Phuket's Gyms -
A Review
There are plenty of ways to get fat in Phuket. There is fantastic food everywhere. All-you-can-eat BBQs for 99 baht. It is easy to spend a day lounging by the pool supping beers and nibbling snacks. Then a night on the town drinking and eating. And believe us, whatever people may say, not all Thai food is healthy. Oh yes, it is easy to get fat.
So for those of us who like to balance our excesses with a bit of healthiness, we need somewhere to exercise. One of the best options is a good indoor gymnasium so in this article we will review some of the gyms around Phuket. Many of the major hotels have very good fitness facilities for their guests but we are going to concentrate on gyms and fitness centres that are open to the general public. We hope to maintain and add to the list.
Phuket Town
Club Asia
This fitness centre and spa is probably the premier fitness club in Phuket.
The 1,000sqm gym includes top quality cardio machines from Star Trac. These include Concept 2 rowers that are often the benchmark of a well-equipped gym.
The weight machines are also top range equipment from Body Solid and TechnoGym. There is also a spacious free weights section.
The studio class has a full range of fitness classes in the mornings and evenings. There is a nice outdoor swimming pool with plenty of sun-loungers and there are also spa facilities.
The gym is air-conditioned, spacious and clean. There are good changing facilities and steam rooms. This is generally a top-notch fitness facility but you do need to become a member to use it.
Location:
3rd Floor, Royal Phuket City Hotel, Phang Nga Road, Phuket Town.
Price:
2,500-baht joining fee.
2,100-baht a month
Smart Gym (Chana Charoen Road)
Smart have two gymnasiums in Phuket Town. One has very good equipment and is a little expensive. The other has rather average equipment and is cheap.
This gymnasium is the good Smart Gym. It has good quality equipment from Body Solid and Star Trac. These two companies provide about the best quality exercise equipment available in Thailand. The machines at this gym are among the top-range machines available from both suppliers.
The gym has two floors but it is not the biggest of premises so they do squeeze the machines together quite closely. Still there is enough space to work. It is generally quiet during the day but gets quite busy in the mornings and evenings.
The cardio equipment is good quality, mostly from Star Trac. There are eight running machines, six exercise bikes, three striders and a couple of steppers.
The weight machines again are some of Body Solid's best and they have machines to thoroughly work absolutely every muscle group. There is a small free weights section in the corner.
Upstairs they have a room for stretching and they have classes in the evenings. There is no air-con but plenty of wall fans. There are male and female changing rooms with showers and small steam rooms.
Location:
Phuket Town on Chana Charoen Road, opposite Expo Shopping Market.
Price:
180-baht a session.
1,500-baht monthly membership.
Smart Gym (Chao Fa East Road)
This is the other Smart gym, the one with rather average equipment but it is nice and cheap to use.
The gym has just a single floor so there is not a lot of space. The equipment is all usable but some of it is a little lightweight and clunky. The weight machines are from Body Solid and a variety of other providers. It is not top range equipment and you get the feeling that this gym gets the cast offs from the other gym.
There is a limited free weights section with dumbells up to 25kg.
They have six decent running machines. The other cardio equipment is very lightweight and unsatisfying. They do not really have any significant space for stretching.
The changing facilities are limited to a single general purpose washroom with toilet and shower.
Location:
Phuket Town on Chao Fa East Road (if you go away from the traffic lights at the
Bangkok Road junction, the Gym is just 200-meters along on the right hand side).
Price:
80-baht a session.
800-baht monthly membership.
Patong
Phuket Gym Patong
This gymnasium has been Patong's most popular exercise hall for many years now. The equipment is certainly showing its age. It has a hotch-potch mix of machines that seems to suggest they have been collected over the years. The cardio machines do leave a lot to be desired. The exercise bikes have no pedal straps, the steppers and striders clunk and click through every rotation and the LED displays may or may not work. There is a Concept 2 rower that rattles down your arms with every pull. The running machines still just about do the job.
This is certainly a gym that is more suited to weight training than cardio work. The weight machines may be a little clunky but they are still effective and there are plenty of machines. There are also plenty of free weights and they go up to a range heavy enough to satisfy even the most committed of weight trainers.
Patong Gym is popular with Patong's bodybuilding crowd. It is relatively easy to find 'fitness supplements' such as steroids around the local pharmacies. So if that is your thing then just ask the guy with the biggest muscles where he gets his 'supplements' and you will be pointed in the right direction.
There are a few mats and a stretching area and there is also a heavy bag and gloves for a boxing workout.
There is no air-con but a few wall fans. There are male and female changing rooms with showers and a sauna in each. If you want a locker you need to pay a 100-baht deposit for the key.
Location:
Sainamyen Road. Go east from the Rat-U-Thit junction and turn right into
the first soi.
Price:
150-baht a session.
1,500-baht monthly membership.
There are reduced rates available for long-term residents.
Tailife Health and Fitness
If you are in Patong and you want to exercise in a plusher environment then you could try Tailife Health and Fitness. This is a much more pleasant environment with a nice view over the pool. To be honest, the exercise machines are not fantastic but still an improvement on Patong Gym. This gym is aimed more at fitness fans rather than 'hard-core' iron pumpers.
The cardio machines are from Life Fitness. The three running machines are good. The bikes, steppers and striders all feel a little light-weight and somehow unsatisfying. There is a Concept 2 rower but again it does not seem to feel quite smooth and firm enough.
