Pattaya - Bangkok Fitness

[litefoot2]

Looking to maintain the cardio while in Thailand, and would be grateful for any member feedback on gay friendly gyms that won't break the bank, but still have a range of equipment.

Bangkok -- have been referred to Babylon as having a decent set-up. Anything else in the Silom area beyond the overpriced Wow place?

Pattaya - Are there any good alternatives to Tony's? Thanks all.

[francois]

Pattaya - Are there any good alternatives to Tony's? Thanks all.

In Pattaya their is Calif Wow on Second Rd vicinity of Royal Garden. A good gym but trying to negotiate a price is like haggling with an Iranian rug merchant.

Tonys does have a newer facitly across from the original one on Third Rd near intersection with Pattaya Tai (south Pattaya Rd).. This facility offers a one month member ship at about 3500 TB and a 3 month at about 5000 TB. Lot of equipment but the Air Con is minimal which will encourage sweating it that is what you may want.

[TravellerDave]

During my last trip I joined Tonys 3rd Road for 2 weeks for 2000 baht. This I think is rather expensive bearing in mind that a years membership is only 7500. However its an well equiped gym and you can use the swimming pool. I also went to the Olympus Gym on Sukumvit Road (Near the junction with 2nd Road) which is as good as Tonys and quite a bit cheaper. A couple of years ago I went to an upmarket gym in the Royal Garden complex.
I also do a a bit of running on the Big Budha hill where there is a circuit if about 1.5 Km.
Anything to keep the flab away !.

[Neal]

Several times I have heard Tony's on 3rd Rd advertising "lifetime memberships" for 8 or 9,000 baht! Haggle if you go there, I think they are in desperate need of money.

[pong]

re BKK
About any of the 40 or so gay sauna's in town have some gym-equipment, though in some it looks like not being used since years. BBLon is topofthebill in most respects, so i guess also in this (not been there since many yrs-recent reports all say more farang as Thai anyway). Near the Silom area HEAVEN has quite a roomy workout and this was well used by sweaty Chinese when I was there.
California WOW is mostly known as a giant pick=up joint (yes, also PLU) and seems to have to scale down to to overambitious plans-and maybe their also overambitious sales drives and entry-fee expectations. Nearly all 5* HTLs also have some gym-as USAers tend to want to have that- no idea about use.
And -out in the open- the BMA has even set up training machines in most of townparks-in some there are even attendants where you can rent for deposit more specialised things. Even in Saranrom pk. But as I do not do that fanatic-only sometimes a little bit, i do not knopw how that would fit to your probably much higher requirements.

[TravellerDave]

Samsuk Sauna has a small gym and a very small swimming pool. If you stay there you can use the facilities without charge. I went there several times during my November trip.

I use the Babylon gym several times a week when I am in Bangkok and find it more than adequate. One of the chief advantages is that you can pretty well be certain that you will be the only person using the facility. Occasionally, someone wanders in and makes an attempt at using a machine but then seems to get discouraged and disappears. There are a few Thai guys who do a serious workout from time to time, but the size of the gym and the variety of the equipment guarantees a comfortable workout. I am rather serious about my workout and find that I can get a good range of activities in at the place.

I did a short term (5 month) membership at Fitness First (the Lumphini/Q House club mostly) and while the gym is first rate and plush, there are some real drawbacks having to do with the bureaucracy there - getting anything done (including canceling) the membership was a nightmare. California WOW to me is just overcrowded and unpleasant.

As to Pattaya - I could REALLY use some recommendations on places to go there... I am not fussy, but would love a place with some a/c, hehe.

Also (hope it is OK to ask this here): is testosterone supplementation available in BKK or Pattaya? Just wondering....

[Beachlover]

Several times I have heard Tony's on 3rd Rd advertising "lifetime memberships" for 8 or 9,000 baht! Haggle if you go there, I think they are in desperate need of money.
Side note: Might want to re-think if they're desperate for money... if they fold, you lose whatever membership fees you've paid in advance.

