Kayaking with John Gray's Sea Canoe

In the last two days we were in Phuket, we went sea kayaking around Phang Nga Bay with John Gray's Sea Canoe, an ecotour company. We explored hongs which are inland lagoons and caves and circumnavigated tiny islands in the bay by ocean kayak. We saw mangroves, monkeys, birds, and other wildlife. I also witnessed the bioluminescence of plankton at night which can be created from disturbing the water with your hand or oar. It's hard to describe but the sparkles in the water made the entire experience seem magical.


On the first night, we constructed kratongs and learned a little bit about the Loi Kratong festival. Kratongs are small floating "lanterns" constructed from the trunk of a banana tree and decorated with folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, and incense sticks. After we made them, we waited until dark before taking our sea kayaks into a hong to float them on the water.

Some kratongs

Before nightfall, the crew set up tents on a tiny island in the bay where we camped on the beach underneath the stars. The next morning we watched the sunrise with a cup of hot tea and coffee.

Sunrise on the beach

John Gray's crew was knowledgeable about the ecology of Phang Nga Bay and provided superb service. And with a tour group leader nicknamed "Beer," how can you possibly go wrong? I highly recommend this company for anyone traveling to Phuket.

Click here for more photos of Phuket.