WORLDWIDE

Best Paddle Trips Worldwide — Our Top 15

39 tours  ·  from $47 a head

Good paddle trips sell out weeks ahead in season and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and where they differ.

James Bond Island with Canoeing and Lunch by Speedboat - Speeding across Phang Nga Bay
Canoes & Kayaks, James Bond Island Tours, Phuket Speedboat Tours, Speedboat Tours, Thailand Speedboat Tours, Tour Reviews

James Bond Island with Canoeing and Lunch by Speedboat

1.James Bond Island with Canoeing and Lunch by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,202 reviews · from $103Our pick

Spend most of a day touring Phang Nga Bay by speedboat, paddling through Talu Island’s sea caves, visiting James Bond Island, eating at Koh Panyee, and swimming at Naka Island. Guides such as Tommy, Dino, Ohma, and Kung are known for keeping the day moving and helping with photos.

“Boat overcrowded. I counted 33 people on our boat. Not everyone had a place to sit as sitting in the front is not really an option. People had to move to the back of the boat after hitting some really big waves. Some people had to stand since there was no room. Disappointing since we had a tour the prior day with a different company that set the bar high. The floating village was unique and liked all the stops. Maybe book with a different company. Nothing was wrong but nothing was great.”

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Phuket: James Bond Island Sea Canoeing by Speedboat+ 2 Meals - From Patong pickup to Boat Lagoon Port
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Phuket: James Bond Island Sea Canoeing by Speedboat+ 2 Meals

2.James Bond Island Sea Canoeing by Speedboat+ 2 Meals

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 580 reviews · from $80

Spend a full day from Patong exploring Phang Nga Bay by speedboat. Guides such as Patty, Lily, and Rainy lead you to sea caves, Hong Island, James Bond Island, Panyee Island, and Yao Yai. Breakfast, buffet lunch, drinks, hotel transfers, and canoeing are included.

“best tour ever! our guide patty was so fun, kind, and helpful! best experience we’ve had in phuket”

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Dart River Canoe and Jet Boat Experience from Queenstown - The Jet Boat Ride into the National Park
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Dart River Canoe and Jet Boat Experience from Queenstown

3.Dart River Canoe and Jet Boat Experience from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 342 reviews · from $273

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy, then race upriver on the Dart River by jet boat before paddling a three-person funyak through side streams, rock pools, and chasms. Guides such as Rob, Brendan, Ella, and JJ are praised for keeping beginners safe and engaged. Lunch and all water gear are included.

“We had a fantastic time. It is so helpful to have them provide all of the gear (wetsuit, booties, fleece, raincoat, and a gater that proved helpful in a variety of ways—hair control, face cover, hat protector). The jet boat ride was a thrill. When we goRead more”

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Phuket: James Bond Island Speedboat Tour with Canoeing - Breakfast at the pier sets the tone
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Phuket: James Bond Island Speedboat Tour with Canoeing

4.James Bond Island Speedboat Tour with Canoeing

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 240 reviews · 9 hours · from $79

Spend nine hours island-hopping from Phuket by speedboat, with breakfast, drinks, cave canoeing, a Panyee Island buffet, James Bond Island, and beach time at Naka Island. Guides such as Spicy, Cindy, Lily, and Net add humor and useful local context, while a photographer may offer paid photos.

“Day trip was excellent Great amount of time in each location James Bond Island & Canoeing on Hong Island was amazing Panyee Island great to see and lunch was good. Our tour guide "spicy" was great fun & very informative. Return transfers were not great though too many drops in one car - took us 1.5 hours for a 20 minute journey - wish we had paid for private transfers”

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Portimão: Benagil Caves Speedboat and Kayak Guided Tour - Leaving Portimão Marina for Benagil
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Portimão: Benagil Caves Speedboat and Kayak Guided Tour

5.Portimão: Benagil Caves Speedboat and Kayak Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 198 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $47Best value

From Portimão Marina, you’ll ride by boat with guides such as Bernardo, Rafael, Alfonso, or Ricardo, then paddle a double kayak into Benagil Cave and near Praia da Marinha. Expect clear water, coastal views, a swim stop, and about 2.5 hours on the water.

