There are so many ways to indulge on Koh Tao — delicious restaurants and a party scene that tempts me out more nights than not. Yet lately when I’m there I feel physically better than ever, thanks to an endless array of ways to stay fit and active. For a small island, Koh Tao has a truly impressive number of offerings for those looking to get back in shape or stay there. It’s even become somewhat of a destination for those putting together their own mini health retreats.
When I arrived back for a recent eight week stint on the island, I was feeling sluggish after two months of carb-overload and exercise fasting in Europe. But I didn’t panic — I knew my time on the island would be well spent bopping between various workouts. And indeed it was. With an apartment well-placed between my favorite gym, muay thai training center, and yoga studio, I was all set. Though I worked out more than every other day I was on the island, I never once got bored. I’ve written before about how to stay fit on Koh Tao, changes come quickly on this little island and so it’s high time for an update. Here’s how I stayed sweaty this time.
Island Muay Thai
I think I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Muay Thai because it was one of the first work outs I really truly whole-heartedly loved, and it kind of introduced me to the idea that working out didn’t have to be just slaving away on a treadmill. The boxing-like sport uses the entire body and a training session will incorporate a cardio warm up, a one-on-one session of punches, kicks, elbow and knee strikes, and an ab workout and cool down. It’s so high paced that time totally escapes me while I’m there — I can’t believe how intense a workout I can get in just forty five minutes!
Not only is Muay Thai a great cardio workout, but also a fun way to immerse yourself in Thai culture. After all, it’s the national sport! And unlike many other fitness classes on the island, it is led by locals rather than Westerners. The Muay Thai scene on Koh Tao has exploded recently and there are now several full time training centers on the island.
In future trips I plan to check out some of the new Muay Thai gym on the island for research purposes, but I’ll always love Island Muay Thai. No matter how long I’m away, the trainers still greet me by name, and I love seeing years-old photos of myself in the old group training photos up on the wall. I bought a twelve class package when I arrived back on the island, which was a little ambitious considering everything I was trying to fit in, and I only ended up using ten. But you simply can’t find a better deal for one-on-one fitness — nor a better excuse to indulge in a massage later.
Training lasts for about an hour from either the 8am-10am session or the 4pm ā 7pm. One session is 300 baht, four sessions per week is 1000 baht, seven sessions per week is 1,600 baht, twelve sessions per month is 2,500 baht, sixteen sessions per month is 3,600 baht, and 20 sessions per month is 4,500 baht. Custom packages can be arranged.
Island Muay Thai / Haad Sairee, Road to Hin Wong Bay / Tel. 086 271 2212
Koh Tao Gym and Fitness
As soon as I got back to the island I bee-lined to Koh Tao Gym and Fitness to pick up a small package of passes for days when I just needed to work out in air conditioning. Koh Tao is so hilly and hot I can’t stand to run outside there, so I do love hitting this gym for an occasional dose of treadmill in the cardio room upstairs and a round of weight work on the machines downstairs. It’s a true Western style gym experience complete with a smiling gym attendant handing you towels and water as you walk in and a full range of supplements and protein shakes available.
Open Monday through Friday from 7:30am ā 10pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8am ā 9pm. A one day pass is 200 baht, a five time pass is 800 baht, one week is 1000 baht, one month is 2,500 baht, three months is 6000 baht. Longer membership and monthly activations and payment plans are available.
Gym and Fitness / Haad Sairee, Road to Hin Wong Bay / Tel. 082 801 4014
Gym and Fitness also hosts a rotating cast of personal trainers, one of whom I met on that first workout back in the gym. Ina and her partner Adam run New Horizon Escapes, which on Koh Tao involved personal training services as well as a full calendar of fun weekly classes from kickboxing to high intensity interval training to beach yoga. I started taking Ina’s classes and loved her no-nonsence workouts paired with her sweet and bubbly personality.
Photo courtesy of Ina at Fitter World
Photo courtesy of Ina at Fitter World
Photo courtesy of Ina at Fitter World
Though Ina and Adam have recently moved on to Australia, I still follow their food and fitness blog and am considering signing up for their Skype training services. Koh Tao misses them already!
Photo courtesy of Ina at Fitter World
Grounded Yoga
When I first got to Koh Tao in 2009 the only studio I was aware of was Shambala. While the sala is stunning, the two hour classes were just way too long for this hyper-scattered mind. Lucky for me there are many more places to practice now. My most recent digs were right around the corner from Grounded, my favorite studio on the island. Grounded has both permanent and temporary instructors (Janine is my favorite!), which leads to a great mix of styles and offerings. Meditation, acro yoga, Spanish-language classes and kids yoga are all options I’ve seen on the calendar in addition to the standard yoga styles.
