Muay Thai Training Camp in La Palma: World-Champion Coaching & Island Adventure

Training is built around two sessions a day. The morning session is conditioning — a run or a hike through La Palma's green, jungle-like terrain, led by Joa, who has a habit of turning them into adventures. Back at the gym, sessions cover pad work (with 1:1 coaching from the elite coaches), striking technique, timing drills, technical sparring, kicking and defence, knees and elbows, and clinch work. Kru Pedro's teaching is technical and calm, and he adjusts intensity to each person, so a complete beginner and an active fighter can train side by side without either being held back or thrown in too deep.

The camp is run in collaboration with VKR Sports Club and its head, Pedro Hernandez. It's a real gym with a local fight team, not a resort with a heavy bag in the corner. You'll train alongside that team in group sessions, which is part of why people come back — the standard is high and the atmosphere is a working camp, but nobody is made to feel like they don't belong.

What separates this from a Muay Thai holiday in Thailand is the logistics and the level of comfort. Flights from most major European cities take 3–5 hours, there's no visa to sort, and no jet lag to fight through on day one. You get European-standard accommodation — shared or private, depending on your package — while training on an island that's a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with volcanoes, laurel forest and black-sand beaches. Rest days can be spent hiking the Caldera de Taburiente, swimming, or driving the coast road.

The coaching team is the other difference. Joanna Nadolska is a World Championship gold and silver medallist, a Spanish Championship medallist, Polish Championship silver medallist and Canary Islands champion, with fights across Europe and Thailand. She specialises in strength and conditioning and works closely with the women at the camp. Kru Pedro has spent close to four decades in Muay Thai, boxing, K-1 and MMA, developed champions on the island, and works as a professional cutman. The camp also runs seminars with names like Anuwat, Saenchai, Dieselnoi and Hoost.

Packages range from a basic shared apartment or hostel place near the gym up to the Elite package with private accommodation in Santa Cruz de La Palma, airport transfers, all meals, and personal training sessions. Length of stay is flexible — the standard listing is 7 days, but you can book a shorter or longer block and the booking calendar prices it for you.

What's included

- Accommodation (shared apartment/hostel on Basic, private apartment on Comfort, private accommodation in Santa Cruz on Elite) - Muay Thai group training with the local VKR team - Focused guidance from elite coaches - Full access to Muay Thai training facilities and equipment - Structured training programme balancing intensity and recovery - Morning running and conditioning sessions (Elite) - Personal training sessions (Elite) - All meals personalised to training needs — breakfast, lunch, dinner (Elite) - Airport shuttle to and from La Palma Airport (SPC) — Elite - Island trip and picnic on Sunday (Comfort) - 24/7 on-site logistical support (Elite) - Training combined with island exploring

What's not included

- Flights to and from La Palma - Travel insurance - Meals on Basic and Comfort packages - Personal expenses - Optional extras such as 1:1 sessions outside your package - Airport transfers on Basic and Comfort packages