John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket
Traveler rating
4.8/5
Based on 42 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket worth booking?
John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket is a 10-hour experience in Phuket, Thailand, from $2692 per person. It scores 71 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.8/5 rating across 42 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 71 / 100
- Rating
- 4.8/5 (42)
- Duration
- 10 hours
- From
- $2692 per person
Hop aboard a big boat for a tour of the islands and sea caves of Pha Nga Bay. You'll visit both the cave-rich Hong Island and Panaka Island, where you'll get to swim and kayak in the sea. You'll also dine from an include
What you get
- Travel insurance
- Comfortable and modern twin-engine escort boat
- National park fees
- Life jackets on-board
- Kayak equipment including a dry bag
- Full board meal plan with lunch, dinner, bottled water and herbal tea
About this experience
Hop aboard a big boat for a tour of the islands and sea caves of Pha Nga Bay. You'll visit both the cave-rich Hong Island and Panaka Island, where you'll get to swim and kayak in the sea. You'll also dine from an included buffet lunch, wrapping up your trip after dark with the chance to set illuminated lanterns out to float on the waters. Lunch, dinner, and bottled water are included Kayaks and dry bags will be provided Hotel transfers from Phuket Island or Phuket Airport are included A professional guide will lead the way.
What's included
Included
- Travel insurance
- Comfortable and modern twin-engine escort boat
- National park fees
- Life jackets on-board
- Kayak equipment including a dry bag
- Full board meal plan with lunch, dinner, bottled water and herbal tea
- English and Chinese speaking tour guide
- Caveman's SOTAR sea kayaks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off on the entire Phuket Island or Phuket Airport
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Phuket
Or, you can also get picked up from anywhere in Phuket. If you are staying on the hill, you have to come to a nearby hotel
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 30 minutes before departure.
Ends at
Or, you can also get picked up from anywhere in Phuket. If you are staying on the hill, you have to come to a nearby hotel
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- ru, en, mnp
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Oh-Hoo
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Child ticket age between 6-12 years.
- Children aged 0-5 years can travel for free.
- Vegetarian food is available upon request, please indicate your special dietary requirements at checkout.
- This tour may not be able to accommodate Halal restrictions.
- Guests who are pregnant or have high blood pressure, heart disease and bone diseases are not recommended to join the tour
- There is a minimum of 10 people required to run this tour! On the rare occasion that we should be required to cancel a tour, we will inform you in advance and offer a different tour date, an alternative tour or provide a full refund
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 42 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
6 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
6 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
5 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Organization
5 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Knowledge and storytelling
2 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Traveler reviews
42 verified traveler reviews for John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
No one visiting Phuket should miss this tour!
The most memorable activity of our trip in Thailand. The tour was well organized, properly staffed, very safe, and still quite exciting. Our kayak lead was Hab (I think Abdolwahab) and he was really nice, highly experienced and professional. He's even a great photographer and took many beautiful photos from us.
Response from the operator: Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that your kayaking experience was the most memorable activity of your trip in Thailand. It is especially great to know that you found the tour well organized, safe, and exciting at the same time. We are very pleased to hear your kind words about your kayak guide, Hab. He will be thrilled to know that his professionalism, experience, and friendly approach made such a positive impact on your experience. Your feedback means a great deal to our team, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to share it. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again for another unforgettable adventure in the future. Best Regards, Oh-Hoo Team
via Tripadvisor
A must do trip
We did lots of different trips during our recent holiday and this trip was one of the best we did. Great transfers from the hotel and the whole day was very well organised. All the staff on the trip and especially our guide were excellent and friendly and genuinely seemed like they wanted us to all enjoy ourselves and learn about the culture. My guide was fantastic and so experienced and knowledgable. He got me through the bat cave which was a feat in itself!! The food they provided was some of the best Thai food we ate and seeing the bioluminescent plankton at the end was a memorable moment! Doing this trip gives you the opportunity to experience and see parts of Thailand that you wouldn’t be able to on your own and without the expertise of the local guides…. Book this you won’t regret it!
