You can play golf right through Songkran in Chiang Mai. Courses stay open over the 13 to 15 April holiday, and the hard part is getting there, not the golf. Tee off before 07:30, travel in a closed private van that avoids the Old City moat, and book early, because Thai holidaymakers fill the morning slots.
When is Songkran in Chiang Mai, and how long does it last?
The national holiday is 13 to 15 April. In 2027 that falls Tuesday to Thursday, but Chiang Mai's water fights usually run several days either side.
Thailand's official Songkran holiday is always 13, 14 and 15 April (timeanddate, accessed 2026-10-30). Chiang Mai celebrates for longer than most of the country. The city programme usually starts before the 13th, and water play around the moat often begins a day or two early.
For golf planning, treat roughly 11 to 16 April as the Songkran window. Also watch for a government "bridge" holiday. In 2027 the holiday falls midweek, so an extra Friday off would give Thai workers a six-day break and make the courses busier. When we quote, we check the confirmed holiday calendar and plan your tee times around it.
Are the golf courses open over Thai New Year?
Yes. Courses keep their normal schedule through Songkran, and mornings are busier than in any other week of the April to October green season.
Songkran is a holiday for Thai golfers, so courses stay open. What changes is who plays. Families travel home to the north, and Bangkok golfers use the long weekend for a Chiang Mai trip. In our experience, the 06:30 to 08:00 slots at Chiang Mai Highlands and Alpine Golf Resort go first (CMGT Golf, 2026).
Songkran also falls inside the green season, which starts on 1 April. At green-season all-in rates (green fee, caddie and cart), Highlands costs ฿3,400 and Alpine ฿3,700. Some courses charge weekend rates on public holidays, so confirm the price for your exact dates when you book. To see how courses and packages compare, start with our Chiang Mai golf holidays page.
How do I get to the course without getting soaked?
Ride in a closed private van, leave before 07:00 and avoid the moat. From mid-morning, open songthaews and tuk-tuks get soaked.
The water throwing isn't limited to the Old City. Pickup trucks carrying water barrels drive the main roads, and by late morning there are buckets at the roadside in most neighbourhoods. Anyone in an open vehicle gets wet, golf bag included.
Our Songkran transfers use closed vans and early pickups, so you reach the course before the heavy water throwing starts. Coming back around 13:00, our drivers take the outer ring road instead of the moat roads. For the airport side of the trip, see our Chiang Mai airport transfer guide.
How bad is Songkran traffic on golf days?
Inside the moat, traffic is gridlocked from late morning to midnight. On the roads out to the courses it is mostly normal before 08:00.
On 13 April 2026 the municipality closed Tha Phae Road from the Wat Saen Fang junction to Tha Phae Gate for the evening World Songkran Tha Pae event, which had a 130-metre water tunnel (Chiang Mai CityLife, accessed 2026-10-30). Moat roads are busy all festival week, and police divert traffic at peak times.
Most of the premium courses sit outside the city, many 30 to 45 minutes away. That helps you: once you are past the moat, the roads to Highlands, Alpine and the Gassan courses carry ordinary holiday traffic. Your hotel is the weak spot. If you stay inside the Old City, your van needs extra time just to get out. Our guide to where to base a golf trip in Chiang Mai covers which areas make this easier.
| Course | Songkran access | Green-season all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Hill | About 15 min from airport | Confirm at booking | Avoids the Old City entirely |
| Lanna Golf Club | About 10 min from Old City | Green fee about ฿1,350 | Close, but on city roads |
| Mae Jo | About 20 min north | About ฿2,850 | Short run, slower pace |
| Chiang Mai Highlands | Out-of-city run | ฿3,400 | Busiest holiday mornings |
| Alpine Golf Resort | Out-of-city run | ฿3,700 | Book the earliest slot |
| Gassan Legacy | 30 to 45 min, Lamphun | ฿1,950 day / ฿1,650 night | Floodlit option |
Which courses work best over Songkran?
Choose courses you can reach without crossing the Old City. North Hill, Mae Jo and the Gassan courses work well in festival week.
North Hill Golf Club is about 15 minutes from the airport and has private-club conditioning, so it makes an easy round on your arrival or departure day. Mae Jo is about 20 minutes north. Its conditioning is the weakest of the premium courses and play is slow on holiday mornings, so it suits a relaxed round better than a serious one.
Gassan Legacy has floodlights, and night golf costs ฿1,650 all-in. We still recommend mornings, because the festival roads are at their worst in the evening. Lanna Golf Club is closest to the Old City at about 10 minutes, but those 10 minutes are on exactly the roads that fill with water fights. If you want a second round in the week, pair one out-of-town course like Highlands or Alpine with one easy-access course, so you don't do the long drive every day.
How hot is golf in Chiang Mai in mid-April?
Very hot. April is one of the hottest months, often 35C or more by early afternoon. Tee off by 07:00 and finish before noon.
Songkran falls in the hot season, which runs from March to May. The heat is part of the reason the water fights exist. On the course, 18 holes after 10:00 is hard going. Our Songkran rounds start between 06:30 and 07:00, with cold towels and electrolytes in the cart (CMGT Golf, 2026). Take a cart rather than walking, drink before you feel thirsty, and expect a buffet lunch at the clubhouse to be the sensible end of the day. Our guide to beating the heat on Chiang Mai courses and our best tee times breakdown go into more detail.
