Thailand Boutique Resorts - Where Nature and Luxury Meet

What if I could promise you a vacation that offered a European climate, the abundant nature of Taman Negara, and an Aman-style boutique resort? Oh, and one of the best pro golf courses this side of Palm Springs?

Up until two months ago, I would be lying if I claimed such a place existed. Starting last December, however, a tiny resort, just a short two-hours’ drive north of steaming and congested Bangkok, has been getting rave reviews by resort cognoscenti for pulling exactly these diverse attractions into one finely-tuned resort.

The Kirimaya, run by the same people who run the well-known Aman Resorts, is a high-end retreat nestled within the folds of the revered Khao Yai National Park (Thailand’s biggest and oldest park, soon to become a UNESCO world heritage site).

The rich nature and cooler climate of Khao Yai makes this grand old park a popular weekend escape for well-heeled Thais. The area around Khao Yai rises from 400m to 1400m above sea level, so year-round temperatures are considerably lower than in Bangkok. In winter (Nov-March) the temps have been known to fall as low as 6C!

Kirimaya’s Thai owner and developer happens to be a keen nature-lover. But, more than that, his twin passions of golf and pampering have guided all his decisions in designing this magnificent golf and spa resort. Money is no object – the course that skirts the resort on three sides is a beautiful 18-hole par 72 Championship Golf Course designed by Jack Nicklaus.

The course received very good reviews by all the golf mags when it was first built (a few years before the actual resort was conceived), and won awards for being one of the top three courses in Thailand. That was until two years ago. Since then, Kirimaya has upgraded the course to include internationally trained golf pros, and reopened just in time for the start of 2005.

Tired of hacking at a ball? Guests then have to make the tough choice between recharging with either a spa session at the Spa Pavilions with the world-famous Mandara Spa-trained masseuses, or truly knock-me-over-with-a-feather international and Thai cuisine. Or both (I’ve never been good at choices).

Once recharged, the tough choices continue: laze around the pool or the in-room plasma screen, go on a vineyard tour, or take on the fabulous attractions of Khao Yai National Park at your doorstep – guide included.