A Chiang Mai and Krabi golf holiday works best with roughly 60% of your nights in the mountains and 40% at the beach: 4 nights plus 3 on a 7-night trip. Play 3 to 5 rounds in Chiang Mai, then take the direct flight of about 2 hours to Krabi, rest, and play one optional round there. Go between November and February, when both ends are dry.
Why pair Chiang Mai golf with a Krabi beach finish?
Chiang Mai has the stronger golf and Krabi has the stronger beach. A two-centre trip gives a couple or a mixed group both without long drives.
More than a dozen courses ring the Chiang Mai valley, and most are 30-45 minutes from the city. Two are better than anything near Krabi: Chiangmai Highlands Golf & Spa, a Schmidt-Curley design with 27 holes and the best conditioning in the region, and Alpine Golf Resort, a long, demanding Ron Garl layout that has hosted Asian Tour golf. Krabi has the limestone karsts, the islands and calm water from November to April. Chiang Mai has no beach at all.
This split also suits the people who come with us. Non-golfers get temples and the night markets in Chiang Mai, then a proper beach. Golfers get their rounds in early in the trip, while their legs are fresh, and finish with a pool and nothing to do. Tell us which courses interest you on our Chiang Mai golf holiday page and we will suggest the rounds that fit your dates.
How should we split the nights between the two?
Put the golf nights in Chiang Mai and the rest nights in Krabi: 4 and 3 on a 7-night trip, 6 and 4 on 10 nights.
| Trip length | Chiang Mai nights | Krabi nights | Rounds in Chiang Mai | Optional Krabi round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 nights | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 10 nights | 6 | 4 | 4-5 | 1 |
| 12 nights | 7 | 5 | 5 | 1-2 |
| 5 nights (tight) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Keep at least 3 nights in Krabi. If you stay only 2, the flight day and the airport transfer take up one of them. Our 4-night Northern Value package (3 rounds) fits the Chiang Mai half of a 7-night trip almost exactly. For 10 nights, the Highlands Classic (5 nights, 4 rounds) is the closer fit.
Should we play Chiang Mai first or Krabi first?
Chiang Mai first. You play the hard golf with fresh legs and finish on the beach, and you avoid flying back north just to fly home.
There are three reasons for this order. First, the best rounds are in the north, and jet lag is easier to manage on a 7:00 tee time than on a long boat day. Second, finishing at the beach means the last two days are low-effort, which matters if you have a long-haul flight home. Third, Krabi (KBV) has onward connections, so many guests fly home via Krabi or Bangkok and never come back to Chiang Mai.
The only time we think twice about the order is a late-February or March trip. Burning-season haze in Chiang Mai usually builds through March, so in those months play your golf early in the trip and check the air before you commit. Our guide to burning season golf in Chiang Mai covers how to read the AQI.
How do we get from Chiang Mai to Krabi?
Take the direct flight. Thai AirAsia flies CNX to KBV in about 1 hour 55 minutes, but the route does not run every day.
According to FlightConnections (accessed 2026-10-05), the non-stop covers about 1,192 km and scheduled flights take 1 hour 55 minutes to 2 hours, with around 12 flights a week as of August 2026. Check which days it runs before you set the split, because a trip that has to fly on a day with no direct service connects through Bangkok and loses 3 to 4 hours. Driving is not realistic: the two are well over 1,000 km apart by road.
Chiang Mai airport sits close to the Old City, usually a 10-15 minute ride outside rush hour. Our Chiang Mai airport transfer guide covers the options.
Which Chiang Mai courses should we play on a short golf stay?
Play the two best-conditioned courses, Highlands and Alpine, plus one value round. Three rounds in 4 nights covers the region's range.
| Course | Character | Green-season all-in (Apr-Oct 2026) | Why play it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiangmai Highlands Golf & Spa | 27 holes, mountain views | ฿3,400 | Best conditioning in the region, best spa |
| Alpine Golf Resort | Long, tournament-length | ฿3,700 | A serious test from the back tees |
| North Hill City Golf Club | Close to the city | ~฿1,750-2,900 (estimate, confirm) | About 15 min from the airport, good value |
| Gassan Legacy | Flat, floodlit | ฿1,950 day / ฿1,650 night | An easy warm-up or arrival-day round |
For a flight-day round, North Hill City Golf Club is roughly 15 minutes from the airport. You can play in the morning and fly to Krabi in the afternoon if the flight times allow. A floodlit evening round at Gassan Legacy works on the day you arrive. Our Chiang Mai golf course pairings guide covers which courses go well together.
What golf is there in Krabi?
Krabi has a few courses, which suits one or two relaxed rounds. The 18-hole Pakasai Country Club lists ฿1,700 including caddie and cart.
Pakasai Country Club (accessed 2026-10-05) is an 18-hole course set in forest and around lakes. Its listed 18-hole tee time is ฿1,700 per person with caddie and cart. Sofitel's Phokeethra course (accessed 2026-10-05) at Klong Muang Beach is 9 holes with sea views. It lists ฿975 for 9 holes and ฿1,350 for 18, plus taxes. Rental clubs there are ฿650.
Being honest about it: neither is a reason to fly south. If golf is the main point of your trip, a Krabi round is a nice extra, not a second highlight. Golfers who want 6 or more serious rounds should stay in Chiang Mai longer, or look at a coast with more courses, such as Phuket or Hua Hin.
