Phuket is a place that makes it easy to exercise, which is why thousands arrive here every week with good intentions to get fit, lose weight, train, detox, or even turn over a new leaf and change their lifestyle. Here are just some of the different ways to become fit and healthy on this tropical island, and all for free!
Keep Fit Anywhere
I’ve never understood why people choose to spend a lot of money on a gym membership, save it for something fun like a Phang Nga tour! There are plenty of opportunities to exercise in the fresh open air.
The best time to exercise in Phuket is early morning and late afternoon as these are the coolest times of day. There are several lakes and dams around the island ideal for exercising but you will see people working out in their own style everywhere.
Expect to see runners on the side of the busy roads, cyclists on the steep mountain paths, people of all ages using the free exercise equipment on the pavements of Patong, and swimmers doing lengths across Nai Harn Bay. We’ve even seen a guy jogging whilst pulling a car tyre behind him. Now that is serious training!
Some of the most popular places for exercising include The Kings Park in Phuket Town, Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu, Phuket’s largest source of fresh water, and Nai Harn Lake. They all offer pleasant areas for keeping fit whether your choice of exercise is walking, jogging, running or cycling.
Big Buddha for Fitness
The Big Buddha is an enormous statue, standing at 45 meters high and sitting atop the tallest hill in Phuket. The road that leads up to it is steep and long, great for working out! You can choose to cycle, run, or walk it, aim to start early morning as it gets very hot and quite busy with cars and motorbikes from 9am onwards. It’s well worth the effort as the views are the best in Phuket.
Clean the Beach Boot Camp
We’re surrounded by beaches so why not use them? Phuket snorkelling tours are best during high season when the waves aren’t as high. The west coast has the best surfing beaches, check out Nai Harn, Kata and Kamala.
Clean the Beach Boot Camp is an organized event whereby every two weeks’ people are invited along to a beach clean, (it’s a different beach each time). There’s a free workout session to start with and then everyone lends a hand picking up the trash and plastic that gets brought in by the tide.
You don’t want to run yourself into the ground, there should be an equal time of enjoyment too. Snorkelling and swimming are relaxing and make great workouts, why not treat yourself and take an Andaman cruise where you can do both in the company of good friends? At La Moet we offer cruises taking you to the best swimming spots around the island.
