5 - Khao Phing Kan, Thailand - The Man with the Golden Gun

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Khao Phing Kan in Thailand, also known as James Bond Island, was famously used as Scaramanga's hideout in 'The Man with the Golden Gun'. For those who haven't seen the film, Scaramanga is one of the world's best hit men (so good in fact that he charges $1 million per hit), who sends one of his notorious golden bullets to MI5 with Bond's name on it, which in turn prompts a game of cat and mouse between Bond and Scaramanga. We learn later that it was in fact Scaramanga's mistress Andrea Anders who sent the golden bullet as she wanted to escape from her lover, but she meets a sticky end.

At the time of filming, Khao Phing Kan was an undiscovered paradise nestled quietly in the midst of several islands off the east coast of Thailand, about 50 miles from Phuket. A little like Koh Phi Phi, where Danny Boyle's 'The Beach' was filmed, this once undiscovered treasure was made famous by Thunderball and ironically, by exposing its utopian qualities, the film simultaneously destroyed a little bit of the paradise.

However, just because James Bond Island is now a little more frequented, that does not mean it is not still beautiful. It forms part of Phang Nga Bay, which is famous for its gravity defying limestone formations such as Ko Tapu, and its long stretch of sea caves and deserted islets. As a trip to Khao Phing Kan should only last a couple of hours, you can also take a boat tour to see some other islands in the bay such as Koh Panyee or Koh Yao Noi, as well as the famous limestone cliffs and monkey caves. Tours of the bay are available from Phuket - the closest large tourist town.

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