Ko Tapu, the towering limestone pillar that gives James Bond Island its name, rises dramatically from the emerald waters of Phang Nga Bay, part of Ao Phang Nga National Park in southern Thailand. This iconic karst landscape became globally famous as the hideout of the villain Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, a scene that fused cinematic myth with the natural grandeur of the bay. The sea around the rock is a canvas of turquoise and jade, framed by other limestone islets and mangrove coves that shimmer in daylight. Today, visitors arrive by boat on day trips from Phuket or Krabi, drawn by the combination of film lore, rugged beauty, and the sense of stepping into a blockbuster moment.

James Bond Island sits within Ao Phang Nga National Park, where dramatic limestone karsts rise from emerald-blue waters. The site is best known as Khao Phing Kan and Ko Tapu, the hideout of the rogue assassin Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun, linking it forever to 007. Today, visitors arrive by long-tail or speedboat to peer up at Ko Tapu, explore nearby sea caves, and soak in the tropical atmosphere that surrounds the towering rocks. The area buzzes with souvenir stalls and tour boats, creating a lively contrast to the island’s stark natural grandeur.

Emerald Lagoon sits within Ao Phang Nga National Park, where dramatic limestone karsts rise from turquoise waters to create a living postcard of southern Thailand. Ko Tapu, the slender rock pillar that dominates the lagoon, has become an iconic symbol of the area and a magnet for photographers and hikers alike. The site shot to international fame after it was used as Scaramanga’s hideout in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), anchoring its legend in cinema history. Today, visitors arrive by long-tail or speedboat, drawn by the surreal light, the emerald water, and the sense that nature and cinema history share the same horizon.