Ko Panyi Floating Football Pitch — Local services in Phang-nga Province

Visiting this unusual island was part of our all day James Bond island and Ao Phang Nga NP tour from Phuket. As I saw JB island before and did not this one, it was a highlight of our tour for me. The stop is used for lunch which is totally touristy, nothing to write home about, just to keep you fed. Have in mind due to Muslim population here, there's no alcohol available to buy, nor you can bring it from your boat in backpack. But after the lunch you're given some 45 min free time to explore this unique settlement. Let me inform you it is built in a stunning surroundings of beautiful and unusual shaped cliffs rising from the sea. It all started over a century ago when few families from Malaysia settled here and built their first stilt houses. They were followed by others and today with their descendants population is over 2000. Prime income was fishing, but with Thailand tourism growth today leading economies are restaurants for group tours and souvenirs sale on many stalls. Souvenir stalls are adjacent to restaurants and exactly the same like all over Thailand. I advise to skip them and just after quick lunch stroll through this tiny elevated man made island. Go 'off the beaten track' to 'remoter' parts where people actually live - you can even sneak inside the houses through open door or windows, see them work on repairing or building their boats.... Visit their school and witness parents coming on bikes for their kids, go at the 'floating' football stadium or visit the Golden domed Mosque. And yes, it is filthy and smelly like some say, but have in mind you're on a real, authentic living and working floating island, not in a luxurious resort. If you can't bear it, it's...

Panyee is a very important island to visit in south of Thailand, you can reach it from Phuket or Krabi as well . Panyee was a very poor Island in the past but now it is rich because many tourists go there to visit and see the floating football playground . This playground constructed on the water because this island is too small and no space to make playgrounds there . This island contains also a beautiful mosque and many restaurants and...

Thats a beautiful football field with a very nice view. I would highly recommend to play just with skillful players as you need to start a world tour over earth‘s oceans to get the balls back once you smashed them into the sea. I even found the ball of my friend in the river Lauter near my hometown. He provably just hammers balls into the...