Is there anyone here who has experience renting a longtail boat for a day for exploring Phang Nga Bay?Can the boat be rented on the east side, or do I have to look for a boat on the west side?

There is some long tail boat renting companies at Ao Por pier.

At the pier where you get following the big official sign "Phangnga Bay" at the road from Phuket to Phangnga Town, the cost of chartering a boat for 3-4 hours should be 1200 Baht (for the boat, not per person), possibly after a bit of haggling.

We rent from a small place called Ko Panyi, about 5 Km before Phang-nga. Take the route 4 to Phang-nga/Krabi, then set of traffic lights turn right onto the 4144. Just use Google Earth and search Ko Panyi. Works just fine.

Most tourists go to Takua Thung as that's well sign posted, but it's far too commercialised. Ko Panyi is much more laid back and you should be able to negotiate a sensible price. Been a few years since our last trip but we paid about 1,000 baht for 4 hours. Mind you my wife is Thai

Done it quite a few times. The first time we drove to Phang Nga, and a few km before the town you turn right down to the Phang Nga jetty, it's signposted "Phang Nga National Park"... but later we found a better way, starting at a restaurant called Samchong Seafood, nice local place floating in a wide mangrove channel. About 20km from Sarasin bridge. Good food, and I believe it was 1500 baht for the boat last time.

I went to ask details from Ao Por pier. Price was 4000-4500B for whole day trip (9am-4pm, 4 islands). Bigger size longtail boat with wooden cover for 4-6 people.

Contact information: Khun Mek, tel: 087-381 9440 or 088-169 2660

Call him for information and do not shoot the messenger for the price

My preferred place for starting the tour is Khlong Khian (8°10'50.68"N, 98°26'32.43"E). Prices like quoted (~ 1600 Baht) by other members, the people in this village know a lot about the island and caves in Phang Nga Bay. The usually have flashlights in their boats, but quite often the batteries are finished, better bring your own for cave exploring.

Open attached placemark in Google Earth or look up the coordinates in Goggle Maps.

Longtail Boat Phang Nga.kmz

Thanks for the helpful answers, really appreciated