite clearly enjoyed their jobs. The trip itself was breath-taking at times. The view from the boat in Hong Bay is memorable and then the trips through the caves was something I’ll never forget. Our own personal guide Zack was so knowledgeable about the geology, trees and wildlife of the area and made our journeys on each of the three kayak trips very personalised. Credit to the cooking team as well as the food was delicious for both meals. The overall trip was very good value for money. Everyone on board appeared to have a great day.

Best Day Ever!

Jess_E, Dec 2025

We booked a few tours in Thailand but nothing was as good as this. If you are on the fence just book it you won't be disappointed. The tour itself is very traveller friendly they allow you to move freely on the boat as you travel which is a huge plus. And the views are incredible. They feed you throughout the day and drinks are readily available all of the time so it makes for a relaxed atmosphere. The staff was awesome. Very welcoming and they seemed to genuinely want to go out of their way to help you. The cave Kayaking is incredible. We travel all over the world and this is one of the best things that we have ever done. We also saw a surprising amount of wildlife. We are very grateful for this experience and would do it again any time that we come back to Phuket.

Worth the time spent

Jenifer_G, Dec 2025

Quite a unique experience with making a flower alter. Good food and friendly staff. Our group had 51 people and needed to pick up more local guides to help. These extra guides did not speak English.

A must do!

Allison_J, Nov 2025

Stunning! We loved this tour. It was so beautiful. Our guides made it very fun, all of the staff was amazing. This is a must do tour.

My husband, daughter, and...

Vanessa_W, Sep 2025

My husband, daughter, and I recently embarked on this unforgettable journey, and it touched our hearts in ways we’ll never forget! The staff were absolutely wonderful. We had a guide for all of our kayaking adventures, shout out to Woody who above and beyond to ensure we had a great day. All the staff were super knowledgeable and friendly. They really made the day special with so many memorable moments that we’ll cherish as a family for years to come. The food was also amazing, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner were all prepared on the boat and tasted so fresh and delicious. I’d definitely recommend this tour if you’re interested in exploring caves, islands, and enjoying some kayaking fun with a team that will look after you.

Magical caves, wildlife, and crystal waters

John_E, Aug 2025

This was such an incredible experience! The boat ride to the islands was beautiful, and we got to explore caves, spot bats, see a Komodo dragon, and even watch monkeys along the way. Jumping off the boat for a swim in the crystal-clear water was amazing. Lunch and dinner were both delicious, and the grand finale—going under the caves again after sunset—was pure magic. There were about 30 other travelers, mostly families, so as a solo traveler I felt a little out of place at first, but one of the guides, Charlie, made me feel welcome and included. His kindness really stood out and made the trip even better. An unforgettable day filled with nature, adventure, and great people. I’d book it again in a heartbeat!

Fun water experience.

Kathryn_O, Jul 2025

Fun day. I felt safe as a solo woman traveler. They were accommodating of dietary restrictions. We had a delightful kayaking guide who pointed out the walking fish, crabs, bats, lizards, and the rare monkies. They provided substantial meals. Bonus-we made beautiful lanterns for our night time cave experience and ended with the highlight of seeing the glittery bioilluminencent phankton. Long day but worth it.

Girls trip

Laura_R, May 2025

This was a spectacular experience! The staff were great and very informative. This is a must do tour.

Great day out

JaneSMann_M, May 2025

This was a well organised trip ,pick up excellent safety, excellent .well organised day. Well prepared. Pick up from Doc. Excellent! Well worth money we spent. Food was great. Activities were fun. Couldn't have done enough for you

Just outstanding!

Scott_M, Apr 2025

Just outstanding! Great guides, exceptional food on board, unlimited bottled water. Overall, the experience of a lifetime!!

One of the best days of my life

Emilie_D, Apr 2025

This was one of the highlights of my trip to Phuket. Honestly, one of the best days of my life. My tour guide went so above and beyond. We swam, saw bioluminescent, explored so many caves and lagoons, ate incredible food…I could go on. The crew truly care about making sure you have a good time and are so so kind. I will be recommending this tour to everyone.

