Celest Hansen has been living in Thailand since late 2017. Photo: iStock
Expert expats
Professional Muay Thai fighter Celest Hansen moved to Thailand in late 2017 to further develop her career. After 18 months on Koh Samui, the Sydney native moved to Rawai, south of Phuket, and in November 2021 became the first woman to enter Bangkok’s Lumpini Stadium, the country’s top Muay Thai forum. Her goal is to show the world that women are strong and beautiful. See instagram.com/celestthebest7
Look
When Phuket opens, there will be a Muay Thai match every night. The Rawai Boxing Stadium has regular fight nights, with seats starting from 1,300 baht ($53), but the biggest fights in the province are held at the Padang Stadium or the Bangla Boxing Stadium. See boxingstadiumpatong.com and facebook.com/BanglaBoxing
Do
Everyone can take a Muay Thai class; ask your hotel or gym. My gym, Phuket Singha, welcomes everyone – beginners, kids, everyone. You can take training sessions in groups or private lessons starting at THB 400 (AUD 16.50). Don’t worry if you’re not fit or exercising, everyone out there is a beginner and the trainer makes it so fun you won’t even feel like you’re working out. Bring plenty of water or electrolytes, the stuff you’ll find on 7/11, and the attitude to try something fun and exciting for the first time. See phuetsinghamuaythai.com
In November 2021, professional Muay Thai fighter Celest Hansen became the first woman to compete at Bangkok’s Lumpini Stadium. Photo: Provided
eat
When you order veggies here, they are usually cooked so it’s nice to get fresh veggies. We Cafe is a salad shop that grows its own salad vegetables. I made a custom salad with lettuce, mixed greens and quinoa and it was fresh. Chalong has one and Rawai has one. See wecafephuket.co
drink
I don’t drink or drink coffee, but there are millions of shops along the road that make fresh juices like coconut water, kiwi and lychee. Sometimes you get avocado milk or purple taro, and the char yen (Thai iced tea) is really good. At Rustic and Blue by the Sea in Rawai, you can sip whatever fun drink you end up drinking while looking out to Rawai Beach, and they serve food too. See rusticandblue.com
avoid
Bargaining: If an item has a price, don’t ask for a discount. If the price is marked, it is set. If there is no price, you can haggle, but keep in mind that your 50 baht is very different from a trader’s 50 baht. For us, it’s $2. For them, it’s a meal, it’s their livelihood.
Flourish
A lot of people, including my coach, say eating chicken makes you stupid. Although he raises chickens. I don’t listen to him; I cooked him chicken in Australia.
