r/MuayThailand

Hey everyone,

I’m planning to go to Phuket from January 5th until around April 1st, most likely staying around Rawai or Chalong.

My main goal is to train Muay Thai seriously, with some BJJ on the side.

I’m 23, turning 24, 186 cm and around 75 kg. I have about a month of BJJ experience and some basic Muay Thai/K1 knowledge from my brother, who trained for around 5 years. But realistically, I’m still a beginner.

I’ve been working heavily for the last 6–7 years without much opportunity to train, so I want to use these 3 months to get back into shape, learn proper technique, get some sparring/fighting experience and build a solid foundation.

The most important thing for me is finding a gym that actually teaches. I don’t want to just do pads, conditioning, get exhausted and go home. I want coaches who correct technique and genuinely help me improve.

So I’d love recommendations for Muay Thai gyms around Rawai/Chalong, especially ones that are good for beginners but still focus heavily on technique. BJJ options nearby would also be great.

Also: What would be a realistic budget for 3 months including accommodation, training, food, scooter, equipment and some spending money?

Where’s the best place to find monthly accommodation — Facebook Marketplace, Airbnb, local agencies, etc.? Is it cheaper/better to cook, or is eating local food every day affordable enough?

Should I bring my gloves/shin guards from Europe or buy everything in Thailand?

Anything you wish you knew before spending a few months training in Phuket?

Any advice from people who have actually done this would be massively appreciated. 🙏

Hi all,

Do you know any solid gyms with solid sparring partners and motivated trainers that offer good prices for Thais? Looking for around 200 baht per single session and good prices for Thais for monthly passes. Staying in Santitham in Chiang Mai. Preferably not longer than a 20 minute drive from there.

As a lot of people on this subreddit I find it hard to decide which gym in Phuket (Rawai area or fitness street) I want to train at, and often the advice I read here is 'try a few gyms when you're there to see what suits you best'.

This might be a silly question but is it always possible to still join a gym for a month's membership last minute? Won't they be full around November/December or are they always accepting new students? I would also want to book accomodation way in advance so I'm just wondering how others do this?

I'm planning for 1/2 month trip to BKK to train muay thai and clear my head after some personal challenges.

Ideally I want to do both but most Airbnbs im seeing so far don't have a kitchen with the cooker, pots etc. It's just a sink 😅

Street food i know will be cheap but is it healthy and nutritious especially if ill be there for 1/2 month?

Looking at heading over for 2–3 months and want a gym where I can train twice a day and actually get solid technical work in. Not interested in the super crowded tourist spots , prioritising places that are good for real fighter development.
Any recommendations based on coaching quality and the level of training rather than just atmosphere or Instagram presence?

wanting to do a training camp in Thailand and getting a Muay Thai fight in. Planning on staying the entire month in Phuket likely. Want to do a full camp and get a fight or two in while I’m there need help on planning etc arraignments etc. I have 6 months of MMA experience and a year of BJJ both under plinio Cruz. My budget isn’t really an issue.

Hey guys I've booked a month of to train in dang Muay Thai in Jan. This is my first time traveling to Thailand and I'm nervous. Is there any helpful tips or cautionary advice if you have trained here before? I've heard a plenty of good things about this gym. But Im hoping to get more unfiltered review from you guys if you trained here or even in this city before. Much appreciated!

I’m planning my first ever solo trip to Thailand for around a month in March.

My idea is to spend a few days in Bangkok and then travel around Southern Thailand (Khao Sok, Krabi, Phi Phi and Phuket/Rawai). I want a mix of beaches, snorkeling/boat trips, exploring, meeting other travellers and training Muay Thai regularly in Phuket.

I’m not an experienced fighter and I’m not trying to become one I just want to experience training hard in Thailand while still enjoying my holiday.

For people who have been in March: how bad is the heat/humidity, especially for Muay Thai? Is March still busy/social for solo travellers? Is it easy to meet people without staying in dorm hostels? And would you recommend March for a first solo Thailand trip?

Any advice or experiences are welcome!

Been in Phuket for a month now and have my first fight next weekend, been training muay thai consistently for about 3ish years now and finally will have my first fight here. I have to admit i am nervous which is definitely normal but im also curious about how my legs will feel afterwards from getting kicked and checking kicks- in the heat of the moment with all the adrenaline do you not really feel it until after and thats when the pain comes? About how long does the pain usually last for until it goes away? I still have 2 more weeks here so after my fight is done ill spend the week getting massages and going to recovery clinics. Thanks

Looking for a Muay Thai gym in the morning to work out, ride a motorcycle around the area in the afternoon, and find a bar to have some beer in the evening. It would be even better if someone could give some suggestions or join.

I’ve been in Thailand for four weeks now I have two weeks left to go and I have a fight coming up soon. But lately over the past couple of days, my body has been so drained and sore and my muscles are tight along with my hips and it’s affecting my kicks on pad work. I know the obvious answer is get a massage which is what I’ve been doing lately along with going to a recovery clinic, but it doesn’t seem to help. I feel like I need a genuine rest of at least three days with no training but with a fight approaching soon, I feel like I cannot rest until it’s over . Advice?😂

Hi,

im planning on going to Thailand for 3 weeks in November for Muay Thai and for training (only been doing it for a couple years now). just wanted help in deciding best option

been looking at ChatGPT and online, and my two options I’ve narrowed it down to is :

1. Chiangmai (2 weeks) -> Phuket (1 week)

plan here is to focus most of training in chiangmai once a day, primarily at dang. then go Phuket after for 1 week as training every other day and use this more as a relaxation. I still plan to enjoy myself and train at both locations, but more training focus at chiang mai. Phuket would probably be tiger or bang Tao.

2. Bangkok (2 days) —> Chiangmai (12days) —> Phuket (1 week)

this will still be the same as the plan above but also get a chance to explore Bangkok. someone said to do 1 week in each place but not sure if that would be spreading myself over too much And not getting time to settle down properly with training.

I want to try a couple gyms in each location before settling down with a gym to see what training there is like.

I'm looking to go to thailand for 3 months, i dont know where yet. But can anyone tell me some good elbow fighting oriented gyms?