Phuket is a great place to spend lazy days on the beach, but it’s also becoming a destination for sports, wellness and adventure lovers. In Chalong alone there are several fitness centres and Muay Thai/MMA camps with great facilities and personal trainers to help get you into fighting form. And with Chalong Bay and the Big Buddha hill to explore, there are plenty of ways to keep active in the tropical outdoors as well.
Here are some of the sports and fitness activities found in Chalong, all just minutes away from Chaofa West apartments and pool villas.
Muay Thai/MMA training
Tiger Muay Thai and MMA training camp has grown into a huge multi-sports facility that offers everything from drop-in yoga classes to intense fitness boot camps for a total body makeover. Martial arts is the main focus, however, with some of the world’s top MMA fighters coming here to train.
– Activities: MMA training, weight-loss programs, yoga, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, Crossfit
– Distance from Chaofa West: 4 km
Crossfit training
Unit 27 is another boot-camp fitness centre just up the road from Tiger with more emphasis on weight loss and conditioning. With nutritionists and highly skilled trainers on staff, this is the place for some serious body transformation.
– Activities: Crossfit, Spinning, ice baths, sauna, physiotherapy, and some scary-sounding training classes like “Death Row” and “The Punisher”
– Distance from Chaofa West: 4 km
Yoga in Chalong
Yoga is a popular activity in Phuket, with many different styles available in Chalong and nearby. Yoga Connections at Home Pro Village offers a variety of classes including aerial yoga, Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa and power yoga. Ashtanga classes are held at the Traditional Ashtanga Yoga Shala at the Land & House Clubhouse and also near Rawai Beach at Ganesha Yoga Phuket by Julie. For hot yoga, visit Sutisa Hot Yoga Connection near Tiger Muay Thai or go to Kata Beach to try the popular Kata Hot Yoga class.
– Activities: All kinds of yoga
– Distance from Chaofa West: 1.5 km to 7 km
Zumba in Chalong
Zumba dance classes are an invigorating way to keep fit, and Phuket keeps adding more classes as the Latin fitness craze catches on. Zumba with Gabry is a lively and popular class, held at the Land & House Clubhouse, with classes also available at Santosa wellness centre near Kata Beach.
– Activities: Zumba dance
– Distance from Chaofa West: about 1 km to 6 km
Big Buddha hill walk
Most visitors drive up the hill to see the Big Buddha statue. But for the more active among us, walking or running up offers a cardio boost with fabulous views over the Chalong valley and the sea beyond. While the quickest way is to take the paved road that leads up to Big Buddha from our apartments and villas, we prefer a more scenic route with no traffic. Starting at the base of the hill on the Kata Beach side, hiking trails lead through lush jungle and plantations with great views over Kata bay.
– Activities: walking, running, taking in the views
– Distance from Chaofa West: about a 5km trip to the top of the hill
Sailing in Chalong
This friendly Phuket Yacht Club in Chalong Bay welcomes non-members to join some of its activities including sailing courses and weekly races. Its fleet of small dinghy yachts is ideal for kids wanting to learn the ropes. Or just relax at the open-air restaurant with reasonably priced Thai and Western dishes and excellent views of the bay.
– Activities: sailing classes, yacht races, dining, bar
– Distance from Chaofa West: 2 km
Scuba diving and snorkelling
Chalong pier is a major launching point for snorkel and diving trips to nearby islands including Coral Island and the Raya islands. Though the coral reefs and marine life have suffered from bleaching and too much tourist activity in recent years, it’s still a colourful and fascinating area to explore.
– Activities: snorkelling, diving, boat excursion
– Distance from Chaofa West: pier is 1.5 km away
