i-to-i Meaningful travel has built another cultural bride to the world and this time it is with Thailand’s prestigious national sport, Muay Thai, a beautiful blend of kickboxing-style martial arts and ancient Buddhist rituals. It has been practiced voraciously in numerous Southeast Asian countries since the middle ages and currently there are efforts toward making it an Olympic sport.
Recently, its popularity has exploded in the west thanks to movies such as Ong-Bak and video games such as Street fighter. Its growing presence in popular culture has aroused the interest of many Americans to learn this extraordinary style of kickboxing.
With i-to-i Meaningful Travel one has the opportunity to travel to Thailand and learn from trained fighters the authentic art of Muay Thai. Also known as “The Science of Eight Limbs”, it employs use of the hands, shins, elbows and knees instead of just two fists like in American boxing. With an emphasis on body conditioning, the fighters will go through a rigorous 6 hours each day of stamina and strength exercises, shadow boxing and pads practice as well as light sparring in the ring. At present, because of cultural differences and housing accommodations, only males are accepted into the program.
Orientation begins in Bangkok, the lively and bustling capital of Thailand. Afterwards, fighters are transported to the stunning island of Koh Tao where they live in private rooms within walking distance of both the training facilities and tropical beaches.
This unique cultural exchange packs a punch. Participants dive head first into Thai culture, surrounding themselves in the natural beauty and stunning architecture of Thailand, enjoying the delicious cuisine, interacting with the friendly people all while dedicating their bodies and minds to an intense training regimen in order to learn the highly revered and physically demanding martial art of Muay Thai.
