Golfing in Krabi.

Krabi's golf scene is small but scenic, and Pakasai Country Club is the province's one full-size 18-hole course. It sits inland near Nong Thale, roughly 15 to 25 minutes from both Ao Nang and Krabi International Airport (KBV), with rolling fairways framed by the province's signature limestone karsts. Green fees are moderate by Thai standards, it welcomes visitors on a pay-and-play basis, and its convenient position between the airport and the beaches makes it an easy first or last round of a trip - or a regular local course for residents based around Ao Nang, Krabi Town and Nong Thale.

Golfers who want more variety head north into neighbouring Phang Nga province. Katathong Golf Resort & Spa is the best-known option, a mature resort layout set among hills and lakes roughly one and a half to two hours from Ao Nang by car - a comfortable day trip or an overnight stay-and-play. The drive north also opens up other courses on the way toward Phuket, making a multi-course Krabi-and-around itinerary realistic for anyone with a hire car or a booked driver.

For a genuine championship round, Krabi golfers cross to Phuket via the Sarasin Bridge, about two and a half to three hours by road. Phuket packs in the region's marquee layouts - Blue Canyon Country Club, the dramatic Red Mountain, the gentler Loch Palm and Laguna Phuket - most within easy reach of the bridge road. It is a long day from Krabi, so many pair it with a night or two on the island; see our Phuket golf guide for courses, fees and booking.

Beyond a full round, Pakasai and the broader Krabi area offer somewhere to warm up, take a lesson or hit a quick bucket of balls, and hotels and villas around Ao Nang can usually point you to the nearest driving range or teaching pro. For serious practice facilities and academy-style coaching, the choice widens considerably on a day trip to Phuket. Travelling light? Most clubs rent full sets, so you do not need to bring your own bag to Thailand.

As everywhere in Thailand, a caddie is part of the game in Krabi and is required at almost every course. The caddie fee is modest - usually 300 to 500 baht - and is paid to the club, while a tip of 300 to 500 baht or more is customary and handed directly to the caddie at the end of the round. Caddies clean clubs, read greens, rake bunkers, spot balls and keep you shaded from the sun and moving in the heat. A good caddie genuinely improves the round, so tip well for good work.

You do not need a membership to play in Krabi. Pakasai and the day-trip resort courses are daily-fee clubs that welcome visitors and non-members, so residents and holidaymakers simply pay green fees as they go - the flexible, better-value approach for the vast majority of players. A membership or multi-round pass can suit a very frequent local golfer, but with only one full course in the province most Krabi-based players either pay-and-play at Pakasai or travel for variety.

Weekday tee times in Krabi are usually easy to arrange by calling the club or booking online; weekends and the November-to-March high season fill faster, so reserve a day or two ahead. Krabi has no rail or metro, so reach the course by car, hired scooter, Grab or a booked transfer - see our getting-around guide for options. For Katathong in Phang Nga or Phuket's courses you will want a hire car or a driver for the day, and many stay-and-play packages include transfers. Turn up 45 to 60 minutes early to check in, warm up and meet your caddie.

The coolest, driest and most comfortable golf in Krabi runs roughly November to March; April and May are hot, and the May to October green season brings lush fairways with heavy afternoon downpours - so tee off early year-round. Bring strong sun protection, plenty of water, soft spikes and a collared shirt, as dress codes are enforced. Most clubs rent clubs and shoes if you are travelling light, and a rain jacket is worth packing outside the dry months.

Yes - Krabi has one full-size 18-hole course, Pakasai Country Club, set inland near Nong Thale between Ao Nang and Krabi International Airport. It welcomes visitors on a pay-and-play basis and is framed by the province's limestone karsts. For more variety, golfers take day trips north to Katathong Golf Resort & Spa in Phang Nga, or cross the Sarasin Bridge to Phuket's championship courses about two and a half to three hours away.

At Pakasai Country Club, budget roughly 1,500 to 2,800 baht for a green fee, with weekends and the November-to-March high season at the top of the range. On top of that you pay a caddie fee of around 300 to 500 baht (plus a customary tip of a similar amount) and often 600 to 900 baht for a cart. Day-trip resort courses in Phang Nga and Phuket cost more - typically 2,500 to 6,000 baht or above for the green fee alone.

Yes - a caddie is effectively mandatory at almost every course in Krabi and across Thailand. The caddie fee is modest and paid to the club, and a tip is customary on top and given directly to the caddie. Caddies read greens, clean clubs, rake bunkers, spot balls and help you cope with the heat, and a good one genuinely improves your round, so tipping well for good service is the norm.

Within the province, Pakasai Country Club is the main course. For a bigger day out, Katathong Golf Resort & Spa in neighbouring Phang Nga is a mature resort layout about one and a half to two hours away, while Phuket's championship courses - Blue Canyon, Red Mountain, Loch Palm and Laguna - are two and a half to three hours away across the Sarasin Bridge and are best paired with an overnight stay-and-play.

The cool, dry season from roughly November to March offers the most comfortable playing conditions and is also peak season, so book ahead. April and May are hot, and the green season from May to October brings lush fairways but frequent afternoon rain. Whatever the month, teeing off early in the morning avoids the worst of the heat and the afternoon storms.