Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

The Phetchbuncha Boxing Stadium in Chaweng is Koh Samui's premier Muay Thai arena and the ring where the island's training camps hone their fighters' skills – giving fight nights an atmosphere that Bangkok's larger arenas simply can't match. A typical fight card features young Thai talents and stadium veterans alongside foreign fighters from Samui's gyms, some competing in their first bout, others in their fifth. Members of the audience act as their training partners, adding a special, almost homely, feel to the atmosphere. All the rituals are present: from the Wai Khru dance before each fight, to traditional live music accompanying the rounds, to the increasingly lively betting during the later bouts.

A boxing evening consists of approximately eight fights over about three hours. Seating is basic – standing room and ringside seats – and at this scale, "ringside" really does mean just an arm's length from the edge of the ring. It's a tourist-friendly event, but the fights are conducted according to official rules and are genuine.