Destination Golf Asia 2023 | Page 12

DESTINATION GOLF ASIA 2023

Vietnam

The country has grown in leaps and bounds since its Prime Minister , a golf fanatic , encouraged developers to create golf resorts across the country .
Currently , around 60 excellent courses are open with more on the way , making Vietnam an important new destination for golf vacationers .
While the rest of the world backtracked on opening new golf clubs , SE Asia and in particular Vietnam went into overdrive .
Therefore , in the past few years many of the leading course designers including Nicklaus Design , Sir Nick Faldo , and Greg Norman , have created , and built most of the latest courses .
Being relatively new to promoting Vietnam as a top golf destination , many of the courses are also fairly modern and therefore have benefitted from using all the latest technology to create some great playing conditions .
To encourage international vacationers , many of the golf clubs are also attached to some excellent hotels and resorts offering 5-star facilities for all the family .
Vietnam is one of the world ’ s up-and-coming golf destinations and was named the 2012 “ Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year ” by the International Association of Golf Travel Operators ( IAGTO ).
With its fascinating history , ancient culture , superb climate , and now offering fantastic championship golf courses designed for the golfer , on and off the course , Vietnam is the ‘ next Thailand ’ when it comes to SE Asian golf tours .
The popular golf destinations Hanoi , Haiphong & Halong Bay in the north are sometimes cooler and have a variety of spectacular layouts .
Perhaps one of the most popular areas is the coastal region around Danang and the UNESCO Village of Hoi An . Here there are several championship courses running beside a long sandy beach beside the China Sea .
There are a few other resort courses dotted along the coast further south including Quy Nhon , Nha Trang , and Phan Thiet . And there is the old city of Dalat in the central highlands boasting three courses and being 1,500 metres above sea level is cool all year round .
HCMC , formerly known as Saigon , has a variety of excellent courses around the province including some 36-hole tracks , and further south the award-winning The Bluffs at Ho Tram . Finally , there is the island of Phu Quoc with its own 18-hole resort course too .
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GOLF IN VIETNAM ? Don ’ t be misled that the best time to golf in Vietnam is during the peak season from January to April . While the weather is the
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