There are also daily classes at Ocean Sound Yoga in Chalok, at New Heaven in Chalok and at Baan Talay Resort in Aow Leuk — I’m hoping to give each a try when I return to the island.
One class is 250 baht, five class passes are 1,100 baht and ten class passes are 2,000 baht. Passes can be shared. Classes generally run 1.5 hours and weekly schedules can be found on Facebook.
Grounded Facebook Page / Haad Sairee, Road to Hin Wong Bay / Tel. 088 503 7055
2018 Update: Grounded no longer has a dedicated studio space and now leads classes around the island. Check their website and social media for further details.
Pole Fitness
Pole dancing classes might be all the rage in New York and Las Vegas, but I can confidently say I didn’t expect to find one on a tiny backpacker island in the Gulf of Thailand. While I was expecting my abs to be sore more from laughing than from exertion, I was shocked by what a good workout the class was. The instructor, a dance and pole fitness teacher back in Finland, absolutely amazed us with her demonstrations before leading us through a few basic moves. It’s harder than it looks — holding yourself up requires an insane amount of core strength!
Though the class I took was arranged through Fitter World, the instructor Jenni is a long term expat on the island and does offer classes sporadically. Ask around at the King’s Cabaret, where classes are held, for more details.
2018 Update: Pole fitness is sadly no longer available on Koh Tao.
Check out that sweat! Photos courtesy of Ina at Fitter World
Photo courtesy of Ina at Fitter World
Stand Up Paddling
Regular readers of this blog know that Stand Up Paddling is one of my ultimate obsessions, and I couldn’t be happier that my friends at SUP Koh Tao brought it to my favorite island. (I mean, I could be a little happier… had I started this business myself, which I briefly considered doing at one point in time. But hey, if it couldn’t be me, I can’t think of a better group to do it!) Like hiking and trapezing, stand up paddling is one of those sneaky Koh Tao workouts where you’re having so much fun you don’t even have to think about the calories you’re burning. Whether it was a hardcore race or a silly paddle out at sunset, heading down to the beach for a SUP session always felt like a reward — and it was a regular part of my routine back on the island.
Alex in Wanderland reader special: Mention my blog name and receive the locals rate of 20% off! Board rentals cost 250 baht an hour, 750 baht for four hours, or 1,500 baht for a day. Occasionally, paddle safaris to Koh Nang Yuan are arranged.
SUP Koh Tao Facebook Page / Locations: Maya Beach Club, Bar Next 2, Koh Tao Divers / Tel. 084 443 9930
Eating Well
You know what they say… you can’t sweat away an unhealthy diet (though I try, I really do.) While I’m certainly not giving up my pizza nights or ice cream snarf sessions anytime soon, the majority of the time I do attempt to eat relatively clean, which I find pretty easy on Koh Tao thanks to an abundance of delicious salads and protein-filled Thai dishes. However, there are also now a few fabulous, fully health-centric options on Koh Tao where everything on the menu is a good choice.
One such option is Fitness Cafe, my go-to spot for wraps, salads, healthy breakfast options and yummy smoothies. Currently Fitness Cafe does not deliver but you can call ahead for pickup. Bonus — they use eco-friendly containers to package their food.
Fitness Cafe Facebook Page / Behind Gym and Fitness, Haad Sairee, Road to Hin Wong BayĀ / Open 8:30am – 6:30pm / Tel. 092 338 3273
Another popular spot on the island is Living Juices, complete with a cute outdoor seating area. Living Juices does a lot more than just liquids, though — they also offer health-centric snacks like fruit salads, homemade protein bars, and fresh-from-the-oven Quinoa and chia bread with homemade hummus and beetroot pĆ¢tĆ©. Living Juices does detox packages complete with home delivery, something I’m looking forward to treating myself to once I’m back on island.
Living Juices Facebook Page / At Bar Next Door, Sairee Beach / Open 7:30am – 4:00pm / Tel. 090 916 8967
Photo courtesy of Living Juices
Photo courtesy of Living Juices
Photo courtesy of Living Juices
Believe it or not, this isn’t even a comprehensive list of all the ways to stay fit on Koh Tao! When I return to the island in the fall I’m looking forward to checking out the high intensity “Gladiator Workouts” at Monsoon Gym as well as finally giving Crossfit a real go at Koh Tao Crossfit, where they even offer a restorative yoga class each evening.
What’s your favorite way to get back in shape after an era of indulgence?
