Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa

The backdrop of wooded hills and lush jungle provides a wonderful glimpse of Thailand's countryside that you will not see in and around the Bangkok metropolis. Should you journey out to the Khao Yai region you'll also experience cooler breezes and less humidity than in the city. Nicklaus's excellent, well-maintained; out-and-back layout blends effortlessly with its gently undulating surroundings, producing one memorable hole after another. Beyond the good-width fairways and light semi-rough lies thick impenetrable vegetation, so some tee-shots feel dauntingly tight during your first round here. On a second or third visit you'll begin to discover where the space is, and where it isn't.

Wetland areas boldly intrude across some fairways and also protect the front of several greens. Small lakes and lily covered ponds further enhance the naturalness of this layout, and all the while the jungle-clad Khao Yai hills look down onto the course.

The signature par-4 16th, which doglegs left-to-right past a large tree and down to a water-protected green, must be one of the most beautiful holes Nicklaus has ever fashioned, although surely nature played the biggest part in its creation. Here is a layout where you can feel at one with the beautiful countryside of Khao Yai, forget the trials and tribulations of the modern world, and concentrate on one of Nicklaus's best and toughest Asian challenges.

Another excellent hole is beautiful the par-5 3rd. The key here is to avoid the water on the left side of the fairway. Once past the hazard a small pond protecting this otherwise small green must be successfully negotiated. However, three good shots on in regulation is rewards the golfer with a birdy opportunity or sure par.

Nine holes out, and nine holes in, golfers will struggle to see another group as the holes weave their way around the hills of Khao Yai. With five sets of tees golfers of all abilities can enjoy the layout at Kirimaya.

The attached 5-star Kirimaya Golf Resort is the best in Khao Yai and includes unique tented villas for guest accommodations, personalized butler and chef services, and full service luxury spa. Kirimaya is as good as it gets in Thailand golf resorts. The Khao Yai golf course and resort continues to draw avid Thai and foreign golfers in need of a unique and unforgettable total golf resort experience.For anyone visiting Thailand and has the time to either travel from Bangkok for a long, but excellent, day's golf, or can spend a few days in the superb mountain and golf destination of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Khao Yai National Park, then Khao Yai will not disappoint.