Are you a first timer or already a Thailand pro?
Exciting things ahead, congratulations, you are planning a trip to Thailand! Just before we get started, it’s important to know if you are a first timer or are already an experienced Thailand traveller. If you are the latter, then you may already know most of what lies ahead, but feel free to read on, maybe you’ll find a tip or two that helps you too!
If you are planning your first visit to Thailand though – with Muaythai training at the core of your holiday – then this blog is the one for you! Also up front, if you need any further information or assistance with your trip, please let us know, we would be glad to help you plan. So let’s get into it!
Next up is location – where do you wish to travel to?
Heading down south to enjoy your holiday on one or more of the beautiful islands? Or off north, mountains, jungle and some of the most amazing natural parks and forests in the world?
Whatever you decide to do on your dream trip, this decision will obviously affect your choice of gyms. Heading south, check out the many great Muaythai camps on Koh Samui or Phuket. If it’s up north, take a look at the many good training opportunities in Chiang Mai for example. Just sayin!
Check out gym websites.
Can’t be stressed more – check out the gym websites of the places you are interested in. Read more about the gym, the location, the training and the accommodation options. This will give you an idea of what to expect if you train there. There may also be a YouTube channel for this gym or a link to a few videos that will give you an even better feel for the gym. On the website Muaythaiadvisor.com, you can find almost all the gyms in Thailand – why not take a look?
Email them!
Write an email to the gyms you are considering. Ask them a few questions, make a few enquiries. If they reply, it’s a good sign! If they don’t, well maybe you should reconsider your choice and whether you will get enough attention when you are actually there. Attention, sometimes emails from Thailand or from Muaythai-gyms can land in your spam folder. Always check your spam folder to see if an answer is there!
Google reviews.
A no brainer. When you have selected a few gyms on your shortlist, check the Google reviews. Seriously. Don’t just read the first one, read a few. Get a feeling for the gym you are interested in, as reviewed by others. It might tell you just what you want to know too. You can usually find many good reports and reviews over the years, by customers from all over the world.
Ask a friend.
Now things are moving! You know roughly where you are thinking of going, have checked the websites, gotten email replies, read some great reviews. Next step, ask a few friends if they have been there, what it was like, how the training went etc. Get some real life feedback from those in the know. It’s invaluable input before making a decision to book! You are probably going to spend at least a month of your Muaythai life there, maybe even longer, so get as much information as possible.
Cleanliness.
This is the subject of so many stories over the years, and some shocking endings too. Thailand is a tropical country, with high temperatures, high humidity, different vegetation, animals and insects. Different foods, different bacteria and different risks make things tricky sometimes too.
Make sure that the place you book for your Muaythai dream holiday is clean! Clean means clean. Try and avoid beaten up, run down, back street gyms if you can. The charm is magnetic of course, but sleeping on a concrete floor with other fighters in a mosquito infested room is not good. At all.
Without dwelling on this subject further, in Thailand cleanliness is next to holiness. Take this subject seriously and make sure you stay healthy. A good gym is a clean gym. Repeat!