The Absolute Best

Justin_K, Mar 2025

If you don’t do anything else on your trip, book this tour. Wonderful staff (supplemented with local fisherman to man the kayaks which was a very cool way to support the locals). The boat was comfortable with nonstop food they prepare fresh on the boat. The cave tour was beyond amazing and being able to chat with Charlie on the way home to learn about different islands was a delight.

The Best Day!

Angela_O, Mar 2025

This was the best tour we took in Phuket! All of the staff was amazing and we saw some of the most beautiful places. You do not have to row. The guides do all of that for you so you can relax and enjoy the views. They take pictures for you, explain everything, joke, make sure you are fed, etc. You have to lay down a few times going in and out of the caves and some of them are very dark but it’s short lived and no need to panic! You even get to swim in the ocean and see monkeys if you are lucky. Everything was great. Ameen and Eau were wonderful! I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone and everyone!

We didn't see plangton as promissed

LanaIgdal, Mar 2025

Exellent plan, exellenet facilities, exellenet service, exellenet food, but we didn't see plangton. One of the team put water in his t-shirt and show us plangton there. We book this afternoon trip speciall to see real plangton in sea. the trip description is very misleading

So much fun!

Deborah_L, Feb 2025

This was a very organized excursion and everything was on time, Best day on the water! Food was delicious! The experience was unforgettable! Great job!

Would book again!

ryuta_M, Feb 2025

We had a great time at this tour. Sonny was great and so has other staffs on board. The food they provided was actually really good and was shocked by the amount of food/variety of food they served. They also offer plenty of water and snacks in between to ensure we were well hydrated/fed. The price is very justified for the value you get from this tour. Would love to book again in the future where we come back to Phuket in the future!

I got very sick the night...

Sandi_C, Feb 2025

I got very sick the night before and they would not let me reschedule. Charged the full amount. I have understand the 24 hour notice but it was out of my control. I wasn’t asking for a refund

Response from Host, Mar 2025

We’re sorry to hear about your illness and understand how frustrating this must have been. Unfortunately, due to our 24-hour non-refundable policy, we’re unable to offer a reschedule or refund in this case. We hope you’re feeling better, and we’d love to have the opportunity to welcome you on another tour in the future. Thank you for your understanding.

A Great Day!

Joyce_M, Feb 2025

Very enjoyable, unique experience. Food was good, staff was great! The bioluminescence was interesting to see. Even the trip back to the harbour under the moonlight was enjoyable.

Thai kayak and culture

Kelly_H, Feb 2025

Such a great experience seeing the sea caves and learning about Thai culture through the Krathong making. The lunch and dinner were also delicious. Highly recommended!

A wonderful trip with...

Greig_C, Feb 2025

A wonderful trip with knowledgable and very capable guides. This was the best day trip we had during our stay in Phuket

Take this tour!

David_H, Feb 2025

Excellent tour. Food was great. Tour leader was very informative and helpful. Went to two island lagoons accessed by caves. Tour provided blow up kayak and a paddler so all we had to do was sit back and enjoy the view. Last cave was after dark to see the bioluminescence in the water.

Great tour of Phuket Islands

Paul_G, Feb 2025

Transportation to/from provided, long day at sea, great meals (lunch & dinner), and water provided. Staff very kind and attentive. You will be introduced to parts of Thailand you otherwise will not see.

Outstanding tour

Peter_K, Feb 2025

This was an outstanding tour from start to finish. The pick up was on time. Outstanding food and service.

Loved this tour

CharlieNicole_N, Feb 2025

Great tour! The food is delicious love that the picked me up and brought me back to my hotel (it was pretty far 45 min). I loved our guide he was funny and had so much knowledge about the areas we traveled. You may see locals as well which was cooler. The caves are breathtaking. Most of all I love that we gave an offering to the sea.