1) The person in charge of the FB page told me it's high season, so it might be full/I might not get enough attention.
2) Gym might be touristy. This is a big deal. I'm going to Koh Phangan with the intention to train seriously. I'm worried that sparring partners might be a bit inexperienced and the teaching might be oriented towards beginners/tourists/partygoers. I'm hoping you can shed some light on this.
Koh Phangan isnt really known for its Muay thai camps. There are 2 camps on the island that have the majority of the tourists from what I can gather, Kobra and Diamond. I would say that Diamond is the better of the 2, but whenever we had people from either Diamond or Kobra visit NSN, they were shocked by how clean it is and how much attention the instructors paid to them.
Please throw in any advice you think I'd need when going there. How will I get from the airport to the port? How easy is it getting around Koh Phangan? How much money should I bring for a month's stay?
I recall you're from the UK? In that case you qualify for a Visa Exemption (so do I). What's the process like?
The easiest way to get to Koh Phangan is to fly to Samui airport, and from there get a ferry (can be arranged at the airport at the Seatran desk) from Bangrak pier to Thong Sala pier. It will cost around 400 baht for the journey.
Once you are in Thong Sala, if you arrange with the gym they may be able to collect you, if not, then the taxi stands are just a short walk away, ask then to take you to Namsaknoi Gym, Say it is opposite Maduwan School and they will know where it is, the journey should cost you around 200 baht but if you look like a mug they'll try and charge you 3-400 baht.
Getting round Koh Phangan is easiest if you rent a scooter, if you rent one for a month you can get some deals through the gym, 4000-5000 Baht for the month, or else the rate everywhere is 250 Baht a day. Please be careful who you get it from though, the scooter scam is famous, and be careful when riding one. I cant see any other way of getting round (maybe bicycle) , i would highly recommend getting a scooter. I never rode one before I went there and Namsaknoi had to teach me.
If you stay at the gym, i forget exactly how much it is, maybe 250 baht a night? It includes food which is very tasty. I didnt stay at the gym, so i'm not 100% sure about the prices, but the accommodation is what you would expect. Its clean, but basic, you get a fan in the room and you share with one other in bunks. The next time i go, i will probably stay at the gym. Namsaknoi lives on site too, so if you stay at the gym and just hang out, you're bound to have some good times with him.
I stayed 5 mins away from the gym in a bungalow, 1 bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. It was really clean, with a fan and AC, i loved it there. I paid 10,000 baht a month but that wasnt in high season, plus electricity which came to 2500 baht for 2 months , i used however much i needed.
For a month, it would depend mainly on whether you stay at the gym, and how often you will train. I overspent by a bit because i got in as many private lessons with Namsaknoi as i could, i highly recommend them!