Is the air clean enough by Songkran?
Often, but not every year. Songkran comes at the end of burning season, so check the AQI every morning before you commit to a round.
The burning season runs roughly from mid-January to mid-April and peaks in March. In some years, early April still brings PM2.5 readings in the unhealthy range or worse, and Chiang Mai can rank among the most polluted cities in the world. By the 13th the air is usually better, but a late season can still leave mornings hazy and unhealthy.
This is the real downside of a Songkran golf trip. You get green-season prices and a famous festival, but also heat and possible smoke. Check IQAir's Chiang Mai page every day and pack N95 masks. Read our burning season golf guide before you fix your dates.
Is it safe to drive yourself over Songkran?
We advise against it. Thailand recorded 242 road deaths over Songkran week 2026, and as in most years, motorbikes carried the most risk.
Over the 10 to 16 April 2026 road-safety campaign, Thailand recorded 1,242 accidents and 242 deaths (The Thaiger, accessed 2026-10-30). Speeding and drink driving are the usual causes. You don't need the risk of a rental car on a golf trip, in unfamiliar traffic, with water hitting the windscreen and partying drivers on the road. A professional driver who knows the back roads is safer and less stressful.
Will caddies be available over the holiday?
Caddies are still mandatory, one per golfer, but fewer work in holiday week. Book early, and tip generously.
Many caddies come from the north, and some take Songkran off to be with family. Courses still give every player a caddie, but in a busy holiday week you may wait a little longer at the bag drop. At most Chiang Mai courses the caddie fee is ฿300 to ฿400. The standard tip is ฿400 to ฿600 per 18 holes, paid in cash after the round. Over Thai New Year we suggest tipping at the top of that range. Our caddie culture and tipping guide explains the etiquette.
How far ahead should I book a Songkran golf trip?
Book four to eight weeks ahead, earlier for groups. Songkran is the one green-season week when morning tee times sell out.
For the rest of the green season you can usually book at short notice. Songkran is the exception. Flights into CNX and hotels inside the moat also fill up early. Booking with us works like this: send your dates, group size and preferred courses, we check availability and send a written quote, and your tee times and transfers are confirmed once the deposit is paid. See our booking lead time by season guide for the full calendar.
Does a package make sense over Songkran?
For one round, booking direct can be cheaper. For a trip with several rounds, a package handles the parts Songkran makes hard: securing tee times and dry transfers.
The green fee is the easy part. The hard parts are holding a morning slot in the busiest local week, having a closed van waiting at 06:15, and having someone to move your round if the AQI spikes or a road closes. A CMGT Golf package includes green fees, caddies, carts, hotel, a private driver, airport transfers and support on the ground. For a short Songkran trip, the Weekend Warrior 3-night or Layover 2-night works well. We work by enquiry: tell us your dates, we send a quote, and the booking is confirmed once you pay a deposit.
Plan your Songkran golf trip with usTell us your April dates and we will quote tee times, transfers and hotelFrequently asked questions
Are Chiang Mai golf courses open during Songkran?
Yes. Songkran is a national holiday from 13 to 15 April, and Chiang Mai courses stay open through it because Thai golfers play on their days off. Demand is what changes. Thai families and Bangkok golfers come north for the long weekend, so the morning slots at the better courses fill faster than in any other green-season week. We book Songkran tee times well ahead and confirm each one in writing. When you book, ask about holiday surcharges, because some courses charge weekend rates on public holidays. Get the rate for your exact dates confirmed. Don't assume the standard green-season price applies.
Will I get soaked on the way to the golf course?
In an open vehicle, very likely. Water throwing is heaviest around the Old City moat and Tha Phae Gate, but from about mid-morning there are buckets and hoses along roads all over the city. Songthaews, tuk-tuks and motorbikes all get soaked. A closed private van with the windows up keeps you dry, and a pickup before 07:00 misses most of the crowds. For the rest of the day, keep your phone, wallet and passport in a waterproof pouch. Your clubs ride in the van boot and stay dry.
How bad is the traffic in Chiang Mai over Songkran?
In and around the Old City, traffic is slow from late morning into the night. The municipality closes parts of Tha Phae Road for events, and crowds along the moat push cars onto diversions. Outside the city ring, the roads to most courses move normally, especially before 08:00. Our Songkran plan: take routes that avoid the moat, tee off early, and get back to the hotel before the afternoon peak. The airport is only about 4 km from the Old City, but leave extra time on the main festival days.
Is the air quality bad for golf in mid-April?
It can be. Songkran comes at the end of Chiang Mai's burning season, which runs roughly from mid-January to mid-April and peaks in March. In bad years, early April can still bring PM2.5 readings in the unhealthy to hazardous range. Conditions often improve by mid-April, but not every year. Check IQAir or aqicn each morning, carry an N95 and keep your plans flexible. If AQI is over 150 on a golf day, we would rather move your round than send you out in it.
Should I book a package or book courses myself over Songkran?
For a single round in a normal green-season week, booking direct can be cheaper. Songkran changes that, because the green fee is not the hard part. The hard part is getting a morning slot in the busiest local week, then getting there and back in a dry, closed vehicle on roads full of water fights. A package covers green fees, caddies, carts, hotel and private transfers, and someone on the ground rebooks if a road closes or the weather changes. CMGT Golf works by enquiry: tell us your dates and we send a quote.
