- Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai (2)

- Where to play

Due to the mountainous configuration of the country, there are not so many golf courses to welcome the increasing waves of tourism. At twenty minutes drive from Chiang Rai, the Santiburi Country Club has certainly the most difficult but exciting 18-hole championship. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the course is spread over hills and fields of Bang-Bor. Sloping lies, dog legs and greens around or surrounded by water hazards, bunkers at the shots fall, players have to negotiate around a lot of difficulties which make that course exceptional.

At 7 kms from Chiang Mai's towards the Ping River, ChiangMai Green Valley Country Club is a complete sport complex with all convenient facilities for golfers. The 18-hole championship flowered course has been designed by Denis Griffiths (USA) and players must be warned that they will have to deal with water hazards at almost all the eighteen hole while the course is also well bunkered and is one of the longest in the country. In compensation, the course is in a perfect shape, manicured, and the lies are mainly flat and the greens not unfriendly. The club-house is a large building of 9.000 sq.m.. the restaurant opens its windows and terrace over the course and its roof is built from thousands teak slats which reflects northern traditional building.

In a different environment, in a valley between green jungle covered hills, at about an hour drive, lies the ChiangMai-Lamphun Golf Club. The first sight is the contrast between the red roofs of the club-house and the green of the fairways separated by the mirrors of two large lakes. In fact, water is also present at almost the 18 hole while fairways are undulating on shallows hills between hevea trees. Nevertheless the course offers a challenge for golfers of all handicap and it is a pleasure to enjoy a drink at the terrace overlooking the lakes.

- Where to stay

Almost all the courses offer local accommodation in the resort or in the neighbor but they are mainly a little too far from the tourist points of interest. On the contrary, some places like Suanthip Vana Resort located at the midway between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai are perfect nature lover's Thai pure style retreat but, too far from the points of interest and moreover from the golf courses all the less so since the roads are locally tormented and bos or taxi transportation rare.

Chiang Rai offers a complete choice of hotels but the Dusit Island Resort Hotel is very well located on a Mekong River island in a quiet place a little apart from the center of the city. The Chinese restaurant is recommended for its very fine food

In Chiang Mai the choice is still larger than in Chiang Rai. The Empress Hotel is well located in the center of the city.
We also have highly appreciated a diner at the very local Consulate Park which is a large open air terrace under the trees along the riverside where to taste local very fine Thai food. A great pleasure.

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