One thing about Phuket that makes it such an attractive place to live is the wildly varied community which is so active. There is always something happening somewhere on the island. You can find everything from meetups, group activities, professional development and networking, sports, hobby and interest groups, dance, art, and more. Usually, the greatest challenge is finding out when these events are actually happening. Let’s take a look at some classes being held around the island that might be of interest.
Muay Thai
The cool thing about the Muay Thai scene in Phuket is that it’s not just for those training for actual fights. In fact, the vast majority of people who take part in Muay Thai classes are there for other benefits like exercise, learning a bit of self-defense, or socializing and meeting people. In case you haven’t noticed, there are Muay Thai gyms pretty much everywhere on the island with Soi Ta Yed in Chalong being the epicenter. Rawai and Cherng Talay have their fair share as well and many gyms offer classes.
Dancing
It’s always fun to get out on the dance floor and shake it, especially with an enthusiastic group. Residing in a classic British-style building in Chalong, the Green Man Pub has been hosting Latin/salsa nights on Fridays for many years. There’s instruction for beginners and one can oftentimes pick up a dance partner if rolling solo.
Another prime source of where to head with your dancing shoes is the Facebook group called SBK (salsa, bachata, kizomba). Here they post a weekly schedule of venues that are hosting dancing all over the island. In Rawai, venues include Reyn’s Bar and Restaurant, Selina Resort, Boss Level, and Kysna Cafe as well as Lucha Cantina and Crypto Coff in Chalong, and O’Hara’s Pub in Bang Tao.
Those who like the intensity of their dancing ratcheted up a notch can find one of the many Zumba classes going on all over the island. Zumba is a high-intensity aerobic-style dancing to the rhythm of upbeat Latin music. Free Zumba can be found at Blue Tree and along Nai Harn Lake in Rawai and other spots, while paid classes are offered at many gyms or fitness centers.
Art and Creativity
Phuket is home to countless creative individuals in a spectrum of mediums, many of which love inspiring and helping others express their own vision. For two-dimensional type art, check the Srisom Art Healing studio where they have classes on creating mandalas. For something a bit more traditionally Thai, there’s a batik painting workshop in Old Town that is highly rated.
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, check out the Green Grey Clay Workshop in Rawai. At this cool little cafe and workshop they will teach you how to get started transforming a lump of clay into something unique and maybe even practical.
Fickle LIfestyle on Chao Fa west in Chalong is a fantastic spot to spend half a day. Ideal for kids and adults alike, they offer all sorts of artsy activities like leather tattooing, creating custom tuft rugs, and all sorts of fun painting styles on different mediums. The staff are super friendly and helpful and there is a tasty restaurant as an added bonus.
