Short answer. For a first trip, book one week at a camp with a beginner class, then extend: monthly rates are far cheaper per week (Lanna Muay Thai, Chiang Mai: 5,000 THB a week or 11,000 a month with a bunk and two sessions a day; Tiger Muay Thai, Phuket: 4,400 or 13,500 for training only, plus 7% VAT). Since 15 September 2026, travellers from 60 countries including the US, UK and EU get 30 days visa-free, extendable once by up to 30 days for 1,900 THB. Go in the cool season, mid-October to mid-February.
How to choose, step by step
- Fix the length first. It decides the visa and the price. Since 15 September 2026, travellers from 60 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and every EU country, can enter visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days (Thai Government PR Department; Royal Thai Embassy, Washington). Longer stays need an extension or a visa: see visa by trip length.
- Pick the region for the season. Thailand's cool season runs from mid-October to mid-February, with quite cool weather in December and January in the north; April is the hottest month. The southern east coast, where Koh Samui is, stays wet until the end of the year, and November is its wettest month (Land Development Department). See regions.
- Check what the price covers. Camps quote different things: training only, one or two sessions a day, a room with training included, VAT on top, or a deposit. Tiger Muay Thai adds 7% VAT to its listed prices; Sinbi includes group training in its room rate whether or not you use it (camp price pages). Compare like with like in the table.
- Ask about beginners. Before you pay, email the camp and ask whether there is a fundamentals or beginner class, how many students each trainer holds pads for, and whether sparring is optional.
- Book one week, then extend. A month costs far less per week, but a week first lets you change camps if the coaching or the room is not right. Ask whether the first week can be credited towards a month.
- Sort insurance and the arrival card. Ask your insurer in writing whether Muay Thai training and sparring are covered. Every non-Thai traveller must submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before arrival, at tdac.immigration.go.th, for every entry (Immigration Bureau TDAC FAQ).
What camps charge: four examples
Prices below are copied from each camp's own page, read on 10 November 2026, in Thai baht (THB). They are examples of how camps price, not a ranking, and we have no relationship with these camps. Prices change, so confirm with the camp before you book.
| Camp (area) | What the price covers | 1 week | 1 month / 4 weeks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muay Thai (Phuket) | Training only: Muay Thai, Western boxing, Krabi Krabong and Muay Boran classes plus the weight room | 4,400 | 13,500 | Plus 7% VAT. Standard room with all classes and a meal card: 14,500 a week, 42,800 a month. Drop-in class 500, day pass 1,000. |
| Sinbi Muay Thai (Rawai, Phuket) | Room plus group training, up to 2 sessions a day | 8,250 per person (twin room) | 26,500 per person (twin, 4 weeks) | High season 1 Nov to 30 Apr. Single room 13,000 a week, 41,000 for 4 weeks. Low season (1 May to 31 Oct) twin 6,300 / 22,000. Minimum 7 nights in high season; full payment confirms the booking. |
| Lanna Muay Thai (Chiang Mai) | Bed in a 4-bunk room plus 2 sessions a day, Monday to Saturday | 5,000 | 11,000 | With 2 meals a day: 7,250 a week, 20,000 a month. Air conditioning, shared bathroom. |
| Fairtex Training Center (Pattaya) | Training only | 10-session pack 7,000 | 16,500 (unlimited) | One session 800. Private session 1,500. Three months or more: 15,500 a month. |
The catch with booking a week first is the price per week. Four separate weeks at Lanna would be 20,000 THB against 11,000 for the month, and at Tiger 17,600 against 13,500 (our arithmetic on the camps' prices). If you already know the camp, or it will credit your first week towards a month, the month is the better deal.
Booking sites list camps and retreats with reviews and what each package includes, which makes the "what does the price cover" check quicker.
