Visitors and travellers
Drop In BJJ Chiang Mai
400 THB a session on Chang Phueak Road, north of the Old City. Gi rental available, no membership, message ahead on Instagram.
400 THB per class / Gi rental available / No commitment / 4.9 stars from 84 Google reviews
Can you drop in for BJJ in Chiang Mai? Yes. A single drop-in class at Gato Studio BJJ is 400 THB for non-members at 181/40 Chang Phueak Rd in Si Phum, with gi rental available so you do not need to pack a uniform. Group classes run at 11:00 to 12:30 on weekdays and from 18:00 to 19:30, plus a Saturday open mat from 12:00 to 13:30 at the same rate. Message @gatostudio.bjj on Instagram a day ahead and arrive fifteen minutes early.
Most of the people reading this page are planning a trip rather than moving to Thailand. The academy is set up for exactly that, and a large share of its 84 Google reviews were written by visitors who trained here for a week.
Gi rental for visitors
A gi takes up most of a carry on and weighs more than anything else you would pack for a fortnight. The academy rents them, which removes the single biggest obstacle to training while travelling in Thailand.
Say you need a rental when you message and give a rough size. If the session you want is No-Gi, you need only a rash guard or t-shirt and shorts, so nothing needs renting at all.
Belts are worn as awarded. If you are a beginner with no rank, a white belt comes with the rental.
| Item | Gi session | No-Gi session |
|---|---|---|
| Uniform | Own gi or rental | Not required |
| Top | Rash guard under the gi, optional | Rash guard or plain t-shirt |
| Shorts | Gi trousers | No zips, pockets or buttons |
| Footwear | Flip flops for off the mat | Flip flops for off the mat |
| Also bring | Water, towel, trimmed nails | Water, towel, trimmed nails |
How to book from abroad
There is no booking system to sign up for and no phone number to call. Open Instagram, message @gatostudio.bjj, and include three things: the dates you are in Chiang Mai, your experience level, and whether you need a rental gi. The team will reply with a class time. Payment is 400 THB per session at the academy.
Messaging a day ahead is enough. Messaging a week ahead is welcome if you are planning a longer training trip and want to line up several sessions.
Gi rental available / Beginners welcome / Black belt instruction
Getting there
The academy sits on Chang Phueak Road in Si Phum, just north of Chang Phueak Gate. From the northern side of the Old City it is a walk of roughly ten to fifteen minutes. From Nimman, allow around ten minutes on a scooter or in a ride hail, and slightly more in the evening traffic before the 17:00 session.
Scooter parking is available at the building. If you are arriving for the midday block, the ride across town is quicker than the evening one.
Dropping in with no experience
Plenty of visitors book their first ever Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class on holiday. That is a normal way to start, and the same four worries come up every time.
Will I get smashed by the locals
Visiting beginners are paired deliberately, not thrown into open rolling. Reviews from travellers repeatedly describe being looked after rather than tested, and that is a coaching decision rather than luck.
Am I too unfit for a holiday session
You can sit out rounds without explanation. The technique portion is the part that matters on a single visit, and it is not conditioning work.
What do I wear if I packed light
A t-shirt and shorts without zips covers No-Gi. For Gi sessions the rental solves it. Nothing needs buying for a one off session.
Do I need experience to drop in
No. Say in your message that this is your first class and the coach will place you in the appropriate group and brief you before the warm up. The beginners guide explains the terminology you will hear.
Visitor questions
Drop-in FAQs
Yes, gi rental is available at the academy, so you can train in a Gi class without carrying a uniform through Thailand. Mention gi rental when you message ahead and the team will have one ready in your size.
A single drop-in class is 400 THB for non-members, and the Saturday open mat is the same. Class packs are available if you are training through a longer stay. Current rates are listed on the pricing page.
Message ahead. A short Instagram DM the day before lets the team confirm the class time, reserve a rental gi and tell you if anything unusual is happening that day. Walk-ins are not turned away, but a message avoids arriving during a session that has already started.
Bring a rash guard or t-shirt, shorts without zips or pockets, flip flops for walking off the mat, a water bottle and a towel. Everything else can be rented or bought at the academy. Trim your nails before you come in, it is a mat rule everywhere and it is enforced here.
The academy is on Chang Phueak Road in Si Phum, just north of Chang Phueak Gate at the top of the Old City, which is a walk of roughly ten to fifteen minutes from the northern moat. From Nimman it is about ten minutes by scooter or a short ride hail. Directions and landmarks are on the contact page.
Yes, and that is the most common visit. The 400 THB single class exists precisely for people passing through, with no membership, no joining fee and no notice period. A large share of the academy's Google reviews were written by people who trained here for a week.
No proof is required. Tell the coach your belt and roughly how long you have trained, and you will be placed with suitable partners. Wear the belt you have been awarded rather than a higher one, which is the etiquette at any academy.
Yes. No-Gi runs at 11:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and at 18:00 on Tuesday and Thursday, and needs only a rash guard or t-shirt and shorts, so visitors travelling light can train without renting anything. If the day you want is a Gi session, rental covers it. The weekly timetable shows which is which.
Arrive fifteen minutes before the session starts. That leaves time to sign in, change, sort out a rental gi and speak to the coach before the warm up rather than during it.
Class packs are available and usually work out cheaper than paying the 400 THB single rate if you plan to train more than a couple of times. See the pricing page for the current options.
Message before you land
Send your dates, your level and whether you need a rental gi. The team will confirm a session.
400 THB per class / No membership required / Gi rental available / 4.9 stars from 84 Google reviews