Many Thai Massage students dream of visiting Thailand and studying Thai Massage there. Many thousands have already done so. But is it for you? Let’s look into the details.
Find out if and when a visit to Thailand would be a good option for you. And, if visiting Thailand is not the right option for you, learn about an alternative -- the online training options which Thai Healing Massage Academy is providing.
Why learn Thai Massage In Thailand?
Every year thousands of people visit Thailand to study Thai Massage. What are their reasons? Let’s take a closer look at some of them.
Thailand fact #1:
It can be cheaper to study Thai Massage in Thailand compared to the Western world. However, for short stays, airfare and accommodation costs can eat up the savings. For longer study periods, the savings can be a real factor.
Thailand fact #2:
There is a large selection of Thai Massage schools. The perception is that the training in Thailand is always more authentic or better, but this is not necessarily true.
Thailand fact #3:
Easy and cheap availability of massage treatments.You can treat yourself to lots of sessions for $5-$10 per hour.
Thailand fact #4:
It’s fun being in Thailand -- the atmosphere, the people, the smiles, the entertainment, the food. You can study Thai Massage in a pleasant environment.
Let’s shine a spotlight on reason #4 -- that it’s more enjoyable being in Thailand.
When you study Thai Massage, the quality of education, cost, and school selection are all important. However, an additional factor is the environment you are in.
When you take a course, it does make a big difference if you stay in a western city in an impersonal motel room without atmosphere compared to staying in a holistic hotspot -- like Chiang Mai, for example -- with a vibrant massage community and lots of possibilities for other fun activities.
That’s what you find in Thailand.
So where should you study Thai Massage in Thailand? What’s the best place to learn Thai Massage there? This depends on several factors.
Location considerations
If you want to be near beaches, then the best choice would be an island in the South of Thailand. Examples are Ko Samui, Ko Phangan, or Phuket.
If you like big city life, or if you like the curriculum of the famous Wat Pho Thai Massage school, then you would have to be in Bangkok.
If you prefer to have the biggest choice of schools, a city with lots of atmosphere, the lowest cost of living, a vibrant holistic community, spectacular natural scenery and lots of things to do, then Chiang Mai would be your best choice.
Overall Chiang Mai has by far the most factors in its favor. Just keep in mind that there are no beaches within 1000 kilometers. In this article, we will focus primarily on Chiang Mai.
When is the best time to visit Thailand?
Let’s start out with the time which you should avoid. That’s March, April and May. These months are extremely hot, and in the case of Chiang Mai, they suffer from horrendous air pollution because of agricultural burning.
If you go to the southern islands, the air pollution is not an issue, but it’s still hot. The most pleasant months in Chiang Mai are November, December and January. This is when the days are warm and the nights cool down.
That’s a big advantage in a country which is almost always hot. An additional advantage of this time frame is that it is also the festival season. More about that later.
July through September is rainy season in Chiang Mai. Generally it doesn’t rain so much that it will inconvenience you, but there can be exceptions. The advantage of this period is that the cloud cover keeps the temperatures down and that the air is cleaner.
How to choose a Thai Massage school
So which Thai Massage school should you choose? That’s a common question, but there is no easy answer because, as you will see, it depends on your personal preferences.
Do you prefer a small intimate school with a local feeling or do you prefer a large school with big classes and a wide variety of training options to choose from?
Or do you prefer one-on-one training where you work directly with your teacher?
How much time and money do you have? Do you want to take an introductory Thai Massage class or a full fledged multi-month training program?
What teaching style and class options appeal to you most?
Do you want to learn from one specific teacher in a small school, or in a larger institution with several teachers?
Finding the best Thai Massage school for you
As you can see, there are many options to consider. There is no one best school. If there were, everyone would study Thai Massage there, and all other schools would just go out of business.
However, there might be one best school for you and your preferences. The best way to find out is to do research on the internet. Search for reviews, check Trip Advisor, look for Thailand blogs, and join relevant facebook groups.
Read the websites of the schools to find out what they offer, where their location is (in town or out of town, transportation options), compare prices, etc.
If you have plenty of time, you can just show up in Chiang Mai and visit several Thai Massage schools before you make your decision. You could even take courses in several schools.
Chiang Mai advantages
Chiang Mai is without doubt the most atmospheric major city in Thailand. Here are some factors.
The festival season in Chiang Mai
I already mentioned that November, December, and January have the best climate. However, this season is also famous for its spectacular festivals.
These are mostly multi-day events with huge colorful parades, floats, fireworks, thousands of fire balloons lighting up the sky, and a party atmosphere. People come from all over Thailand and all over the world to see those festivals.
The Thais are true masters at putting on amazing festivals with lots of entertainment, great food, dancing, competitions, shows and colorful parades.
The main festivals are: Loi Khatong (late November), New Year, (December 31st to January 1st), the flower festival in February, and Songkran, which is the Thai New Year, in April.
The dates of some of these festivals are calculated by the lunar calendar. This means that they happen on different dates every year.
Besides the above-mentioned festivals, there are plenty of smaller events happening, like the famous Sunday market in Chiang Mai. This is really a weakly festival all by itself.
And if there is no festival happening, there are lots of other things to do like mountain treks, hill tribe village visits, elephant camps, adventure activities, or visits to the zoo or botanical garden.
Then there is the tiger kingdom where you can touch and interact with tigers, snake farms, orchid farms and many others.
You can also rent a scooter and drive through beautiful scenery around Chiang Mai.
What if you cannot study Thai Massage in Thailand?
Regardless of the advantages which you might find in Thailand, most people will not travel halfway around the world to learn Thai Massage. Why is that?
There is a way to accomplish all that.
Learning Thai Massage online
This is where Thai Healing Massage Academy offers an excellent solution. You can learn Thai Massage right from your home at your own pace in a convenient way.
The instructor, Shama Kern, has been practicing and teaching Thai Massage for 20 years. You will be in good hands and enjoy your training experience.
The online solution works best if you are already a massage therapist or yoga practitioner or teacher.
Along with the Thai Massage training you also receive lots of fascinating material about Thailand, its culture, its beauty, it’s massage scene, it’s food and its people.
This is Thai Massage training in its original cultural setting without having to travel there. It is not a dry study program, but a rich and unique online learning experience with atmosphere and cultural content.
You will learn Thai Massage and specific therapeutic skills to turn you into a Thai Massage expert.
Resources to get started with Thai Massage online training
If you want to get an overview, you can start with a free introductory video series.
If you are ready to actually study Thai Massage, then you can enroll in our Complete Thai Massage online training program:
If you are looking for specialized training or for advanced Thai Massage therapy training, then you can browse Thai Healing Massage Academy’s entire online training library:
The author, Shama Kern, is the founder and director of Thai Healing Massage Academy. He has been practicing and teaching Thai Massage for 20 years, and he is the creator of 20 Thai Massage online training courses.
Yes I have 2 different teachers that studied in Chang Mai. Is there were you did? One day when I can find time I want to go there to learn more 🙂
Yes, I started my Thai Massage career in Chiang Mai in 1999.