When do the seasons line up for both places?
November to February is dry at both ends. September and October are the worst overlap: storms in Chiang Mai and peak monsoon in Krabi.
| Months | Chiang Mai golf | Krabi beach | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov-Feb | Cool, dry, peak (15-22C mornings) | Dry, calm sea | Best window, book early |
| Mar-Apr | Hot, burning season haze | Dry, hot | Beach fine, check Chiang Mai AQI |
| May-Aug | Green season, cheapest, playable mornings | Southwest monsoon, choppy | Value trip, flexible plans |
| Sep-Oct | Heaviest storms | Peak monsoon, rough seas | Avoid for a two-centre trip |
Travelness (accessed 2026-10-05) puts Krabi's best months at November to April, with days of 24-33C and the calmest sea. The same guide calls July to October the worst stretch, with frequent storms and rough water that cancel boat trips. For the Chiang Mai side month by month, see our guide to the best time for golf in Chiang Mai.
What does a 7-night two-centre itinerary look like?
Day 1 arrive, days 2-4 golf, day 5 fly south, days 6-7 beach with an optional round, day 8 fly home.
- Day 1: Land at Chiang Mai, private transfer, evening at the night market or a floodlit 9 holes.
- Day 2: Alpine. 6:30 pickup, 7:30 tee time, done before the midday heat.
- Day 3: Rest day, or a value round. Non-golfers do temples or a cooking class.
- Day 4: Highlands, then the spa.
- Day 5: Morning round at North Hill near the airport if flight times allow, then fly to Krabi.
- Day 6-7: Beach, islands, one optional round at Pakasai or Phokeethra.
- Day 8: Fly home via Krabi or Bangkok.
Caddies are standard at Chiang Mai courses, and the caddie fee is part of the all-in rates above. The tip is separate and paid in cash to your caddie at the end of the round, typically a few hundred baht per 18 holes. Our caddie culture and tipping guide explains how it works.
Is a package worth it, or should we book each piece ourselves?
For 3 or more Chiang Mai rounds, a package saves you hours of arranging transfers and tee times. For a single round, booking direct can cost less.
In Chiang Mai, the costs that build up are private transfers to each course (roughly ฿1,400-2,500 round trip each time, depending on distance) and tee times in peak months. A package puts green fees, caddies, carts, hotel, a private driver and airport runs under one quote, and we time your last Chiang Mai day around the Krabi flight. If you are only playing one round, book it direct with the course. Our booking direct vs agent comparison sets out the costs side by side.
We do not take instant bookings. Tell us your dates, group size and how many beach nights you want on the Chiang Mai golf holiday enquiry page, and we will send a quote for the golf half. A deposit confirms it.
Get a quote for the Chiang Mai half of your tripTee times, caddies, private driver and airport transfers timed to your Krabi flightFrequently asked questions
How many nights should I split between Chiang Mai and Krabi on a golf holiday?
For a 7-night trip we suggest 4 nights in Chiang Mai and 3 in Krabi. That gives you 3 rounds in the mountains plus a travel day, then 2 full beach days with 1 optional round in Krabi. For 10 nights, go 6 and 4, which fits 4 or 5 rounds in Chiang Mai with a rest day between them. Keep most of your nights in Chiang Mai, because that is where the courses are. Krabi has only a few courses, so treat it as the place you rest, with a round there if you want one, not as a second golf base.
Is there a direct flight from Chiang Mai to Krabi?
Yes. Thai AirAsia flies Chiang Mai (CNX) to Krabi (KBV) non-stop. Scheduled flight time is about 1 hour 55 minutes, according to FlightConnections, accessed 2026-10-05. FlightConnections listed about 12 flights a week in August 2026, so the route does not run every day of the week. Check the schedule before you fix your nights. If no direct flight fits your dates, you can connect through Bangkok, which adds 3 to 4 hours. Budget carriers charge extra for a golf bag, so add sports baggage when you book, not at the airport.
What is the best month for a Chiang Mai and Krabi golf trip?
November to February is the safest window for both places. In Chiang Mai that is the cool, dry peak, with highland mornings around 15-22C. On the Andaman coast it is the dry season, when the sea is calm and boat trips run reliably. Avoid September and October: Chiang Mai has its heaviest storms then and Krabi is in the peak of its monsoon. March is mixed. Krabi is usually fine, but Chiang Mai is in burning season, when air quality is often poor.
Are there good golf courses in Krabi?
Krabi has a few courses, which is fine for one or two relaxed rounds. Pakasai Country Club is an 18-hole layout set in forest and around lakes. Its listed 18-hole tee time is ฿1,700 including caddie and cart. Sofitel's Phokeethra course at Klong Muang Beach is a 9-hole beachside course: ฿975 for 9 holes or ฿1,350 for 18, plus taxes. Neither matches the conditioning or design of Chiangmai Highlands or Alpine. That is why we put the serious golf in Chiang Mai.
Can CMGT Golf arrange the Krabi half of the trip?
We plan around your Chiang Mai golf. That means tee times, caddies, carts, hotel, a private driver for every round, and transfers to and from the airport for your Krabi flight. Send us your dates and how many nights you want at the beach, and we will build the Chiang Mai half around the flight times, so you do not lose half a day waiting. We do not take instant bookings. You enquire, we send a quote, and a deposit confirms it. Start at /golf.
