Nam Yang Kung Fu Retreat

THE WILL TO WIN, THE DESIRE TO SUCCEED, THE URGE TO REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL…THESE ARE THE KEYS THAT WILL UNLOCK THE DOOR TO PERSONAL EXCELLENCE

-CONFUCIOUS

Many of you have asked me about my experience at Nam Yang Kung Fu Retreat in Pai, Chiang Mai, Thailand (www.kungfuretreat.com). I thought to take this opportunity share my experiences at this wonderful place.

An excerpt from the website

“Immerse yourself in true kung fu in Thailand at the Nam Yang Kung Fu Retreat, our residential meditation and martial arts training retreat. Here, students of kung fu or people simply interested in learning about martial arts and meditation during their travels, can come for any length of time and learn multiple of forms of Chinese Kung Fu for combat and self-defense, as well as Chi Kung and meditation for health, vitality and enlightenment.

We have world-famous Masters of Shaolin Kung Fu and Chi Kung (both hard and soft), who speak fluent English and are supported by a team of dedicated full-time martial artists and teachers.

At our martial arts camp you will enjoy a peaceful setting, among gorgeous mountain views on more than two acres of land near the town of Pai in northern Thailand. This provides our students with the perfect learning environment, conducive to exceptional mental focus, but also with access to local restaurants and Thailand’s rich culture in Pai.”

I first got to know of this Kung Fu retreat after my friend posted a picture of her at the retreat. I was immediately drawn to it, and without much hesitation decided to sign up for a 2-week retreat there. I decided to sign up for the programme for 2 weeks as I felt if I really wanted a proper introduction to the art, I needed at least 2 weeks. 

I had no prior experience in martial arts or whatsoever, but I thought that given the controlled environment, it would be an excellent opportunity to pick up some martial arts skills as well as recharge and reflect upon my life. I did not have much expectations, and simply thought it was a good getaway from the city.

This trip would be my first solo trip. I had never travelled solo before and though I was a little apprehensive at first, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

Arriving in Chiang Mai

From Chiang Mai airport, I took a taxi to Arcade Bus Terminal where the minivan to Pai was waiting. Booked the ride from one of those airport counters. The ride cost 200 baht. Tried to bargain it down but the price seemed pretty fixed. Ride to the city was pretty smooth, I arrived at Arcade Bus Terminal in less than 30 min.

Chiang Mai - Pai

There are two main minivan services that offered a ride up to Pai from Chiang Mai. I took Prem Pracha (https://12go.asia/en/operator/prem-pracha) and it cost about 150 baht one-way. If you buy it online, it is slightly more expensive, about 200 baht. The other minivan service is by Aya Service (http://www.ayaservice.com/Chiangmai-Pai.php) .

The retreat is situated in the small hippie town of Pai. I loved the town as it has lots of healthy, organic kind of food, and at night, the street turns into a bustling night market with lots of delicious food finds and beautiful crafts.

Pai is approximately a 3-hour minivan ride away from Chiang Mai. As the town is located in the mountainous areas, it has many bends, and some people suffered motion sickness on the ride up (in case you are wondering…there are 762 bends in total). If you are prone to motion sickness, perhaps you can try to sit toward the front of the minivan. I was lucky and got to sit next to the driver, and with my ginger tablets at hand, I found the ride bearable.

Pai - Nam Yang Retreat

The minivan dropped me at the bus station in Pai. From there, I took a taxi to the retreat. The taxi ride costs about 150 baht. If you are adventurous, you can also rent a scooter from one of the many scooter rental places in town and ride up to the retreat. It is about a 10 min ride away. 

This is the bus station in Pai which you will alight at

For more detailed directions on how you can get to the retreat, you can refer to the link here: https://kungfuretreat.com/directions/

The Retreat

 The training ground is located in a very tranquil area with very good, peaceful energy. A conducive place to train

Wednesdays and Saturdays are off-days at the retreat. It is recommended to arrive on the off-days, so you will have time to settle in before training starts. I arrived on a Wednesday.

I signed up for the Shaolin Warrior Programme. It combines the best elements of Chinese Kung Fu, Chi Kung and meditation. On top of this, I also took the Intensive Introductory Course. If you take up the intensive introductory course, you would have an additional hour of training (10am-11am), everyday (except off-days). For more information on the Warrior Programme: https://kungfuretreat.com/shaolin-warrior-training-program/

                                     Me doing a pose from the Shuang Yang routine I learnt

I also like how there is a code of conduct to follow here. It reminds me of the days I spent at the Vipassana Meditation Retreat.

