Sapphire blue waters.

Green palm trees, coconuts, sun and white sandy beaches

I’ve been blessed to have spent the last month training in Koh Samui

Right now, I’m in the tiny island of Koh Tao, next to Koh Phangan, which is next to Koh Samui…. which is in Thailand

Spending Christmas here has been INSANE!

The island puts so much effort into celebrations and keeping things Christmassy

It does make a change from the usual family meal but I don’t feel like I’m missing out

Anyway, enough about Christmas (for now)

Recap: Koh Samui

I had an absolute blast in Koh Samui

I met some amazing people and trained at a few different gyms

If you are planning on visiting Koh Samui and you are wondering which gyms are good to visit, here is a list:

1. Lamai Muay Thai - Fighters

• For me, this is the spot where serious fighters come to train for serious fights.

• That is not to say that beginners aren’t welcome; there is a great beginner class with lots of Kru attention.

• But the vibe is about taking training seriously.

• They work hard here - the sessions definitely tired me out the most compared to anywhere else.

• You get to train alongside (and spar with) champions and very high level fighters.

• You will definitely meet great people here, as I did, but it’s more about getting up at 6am for a morning run than partying until 6am.

2. Punch It Muay Thai - All in One

• If you want a complete holiday experience with Muay Thai at its core, this is the place for you.

• The vibe is amazing and the gym aesthetic is really nice - black and gold, surrounded by palm trees.

• There is a healthy cafe serving amazing food, regular island excursions, a fight night and the Krus / staff are full of smiles and good vibes.

• The Muay Thai is also a good level and you will learn a lot in an organised and chilled out environment.

3. Superpro Samui - Sports Facility

• This is the place to go if you are looking to get active and try a range of martial arts and fitness activities.

• They have a Muay Thai gym with a load of rings, a pool, a weights and crossfit centre, a BJJ facility, and a fitness gym.

• The striking is also good and there are a lot of dutch fighters here so there is a blend of kickboxing and Muay Thai.

• The Krus are all thai but I found the style to be slightly blended.

• It’s also closer to Chaweng if you want more of a party scene.

4. Evolution Retreat - Holistic Blend

• I only trained at one session here due to time restrictions but what a session it was!

• The gym has a blend of western sports science / fitness with really solid Muay Thai.

• Jordan Watson is one of the biggest names in UK Muay Thai and he’s the owner and lead Kru.

• The gym feels so tropical and is bathed in golden sun all day long, with the mountains and palm trees as a backdrop.

• The teaching is excellent and they have full retreat programmes.

There you go! And by the way, the list above is only in the order I visited.

I’ve also heard good things about Yodyut in Chaweng but did not get a chance to visit.

5 Things to do in Koh Samui

Since you’re clued into all things TNT, you know that I went to Thailand all by myself.

I had no itinerary except Muay Thai but… Thailand is Thailand.

There are loads of cool things to do, so for Koh Samui, here are 5 things you should do:

1. Overlap Stone

   

A mesmerising balancing act atop the Samui jungle

Basically, it’s a massive rock and a great view

But it is definitely worth doing for the amazing view and the peaceful trek to the top

I, of course, did not miss my chance to do shadowboxing on top of the huge stone 😂

2. Koh Madsum

Also known as Pig Island - this is a tropical paradise where the waters are crystal clear and the white powdery beaches are filled with pigs, piglets and puppies!

It was a lot of fun to swim and chill on the beach.

If you need more to do, there’s a nice bar on the island, you can feed the pigs or go kayaking.

3. Muay Thai

Did you really expect me to miss this off the list?

Koh Samui has been a home to Muay Thai fighters and enthusiasts from all over the world.

Numerous international fighters opt for Koh Samui as their training ground, for preparing for fights.

They are drawn to the island for not just the legendary Krus in the gyms and the quality of the top-notch training camps but also the island lifestyle.

For me, I don’t think I had trained shoulder to shoulder with so many champions before and it was a great experience.

4. ATVs

Adrenaline junkies, racing and call of duty fans unite!

Riding ATVs through the Samui jungle was a seriously fun (and muddy!) experience.

I can highly reccomend this - the tour took us through the jungles, to a waterfall for swimming and to a temple.

Plus we had time on a dirt/mud track to let loose and drift (or crash) like crazy.

5. Zipline

I didn’t do this one personally, but if I had more time I definitely would.

It looks like some serious fun!

So, have you got any of these in your Koh Samui itinerary?

If not, add them ASAP and book that post Xmas trip!

Also, if you are around the area, or the surrounding countries DM me some cool stuff to do - I want all the sauce.

Jingle Bells

Well, the last thing (and maybe the most important) is to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

I’m going to be spending mine away from my family for the first time ever - but on a warm island with plenty.

I hope wherever you are, there is love and people who love you.

You deserve it because you are you.

Speak soon.

What else would you suggest? Have I missed anything? Shoot me a DM or respond to this email!

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Let’s meet here next week for more Muay Thai goodness!

I hope the start of your week is blessed.

TNT BABY 🧨