Visa by trip length
| Option | Stay | Cost and conditions | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa exemption (60 countries, including US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia) | Up to 30 days; one extension of up to 30 days at the immigration officer's discretion | No visa fee. The extension (form TM.7) is applied for in person and costs 1,900 THB. Embassies say to carry 20,000 THB per person or the equivalent; the UK government says at least 10,000. | A one- to four-week first trip |
| Tourist visa (TR) | 60 days from entry, extendable by 30 days to 90 | Apply online at thaievisa.go.th before you travel; the Washington embassy charges US$40 for a single entry and lists boxing training as a recreational-learning purpose, with a letter of acceptance from the camp | Five to twelve weeks |
| Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | Up to 180 days per entry, multiple entries over 5 years | Muay Thai is a listed activity. You need proof of the training booking and bank statements for the last 3 months with at least 500,000 THB. The fee was 10,000 THB at launch; embassies charge their local equivalent. | Three to six months |
Overstaying costs 500 THB a day up to 20,000 THB, and can lead to detention, deportation and a re-entry ban (UK government travel advice). If you entered before 15 September 2026, the stay stamped in your passport still applies (Thai Government PR Department). Rules can change: check your own nationality with the nearest Thai embassy before you book flights.
Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya or the islands
- Phuket. The best-known foreigner camps, such as Tiger Muay Thai and Sinbi in the south of the island. Sinbi's high-season prices start on 1 November, so December and January cost more.
- Chiang Mai. In the north, where December and January are quite cool (Land Development Department). Camps that bundle a bunk with training, like Lanna, come out cheapest in our table.
- Pattaya and Bangkok. City camps with easy airport access. Fairtex in Pattaya sells training only, so budget for a room separately.
- Koh Samui and the southern east coast. Wettest in November, with rain lasting to the end of the year (Land Development Department). Plan these islands for later in the dry season.
What to bring
Most camps have gloves and pads to use, but bring your own hand wraps (two or three pairs, because they will not dry overnight in the humidity), a mouthguard and, if you plan to spar, shin guards. Buying at a big camp is not cheap: Tiger Muay Thai sells a gear package of gloves, shin pads, two pairs of wraps, two shirts, two pairs of shorts, a towel and a mouthguard for 9,000 THB (Tiger price page). The starter kit and what to wear guides cover the rest.
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Before you fly
Two sessions a day in the heat is a big step up from two classes a week at home, so build up for a few weeks before the trip: skipping, shadow-boxing and bag rounds. The solo Muay Thai plan has a 35-minute session, and the jump rope workout covers the skipping. For bag rounds on your own, FightNome (iPhone and Android) calls kicks, knees and punches out loud on the beat of the music and runs the rounds.
Buying in the UK
Blitz, a UK store and one of our partner stores, sells the small items worth packing for a camp trip: hand wraps, a mouth guard, shin guards with a removable foot, Thai shorts and a kit bag.
Buying in the US
Revgear, a US store and one of our partner stores, sells the items worth packing for a camp trip: hand wraps, a mouth guard, shin guards and Thai shorts.
FAQ
How long should a first Muay Thai trip to Thailand be?
One to four weeks fits the 30-day visa exemption most Western passports get. Book the first week only, then extend at the same camp if it suits you, because monthly rates are much cheaper per week (Lanna: 5,000 THB a week, 11,000 a month).
Do I need a visa to train Muay Thai in Thailand?
For a short holiday, travellers from 60 countries, including the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia, can enter visa-free for up to 30 days since 15 September 2026, with one discretionary 30-day extension. For 5 to 12 weeks a tourist visa (60 days plus 30) fits; for 3 to 6 months the Destination Thailand Visa lists Muay Thai and allows up to 180 days per entry.
How much does a Muay Thai camp in Thailand cost?
On the camps' own pages (read 10 November 2026): Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket charges 4,400 THB a week or 13,500 a month for training only, plus 7% VAT; Lanna Muay Thai in Chiang Mai charges 5,000 THB a week or 11,000 a month including a bunk bed and two sessions a day; Fairtex in Pattaya charges 16,500 THB for an unlimited month.
When is the best time to train Muay Thai in Thailand?
The cool season, mid-October to mid-February, is the most comfortable for two sessions a day; April is the hottest month. Koh Samui and the southern east coast are wettest in November (Land Development Department). Some camps charge high-season prices from 1 November.
