Movies filmed in Krabi: visiting the James Bond and The Beach locations by speedboat

The short answer: several, and with very different backgrounds. Some places became world famous through a single film, others stood in for locations in other countries, and still others are settings of recent big productions. It helps to keep the geography straight: Krabi and the Phi Phi islands belong to Krabi province, while Phang Nga Bay with James Bond Island and Khao Lak belong to the neighbouring province of Phang Nga.

The overview below lists only productions whose locations in the region are well documented. Where the sources are thin or contradictory, we say so explicitly – better one claim fewer than one wrong claim.

All places in this article are real, publicly accessible landscapes. We describe them from the point of view of a boat trip and do not show film scenes; the pictures in this article are our own depictions of the places, not stills from any film.

The ninth Bond film, directed by Guy Hamilton in 1974 with Roger Moore as 007 and Christopher Lee as the villain Scaramanga, turned a barely known group of rocks into a world hotspot. Shooting took place in Hong Kong and southern Thailand, among other places; the exterior shots at the villain’s hideout were made at Khao Phing Kan and Koh Tapu in Phang Nga Bay. Ever since, travellers have called the place James Bond Island, and the name is so persistent that it appears on signs, in guidebooks and on boat itineraries.

From everything that is reported, the area was not yet a tourist destination at the time of filming; infrastructure was minimal. Hard to imagine today, because the small beach at Khao Phing Kan is one of the most visited stops in the region.

What you see today: Khao Phing Kan is a pair of rocks leaning against each other – the name is usually translated as “mountains leaning on each other”. In front of it stands Koh Tapu in the water, the slender rock needle that is wider at the top than at the bottom. According to commonly given figures it is around 20 metres tall and roughly 40 metres from the shore. Both belong to Ao Phang Nga National Park.

Important for your planning: to protect the needle itself, boats may not approach it. On the main island there is a short beach, souvenir stalls and viewing paths; depending on the day and time it can be very crowded there.

With Pierce Brosnan as Bond, the series returned to southern Thailand in 1997, in the film directed by Roger Spottiswoode. The interesting part: the story is set, among other places, at Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. It was not shot there, though – according to widespread reports there were problems with filming permits – and Phang Nga Bay stepped in instead. The karst landscapes of the two bays really are strikingly similar: limestone towers rising steeply from green water.

Which rocks exactly were used for the film is less clearly documented in the sources than for the 1974 film. We therefore deliberately name no single island but refer to the bay as a whole. For visitors that is the better lesson anyway: the appeal of Phang Nga Bay lies not in one photo stop but in the landscape between the stops.

For your trip this means: crossing the bay by speedboat gives you exactly this backdrop – the rocks grow out of the water, mangroves line the channels, and in morning mist the scenery looks almost unreal.

The Beach is the film adaptation of Alex Garland’s 1996 novel, directed by Danny Boyle and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It reached cinemas in 2000. It was filmed, among other places, at Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh, the smaller uninhabited island of the Phi Phi group in Krabi province. Anyone who knows the film knows that the story is about a hidden paradise – and the irony is that the real location stayed anything but hidden afterwards.

Maya Bay is a small, almost circular bay enclosed by tall limestone walls on three sides. That shape is exactly what gives it its charm: the water is sheltered, the light falls as if into an amphitheatre, and the bay feels like a separate, self-contained room.

After the film the bay became one of the most famous beaches in the world. What that meant for nature and how the bay has recovered since its closure is covered in the next section.

An honest story about The Beach includes the controversy. According to reports, the production had the bay reshaped for filming: sand dunes were altered, coconut palms were planted and vegetation was removed to make the beach wider and more “paradise-like”. Conservationists criticised that natural barriers disappeared and the beach became more prone to erosion.

This turned into a long legal dispute. In the late 1990s local conservationists and representatives of Krabi province went to court; the defendants included not only the film company but also Thai authorities. According to media reports the courts partly confirmed the allegations over the following years, and in September 2022 – more than two decades after the shoot – Thailand’s Supreme Court reportedly ruled that the production company involved should pay a previously agreed sum of 10 million baht towards restoration. Further details of the proceedings are presented differently in different sources; for this article the core is enough: the consequences of the shoot occupied the courts for a very long time.

At the same time the bay suffered from its own success. At times, according to reports, several thousand visitors came per day, and boats anchored on the reef and damaged coral. In June 2018 Maya Bay was first closed for a few months; in October 2018 the national park authority extended the closure indefinitely because the damage was greater than expected. During that time coral fragments were rescued and replanted, and as early as the end of 2018 observers reported blacktip reef sharks in the bay – a sign that the ecosystem was recovering.

On 1 January 2022 the bay reopened with clear rules: boats may no longer enter the bay, swimming in the bay is not allowed (to give coral and sharks peace), the length of stay is limited and visitor numbers are capped. In addition, Maya Bay stays closed for around two months every year; most recently, for 2026, that was 1 August to 30 September. The exact rules and dates are set by the national park authority and occasionally changed – please check the current status before you travel.

