Ko Tapu

   Ko Tapu is an island located in the Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. It has become a popular tourist attraction since it was featured in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun in 1974; for this reason, it is also often referred to as James Bond Island (the later 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies also includes a scene in Phang Nga Bay, close to James Bond Island). Ko Tapu island is about 20 meters tall, and lies approximately 150 meters offshore of the two-islet pair known as the island Ko Khao Phingkan.
   Departing from Phuket island, day-tours using longtail boats usually land at Ko Khao Phingkan, where market

booths are set up. The islands are located within the Ao Phang Nga National Park. Various Bollywood movies have also been filmed in these islands including the blockbuster Kaho Na Pyaar Hai.

  Flora and fauna

       Most of the island is covered with deciduous limestone shrubland and evergreen trees. Some plants, such as pandanus, cycads, euphorbs and prickly pear cactus grow on nearly soil-free cliffs, such as those of Ko Tapu, penetrating their roots into the numerous cracks and surviving on rainwater. Shallow water depth, warm and stable temperature and rich nutrient supply from mangrove forests and several rivers running into the Phang Nga Bay result in abundant plankton and other marine life. The bay around the island host 26 species of reptiles, 24 species of fish, 14 species of shrimp, 15 species of crabs and 16 species of manta rays, sharks and game fish.     

    Most fishes are typical of coral reefs, such as butterflyfish. Other common inhabitants are blue crab, swimming crab, mudskipper, humpback shrimp, mud lobster, pomfret, sole, anchovy, scad, rock cod, rainbow cuttlefish, soft cuttlefish, musk crab, mackerel, moray eel, puffer fish, rabbitfish, groupers, black sea cucumber, brain coral, staghorn coral and flowerlike soft coral. Amphibians include Fejervarya raja, cricket frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) and Rhaco phorusleucomystax. Aquatic plants are represented by red algae, halimida, seagrass and plant plankton. There are more than 100 species of birds in the area such as Striated Heron, Pacific Reef Heron, Little Egret and others.