Chiangmai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort
A Schmidt and Curley design spread over 27 holes in the foothills southeast of Chiang Mai, the Highlands pairs rolling paspalum fairways and bold bunkering with a mountain backdrop, and a long shelf of awards for value and resort quality.
Photograph: Chiang Mai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort, via Google · Boonchu Areechitkasem
The verdict
Chiangmai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort opened in 2005 to a design by Schmidt and Curley, the firm of Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley behind many of Asia's best known courses. It offers 27 holes across three nines in the rolling foothills southeast of Chiang Mai, with the headline 18 hole championship combination playing to a par 72 of around 7,003 yards. Paspalum fairways and Tiff Eagle greens give it firm, modern conditioning, and the layout is framed by the mountains that ring the valley.
The course has been a regular award winner in Asian golf, recognized for value, for its resort and over the years for the overall experience, and it anchors Chiang Mai as a cooler, greener alternative to Thailand's beach golf. With three nines to mix and match, a spa and on site lodging, it is built for a relaxed multi round stay. For travelling golfers it is the standout reason to bring the clubs to the north of the country.
Chiangmai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort at a glance
- Opened
- 2005
- Designer
- Schmidt and Curley
- Type
- Resort, rolling foothills
- Par
- 72 (championship 18)
- Yardage
- Around 7,003 yds
- Green fee
- Seasonal (indicative, confirm)
Designer, year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the resort and leading Thai golf guides. Chiangmai Highlands was designed by Schmidt and Curley and opened in 2005, with 27 holes in three nines and a championship 18 hole combination of around 7,003 yards at par 72, on paspalum fairways. Green fees vary by season, day and package, and a cart fee of around 750 baht applies, before the customary caddie fee and tip; we have not quoted a single green fee as the published rate is seasonal. Fees are indicative and change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Highlands plays across genuinely rolling ground, so the routing rides the contours of the foothills with elevation changes, valley carries and few flat lies. Schmidt and Curley shaped generous fairways defended by a great deal of bunkering, by some counts around a hundred, and the firm paspalum turf gives the course a clean, modern feel that holds up well in the northern climate.
With 27 holes there is real variety to the day, and the three nines combine into different 18 hole tests so a second round never feels repetitive. The greens are sizeable and contoured, the bunkering is bold and strategic, and the mountain views are a constant. It is a resort course in the best sense, playable and enjoyable for a range of standards while still giving the better player plenty to manage.
For the visiting golfer, the Highlands is the centrepiece of golf in northern Thailand. Play it across a stay to enjoy all 27 holes, take a caddie and a cart for the rolling terrain, and make time for the spa and the cooler northern evenings. It is the round that justifies adding Chiang Mai to a Thailand golf trip.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A public daily fee resort with on site lodging and spa, open to visitors across all 27 holes; tee times are bookable in advance and it is a regular on Chiang Mai golf packages |
| Green fee | Green fees vary by season, day of the week and package, so we do not quote a single figure; a cart fee of around 750 baht applies, before the customary caddie fee and tip |
| Booking | Reserve ahead online, through the resort or a trip planner; the cool, dry season from roughly November to February is the most popular window in the north |
| Caddie and cart | As at all Thai courses a caddie is included or required with a fee and tip, and carts are available to hire; the rolling foothill terrain makes a cart sensible |
| Getting there | In the foothills southeast of Chiang Mai, roughly 40 minutes from Chiang Mai city and its airport |
| Best months | The cool, dry northern season from about November to February for the most comfortable golf and clear mountain views; March can be hazy and the wet season brings lush conditions and rain |
Access and indicative pricing verified June 2026 from the resort and Thai golf guides; the published green fee is seasonal and we have not quoted a single number, so always confirm current details directly before booking with the resort or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Chiangmai Highlands has its own resort lodging and spa, so the simplest base is on site, where you can play all 27 holes across a stay and unwind between rounds. Chiang Mai city, with its temples, markets and food, is a short drive away and offers a wide range of hotels.
Most golfers fold the Highlands into a northern Thailand trip that uses Chiang Mai as a base, pairing it with the region's other courses and the city's culture for a few relaxed days. It is a cooler, greener contrast to the beach golf of the south and pairs naturally with a wider Thailand itinerary.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Chiang Mai.
Build a Chiang Mai golf trip
We base a northern Thailand trip on Chiang Mai, anchor it on the Highlands and its 27 holes, add the region's other courses and the city's culture, and handle the lodging, caddies and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Chiangmai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort questions
How much does it cost to play Chiangmai Highlands?
Green fees vary by season, day of the week and package, so we do not quote a single figure; a cart fee of around 750 baht applies, before the customary caddie fee and tip. These figures are indicative and change by season and year, so always confirm the current rate directly with the resort or your trip planner before booking.
Who designed Chiangmai Highlands?
The course was designed by Schmidt and Curley, the firm of Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley, and opened in 2005. It offers 27 holes across three nines, with a championship 18 hole combination of around 7,003 yards at par 72 on paspalum fairways.
How many holes does Chiangmai Highlands have?
Chiangmai Highlands has 27 holes set out as three nines, which combine into different 18 hole layouts. The headline championship combination plays to a par 72 of around 7,003 yards, and the variety makes it well suited to a multi round stay.
Can visitors play Chiangmai Highlands?
Yes. It is a public daily fee resort with on site lodging and a spa, open to visitors across all 27 holes. A caddie is included or required as at all Thai courses, carts are available, and the cool dry season from roughly November to February is the most popular time to play.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. History, designer, par, yardage and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.