The Impossible is not an adventure film but a drama about the tsunami disaster of 26 December 2004. It was directed by the Spaniard J. A. Bayona and stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland. The film tells the true story of a Spanish family who survived the tsunami in Thailand. According to consistent reports it was filmed mainly in Khao Lak in Phang Nga province, including at the hotel where the real family was staying at the time and at a hospital in the area; shooting took place between late 2010 and early 2011. Some sources additionally name Phuket and Krabi. The elaborate water scenes were reportedly shot in a water tank in Spain.

This section has a different tone from the others, on purpose. In December 2004 the tsunami caused immeasurable suffering on Thailand’s Andaman coast, including Khao Lak, Krabi and the Phi Phi islands. For many people there this is not a film set but a memory. The area has been rebuilt since; memorials commemorate the victims.

Khao Lak lies north of Phuket and from Krabi it is an overland trip, not a boat ride. Our tours do not go there. If you visit Khao Lak, do it as a traveller, not as a film tourist: do not ask about “locations”, visit the memorials quietly and respectfully, do not photograph people without permission and dress accordingly.

Southern Thailand remains popular with international productions. According to reports from the Thai tourism authority and the media, scenes for Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025, directed by Gareth Edwards) were shot in southern Thailand, including in Krabi province (Railay Beach and the Huai To waterfall in Khao Phanom Bencha National Park are mentioned), in Phang Nga Bay and in Trang. For the series Alien: Earth (2025), reports likewise name places in Krabi and Phang Nga, including Railay and well-known rock formations; what exactly appears on screen, however, is stated differently in different reports.

The Hangover Part II (2011) also has a link to Krabi: according to reports a luxury hotel served as a set there. That is a hotel story, not a boat story – and therefore not relevant to your speedboat trip.

Why we mention these titles only briefly: for newer productions the details change quickly, and many reports come from tourism marketing. We therefore count only what is mentioned repeatedly and leave open which scene was shot where. If you know you want to see a particular location, tell us when you enquire; we will then check whether it fits sensibly into your route.

The two big movie landscapes lie in opposite directions: Phang Nga Bay to the north and east, Phi Phi to the south. Combining both in one day is unrealistic and would take away the charm. Two separate days are better – or you pick one. The suggestions below are guidelines, not fixed timetables; weather, tides and crowds decide the final order.

Route A – Phang Nga Bay (the Bond landscape): From the boat’s point of view the day starts early, so you see the karst towers in morning light and reach the well-known stops before the midday rush. Our Phang Nga tour goes to Koh Roi, Koh Kudu and Koh Nok – places where you have rock, lagoon and beach to yourselves. If James Bond Island or the stilt village of Koh Panyee is a must for you, mention it when you enquire; we will discuss whether and how it fits into the schedule.

Route B – Phi Phi (the Beach landscape): Here punctuality counts more than anywhere else. Our Phi Phi Early Bird tour leaves at 7 am and takes you to Maya Bay, into Pileh Lagoon, past Viking Cave and to Bamboo Island for a lunch break. The idea behind it: reach Maya Bay before the ferries and big excursion boats arrive.

Route C – two days, two movie worlds: if you stay a week in Ao Nang you can spread Phang Nga and Phi Phi over two days. Put Phi Phi on a quieter day of the week and plan a weather buffer.

The calmer season with usually smoother seas is, as a rule, the dry season from about November to April. In the rainy season trips depend on the weather; in rough seas some trips are cancelled or rescheduled. Phang Nga Bay, thanks to its many islands, is generally more sheltered than the open water towards the Phi Phi islands – that can influence the choice of destination. You will find more in our guide to the best time to visit.

Tides matter mostly in Phang Nga Bay. Some lagoons and passages, for example at Koh Roi, are only easily accessible at a certain water level; at high tide you get in comfortably, at low tide it can get shallow. Our tide guide explains ebb and flood on Krabi’s coast in detail.

Time of day matters more than season. Whether Phi Phi or James Bond Island: early morning and late afternoon are soft in light and empty of people. Midday is busiest and the light is harshest.

Film locations are photo locations – which is exactly why many people end up in the frame. With these habits your pictures become calmer and more personal.

The famous locations lie in protected areas: James Bond Island in Ao Phang Nga National Park, Maya Bay in the Phi Phi area with its own rules. Fees and rules are set by the national park authority and change from time to time. Whether and how much of an entrance fee applies at your destination, you will learn when booking.

From a conservation point of view, the lesson of Maya Bay is simple: sensitive places need breaks. If a bay is closed or swimming is prohibited, there is a reason. Stick to it, even if that means you “only” look from the boat.

We are a private speedboat charter from Ao Nang for a maximum of five guests. That helps especially at film locations: you do not pay for a timetable but can agree the timing, pace and stops with us. Snorkelling, swimming, bathing and relaxing are part of the tours; snorkel gear is free and ticked when you book.

If you want to see the Phi Phi landscape of The Beach, the Phi Phi Early Bird tour is a good fit. If you want to experience the karst landscape of Phang Nga Bay, you will find it on the Uncharted Phang Nga & Secret Islands tour. Both tours are starting points; we are happy to discuss specific wishes when you enquire.

One honest note: we do not promise film scenes or a guarantee of empty beaches. Famous places stay famous. But with an early start, good planning and a small boat you will see them differently from most visitors.