If you’ve got any interest in martial arts, you’re going to want to experience Muay Thai (a.k.a. Thai Boxing) when visiting Thailand.
Know as the “art of eight limbs” given its use of fists, elbows, knees, and shins, the sport isn’t for the faint-hearted. The sport is deeply ingrained in Thailand with thousands of kids as young as four beginning their journey in the sport in Thailand.
Fortunately, as a visitor to Thailand, you don’t need to get in the ring and wave your eight limbs about. This post will cover the various options you have to experience Muay Thai in Thailand:
1. Attend A Free Televised Live Event
2. Attend A Tourist-Friendly Fight Night
3. Go Deep With A 30-Day Bootcamp
4. Take A One Off Class
5. Watch A Live Show/Performance
1. Attend a Free Televised Live Event
If you’re after a raw, interesting, adrenaline-pumping experience as a spectator, you’ve got to head to the Channel 7 Stadium in Bangkok on a Sunday afternoon.
Every Sunday the millions of people tune in to watch the fights that feature some of the biggest bouts of the year. But instead of watching it all on TV, go to the stadium and watch the event live for free. I loved it!
It’s unlike the stadium experience below in that this is attended and catered to locals, not the tourist crowd. Though there is a section for foreigners (farang) to sit in Channel 7 Stadium, it’s small.
The yelling, the fights, and the money exchanging hands is crazy. The passion the Thai have for Muay Thai is evident.
While online betting is gaining popularity, the amount of 100 and 1000 baht bills changing hands after each fight is impressive. Unlike online casino games which are regulated, it seems that there are a handful of people who are assigned as the bookie at the stadium, and they accept bets before and during the fights from nearby spectatorss.
Are they regulated? I have no idea. I’ve also got no idea how the bookie keeps track of all the money changing hands. It was as interesting to watch them as the fights!
And the fights? They’re genuinely good fights from what I could tell. The fourth fight (of six) is the biggest of the afternoon with much of the crowd leaving afterward.
This is truly an awesome experience with an electric atmosphere. And it’s FREE!
2. Attend A Tourist Friendly Fights Night
Thailand is often given stick for how much it caters to tourism. So much so that many of the experiences fall on the wrong side and become inauthentic.
Muay Thai doesn’t escape this. While there’s the amazing televised fights as mentioned above, most of the time, the fight nights happening several times a week in tourist cities throughout the country are more convenient.
Now, you have to remember a lot of these fight nights are targeted to the tourist and often not those who are passionate Muay Thai but want to go along to experience the local culture and tradition.
I’ve only experienced one of these nights, and that was at Thaepae Boxing Stadium in Chiang Mai. They hold fight nights a few times a week, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to see a couple of good fights, some fights that many will argue are staged in a WWE fashion and from time to time a gimmick fights.
But it’s all in good fun, and as long as you don’t take the night seriously, you’ll have a great night out.
Ticket prices vary depending on where you’re seeing them. The cheapest tickets for Thaepae Boxing Stadium start at 500 baht, whereas in Koh Samui the tickets start at 1500 baht (you’ll see plenty of brochures advertising when and where they are).
At the Thaepae Boxing Stadium we saw seven fights, including a couple of good competitive fights, and a fight where four guys were blindfolded and attempting to fight…strange. But this was all done while eating popcorn, drinking some beers, in a relaxed atmosphere.
These kind of fight nights are what I’d almost call a rite of passage for tourists in Thailand. Muay Thai fan or not, if you’ve got the opportunity to attend one, go for it!
3. Go Deep At A 30-Day Boot Camp
If you’re somewhat serious about martial arts and want to embrace the Muay Thai lifestyle for an extended period of time, then you’ll want to spend a month training at a Muay Thai boot gym/camp.
This is only going to work for those who are planning to be in Thailand for a while, but it does mean you get to have a routine which is something many crave. Especially backpackers on a long backpacking trip.
It’s easy to plan these Muay Thai camps now as most of the Muay Thai gyms who have factilities you’d want to spend an extensive amount of time in/around will have a website of some sort. That said, there’s usually no need to start attending camps on a certain date so you can go and see the gyms in person yourself before committing to a place.
The basic option is two classes per day (two hours for each class) for one month, but you can get a host of addons depending on the gym. That may mean all meals provided, accommodation onsite, and/or all equipment. And if you’re ready, at the end of the month they can organise a fight for you.
If you’re after a cultural immersion experience, you can’t ask for much more than a month of intensive Muay Thai Training. And the prices are reasonable. For example, one month at Charn Chai Muay Thai in Pai is 12,000 baht for one month of training and all meals.
4. Take A One Off Class
Like most things in life, things aren’t as scary as you think they are going to be. I was super nervous before my first muay thai class, but that was all irrational. Attending a one-off Muay Thai class is fun (and tiring).
I have no experience in any kind of martial arts but didn’t feel forgotten in any of the handful of classes I’ve taken.
Two of those classes were at SuperPro Samui where the staff are accustomed to welcoming people at a wide variety of levels into their gym.
A one-off class isn’t cheap for Thailand prices, with SuperPro Samui costing 400 baht (I paid 250 baht for one in Chiang Mai).
From what I gather, there is a benefit in paying more for your class as the facilities tend to be better, and the trainers are likely to be more experienced. Of course, Thailand being Thailand, that can vary a lot. I recommend reading Google Reviews of the various Muay Thai gyms you’re considering attending.
The classes all tend to have the same structure:
- Warmup
- Stretching
- Bag work
- Pad work
- Semi Spar
- Warm down
Most classes run for two hours which might seem a long time. And it will be if you’re not feeling your fittest, but put in a good effort and you’ll have an enjoyable experience and have learned a few different kicks and punches. Although watching myself attempting to shadow box is awkward to this day.
If you’re into your sports, definitely try at least one class. Make sure to read some reviews first, the quality of gyms varies a lot! And try and get an air conditioned gym, you’ll be sweating up a storm.
Remember my irrational fear of going to a class? I think that was partially because it was in a group setting. It’s possible to do private classes at most gyms, which cost a little more, but might make you more confident.
5. Watch A Live Show/Performance
I haven’t been to the Muay Thai Live Show in Bangkok but if you enjoy productions, this will definitely be for you.
TMuay Thai Live Show: The Legends and Heroes of Thai Boxing is a 90-minute show that tells the stories behind Muay Thai through the ages. You’ll also get too see a fight or two at the end of the show.
It’s on the higher end price wise with tickets starting at 2000 baht plus, but this is a family friendly experience.
Muay Thai is the most popular sport in Thailand. So it makes sense that there’s a variety of ways you can experience the sport for yourself.
If you’ve experienced Muay Thai in Thailand, let people know any tips and tricks you have in the comments below.
