Chiang Mai vs. Phuket

[micah323]

Before I ask my question, I think that there should be a sub-forum about traveling to Thailand to train with a compilation of all the information from all of the threads.

I was able to read about training at Lanna in Chiang Mai at the muaythailand.com website. It gave really detailed info on what it is like there. I have not been able to find the same kind of info on training in Phuket. Can anyone give me an idea of what it would be like being there for a couple months to train vs. being at Chiang Mai?

All I really know is that it is a resort area.

I am trying to plan a trip in Jan and stay for 4-8 weeks.

I am looking at Lanna, bestmuaythai.com suwit camp in Phuket, or Rawaii gym.

I searched the forum for similiar topics, but none really compared the two places. I originally was planning on WMC but it seems to touristy and not like a real camp.

Any info would be appreciated.

[aseepish]

You could try asking on the Muaythailand forum - the old site's forum had a lot of information, the new one is starting from scratch. There's bound to be someone around there who has trained in Phuket.

Personally, I'm biased. Chiang Mai.

[micah323]

do you train at lanna or did you go to the other popular camp? Opinions on the camp, living, and night life and adventure stuff?

[OctaviousBP]

I am biased towards Chiang Mai as well, but I've never actually stayed in the South for any length of time. Love Chiang Mai though... depends on your tastes and goals I'd say.

[aseepish]

I trained at Lanna, for two months, from May to July, 2005. I originally wanted to train at Kru Pedro Villalobos' place ( http://ancientmuaythai.com ), but unfortunately the month that I arrived in Thailand he was out of the country. I've never trained anywhere else in Thailand.

If you search this forum you will find a variety of opinions regarding training at Lanna. The chief "con" that people report is that it's a little difficult to get a lot of one-on-one time with the trainers, due to the popularity of the club. In my opinion you have to be a bit aggressive at times to get Thai-pad time, but this was never a problem for me.

[this post is to-be-continued - I'm in the middle of cooking dinner ]

[fire cobra]

chiang mai for me(beautifull beaches in phuket though) try the chay yai camp in chiang mai,great training

[micah323]

I have decided against Phuket for training. The main reason is from what I can gather, the Muslim terrorism is focused in the south and does not really venture into the north. I was also leaning towards Chiang Mai before considering this.

Any other camps/websites for Chiang Mai that you can recommend. If so can you tell me why you think it would be better for 2 months than Lanna.

Thanks again.

[tweaker]

I don't think muslim tourism is even a blip on Phuket.

[fire cobra]

i know of a lot of people who have been to lana camp.i myself visited but didnt train,however some of my students did,they had mixed feelings about the camp,there are plenty of equipment but also plenty of people,maybe 40 when i visited,the main criticism was having to wait quite a while to get work on the pads,andy the guy who runs(or ran?) seemed a nice and helpfull guy so that is a plus point,and the camp is in a nice location if a little hard to get to from town. the chay yai camp has very good trainers,most ex champions,the camp is smaller and very friendly,it is also hard to get to if going on public transport(or taxi) but there is a free mini van that takes you there and back every day,num(if still there) runs the office in thapae gate which is in the town area,you could go and have a chat with him,he is very friendly,i also trained quite a few times with a trainer named porn,he was located in a bar beer,unfortunatly i couldnt find him this year.there is kru villabos camp,i visited the camp,its small but seemed nice,i didnt train as kru villabos was in china and classes were a bit disorginised,thats all the camps i have seen in chiang mai though i know there are more,anybody else add any info? good luck

[sportmuaythai]

http://www.chiangmaimuaythai.com/

I've trained at Lanna twice . The second time I asked Ms Busaba explcitly, but politely that I wanted pad work. She promised, but it didn't materialize. Obviously, you'll eventually get pad training, but not as much as at a normal MT camp. Nevertheless, camp Lana is not a rip off. The training is incredibly cheap. So I can understand that they can only sustain few trainers in ratio to their students.
BTW Phuket is very safe. There is no seperatist movement there.

[micah323]

the webiste for chiangmai muaythai doesnt give much info. It only gives the price for training, not for room. Do students need to find their own accomadations, or do they have something set up, similiar to Lanna?

Could you give some more info about training there.

[aseepish]

the camp is in a nice location if a little hard to get to from town.

Lanna has since moved to a location within city limits close to Chiang Mai University - it's on Soi Chang Kien, just off Huay Kaew Road, near Khlong Chonprathan Road.

[sportmuaythai]

the webiste for chiangmai muaythai doesnt give much info. It only gives the price for training, not for room. Do students need to find their own accomadations, or do they have something set up, similiar to Lanna?

Could you give some more info about training there.

fire cobra can probably answer you best. However, accommodation in Chiangmai is not expensive. Nice room with private hot running water bathroom and airconditioned will start from around $100/month. Less if you don't need airconditioning. Living cost will be much lower than Phuket.
January is a good time to go to Thailand, especially Chiangmai. Infact, any time from late Oct to mid Feb is good for Chiangmai. You may not need airconditioned room. The heat won't be excessive when you train. Answering your post make me want to go to Chiangmai right away. I've got a cottage there.

[micah323]

do you own it? I read about foriegn destinations and Chiang Mai is becoming a popular location to pick up vacation homes. Say you can get a nice home for $50,000.

Also have heard that in Thailand it is better to own condos than to mess around with single family residences.

As far as chaiagmaimuaythai, do you know if they have any accomdations for rooms so I would not have to go searching myself to find a place? Seems that most camps have their own or arrangements with close residences.

If I go to Lanna I think the Cherry Mart residences would be best for me.

[sportmuaythai]

Dear mic, yes I do own the cottage. I had it built when my son attended Chiangmai University. You can find good small house at the price you said in Chiangmai, but just the land my cottage was built on would cost at least 3.5 times that. Trust me, if you're spending so much to fly to Thailand, you'll do yourself a favour training at chaiyai camp rather than at Lanna. Finding accommodation in Chiangmai is not difficult at all. I'm certain that any muaythai camp can assist its student finding suitable accommodation. If yopu need close assistance, I can provide that. While I train at Fairtex Bangkok, I may even meet you at Chiangmai to help you there. I don't have any commercial interest in muaythai, you can be sure of that, but I'd like to spread the goodness of muaythai. May be bring in some foreign curriencies into Thai economy as well.