5 Best Muay Thai Camps in Phuket

Muay Thai (aka Thai Boxing) is a physical and mental discipline which is also known as ‘the art of eight limbs’ due to its combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet. It’s a tough sport that requires a lot of physical preparation and a full-on top-level fight is a veritable maze of feints, thrusts, maneuvers and full on head-bashing. Even though the discipline has been around since the sixteenth century, it only began to be noticed in the west when Thai Muay Thai fighters won victories over fighters in more established combat sports. Lately though, the number of people coming to Thailand to toughen up and get in the Muay Thai ring has exploded. Predominantly located in the south of the island, here are some of Phuket’s top Muay Thai schools.

1 Tiger Muay Thai
Tiger is the Big Daddy of them all. Situated on almost two acres of land in the central part of Phuket, Tiger was set up in 2003 and is divided up into weight and fitness sections along with areas dedicated to the various levels of fight potential. Here, you won’t get a pro or an advanced student in the same ring as a beginner except of course in a teacher-pupil context. Tiger receives about 250 – 400 trainees a month with a girls-to-boys percentage of 35 – 65%. English is the lingua franca and a noticeable number of trainees are repeat visitors. There are about 34 Muay Thai coaches and foreign coaches from around the world at Tiger who specialize in fitness, Brazilian Jui-Jitsu and MMA. Onsite accommodation.

2 Sumalee Boxing Gym

Sumalee Boxing Gym is for those wishing to combine training with western standards of service, accommodation, facilities and food. Situated in three acres of land, those seeking a holistic training experience will find it here. Sumalee Boxing Gym is Thai/British owned and located in the centre of the island on the East Coast. Situated in a quiet setting the gym nevertheless affords easy access to other parts of the island and to Phang Nga Bay. The gym has direct access to running routes through unspoilt countryside with little or no traffic. Sumalee Boxing Gym is well equipped and has a number of other facilities including a weights studio, restaurant, swimming pool and yoga studio. Group classes are held twice a day, six days a week. Private lessons can be arranged on request. There is a good trainer to student ratio. The training structure is suitable for novices and advanced students alike. The gym is particularly popular with families and couples. Sumalee Boxing Gym has a fighter sponsorship program that is open to both Thais and overseas students. The trainer team includes such well known and decorated Thai fighters as Ganchai Fairtex and Petchmai. The gym also has some young promising Thai fighters including Yodbuangnam and Yodkhuntup.

3 Sinbi Muay Thai
Located not far from Nai Harn Beach along a woody, verdant road, Sinbi has state-of-the-art facilities, adequate lodging, a high turnover of Muay Thai students and qualified experienced teachers from Muay Thai professional backgrounds. Indeed, all of the trainers have fought at the highest levels at Lumpinee and Ratchadamnoen stadiums in Bangkok and some have fought internationally. Sinbi Muay Thai organises its own competitions and bouts throughout the south of Thailand so you’re guaranteed a scrap after all that hard training and working out. Sinbi Muay Thai also has the advantage of being just a few minutes from one of Phuket’s most beautiful beaches.

4 Kingka Supa Muay Thai
Kingka Supa Muay Thai fills the gap left by the long-running Rawai Muay Thai which has since moved up to Khao Lak. Basically, the same structure applies and the camp has 15 bungalows and five shared rooms adjacent to its rings. A host of satellite businesses has sprung up around Supa’s so you’ll not have far to go for a meal, massage, or a drink. In the morning and afternoon sessions led by a minimum of 12 trainers you’ll have the opportunity to choose from every level of Muay Thai, from absolute beginners to the highest level. Supa also organises fights throughout Thailand.

5 Suwit Muay Thai Camp

Open for over 20 years now, Suwit is a Phuket establishment and a ubiquitous sight along Chalong’s Chao Fa East Road, near Phuket Zoo. Accommodation is laid on for students and there’s even a fair-sized swimming pool to relax in. Here, twice-daily training classes are held for differing levels and the sessions take place six days a week. Suwit will guarantee fights all over Thailand and at the camp itself every Friday is fight night and open to the public. For those who enjoy road training it’s important to note that the nearby flat-level back roads and lanes are especially enjoyable to explore.