Accommodation and Meals

The cost for the retreat includes training, accommodation and 2 meals (breakfast and dinner). Meals served at the retreat are really healthy and tasty with lots of fresh vegetables grown on-site. For lunch, students usually head out to town to have a meal. There are a lot of wholesome and nutritious cafés to choose from.

Special Mention

Speaking of lunch...I can't help but mention one of my favorite places in Pai for lunch. If you are Pai, do look out for this humble stall. They serve really good fruit bowls! The lady boss is really warm, friendly and generous. I enjoy coming here for a healthy big bowl of fruits for lunch between trainings. It is 100 baht for a bowl. Love the coconut milk that gives the extra ohmm to the amazing fruit bowl. It is opposite Siam Books (bookstore selling second hand books). Do keep a look out, you will not be disappointed!

                                                                        Lady boss and I

For accommodation, I stayed in a shared room (see below), with an attached bathroom. The rooms are clean and comfortable. I enjoyed staying in a shared room as I got to meet many different like-minded people. 

                                            Chilling and reading by my porch with a 5-star view

Transportation around Pai

During my stay, I rented a scooter and this allowed me to ride to town anytime I wish. I did not have any prior experience riding, the roads in Pai are pretty safe, and riding a scooter is similar to riding a bike I feel. So if you are up for it, you can also rent one during your stay. I rented my scooter from Aya Service in town. They offer good rates for students of Nam Yang, at 120 baht/day. 

To rent the scooter, you would have to either deposit your passport or 2000 baht. I opted for the latter option as I wanted to keep my passport with me. So do make sure to bring enough cash and your passport along if you decide to head to Aya Service to rent a scooter.

Us with a local taxi driver

Training

Don’t expect training here to be easy. After all, no pain, no gain. If you really want results, you got to work hard. When you attend the retreat, it is important to know what you are there for. Set a clear intention.

The day starts at 6am with Qigong, walking meditation and Shuang Yang. While training can get intense with a lot of physical activities, there is a lot of training on flexibility and strength too. 

However, if you follow the training rigorously, you can expect to have a fitter, toner bod, and I have heard of stories of some of my classmates losing 10kg and more within the first few weeks they are here. I also found myself increasing in flexibility, strength and becoming more toned within the span of my 2 weeks.

This is a sample schedule of how each day looks like.

The People

The people I met at the retreat are really an awesome bunch. They are really warm-hearted, fun, and also motivated individuals. After all, to set aside time to develop yourself takes a great deal of strength. I got to hear many stories from students all over the world...Russia, UK, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, Thailand, Canada, India, US, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain…and many more. It is a melting pot of people from different cultures, and the diversity makes interaction so fun.

                       Awesome chill-out session at Moonshine (local bar) the night before day off J

The instructors are also really awesome and inspiring. They are patient when it comes to teaching, zen-like, and they are great examples of living Kung Fu as a way of life.

On Travelling Solo

As a solo female traveller, I felt very safe in Pai. Even though I was travelling alone, I never felt alone. There was always people around, ever-ready to lend a helping hand. The Thais are also a hospitable and friendly bunch and their warm smiles never fail to brighten my day. 

Reasons to go for Nam Yang Kung Fu Retreat

  

•          You get to meet many awesome people with interesting stories
•          Improve flexibility, strength, power, intuition,  and overall fitness level
•          Learn more about yourself and about life
•          Learn Kung Fu as a way of life. After all, how you do anything is how you do everything
•          Get to learn some cool ass-kicking fighting kicks and punches as well as defense techniques

Tips

•         DO rent a scooter during your stay there. You get to travel to nearby places e.g. Hot Spring Resort during your off-days. It is easy to ride, and cheap to rent too. If you do not want to rent a scooter, there will be students there who will be more than happy to offer you a ride
•          DO visit Pai town (Walking Street) at night, there are many interesting yummy street food at night, worth a visit
•          DO bring along your swimsuit, students like to head to the hot springs during off days. It is good relaxation after all the training
•          DO set a clear intention. When you attend the retreat, it is important to know what you are there for.
•         DO try to stay for at least a week as it gives you sufficient time to learn. However, the longer you can stay the better!
•     I visited during the period between Nov - Dec. The weather was cooling and I found it a pretty nice season to visit where it is not too hot and there is not too much rain.

Closing

I hope you managed to glean some insights into the retreat (at least these were the questions I had when I was doing my research). If not, feel free to drop me a note in the comments box below and I will get back to you J

I will be writing a separate post on my reflections and insights from these 2 weeks retreat. Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading and I hope this gave greater clarity on what to expect during the retreat. Just go with an open mind, and throw yourself in, you will never know what you will discover.

With love,

Yuting