Response from the operator: Thank you very much for your wonderful and detailed review. We’re truly delighted to hear that your experience was one of the highlights of your holiday. We especially appreciate your kind words about your guide. He will be very pleased to know that his knowledge, experience, and support. Thank you again for your strong recommendation and thoughtful feedback. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future. Best Regards, Oh-Hoo Team
via Tripadvisor
Don’t miss this experience!
This was our second trip with this company. We love it! The staff is great and make it so fun and the food on the boat is some of the best we’ve had. It was fun to see some of the same staff that we saw a couple of years ago. I would highly recommend going. It was a highlight of both of our trips to Phuket. A do not miss in my opinion!
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your incredible support and for choosing to travel with us again. We’re truly honored to have been part of both of your trips to Phuket. It means so much to hear that we were a highlight each time. We’re especially happy that you enjoyed the food and that seeing some familiar team members made the experience even more special. Your recommendation genuinely means the world to us. We hope to welcome you back for a third adventure in the future. Best Regards, Oh-Hoo Team
via Tripadvisor
Avoid Viator
I have no gripe with the tour operator who has also been inconvenienced. The rearranged tour was absolutely stunning so don't be put off by this review. Best not book through Viator - go direct. I booked this trip twice, the first time I made an error so cancelled it months ago. I then corrected my error and rebooked. After months of not hearing from Viator, I get a message ( on the eve of my rebooked trip ) saying my trip was cancelled. I replied asking why but got another one word response saying "cancelled". I made alternative arrangements, but then the pick-up of my trip arrived as it was the original cancelled booking that the message referred to apparently. Why would you resurrect a cancelled trip and send a cancelled message on the eve of the rebooked trip causing total confusion ? Doubtless I will struggle to get a refund as we couldn't go as we had already made alternative plans. Not the first time I have had problems with Viator, I should have learned from previous experience. Needless to say I will not be using them again. Having emailed Viator I expected a quick response - foolish expectations.
Response from the operator: Thank you very much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We are truly sorry for the confusion and frustration caused by the cancellation messages and the lack of clear communication. We completely understand how upsetting this must have been, especially so close to your trip. We sincerely appreciate your kind words about the tour itself and your understanding toward our team. It means a lot to us. We truly hope that the matter of your refund is resolved promptly and fairly. Should you ever consider booking directly with us in the future, we would be more than happy to personally assist you to ensure everything runs smoothly from start to finish. Thank you again for your honest feedback. We wish you many more wonderful and stress free travel experiences ahead. Best Regards, Oh-Hoo Team
via Viator
Best boat trip in Thailand
Absolutely amazing!! Best thing I’ve done since being in Thailand. I can’t recommend this enough. We all had the best time. Mr T and the guides are exceptional and so knowledgeable. It really was a magical day that I will remember forever. Wouldn’t change any of it. The day is perfect and really well run. You don’t feel crammed into the boat and have lots of space to move around and sight see. The food was sooo good aswell. Really really loved it. Don’t think you can beat this trip.
Response from the operator: Thank you for sharing your wonderful and thoughtful review. We are truly grateful that you chose to spend your time with us in Thailand, and we’re delighted to hear that you had such a memorable experience. Your kind words about Mr T, our guides, the organisation of the day, the space on the boat, and the food mean a great deal to our entire team. Thank you again for your heartfelt recommendation. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back again in the future. Best Regards, Oh-hoo Team
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $2692 to $4116
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 15
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Who runs this experience
Operated by Oh-Hoo, who run 775 experiences we rank across 10 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 55.7.
See everything Oh-Hoo runsWhy this scores 71
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Phuket.
How much does John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket cost?
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Prices start at $2692 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Phuket usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket take?
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Plan for about 10 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Phuket is not rushed.
Is John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 71 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.8/5 across 42 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Phuket, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 10-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket?
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Around 15 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Phuket can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Phuket and add a light layer if any part of the 10-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does John Gray's Hong by Starlight with Sea Cave Kayaking + Loy Krathong From Phuket start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Phuket within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Phuket?
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On Outty we rank every Phuket experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Southern Flavors Phuket Food Tour with 15+ Tastings, Phuket Thai Cooking Class with Market Tour Option, James Bond Island by Big Boat w/ Sea Cave Canoeing and Lunch. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Phuket?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Phuket?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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