Phuket or Chiang Mai for a beginner?
Both have camps that take beginners. Phuket has the best-known foreigner camps and beaches; Chiang Mai is cooler in December and January and, in our examples, cheaper when the room is bundled with training. Ask the camp about beginner classes and trainer ratios either way.
What should I bring to a Muay Thai camp in Thailand?
Two or three pairs of hand wraps, a mouthguard, shin guards if you will spar, training shorts and tops, and sliders. Most camps have gloves and pads to use. Submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before you land.
Sources
- Thai Government Public Relations Department, Revision of Thailand's Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival Schemes (4 September 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C., New Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme (30 Days), updated 17 September 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C., Tourist Visa (Recreation Learning), updated 27 August 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C., Tourist Visa (Tourism and Leisure Activities)
- Thailand e-Visa, Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
- Thai Government Public Relations Department, Amazing Muay Thai @ Chiang Mai (DTV fee and stay, July 2024)
- Immigration Bureau, Visa Extension (tourism, TM.7, 1,900 THB)
- Immigration Bureau, Thailand Digital Arrival Card FAQ
- GOV.UK, Thailand travel advice: entry requirements
- Land Development Department, Seasons of Thailand
- Tiger Muay Thai, Prices and packages
- Sinbi Muay Thai, Accommodation and training packages
- Lanna Muay Thai, Bed in a 4-bunk bedroom
- Fairtex Training Center, Prices
More buying guides
- Muay Thai starter kitWhat to buy first, in order, and what can wait.
- What to wear to Muay ThaiYour first class, what to bring, how Thai shorts should fit, and UK picks.
- Boxing starter kitWhat to buy for your first boxing class, in order, with UK picks.
- Best Muay Thai gloves 2026Five leather Thai gloves by use, plus Fairtex and Yokkao size charts.
- Boxing vs Muay Thai glovesPalm, padding and cuff differences, one-glove options, and which to buy.
- Boxing glove size guide12 vs 14 vs 16oz: size charts by weight and use, and UK picks.
- Kids' boxing glovesWhat size gloves for children and juniors, 4oz to 10oz, and UK picks.
- Sparring headgear guideOpen-face vs cheek vs full face, a head-size check, and UK picks.
- Kickboxing sparring gearPoint fighting vs light contact kit list, foot pads, body protectors, sizes.
- Karate sparring gearKumite kit list, gi weight and cut, mitts, foot guards, sizes.
- Karate gi guideGi weight 3 to 14oz, kata vs kumite, European vs Japanese cut, size chart.
- MMA sparring glovesOpen-finger vs boxing gloves, 4oz vs 6–8oz, Blitz and Revgear sizes.
- Best Muay Thai shin guardsThai-style vs adjustable vs sleeve, size charts and a shin-length size check.
- Best heavy bag for homeHanging vs freestanding, how heavy, and how to set it up.
- Martial arts mats for home20 vs 40 mm, how many jigsaw mats you need, and laying them.
- Heavy bag workout for beginnersA 20-minute round-by-round plan, what you need, and UK picks.
- Shadow boxing workoutA 20-minute no-equipment round plan for beginners, with a Muay Thai version.
- Muay Thai at home aloneA 35-minute solo round plan, with or without a bag, and what you need.
- Jump rope workout for boxingThe basic bounce, the boxer skip in five steps, a 15-minute round plan.
- Best Thai padsCurved vs straight, leather vs synthetic, and Fairtex's pad sizes.
- Focus mitts vs Thai padsWhich pads to buy for boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai, and UK picks.
- Belly pad vs kick shieldWhat each pad is for, which to buy first, and how to hold a shield.
- Hand wraps guide180 vs 120 inches, a length check, elastic vs cotton, and how tight to wrap.
- How to wrap your handsThe standard wrap step by step, a Muay Thai version, how tight, and washing.
- Groin guard guideCup types, the competition rules, Blitz's size table, and UK and US picks.
- Mouthguard guideBoil-and-bite single vs double, kids sizes, England Boxing and IFMA rules, and UK and US picks.