I ignored these problems for a while, but I just keep hearing about them and it's fucked up. So here is your complete insiders guide on how to not get ripped off coming from Phuket Airport to the Tiger Muay Thai area.
1. Do not pay more than 600 baht ($20US) EVER to take a taxi from the Phuket Airport to anywhere near Tiger Muay Thai, Suwit Gym, Dragon Muay Thai, and Phuket Top Team. That is the absolute maximum price, no matter how many people you have, or how much luggage you have. In fact, there's a way to get it for only 450 baht which I'll explain later.
2. When arriving at the airport, ignore and walk past all of the booths with taxi, car and limo information. Then walk past all of the guys standing right in front, they are very aggressive so just be polite and tell them "no thank you" or "Mai Yao Krup" in Thai then ignore them no matter what they say. The only time those mini bus services are ever good is if you are going to Patong, Kata Beach, Karon, and are a solo passenger.
3. Walk to the right when coming out of the airport and walk towards the booth that says "Taxi Meter" - line up, and tell the lady in the booth "Chalong" which is the area all the gyms are in. Wait a few minutes and she'll give you a piece of paper to give to the taxi driver. Usually you have to wait 5-10 minutes for a car to come, but it's absolutely worth it. The drivers are friendly, don't try to scam you and aren't aggressive. The fare is also only 450 baht which is $15US. Going to the airport is 500 baht which is still cheaper than booking it through your hotel or the restaurant.
You can also book ahead which I'd recommend doing - Here's the info:
In Thailand : 081 958 2791
OverSeas : +66 81 958 2791
E-mail : PhuketTaxiMeter@Gmail.com
BBM PIN : 23B7CD9D
Website: http://phuket-taxi-meter.com
4. Print out the following map:
(Also print this if you're at Phuket Top Team, it's directions written in Thai)
5. Write down the phone number to your hotel or gym:
For Phuket Top Team: 07 6367567 (office) and 08 061 333 12 (emergency/mobile)
For Tiger Muay Thai: 076-367 071 (office) and (0)86 596 9090 (after hours)
For Suwit Gym: 0817376072 (mobile/office)
For Dragon Muay Thai: Mobile Phone : + 66(0)80-142-7500
Office Phone : + 66(0)76-280-536, +66(0)76-521-343
6. If you are arriving after 7pm the gyms and office will be closed, so if you booked a room there, you're kind of fucked. You can try to arrange with someone to meet you after hours, but there is a big chance they will forget or not be there. You can always just book a night or two stay at Flora Ville (http://floravillephuket.com/) or Siam Hostel (http://www.phuketsiamhostel.com) which are both on the same street as the gyms, half way in between Tiger Muay Thai and Phuket Top Team. (closer to TMT). Rooms are 800baht a night which is $27US and are very nice places with a swimming pool and wifi.
Hope this post helps some of you guys arriving in Thailand or Phuket for the first time. I'm sick of the taxi drivers scamming people, being pushy and aggressive at the airport. I didn't even know there was a Taxi Meter option, and most people still don't.
Warm Regards,
Johnny @ My Fight Camp
Wow, thanks so much! I'm literally arriving tonight (11pm) and you probably saved me a couple hundred Baht. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Johney, i regularly read your blog. Its always very helpful to visitors who want to visit muay thai camps.
ReplyDeletewell done job, keep it up !!!!
Hi Johnny, thanks for this useful information! i will be going to TMT somewhere in march. Would you recommend taking the gym taxi because TMT website says it cost 800baht, way more than 450....and around how long would the trip take from phuket airport to TMT camp?
ReplyDeleteHey Kenneth, no problem man. You can reserve the gym taxi if you want, it's a bit more expensive but if you're really unsure or coming in at a weird time it can be worth it. For me they didn't show up to pick up anyways so I ended up taking a taxi the first time anyways.
ReplyDeleteHi Johnny,
ReplyDeleteI just read through your entire blog talking about your different experiences at the different camps and it was great (my eyes are dried out haha). This is exactly what I needed to read. I'd love to chat with you over email about some questions and maybe meet you in person if you're there. If that sounds good, can you post your email? The plan is head to Thailand in February and do a month of training. I'm from Vancouver in Canada and am glad to hear such good remarks about the experience.
Andrew
Hey Andrew, go ahead and just ask me whatever questions you have here in the comments, so other people can benefit from it as well. I'm currently doing some scuba diving in Borneo and won't be back in Thailand for at least a few months. Good luck in your trip, glad my blog helped.
ReplyDeleteAwesome thanks Johnny! A couple of questions that I'm sure a lot of people are thinking about but don't think to ask before they go.
ReplyDelete1) Is there laundry service at PTT? I read about something being available at TMT for a price so not sure if there was something similar.
2) Would you recommend paying up front for a month of training before you go there?
3) After having experienced the training at both gyms, is there anything that one gym had that really stood out for you that the other didn't?
4) Did you run into any visa issues while you were there? I'm going for a month but just deciding if I would need one(I'm from Vancouver).
5) Access to ATMs/currency conversion/use of credit card in that area?
I'm deciding between TMT and PTT right now. I'm sure the experience will be great either way but I've been reading a lot of good stuff about both gyms making the decision pretty difficult. Your blog has got me even more excited about this trip so thanks for doing this.
1. Yup there is laundry service at PTT and across the street next to Ja Ja's restaurant as well for about $1.50US a kilo.
ReplyDelete2. Yes if you want to assure they book a room for you, so they know you are serious about coming.