[Smiles]

" ... Looking to maintain the cardio while in Thailand ... "
(1) A mountain bike, and, (2) a good pair of running shoes. All upfront, but not expensive.
Running in Thailand's balmy afternoon heat gives the added advantage of serious 'stamina building' :happy7: And I ain't kiddin'!!

[Beachlover]

I understand you need a gym to access weights but for cardio...

Bangkok = Run in Lumpini Park or swim in hotel pool (if large enough)

Pattaya = Run on Jomtien Beach (Pattaya Beach too dirty, small and inconsistent) or swim in hotel pool (if large enough)

Can anyone else think of a good running place or route in Bangkok? I can only think of Lumpini Park...

[TravellerDave]

Olympus Gym
Sorry my instructions were wrong. Its not near the inter-section of Second Road and Sukumvit Road. Rather the junction of Central Pattaya Road and Suk Road.
I assume you know Central Road. This is the one which runs from 2nd Road at the Tops Supermarket. Where it hits Suk Road you turn left and go about 300 Yards. You will see a large statue of a muscle man. Turn into the forecourt and you will see a large building. The gym reception is on the ground floor and the gym on the 1st floor.
I'm hoping to be back in Pattaya in a month or so.
I often went to the gym in the morning and then in the afternoon I go to Dongtan Gay Beach.

[christianpfc]

Can anyone else think of a good running place or route in Bangkok? I can only think of Lumpini Park...
There is the "State Railway Public Park", in short suan rot fai near Chatuchak. It is vast, considerably larger than Lumpini (but on my map the size is similar to Lumpini), you can almost get lost in it.

Furthermore, large parts of Chao Phraya river and Saen Saep canal have a walkway on the side, that would be another occasion for runing away from a street with cars.

(Assuming you want to run in a park. I you are fine with running along a street, you can do so everywhere.)

[Beachlover]

Thanks, Christian... along the river would be interesting. Just not sure where to start.

Are you talking about Chatuchak Park? The one next to the weekend markets? Yes... I've walked and run around that before. It's huge! The only downside is I then have a long skytrain ride back to my hotel in Siam.

[christianpfc]

There is Chatuchak Park (the one you cross from MRT station to go to the market), north of it is Queen Sirikit Park (not to be confused with Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden near Chiang Mai) and adjacent to this is State Railway Public Park. On maps, the distinction is not clear.

here two links about the two gardens/parks:

http://www.bangkoksite.com/places%20to% ... SPark1.htm (http://www.bangkoksite.com/places%20to%20see/QSPark1.htm)" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://blogs.angloinfo.com/bangkok-city ... lway-park/ (http://blogs.angloinfo.com/bangkok-city-of-angels/2011/05/16/suan-rot-fai-%E2%80%93-the-old-railway-park/)" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Irishfella]

Best gym in Pattaya

http://www.thecastra.com/

[netrix]

In Pattaya their is Calif Wow on Second Rd vicinity of Royal Garden. A good gym but trying to negotiate a price is like haggling with an Iranian rug merchant.


so how much is a membership at California Wow?

[francois]

so how much is a membership at California Wow?

I don't know the answer to that. They start at some absurd price and haggle forever until the manager steps in and gives a final price which is not final. The last good deal I received was about 12,000 TB for three years which was a good deal. That was three years ago. This visit I took a gym holiday.
The gym is ok except for Thai ladies sitting on equipment and talking on cell phones plus chatty farang hanging on the equipment like a drunk on a utility pole. Also loud Disco/Calif music!

For cardio, I practically run around the neighborhood for about 3 kilometers or 40 minutes, which ever comes first. There are a few fitness areas around my place so it would be easy for me if I decide to enroll in one of those.

I would really like to try Yoga though I do not have a buddy to go with me. Is anyone here interested with the same discipline?