Panwa
Featuring Malin and Hanna

© Travelers' Net
Text & Pictures by Michael Bjorklund

"What you need for Christmas is a chopper and a visit to the Phuket Marine Biological Center"

Meet Malin and Hanna, two Swedish ladies who decided to spend their Christmas in tropical Phuket instead of freezing Sweden this year. And they do it in style. What you need for Christmas Day is a chopper and a visit to the Phuket Marine Biological Center. At least if you ask these two...

The Phuket Marine Biological Center is located outside of Phuket Town in a place called Panwa. It's a very picturesque place and there is also a small harbor. But why would you want to go to a Marine Biological Center? Well, there is a reason for it. They have an Aquarium with tropical sea and fresh water fish. They also have turtles, eels, lobsters and crabs. All this for the small fee of 20 Baht.

It's not that difficult to find your way here. If you come from Chalong to Phuket Town, there will be very clear signs telling you were to go. If you come from Patong you will have more exploring to do but sooner or later you should find a sign indicating the right direction. "I was very impressed by the scenery" Hanna mentions, "I mean, I wasn't expecting scenery, I was expecting fish tanks..."

There are a few rules you have to live with if you want to enter the Aquarium. Apropriate clothing (no swimwear) and no photography. If you want to take a picture, ask first and never use flash.

"I was amazed by the variety of fish found in Thai waters" Malin says. "Now I can understand why divers love Phuket".

It's seems like the Royal Thai Navy also like Panwa (and who can blame them?). They have a small base here and you can usually see a couple of the Navy's patrol boats in the harbor.

Next week you will be able to follow Malin and Hanna to Koh Sireh. There is some Monkey business going on there in the late afternoons and these two ladies didn't want to miss it, neither should you...