Rising dramatically from the emerald-green waters of Phang Nga Bay, Ko Tapu—also known as James Bond Island—has become one of Thailand’s most photographed limestone landmarks. The slender, towering rock and the surrounding karst formations earned fame when they framed Scaramanga’s island hideout in The Man with the Golden Gun, anchoring a narrative of espionage in a tropical paradise. Today, the site exudes a magnetic atmosphere of cinematic legend, drawing visitors by boat through busy waterways to glimpse the weathered surface and the lush jungle that cloaks the nearby cliffs. While the island itself remains small and primarily a scenic backdrop, the whole bay offers a sense of ancient, sun-bleached mystery that sits in contrast with the modern thrill of a blockbuster memory.

Khao Phing Kan and Ko Tapu in Phang Nga Bay served as Scaramanga’s island hideout in "The Man with the Golden Gun"; limestone karsts rise from emerald waters.

Rising from the emerald-green waters of Phang Nga Bay, Khao Phing Kan and its companion Ko Tapu form a dramatic limestone tableau that has drawn travelers and film fans for decades. The site shot to international fame as Scaramanga's hideout in The Man with the Golden Gun, lending the landscape a cinematic aura of danger and adventure. Accessible only by boat, the jagged karsts, sea caves, and narrow channels create a charged atmosphere where every swell whispers of the next cinematic moment. Today visitors wander the cave passages on guided tours, standing at the edge of a setting that remains one of Bond’s most iconic island scenes.