3. TMT is a much bigger facility with a lot more students, very organized in terms of class schedule flow, PTT has a lot less people so classes are often more free flowing depending on who's there and the coaches.
4. Yes, at least 1 in 3 people who arrive with just a 30 day free visa, end up wanting to stay longer and wish they had did a 60 day tourist visa instead.
5. ATM's are plentiful within 1km of the gym at every 711. No one takes credit cards in Thailand, aside from airports and 5 star hotels. Changing money is done at the bank which is 2km away.
Glad you enjoyed my blog, I'm sure you'll like either PTT or TMT. My best advice is if you are under 22 years old and want to be part of the "popular, cool" group, go to TMT. If you want to be left alone and train and are okay with just 5-10 other people at the gym to hang out with, then PTT is a good choice.
Hi Johnny,
ReplyDeleteAwsome info on the whole training in Thailand experience. Was wondering if you know anything about western boxing gyms / camps in Thailand. I've seen the uprite boxing camp site but thats the only one I could find.
Thanks for the info
Hey, glad you like the info. I haven't heard of Uprite Boxing Camp. Where is it located?
ReplyDeleteAs for western boxing gyms, thailand isn't known for it although both TMT and Phuket Top Team both have a good program.
The Philippines would be a better place for that since Manny Pacquiao is from there.
Thanks Johnny,
ReplyDeletefrom what I know the uprite camp is in Bangkok but may be temporarily in Chang Mai because of the floods. Dont know too much about it just what Ive read on their site, upriteboxing.com
the tmt and ptt programs look pretty solid so ill check them out,
thanks again for the info
Johnny, would you say that it's entirely necessary to book in advance with TMT in the low season? I am trying to make time to go in August. I want to remain flexible so am a little wary of booking in advance considering TMT's refund policy and my own experience in other SE Asian countries.
ReplyDeleteI know TMT don't have a cap on students but do the accommodations get fully booked in August? I tried to book with Boyd at PTT for one of his bamboo bungalows but they're full until October! Yikes!
P.S. Thank you so much for all the information you provide on this blog. It's a goldmine for people who are planning their own MT adventures.
Hey Terrible, the only thing you need to book in advance is accommodation if you want to stay on site at the gym itself. The training isn't capped. There will always be a room within a 10 minute walk so if you want the flexibility go ahead and just show up, pay for a week first and see how you like it. Rooms are a lot cheaper if you pay by the month though.
DeleteAnother option is to pay for a 10 class pass, the first few weeks you'll want to train twice a day, everyday, but trust me, it's not a good idea until you've been there for a month or two.
They actually charged me 500 baht, nothing to be concerned over right?
ReplyDeleteJohnny you just saved my bacon. Flying to PTT tomorrow, and JUST in the last few hours they've updated their website and i couldn't find the pic of the address in Thai. Luckily i've been through your site several times in preparation so knew where to find it, and am now sorted. Great blog btw, has been a great help even before today :)
ReplyDeleteHey bro thanks for all the info. Me and 3 mates are doing TMT in Jan. At the moment we have booked accommodation but took the option of paying when we get there. Is that going to be dodgy you rekon since its a peak period? Also I would describe us all as average fitness with some boxing background, i think the boys are keen to go straight into 2 training sessions a day but i think that is going to destroy us, what is your opinion/experience on that?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hey Mat, most places take payment when you get there, but there's always a chance they'll give up your room to someone else or not have a record of it. If it's possible to put down a deposit i'd suggest that.
DeleteMake sure you guys can run 5km without stopping before you arrive and if you want to try 2 sessions a day, go for it. I'd say more than 50% of people even ones that are fit end up not being able to do more than 8 classes a week total, but give it a shot. I'd suggest paying for just 1 class a day if you're doing a monthly package, and then paying the 300 baht per extra class when you do it.
That'll end up saving you some cash in the long run. How long are you planning on saying for?
Thanks for that. Planning on doing 2 weeks initially then 10 private sessions each. Then a couple of us might stay on longer if its all going well.
DeleteHi, great info on the airport taxi's, this information needs to be 'got out there'.
ReplyDeleteI stayed at Cocoville and trained at with Bang at Dragon for a couple weeks back in 09 and can recommend it if you prefer more 1-1 than group class but my friends went to Tiger for classes and also found it to be excellent.
If anyone has any other taxi numbers can they post them, its great information and being able to book someone reliable and honest for their arrival can make the difference of starting out on the right or wrong foot.
Oh and remember, my Thailand tip for shopping and nights out, don't go in to any bar that has a closed door, they'll tell you anything to get you in but getting out will be a different matter and if a deal sounds too good to be true, then it isn't.
Avoid Tuk Tuks
Hey man, just came across your blog, definitely going to be useful because ive heard some horror stories about the travel in Phuket.Just a quick question, in your opinion is it all right for beginners to train at phuket top team, because im arriving there next week and ive only been training in muay thai and bjj for a few weeks
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance.
Hey Andrew, PTT is beginner friendly, no worries. Make sure you read the book 12weeksinThailand.com before you go to Phuket, it'll save you a ton of money.
DeleteWhich gym would you recommend for me ppt or tmt? I train in combat sambo and bjj.
ReplyDeleteThanks
There used to be a Sambo trainer at PTT so a year ago I would have said PTT. But now they would be pretty close, although Top Team is still better for BJJ, especially Gi. Make sure you read the book at 12weeksinThailand.com for more details on the experience.
Delete