The Hippo Kicks it Thai Style

Winter means more than just cold weather to many expats. It also signals the arrival of a much needed vacation to somewhere else in Asia. Combine vacation with a New Year’s resolution to get fit and Thailand is that perfect somewhere else. Hippo’s Gym and Muay Thai Camp is located one minute from beautiful Maenam Beach on Thailand’s beautiful island of Koh Samui. Matt Cullivan and Udo Moenig have been owners of the gym for five years and know how to keep expats happy. A trip to

Thailand means different things to different people, but for a combination of fun and fitness, vacationers who choose Hippo’s can expect a wish fulfilled.
All the usual equipment can be found under the roof of Hippo’s 120 square meter exercise gym. The equipment shares space with a muay thai ring and the training stations that accompany it. An ample number of personal trainers are always on hand to help customers with spotting, technique, or any other fitness related inquiries.

In addition to the gym itself, Hippo’s conducts a muay thai camp that becomes especially enticing during winter and summer vacations. Camp rates start at 7,000 baht ($232) a week. This includes a clean, private, air conditioned (or fan if preferred) bungalow located literally minutes from both the beach and the gym. Each individual room features a large double bed, a fifty channel television set and a once per day cleaning service. In addition to the room, muay thai camp entitles participants to five one-hour-and-forty-minute training sessions with a professional muay thai fighter/trainer per week. The rates increase to 11,000, 14,000, or 16,500 baht for two, three, or four weeks, respectively. Should accommodations not be needed, Hippo’s charges only 2,500 baht for use of the gym and the five muay thai training sessions per week.

The area around Hippo’s is beautiful and getting there is no problem. Fly from Korea into Bangkok on either Thai or Bangkok Air. Once there take a night train and ferry to Koh Samui or pay a little extra for a fifty minute flight. The wonderful folks at Hippo’s can also make pick-up arrangements ahead of time to get you to Maenam Beach. In fact, during the entire trip, the Hippo’s staff is more than happy to help customers with renting motorbikes, sight-seeing trips, or even a boat trip to the amazing full moon party at Koh Phangan.

For more information or to book a trip, contact Matt Cullivan at cullivan@hotmail.com
or contact the gym through their Facebook page, Hippo’s Gym and Muay Thai Camp.