For golfers who haven't yet played Vietnam, the central coast around Da Nang and Hoi An is the most important thing to know about. What has developed here in the past decade — in terms of course design, conditioning and sheer variety — is genuinely world-class, and most European golfers are still discovering it.
We have played these courses, watched them develop and sent many guests to them. The combination of championship golf, extraordinary scenery, warm caddies and the cultural depth of Hoi An is one that very few destinations can match. Thailand is our deepest expertise, but Vietnam's central coast is where we send guests who are looking for something that will genuinely surprise them.
The Courses
Hoiana Shores Golf Club
The finest course on the central coast, in our view. Robert Trent Jones II has used the natural dune landscape to create something with genuine links character — the kind of golf where the wind matters, the bounces are unpredictable and the ocean is never far from the corner of your eye. The finishing holes are as good as anything in Asia. The conditioning is exceptional. This is a course that has found its own identity rather than borrowing from somewhere else.
Ba Na Hills Golf Club
Set in the rolling foothills above Da Nang, Ba Na Hills is a cooler, greener alternative to the coastal courses — and a very different experience. Luke Donald's design uses the dramatic terrain intelligently, with elevation changes that create genuinely memorable holes. The views are extraordinary, the pace of play is well-managed, and the combination of mountain scenery and immaculate presentation makes this one of the most photogenic rounds in Vietnam.
BRG Da Nang Golf Resort
Another Luke Donald design — this one sitting right on the coast, with a front nine in links style and a back nine in more of a parkland character. The variety is part of the appeal. You get two very different types of golf in a single round, and the ocean views throughout the links section are genuinely special. A strong complement to the other courses in the area.
Beyond the fairways
One of the central coast's great advantages is Hoi An itself — fifteen minutes from most of the courses and one of the most beautiful towns in Southeast Asia. Lantern-lit streets, the Thu Bon River, extraordinary food (Hoi An's cuisine is, in our view, the best in Vietnam), a historic trading town that rewards slow exploration. Non-golfing partners are never left wanting for things to do, and evenings in Hoi An after a day on the course are among the pleasures of this particular combination.
The Hai Van Pass is also within reach — one of the most scenic stretches of road in Asia, connecting Da Nang and Hue along a coastline that deserves to be seen slowly, not passed through.