“Fantastic experience. I'm 50 and not active at all but I loved this. tour guide was superb and looked after everyone very well. be wary if you suffer from seasickness as it was in quite choppy our day and a couple people were sick”

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Snorkeling and Kayaking Tour at Angthong Marine Park by Speedboat from Koh Samui - The early start and speedboat crossing
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Snorkeling and Kayaking Tour at Angthong Marine Park by Speedboat from Koh Samui

6.Snorkeling and Kayaking Tour at Angthong Marine Park by Speedboat from Koh Samui

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 149 reviews · from $63

Spend 7 to 8 hours touring Angthong Marine Park by speedboat from Koh Samui. Snorkel near Wua Island, climb to the Emerald Lake viewpoint, kayak around limestone islands, and enjoy lunch on Wua Ta Lap. Hotel pickup, equipment, guide, water, and lunch are included.

“Romeo was our guide, very energetic and fun, but he talked so fast and his English wasn’t great to begin with. We were all confused as to what was happening most of the time. There little to no explanation about anything, where we were going, what we needed to take, what kind of shoes to bring on each stop.. he was just all over the place. I ’ve been on excursions in the past and this was the first one where they don’t offer fruit or snacks. Plenty of water though. so there’s that. The food was average and “breakfast” was cookies. I do have to say the the spot…”

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From Queenstown: Dart River Canoe & Jet Boat Day Trip - Getting fitted out at the Dart River base
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From Queenstown: Dart River Canoe & Jet Boat Day Trip

7.Dart River Canoe & Jet Boat Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 148 reviews · 390 - 510 minutes · from $256

Travel from Queenstown to Glenorchy, then ride a wilderness jet boat up the Dart River before paddling back in a Funyak. Guides such as Dean, John, Ellie, and Georgia keep the day safe and well paced. Expect cold water, a chasm walk, picnic lunch, and a Paradise Valley film-location tour.

“JJ and Matt were friendly and knowledgeable. I had a small back strain and JJ cheerfully made sure I was comfortable and not in danger of further injuring myself. The scenery was gorgeous and we got a good amount of time out on the river, with some nice landmark guidance should we want to go back out in the area for activities like the Routeburn Track. Even the drives between Queenstown and Glenorchy were beautiful and the driver pleasant. Glenorchy was charming and I would have gladly spent another couple of hours hiking nearby if I had had the time.”

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Private James Bond Island Speedboat Adventure Tour w/ Canoeing - Panak Island reveals the quieter side of Phang Nga Bay
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Private James Bond Island Speedboat Adventure Tour w/ Canoeing

8.Private James Bond Island Speedboat Adventure Tour w/ Canoeing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 114 reviews

You’ll leave Phuket at 9 a.m. for a private speedboat day across Phang Nga Bay, with Panak Island caves, Talu Island canoeing, Panyee village, James Bond Island, and a swim at Naka Island. Guides such as Dino, Tony, and Ban are praised for clear explanations and flexible service.

“The tour was amazing. Our tour guide, Dino, was fantastic. The guide was very helpful, informative, and explained to us everything in detail. I would highly recommend this tour company and this tour guide.”

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Krabi: Premium James Bond Island Speedboat & Canoe Trip - James Bond Island and Ko Tapu
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Krabi: Premium James Bond Island Speedboat & Canoe Trip

9.Premium James Bond Island Speedboat & Canoe Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 108 reviews · from $107

Travel from Krabi by premium speedboat to James Bond Island, Panak Island’s sea caves, Hong Island, and Koh Panyee. You’ll canoe through limestone scenery, eat at a floating village, swim near the Big Tree, and spend the day with a small group and English-speaking guide.

“I didn't like the fact that we had to wait for 20 to 30 minutes when picking up the people from Railay Beach. They should have been there waiting for us.”

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Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach - Three hours on Koh Madsum
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Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach

10.Pig Island Experience By Speed Boat, Snorkeling, Kayaking Relaxing on the Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 96 reviews · from $53

Spend about six hours sailing from southern Koh Samui to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum, known as Pig Island. You’ll snorkel, kayak, eat lunch on the beach, and watch friendly pigs roam free. Hotel transfers, equipment, water, insurance, and an English-speaking guide are included, but the 50 THB island fee is extra.