The weight machines are from Cybex and are good quality equipment, although not really top quality. There is a free weights section but you must put the weights down gently as the massage room is directly below.
The gym has air-con, is clean and has good changing facilities. There is also a nice pool so for an extra fee you can have a swim and relax on a sun-lounger after your workout.
The Yorkshire Inn manages the gym so if you are a guest at this hotel you also get to use the facilities.
Location:
Soi Sunset, Patong. (near Tai Pan night club).
Price:
268-baht a session.
3,000-baht monthly membership.
Kata / Karon
New Karon Gym, Karon Beach
This gym in Karon, under German management has weights,machines and the expert advice you need to stay in great shape .With 400 sqm of space, you will find plenty of good quality equipment imported from Germany. Over 35 resistance machines and another 10 plus cardio machines. They have air-con, trainers, protein shakes, lockers and shower room .
And your workout will be complemented with a fabulous view over the ocean at Karon Beach. The gym is open from 10am until 9pm.
Location:
556/17-18 Patak Road Karon, second floor in Karon Circle
Price:
300-baht a session.
1,200-baht weekly membership.
2,400-baht monthly membership.
Don's Gym, Kata Beach
Don's Gym is one of the best Gym's in Kata. They have been open since 2003 and moved to new premises in Ket Kwan Road in 2008. This Gym has a strong emphasis on training with free weights and this is what they mostly offer. They have dumbells, barbells, kettle bells, benches, a benchpress, a power cage, a T-bar, an arm curl. Other resistance machines are cable crossover, smith machine, leg extension, leg curl, and lat machine/low row.
Their cardio equipment consists of treadmills, elliptical trainer, rowing machine and spinning bikes. There are also an exercise ball, BOSU ball, medicine ball and jump ropes.
They also have holiday apartments available upstairs.
Location:
18/5 Ket Kwan Road, Kata Beach
Price:
200-baht a session.
1,200-baht monthly membership.
Chalong
Chalong Gym
This gymnasium has been here many years and like many of the smaller, older gyms, the equipment is showing its age. There are two floors but it is not a big gym so there is not a lot of equipment.
The cardio equipment is limited. The striders have no resistance and the bikes are clunky. There are a couple of usable running machines. The saving grace on the cardio side is there is a Concept 2 rower.
The weight machines are good quality equipment from Body Solid. They are a little old and some of them are a bit clunky but they are mostly good and still effective. They don't have a huge selection of machines but still everything you need for an all body workout. They also have a decent selection of free weights.
The gym's other saving grace is a good boxing bag on the second floor.
The whole place is a little worn and frayed. They do not have changing rooms per se but there are a couple of toilets with showers on the second floor where you can change and shower.
Location:
Chao Fa Road East. Drive from Chalong Circle toward Phuket Town and the Gym
is on the right, approx 3km from the circle.
Price:
150-baht a session.
500-baht for a 5-visit card
1,500-baht for a 20-visit card.
Chalong Villa Gym
This is a new gym that is part of a small new villa development. It is a nice new addition to Phuket's exercising options. It has a spacious hall with a decent selection of good quality equipment.
The cardio equipment is from Star Trac. It is good but not top of the range. They have several running machines and bikes, a couple of striders and a stepper. They also have a Concept 2 rower.
They use good quality weight machines from Body Solid. They have a reasonable but not big selection of weight machines. Basically, all the essential machines but only one of each. There is also a free weights section.
One of the big plusses for this Gym is the villa development includes a pool. For an extra 50-baht, you can have a swim and rest on the sun-loungers after your workout.
The gym does not have air-con but it has a few ceiling fans and the hall is airy enough. It is clean, new and there are male and female changing rooms with steam rooms.
Location:
Behind Home Pro at Chalong Circle. Drive though the car park on the left
hand side of Home Pro and go straight out on to the small soi behind. The
gym is on the left.
Price:
150-baht a session.
200-baht a session to also use the pool
1,500-baht for 1 month
Nai Harn
Nai Harn Gym
This is another new and well-equipped gym. They use Stex equipment in a nice spacious air-con hall with plenty of greenery outside to add to the relaxed ambience.
They have the usual selection of good quality cardio machines. There are three running machines, three bikes and a couple of striders and steppers.
They also have the usual selection of weight machines. It is not a big selection but everything you need and there is a good free weights section.
The gym is clean and well maintained with changing facilities.
Location:
On Soi Naya close to the junction with Saiyuan Road.
Price:
200-baht a session.
2,000-baht for 1 month
Kamala
Kamala Gym
This is a nice new gym. Good quality equipment justifies the slightly above average price. They have good cardio machines and weight training machines from GymWare. There are plenty of free weights and they have a little bar serving juices and protein shakes.
The gym is spacious enough with male and female changing rooms and everything looks new and clean.
Location:
Just off the main road on the same side as Phuket Fantasea.
Price:
200-baht a session.
1,500-baht for 1 month
Kathu
Kathu Fitness Center
Kathu is not well served with finess facilities. This gym is very basic. It is a litle stuffy and frayed at the edges. There is plenty of equipment but a lot of it is rather old and clunky. Much of the cardio equipment is pretty much unusable although they do have a couple of running machines.
The weight machines are better and there is a good enough range of equipment to satisfy most weight pushers. They also have a decent selection of free weights.
There are male and female toilets where you can change.
Location:
Very close to Kathu market on the road towards Loch Palm golf course.
Price:
100-baht a session.
1,000-baht for 1 month