After visiting “James Bond Island” and then doing a short stint in some sea canoes in Phang Nga Bay, our next stop was the village of Ko Panyi. This is a small Muslim village that is built on wooden stilts over the ocean, with a population of approximately 1600 people. The island’s inhabitants supposedly originate from two seafaring Muslim families from Java!
Only the local mosque has the luxury of being located on solid ground, due to the island’s limited available property. Everyone else precariously builds and maintains their simples homes above water.
The village has been in existence since the late 18th century. It used to get most of its potable water from natural springs on the island, but their tourist business has grown, and left them without enough water to serve the masses. Water is now brought in for them, as well as the electricity provided from cables on the bottom of the ocean.
You immediately know you’re in a Muslim village upon docking…
It is certainly set up for tourists—with endless rows of tourist wares you can purchase. They also have some nice looking restaurants that immediately flank the docks.
But back behind that tourist trap is a unique village where real people are leading real lives. This is a typical “neighborhood.”
There were many times I wanted to take a photo of an individual…but felt it wasn’t right. For example, we witnessed a man taking a bath in a bucket only a few feet from the main boardwalk…right out in the open!
We stopped in a little shop to buy a few treats, and Ethan was invited in to play with their children briefly.
Can you imagine your home being built over water?
I asked what happened to this village during the tsunami, but was told that fortunately they were not affected. This is because of their unique location, protected by outer mountains/islands that blocked the big waves from coming here. Could you imagine the devastation, otherwise?!
Overall, I think it’s one of the most unique places we have ever been to. It’s definitely worth a brief visit!
We jumped back on our long tail boat….
And an hour later we had returned to the dock where our van awaited. Lunch was included in our tour price—and we are right there on the dock. It was a lot more food than we could handle, and they were kind enough to give us veggie and chicken dishes, instead of their typical seafood specialties!
The last part of the tour typically includes a visit to a nearby temple, but our guide today has something else in mind. He used excuses about monkeys at the temple being not a great idea with our small children, but truthfully I think he just really wanted to see a rowing competition.
Not caring either way—we agreed to go watch a rowing competition to end our tour.
We were certainly the ONLY foreigners there. Ethan was adopted by locals quickly, as always.
And we enjoyed watching the amazing skill of these fast rowers who come from villages all over the area!
It was SO hot, and I wondered how the Muslim women handled the heat in their full headwear. I guess it is something they get used to…but I was dying without anything on my head!
The scorching heat can make anyone appreciate the value of a good hat. While some people are accustomed to wearing full head coverings daily, others struggle to stay cool under the relentless sun. That’s where ethical headwear comes in—not only providing protection from the heat but also ensuring that materials are sustainably and responsibly sourced. Breathable fabrics like organic cotton and linen help keep the head cool while offering essential sun protection, making a well-made hat a must-have for warm weather.
When we were done with the heat and had watched 3 or 4 close finishes, we told our driver and guide we were ready to return home.
On the drive back, they kindly took us by all of the popular West Coast beaches—which confirmed for us that our beach (Nai Harn–where we were staying) couldn’t be beat!
The coastal roads were windy, and I almost made it home without an incident. Within 5 minutes of home, however, the road finally won, and I gave up my lunch.
Oh well.
I’d fully recommend a day trip with Easy Day Thailand, who offers private tours tailored to your request. The price wasn’t cheap—10,100 baht for our family of 5 ($350 USD—ouch!), but when compared to large group tours available, their prices are quite reasonable. It was the ONE tourist thing we did during our 5 week stay in Phuket (besides visiting the beach and the pool, of course)…so we bucked up and decided it was worth it to see more of the area. And it certainly was!