“Goodie and crew are the absolute bombs! They made sure that we had the best trip ever. We had so much fun visiting all of the islands and learning about them. And of course, Sexy Goodie and his team were absolutely fantastic and taking Read more”

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James Bond Island by Speedboat and Canoe at Hong Island - A relaxed start at Ao Po Pier
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James Bond Island by Speedboat and Canoe at Hong Island

11.James Bond Island by Speedboat and Canoe at Hong Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $74

Join BJ Canoeing Tour for an eight-hour Phuket outing by speedboat. Paddle through Hong Island’s cave-like room, explore Panak Island, visit James Bond Island, eat lunch at Koh Panyi, and swim at Naka Island. Pickup and an English-speaking guide are included.

“Ibrahim was a good guide. The tour covered a lot of areas and provide opportunities for swimming and jet skiing.”

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Phuket: James Bond Island Sea Canoe by Speedboat - The ride to Royal Phuket Marina
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Phuket: James Bond Island Sea Canoe by Speedboat

12.James Bond Island Sea Canoe by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 84 reviews · 9 hours · from $77

Spend nine hours touring Phang Nga Bay by speedboat, paddling through caves and mangroves, visiting James Bond Island and Koh Panyee, then swimming at Koh Naka Yai. English-speaking guides lead the day, with Thai, Western, and Halal buffet choices included.

“Our tour guide, Ms. Celina, was amazing! She was energetic and handled the tour well. She always gave drinks to hydrate us every after a stop. Well organized!”

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Koh Phangan: Angthong Emerald Waters & Kayaking by Speedboat - Starting at Thong Sala Pier
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Koh Phangan: Angthong Emerald Waters & Kayaking by Speedboat

13.Koh Phangan: Angthong Emerald Waters & Kayaking by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 81 reviews · 7 hours · from $78

Join Lomlahk Khirin for a seven-hour Ang Thong trip from Koh Phangan. Snorkel beneath limestone cliffs, kayak near Mae Koh, climb to Talay Nai, and enjoy a Thai buffet. Guides such as Katy, Bank, and King David are praised for clear briefings and kind service.

“amazing trip ! transport was so fun, we had king david as our guide and he was amazing at leading the tour. so many amazing spots in a truly stunning area”

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Koh Samui: Angthong Marine Park Speedboat Tour with Kayaking - Hotel pickup, breakfast, and the pier
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Koh Samui: Angthong Marine Park Speedboat Tour with Kayaking

14.Angthong Marine Park Speedboat Tour with Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 77 reviews · from $68

Spend a full day sailing from Koh Samui to Angthong Marine Park. You will snorkel at Koh Wao, hike to Emerald Lake, kayak around Koh Sam Sao, and climb Wua Talap for wide sea views. Hotel transfers, food, equipment, and an English-speaking guide are included, but expect a busy schedule.

“Very touristic, guide didn't speak good English and explained almost nothing. The Kayak was ridiculous (not even 1.5 km), basically just meant to say "done". Same for the hikes, the guide says the most strenuous one is 500 mt D+ but my Garmin is not of the same opinion... all in all, very rushed, very touristic, the weather was awful and we went anyway. Simply put, a good way to ruin a natural paradise.”

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Snorkel and Kayak Tour to Angthong Marine Park by Speedboat from Koh Samui - The speedboat ride to the park
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Snorkel and Kayak Tour to Angthong Marine Park by Speedboat from Koh Samui

15.Snorkel and Kayak Tour to Angthong Marine Park by Speedboat from Koh Samui

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 77 reviews · from $62

Travel from Koh Samui to Angthong Marine Park by speedboat for snorkeling, kayaking, island walks, and Thai lunch on Koh Wua Talap. You will visit Koh Mae Ko and see the famous green lagoon, with hotel pickup, equipment, drinks, and a guide included. Expect a full, active day with some waiting and a bumpy ride.

“We did this tour at the beginning of our time in Ko Samui... The sights and view points during the trip were beautiful and definitely worth seeing. The organisation to begin with at the harbour could have been better, there was a lot of waiting about, especially in the heat. The snorkelling part of the trip, alongside the kayaking was particularly enjoyable, however we were left mostly to our own devices about where to go and what to do. Lunch wasn't well organised at all - there was about 5 boats worth of people trying to cue for food, which ended in a disaster especially after we were told that…”

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