Muay Thai & Yoga Wellness Retreat in Rural Thailand

A typical day runs on a fixed schedule, starting early. You'll do pad work, bag work, clinch and sparring in the morning session, take a break for lunch and rest during the hottest part of the day, then train again in the late afternoon. Sessions are run by a team of around ten trainers, all with stadium experience, and they split groups by ability so beginners aren't thrown in with fighters. A week is enough to learn the basics of the stance, the jab-cross-hook combinations and the basic clinch positions, and guests who stay longer build up to sparring.

What separates this camp from the big-name ones in Chiang Mai and Phuket is the setting. It's a rural village area in Phetchabun, not a beach town or a city, so there's not much to spend money on and nothing pulling you away from the training. Field, forest, local temples, small markets. Several reviewers comment on exactly this: that it feels like the Thailand they didn't see in Bangkok.

The Wellness package layers in yoga and meditation sessions, a cooking class, a temple tour, a visit to meet a monk and a free Thai massage. There's aerial yoga as well, which is unusual for a Muay Thai camp. It also includes a Buddha Run, a jungle hike, a waterfall swim, a lake trip and a night market tour. That's a lot of activity on top of two training sessions a day, so the wellness week tends to suit people who want the training but also want to see something of the country.

The Fitness package is the leaner version. Twice-daily Muay Thai, CrossFit and strength work, the Buddha Run, waterfall swim, lake trips and the night market. No yoga, no cooking class, no massage. For someone whose main goal is conditioning or weight loss, it is the cheaper and more direct route.

Accommodation, meals and training are included in both. Room choice affects the price, and prices vary by season, so the figures listed here are starting points. Guests have consistently rated the camp highly enough to keep it on the Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice list since it opened. Testimonials tend to mention the trainers by their attention rather than their credentials, and the food gets mentioned as often as the training.

You need to be able to handle heat and humidity, and you should be honest with the trainers about any injuries before you start. Beginners are genuinely welcome here — the camp has built its reputation on that — but the training is real, and the afternoons off are there for a reason.

What's included

- Twice-daily Muay Thai training with Thai coaches - Accommodation at the camp - Three healthy Thai meals a day - CrossFit and strength training - Ice bath and pool access - Buddha Run - Waterfall swim - Lake trip - Night market tour - Yoga and meditation sessions (Wellness package) - Aerial yoga (Wellness package) - Cooking class (Wellness package) - Temple tour (Wellness package) - Trip to meet the monk (Wellness package) - One free Thai massage (Wellness package) - Jungle hike (Wellness package)

What's not included

- Flights to and from Thailand - Travel insurance - Visas and entry costs - Airport and onward transfers - Additional massage treatments - Personal expenses and snacks - Boxing gloves and hand wraps (can be bought locally) - Drinks outside of meals - Optional fight tickets or extra excursions not listed