The second most popular island of Phang Nga Bay is Koh Panyee, which is an over-water fishing village built around a sensational rock. Koh Panyee has been inhabited for more than 200 years, and it is located not very far from what is known today as James Bond Island.
The origin of Koh Panyee community is Muslim nomadic fishermen from Malaysia who settled here. Having no firm land on the island, they had to create the settlement above the sea. They were building their wooden houses on pylons and getting used to living that way until they reached the current era. The villagers are predominantly Muslim, and you can find not only a Mosque but even the small football field sitting on stilts here.
Koh Panyee is famous not only for its spectacular scenery but for the history of the island’s youth soccer team. This unusual story began in 1984 when a group of kids from the city wanted to start playing football on the islet. As they saw that there was no natural space, they decided to build a floating wooden one in the sea. Thus, they began to play and have fun. One day, they learned that there was a youth championship and decided to participate and even reach the semifinals. That is how the story of a soccer team called Panyee FC started.
Nowadays, that little wooden soccer field is a new soccer field constructed of more resistant materials but also with the curiosity of being floating and is one of the attractions of the town. Apart from this beautiful story, Koh Panyee is also a regular destination on any of the tours that operate through Phang Nga Bay from Phuket or Krabi. The visit consists of touring the town, visiting the mosque, and having lunch typical of fish or seafood dishes.
