In the heart of Phang Nga National Park, among majestic karst cliffs, lies the amazing floating village of Panyee (Koh Panyee) - a fishing settlement entirely built on stilts above the waters of the bay. For tourists traveling through the park by boat, this is a mandatory lunch stop, but in reality, Panyee is a living museum of sea gypsy (chao le) culture, having managed to create full-fledged infrastructure where there seems to be no patch of land.
The village was founded in the late 18th century by Muslim fishermen from the Indonesian island of Java. Searching for new fishing grounds, they discovered the rocky Koh Panyee island, unsuitable for construction. So the people decided to build their homes right on the water:
• Ironwood stilts - resistant to seawater and can last for decades.
• Rafts made from empty barrels - the first structures stayed afloat thanks to them.
• Over time, the village expanded to 360 houses connected by wooden walkways. Today, about 1,500 people live here, mostly descendants of those settlers.
Life in Panyee: School, Mosque and Even a Football Field
Walking along the narrow walkways, it`s hard to believe this is a fully functional settlement with complete infrastructure:
• School - a two-story stilt building where 200 children study. Lessons are conducted in Thai, but many residents also speak Javanese dialect.
• Mosque - the central place in the village, built from bright blue wood. Its minaret is visible from afar.
• Football stadium - Panyee`s greatest pride. The pitch is assembled from old fishing rafts and covered with planks. The local team has trained here since 1986 and has even won regional tournaments!
• Market and restaurants - tourists are treated to freshly caught seafood: shrimp in coconut milk, fried squid, and tom yum.
Panyee is a place where nature and human ingenuity have created something amazing. There are no cars here, and instead of streets - wooden walkways, but it has everything needed for life: a school, mosque, and even its own stadium.
