Introduction
In this part of my trip to Thailand, I visited Buakaw Village, located about 60 km northeast of Chiang Mai. It is a place focused on more than just Muay Thai, although training in this discipline was the main purpose of my visit.
I traveled from Chiang Mai to Buakaw Village by GRAB. I left early, at 6 a.m., to make it in time for the first training session, which started at 8 a.m. The ride cost around PLN 80, which I consider quite reasonable considering that the driver spent about an hour and fifteen minutes driving one way.
Of course, the first thing I did when I arrived was take a few photos at the Buakaw statue. I then went to the reception, which was located inside the canteen. Below are a few photos of the canteen and gym.
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
After moving my belongings into the bungalow and completing my first training session, I finally had a chance to enjoy the place itself. The surroundings were beautiful and lush, making it an ideal place to relax after training. The bungalow where I stayed also turned out to be very good quality and in excellent condition.
To my delight, I had the bungalow all to myself, even though I had paid for a group accommodation option. There were only five people there during my stay, one of whom was sick and therefore did not participate in the training sessions. This made the atmosphere even more intimate.
Below are a few photos of the bungalow and the immediate surroundings.
Buakaw Village Bungalow Gallery
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
Surroundings Gallery
Since the Village is located within Sri Lanna National Park, the surrounding area is definitely worth exploring. For just 300 THB (around PLN 35), you can rent a scooter from the staff, making it quick and convenient to get between nearby locations.
I managed to visit Panya Forest, among other places, as well as several nearby attractions. Some of them, such as the vast rice fields with mountain views, really made a huge impression on me.
It is also worth mentioning that there are plenty of animals in and around the village. Right next to my bungalow lived a very curious little horse. A little farther away, you could see a bird farm, swans, ostriches, buffaloes, and cows. Right at the entrance, meanwhile, there were two very large – and exceptionally loud – turtles.
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
Training at Buakaw Village
As for the training itself, considering my level of physical preparation, it was exactly the right level for me.
The morning sessions started at 8:00 a.m. and began with a 30-minute run. After that, we moved on to technique, strength, or coordination work. The focus of the morning training rotated, which provided a nice variety compared with the much more intense evening sessions of good old-fashioned “beating the crap out of ourselves.”
I should add that the mornings could be really cold. In the end, only three people showed up for the last morning session: Billy, one of the trainers, and me. Unfortunately, the rest of the group – including the other trainer – got sick.
The second training session started at 4:00 p.m. and, just like the morning session, began with a 30-minute run – this time under the full sun.
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
The trainers were very sociable, helpful, and demanding, while also being funny. They gave us plenty of laughs, spent a lot of time with us, and showed us several new techniques. Here are their social media profiles:
- Natthakorn Van: https://www.instagram.com/natthakorn_van/
- Done Bandong: https://www.instagram.com/donephk__/
Our group looked like this:
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
We all got along really well as a group. Everyone supported each other, we had plenty of time to chat, and we spent a lot of time eating meals together. This is one of my favorite photos from the trip.
Drone Footage – Buakaw Village
Just as I did in Ayutthaya, which I wrote about here, I tried to obtain permission to fly my drone over Buakaw Village. Fortunately, after exchanging several emails with the national park authorities, I managed to obtain official permission.
The documents were sent to me in Thai. I was also asked to provide proof of drone insurance, the required documents, and my flight plan, all of which I had to present at reception 🙂
Below is a gallery of some footage captured with the drone. You can find more material on my Instagram and YouTube.
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
Prices
I paid a total of 10,000 THB (approximately PLN 1,100) for five nights at the village. The price included:
- Two training sessions per day. At 8 a.m.: 30-minute run + pad work, technique, heavy bags, or 1 hour in the gym. At 4 p.m.: 30-minute run + heavy bags, sparring, and 1.5 hours of technique work.
- Breakfast + additional food to take back to the bungalow between 9 and 11 a.m.
- Dinner between 5 and 7 p.m.
- Personal training sessions were available for an additional fee.
Summary of My Stay at Buakaw Village
To sum up, my stay at Buakaw Village was one of the most interesting and worthwhile parts of my trip around Thailand. The place offers excellent training conditions, an intimate atmosphere, and beautiful natural surroundings that allow you to train hard while also simply relaxing between sessions.
The training sessions were well organized and sufficiently varied, and their intensity could easily be adjusted to suit your own level of fitness. Another major advantage was the small number of people staying there, which meant the trainers could provide more individual attention.
The location within Sri Lanna National Park is another huge plus. It encourages you to explore the surrounding area and gives you the opportunity to experience a completely different, more peaceful side of Thailand. On top of that, the prices are very reasonable – for the accommodation, training, and additional activities such as scooter rental or transportation from Chiang Mai.
If you’re looking for a place where you can combine intensive Muay Thai training with nature and an authentic atmosphere in northern Thailand, Buakaw Village is definitely worth considering.
Video from the Buakaw Village
For those who are more interested in videos than reading, I prepared a compilation video from my experience at Buakaw Village. Drone shots of the area, fragments of training, a quick compilation of my experience.